15 Days of Giving

Yes, there are 12 days of Christmas, but why not 15 days of giving?! Check out this list for all the simple actions you can take to help out others in need this year - you'll even find some GREAT gifts for those hard to buys on your list!

December 10th: Kick off this holiday month right by checking out Oxfam Unwrapped - the fab site that lets you buy bikes, chickens, safe water and all sorts of great things for villages in need!

December 11th: Give the gift of your wisdom! That's right, there's are loads of kidlets out there just waiting to hear all the amazing advice you have on clothes, boys, coffee, well pretty much life! Kids.now provides you with everything you need to become a fantastic mentor!

December 12th: Grab a gift card from Just Give for a friend and they can redeem it to donate to a charity of their choice.

December 13th: Bring home a furry friend. Or find a mate for a friend and head to your nearest adoption to centre to bring a little buddy home just in time for the holidays.
December 14th: Buy (Red) Products for everyone! There's cute tees, rings and candles for

your girlfriends, wicked headphones for your beau and even Penguin Classic books for that hard to buy boss - all helping to eliminate AIDS in Africa.

December 15th: Help Abused Women. Mimi + You is a fantastic handmade jewelry company that makes gorgeous and statement necklace pieces - all their proceeds from their Celebrate

Courage line goes to support abused womens' shelter.
December 16th: Find an Elegant Gift with Charity Buzz. Your cousin that loves Lady Gaga -

no problem bid on VIP tickets! Your mom that ohs and ahs over the sexy Ralph Lauren - get her a trip to meet him in person! And the best part is, all the proceeds from these extravagant gifts go

directly to charity!

December 17th: Feed a Hungry Kid in South Africa through the Lunchbox Fund - or get a gift for your family by sponsoring a child for a whole year for only $80!

December 18th: Get Your Colleagues cute office slippers from TOMS. For each pair sold, another pair is sent to a child in a developing country.

December 19th: Keep Mosquitos away. Every 30 seconds a child in Africa dies from Malaria.

Send two mosquito safety nets through World Vision in honor of pretty much anyone on your Christmas list.

December 20th: Become Worldly. With jewelry, skirts, rings, and shoes from all over the world - you can get your girlfriends, mom, or even yourself ;) a fabulous gift from Live Worldly that supports local charities in the artisans' home countries.

December 21st: Support Learning! What about getting your little cousins, nieces and nephews a cool, totally gross gift that their parents' won't hate you for! Check out Elephant Thoughts and all their great eco-friendly gifts for the science nerd in everyone!

December 22nd: Give Cuddles to kids who need it the most. Noah's Ark helps abused children through amazing pet therapy - your donation helps pays for the basics like dog food (they go through 800 pounds a year), new clothing and toys.

December 23rd: Make a Wish come true by buying a wrapped toy and delivering it

straight to the many drop offs for the Chum Christmas Wish.

December 24th: Indulge in the gorgeous handmade jewelry by the female Ugandan artisans of Beads for Life. Not only are the colors and patterns stunning, buteach purchase is helping to end poverty in Ugandan villages.

December 25th: Make this holiday the best. Take a moment today to look around you at all the amazing things life has given you. Great friends, great food, great gifts, great family (even if they're insane!) and okay, great wine. Appreciate what you have, and then vow to make things

better for others - even if it's as simple as these actions - buying a funky gift, clicking and learning more, or making a tiny donation - YOU ARE making a difference!

* A big thank you to GLAMOUR Magazine for giving me the idea for this article - if you get a chance check out this month's "31 Days Giving" Article - it's all American charities, but it's really great!

Charity Buzz - How to Do Good and Live Well

While doing some research for our Think Pink Month piece (more to come), I stumbled across one of the most innovative, interesting and fun fundraising sites I have seen in a long while.

The concept is relatively simple - people like auctions and people like donating money (in theory)...what if you could not only donate money - and in fairly large amounts - which also buys you something that is completely unusual, fabulous and frivolous? The answer is CharityBuzz.

