Peter Pan and Feeding America

Did you know that 1 in 6 American children—nearly 17 million—struggle with hunger? Peter Pan® believes no child in the United States should grow up hungry, so we're making a monetary donation that will provide more than 1 million Feeding America® meals.

We want to help, but your family can help, too. How? Simply enter your child's first name below and read a story that helps teach children the importance of helping others. Then find out specific ways that you and your family can spread magic to make a difference in the lives of hungry children.


Keep Childhood Magical - help us end Child Hunger with Peter Pan!

1 in 6 kids in Americam Struggles with hunger

Join Our Fight

*visit www.peterpanph.com to learn more about our donation and 6 ways your family can help.

New Year 2010

Happy New Year!

What a great opportunity to leave the past behind and start with a clean slate!

I love this time of the year when we can reflect on previous accomplishments and failures, and commit to making some positive advancements or changes in many aspects of our lives.

How will you start off this year?

I really believe that 2010 is a great year for community and humanity.

Let me challenge you as we enter this first week that is often filled with resolutions, hopes and dreams:

As we enter 2010, Will It Change You? Or will you be right back to your old self by February?! What value can we offer to other people this year?

Have a great year, you deserve it!


Pay It Forward

A few years ago I watched Pay It Forward, a movie from the year 2000 based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

While the movie probably could have been improved upon in it’s delivery of the theme, the concept of paying it forward is really intriguing.

The basic premise of the movie is as follows:

An 11-year-old schoolboy in Las Vegas, Nevada named Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) is given a class project to complete by his social studies teacher, a man with terrible burn scars on his face and neck. His task is to come up with a plan that will change the world through direct action.

On his way home from school later that day, Trevor notices a homeless man, and decides to make a difference in his life. Trevor then comes up with the plan to “pay it forward” by doing a good deed for three people who must in turn each do good deeds for three other people, creating a charitable pyramid scheme. (Wikipedia)

I don’t wish want to be unrealistic about this concept, or find recruits for the “together we can change the world!” foundation, but here’s what I love about paying it forward: it’s all about taking action rather than talking about doing good things.

There’s a whole heap of things we can do to pay it forward in the real world.

How can we pay it forward?
Just off the top of my head, here’s a couple ideas:

Buy someone lunch
Give someone some movie tickets
Wash a car (that’s not yours!)
Buy Eric Hamm & Leo Babauta’s new Motivation Handbook
Give someone a massage (ooh la la!)
Cook up a storm in the kitchen (3min noodles don’t count)
Take the Smile-Therapy Challenge!
Give away some free advertising on your website
Any other suggestions? I bet you could think of something and or somehow to pay it forward!

Let me ask you: Has anyone done something remarkable for you recently?
More importantly, what have you done this week to Pay It Forward?


GO volunteer it does the body good!

Have a great NEW YEAR!


Love JO

Give a Day of Volunteer Service

This is something great and you get tickets ontop of feeling good and helping someone else out by volunteering!





Breaking news…as we just announced on Good Morning America, if you give a day of volunteer service to a participating organization, you’ll get one day of free admission to a Disney Park. It’s a first-of-its-kind program we’re calling “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day.”

And yes, it’s that simple — a free one-day ticket to a Disneyland or Walt Disney World theme park for guests who volunteer a day of service to a participating organization. We’re celebrating you and the good things you do for your communities.

Our program officially begins on January 1, 2010. When it’s live, you’ll be able to visit www.DisneyParks.com or www.DisneyParks.ca and search for an eligible volunteer project. After completing the volunteer work, an e-mail will be sent from Disney with a link to print out a voucher to redeem at a theme park for a free one-day, one-park admission. And if you’re unable to use the ticket, it can be donated to a charity designated by Disney.

With this announcement, we’re looking for 1 million people with a passion to make a difference. And we’re working with HandsOn Network to do it. They’re helping make sure you find the perfect volunteer work. And many of the program’s volunteer opportunities will be for the family.

Also, you’ll notice that we’re raising awareness for grass-roots community volunteerism in more cities than just Chicago. Disney VoluntEARS are joining local volunteers in cities across the United States and Canada today. Work projects involving more than 1,000 volunteers are happening in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami and across Canada — Toronto, Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver.