CharityBuzz showcases a collection of super rare items being sold on auction, with the proceeds going to the seller's charity of choice. All the items are completely unique trips and experiences, like a tour by Ralph Lauren himself of his world famous car collection, an opportunity to star in a new horror movie, or VIP backstage pass tickets to Lady Gaga - each one of which support a great cause!

These auction items are in some cases ridiculously expensive - a dinner reservation at NY's Rao restaurant is currently going for $7500....and that's just for the table, not the food! - but some of the items are the perfect gift for those tough-to-buys, or the best way to spoil yourself.

With causes and organizations like the Ralph Lauren Pink Pony, the Lollipop Theatre Network, and the World Wildlife Fund it's definitely worth a peek at all the drool-worthy items on sale.

What's Not to LOVE about Ted Talks?

Ted Talk's tagline ran continually through my head as I sat listening yesterday at Tedx Toronto - "ideas worth sharing"......which definitely are the perfect words to encompass all that Ted is about. Because that's what it is - ideas. Ideas from innovators, authors, poets, creators, buisnessmen - all coming together over a love of knowledge.

Speakers are given 20 minutes, just 20 minutes, to inspire you, challenge you and teach you...or sometimes, even turn your world upsidedown.

As I sat in a conference room at MaRS, full of people drinking cans of pop and clutching their Tim Hortons, frantically typing into their blackberries and ipads (yes, this is the universe of nerdom, but cool nerds), trying to keep in touch with the offices they have left for the day to spend at TED. I thought to myself, that this sight proves that knowledge is power. Not in the traditional sense, but that knowledge has power. It has the power to make you think for days, the power to start conversation, the power to change your views, the power to bring people together, and possibly the power to create peace.

Okay, okay, I've gotten a little hyperbolic, but if you've seen a TED talk that's stuck with you, then you know what I am talking about. If you haven't, then see one NOW, at the very least, it will give you something to talk about at your next cocktail party.

Become a Hero for your charity, your community or just yourself!

Ever sold magazines, girl guide cookies, or coupon books to help raise money for the charity you love and support? Ever done it in the rain, or the snow, or the blistering cold? What if you could fundraise and raise awareness right from your computer?

Well that's exactly what actor Edward Norton decided needed to be done. He created Crowdrise, a hot new site that's already raised over $250,000 for organizations all over the world - and it was only launched in May! Crowdrise is hip, sassy and fun - and what would you expect from a site that's tagline is "if you don't give back no one will like you". Ed has even recruited some of his famous friends to join the site, so Crowdrise becomes a place where stars and volunteers alike can mingle and shmooze over the causes they love!

The best part is it's easy to raise money, give money, or even just learn about different organizations and causes. You can support Sophia Bush's and her Run for the Gulf, or you can learn all about Alzheimer's with Seth Rogen, or even give puppies a great big hug with Kristen Bell.

It's got a competitive aspect as well, so Get Involved would recommend checking out this list of organizations to support and start fundraising for them on Crowdrise, because "volunteering and raising money for charity is the most fun in the world!"

Rock Out to Pitch In

By: Jinny Wong

Next month you’ll have more than good music as an excuse to rock out! Steam Whistle Brewing is producing an ongoing concert series to raise money for AHCF.

Unsigned exhibits Canada’s musical talent while helping to develop its future. Each edition of Unsigned features three Canadian artists and a DJ. 100% of the ticket sales from each show will be going to the Artists’ Health Centre Foundation.

Ever wonder how many times a week the dancer leaping from one side of the stage to the other needs to visit a physiotherapist? Or what sort of conditioning the guitarist in the indie alt-rock band needs?

Most of the time, independent artists just don't receive the treatment they need due to a lack of resources and money.

That’s why the Artists’ Health Centre Foundation was created. The impetus for the project was a unanimous frustration with the cost and lack of appropriate health care for artists.

The AHCF helped create and continues to work in support of the Al and Malka Green Artists’ Health Centre at Toronto Western Hospital and their research initiatives.

A 1995 survey conducted in Toronto, London, The Hague, and New York (other known artists’ clinics) confirmed the need for an integration of complementary and conventional medical health services, as well as research in the field of artists' health care, and subsidies for alternative therapies.

AHCF is involved in outreach, education and prevention services for over 20,000 professional artists who live in the Toronto area. Their mission is to raise the standard of health care, educational resources, and quality of life. They are dedicated to presenting ongoing workshops and seminars, and raising funds through theJovanne Sidimus Subsidy Fund to subsidize health care for artists in need.

The concert will be held at The Roundhouse on Friday, September 10th. Don’t miss out!

Check out a video from Unsigned 2009.

Funding Opportunity for Small Charities

AtlasCare's Care to Share program provides local initiatives and organizations with an opportunity to receive $1,000, as well as promotion through Atlas Care's many media tools (ie website, press releases, ect).

There are many worthwhile causes doing important work. The Care to Share program includes not only the larger, better-known charities, but also the smaller local causes that can include fundraising and charity events in Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, or anyplace within the AtlasCare service area. This opportunity is available every month and even volunteers can nominate the charity they work with. Winners are selected by a random draw and not based on the quality of the submission. Our donation program can make a difference for your charity. Apply today!

One Gold Medal and Two Heroes

It took only 23.17 seconds for Alex Bilodeau to become Canada's first "golden" boy of the Olympics. The world watched in great anticipation on Sunday night, as the Men's Moguls finales went by in a blur of stumbles and sprays of snow. A fantastic run; clean, fast and high difficulty on the jumps gave Alex a total score of 26.75, and Alex became the first Canadian EVER to win an Olympic gold medal on Canadian soil. Interview requests poured in from all over the world, for both Alex and his older brother Frederic.

That's right, there are two heroes in this Olympic story. One can fly over moguls at warp speed, and the other can barely walk. Frederic Bilodeau has cerebral palsy, and spends most of his time confined to his wheelchair. Yet, Frederic is Alex's inspiration - and was all Alex could talk about when he found he had won gold. "When he wakes up in the morning, he's got that big smile," said Alex, 22. "He goes to bed, and he's got that big smile...You look at him, and he's got all the right to complain. How many times do we complain in a day? I don't think I can even count mine."

Despite Frederic's physical limitations, his is by no-means "disabled" - he still skis from time to time, he knows everything about Roman history and he loves to oil paint."It's incredible what he can do," Serge Bilodeau said. "We have paintings of Alex doing a backflip and Beatrice in the moguls."

And seeing the TV images of the brothers joyfully embracing near the bottom of the moguls run was a magical moment for many with this condition that frequently doesn't receive as much attention as other disbalities. Joanne Hutchinson, a volunteer for the Halifax Regional Cerebral Palsy Association who was born with the condition points out that many people with cerebral palsy avoid going out in public, especially if they have a noticeable disability or uncontrolled muscle movements or spasms."They don't know much about us, they don't have an understanding and there's a lot of (public) misconceptions," added Hutchinson, who hopes the focus on Frederic Bilodeau's no-holds-barred support of his brother will help raise awareness of the condition they share."When you saw that embrace at the end, it was just two brothers sharing that moment. And you didn't see the disability."

Want to learn more or volunteer? Check out:

Cerebral Palsy Support Foundation of Canada, Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, Cerebral Palsy Association of Alberta, Cerebral Palsy Association of Quebec and Cerebral Palsy Foundation Saint John

Or give you support by donating used clothing or joining the Facebook Challegne: donate $26.75 (Alex’s winning score) to the Cerebral palsy Foundation through Canada Helps.

Articles: Always Smiling Brother... by Vicki Hall - the Vancouver Sun and Bilodeau's Esteem for Brother... by Sheryl Ubelacker - The Canadian Press

Volunteering Olympians

The volunteering experience at Whistler is certainly a great, and life changing one. Over 30,000 volunteers are needed to help run the Olympic games. Among the hundreds of different jobs as an Olympic volunteer are community relations, food & beverage (which frequently includes meeting the athletes!), assisting with the events (including performer support, costumes, flowers and props) and even helping with the medal ceremonies! All these exciting opportunities were certainly enough to get77,000 people to apply for these Vancouver Games. Most of these volunteers have paid for their transportation and accommodations – the compensation is the thrill of being there. Read one volunteer’s journey through her fantastic blog the 2010 Winter Olympic Games: A Volunteer’s Olympic Odyssey: http://olympicvolunteer.wordpress.com/. The London Games in 2012 will need up to 70,000 volunteers to help run the Olympic and Paralympic Games. With even more opportunities available there will be lots to do! Apply to be a volunteer in 2012 now!

Micro-Volunteering

Looking to give back but don't have the time? What about all the time you spend waiting in line at the post office? During subway delays? Avoiding work on Facebook? What if you could turn these dull drum moments into volunteering success?

With the Extraordinaries micro-volunteering opportunities you could be volunteering for the Library of Congress with just a click of a button! Originally created for the iPhone, The Extraordinaries provides a database of simple opportunities that can be done on your phone, or on your computer. The Extraordinaries harnesses the power of crowdsourcing by aggregating thousands of micro-actions dedicated to over 20 different organizations including the Smithsonian Institute.

Click to try it out live!

Beautitfulcity.ca Volunteer Sedina

Sedina Fiati volunteers with the Beautiful City Alliance, a collective of over 29 community organizations from across the Greater Toronto Area which are lobbying to create a billboard fee which will go towards supporting youth arts initiatives. Originally known as the Beautiful City Billboard Fee (BCBF), the collective of organizations that have come together of the years are as diverse as its mandate, encompassing a wide variety of voices, from the Art Gallery of Ontario to the Grassroots Youth Collaborative. According to a recently conducted Pollara poll 66% of Torontonians support the idea of charging a fee to billboard advertisers to fund more public art. Together the alliance aims to raise over 6 million dollars annually in order to support public art. Sedina fits into the collective naturally, with a background in youth engagement and theatre. Sedina works professionally as the outreach coordinator / rAiz'n developer for b current.

1.) Why did you decide to Get Involved?

I have volunteered for most of life starting with Girl Guides when I was younger and continuing until now with my involvement with various arts and youth organizations. As human beings, I believe we are here to serve each other and volunteerism is one of the many ways that we create a better world.

2.) How many hours do you devote to your cause a week?

2 - 3 hours

3.) Pick one word or a sentence that describes what volunteering means to you.

It's a gift to be able to help.

4.) Why is your cause so important to you?

Support of art and youth is a major part of the work I do. As a local independent artist, we need support to continue to our work which sometimes goes unnoticed by the general public. If we can bring attention to our art and continue to push that corporations who use art as a medium to sell products, give back and allow art for arts sake, we can continue to create art that the public sees and connects to.

Sign up for Power of the Hour now HERE

Come see the centre!

Make this June the month you check out the Centre for Social Innovation.
Toronto’s CSI is a fantastic space in the city’s downtown (215 Spadina, just north of Queen) where the latest (and greatest) and most innovative social, environmental, economic, and cultural ideas come to life on a daily basis.
Whether as a unique workplace, or a social innovation meeting space, the Centre is on the cutting edge of meaningful discussion, planning and change.
Take a look at some of the June events CSI is talking about here: CSI June.
From a tour of the uplifting space itself on June 4th (Get Involved liked it so much we held the launch of our TVO doc series and website there!) to a series of workshops, meetings and presentations around town (an interactive workshop on gauging the feasibility of your social enterprise idea at George Brown… a discussion of the secrets of green manufacturing at the Ontario Investment and Trade Centre…or Tech Soup’s Social Innovation reception at MaRS) CSI is in the centre of things – and in the know. And it's a place you should know too. Make this the month you do!

Take Part in Family DAY

The new Civic holiday, Family Day falls on February 16th this year and to celebrate families in all there diverse shapes and sizes Family Service Toronto, a United Way Member agency is sponsoring a great campaign.

They are encouraging people to post their family photos and stories on line .

If you support the idea of family as...

Two or more people, related by blood, marriage, adoption or commitment to care for one another.

You can endorse their definition of family on their site.