We’ll be posting more details about the program and how it may involve your city on the @DisneyParks Twitter account and right here.

Of course, there are some official details you should know about: Must pre-register and sign up for eligible volunteer opportunity at disneyparks.com. Ticket quantities for this program are limited. Must be at least age 6 to participate. Other terms and conditions apply. For details, see disneyparks.com in the United States and Puerto Rico. In Canada, see disneyparks.ca.


GIVE A DAY. GET A DISNEY DAY.


BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2010, when you sign up here to volunteer a day of service with a participating organization
(and your service is completed and verified) you'll get one day admission to a Walt Disney World® or Disneyland®
theme park, FREE! We want to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service.

Sign up now to receive reminders and exciting updates about the "Give a Day. Get a Disney day."
program by clicking on "Get Email Updates" above.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/index?name=Give-A-Day-Get-A-Disney-Day

Tis the season and the reason for giving!

Pay it forward!


I was listening to the Neal Boortz Radio show - and he had a great idea when a caller called into the show. In short he asked what the caller was going to get him (Neal) for Christmas - the caller seem confused and stated what do you want? Neal stated he wanted the guy to go to Wal-Mart and go to the toy department and find someone who looks like they are having trouble finding the right toys and maybe down on there luck finding it hard to buy and shop for their children this year! Then he stated to start a conversation with the person and found out what the children really wanted and go buy them that item! The caller said that is what you want for Christmas and Neal replied yes in other words pass on the gift of giving to someone down on their luck who has a hardship this year! I was thinking what a great idea I am going to do that this weekend (will report what happens) This has made me smile all day just thinking about it!

Pay it forward you may not be able to buy something great in dollar value but I bet you could find someone with very little need! Why not skip that pizza dinner, or skip that cup of Joe or even give up that something special that you thought you had to have! You will feel like a million bucks let me tell you it really does put a warm and fizzy feeling in you're heart when you help someone and again remember you never know that someone could be you!

Feeding America

I am proud to be a part of this wonderful commitment to our communities so if you see a food bank in need such as when you are at your local store buy an extra can good and drop it off most stores have large bins to help you participate. And you can always find the local food bank near you and make your drop offs and or help to volunteer a couple of hours with stocking shelves among many other things. Everyone working together helps! Thanks for the support as I have always said you never know if you are going to be the one in need!


As part of Bank of America’s commitment to provide meaningful support to individuals and families in need, the company is providing $2 million in grants to three organizations providing critical hunger relief services nationally and internationally: Feeding America, the Meals On Wheels Association of America and Save the Children.

“Now, more than ever, Bank of America is committed to supporting core human service needs such as hunger relief, housing and other basic services,” said Kerry Sullivan, president, Bank of America Charitable Foundation. “This is a crucial time for these three nonprofits because they are simultaneously experiencing increased demand and reduced resources. These funds will have a positive impact during the holidays and over the long term.”


-- Kerry Sullivan, president, Bank of America Charitable Foundation


The year-end gifts include a $1 million grant to Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, to connect low-income Americans with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program. The support will enable Feeding America’s network of food banks to improve access and provide pre-screening and application assistance for low-income clients seeking emergency food assistance, many of whom are eligible for SNAP but not participating. According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only 66 percent of people eligible for SNAP received benefits in 2007.

Support to Meals On Wheels will help senior nutrition providers across the country prepare, deliver and provide meals to homebound seniors at a time when rising gas and food prices have significantly impacted the organization’s services. As part of a comprehensive approach to hunger, to address malnutrition’s fatal impact on more than 3 million young children annually, grant funding to Save the Children will support domestic and international programs delivering life-saving health care, emergency food relief and nutrition programs to children living in poverty.

Bank of America is taking a multigenerational, holistic approach to hunger relief by helping to connect low-income and underserved families with available benefits and resources while also helping them gain greater economic self-sufficiency and improve their health. The bank’s funding also increases the long-term sustainability of these critical anti-hunger and organizations.

Bank of America and its associates are longtime supporters of organizations assisting in hunger relief efforts and, in addition to these grants, provided over $3million in grants to nonprofits that addressed hunger and food-insecurity this past year. In 2009, nearly 2,000 Bank of America associates donated more than 12,000 hours to food banks and food nutrition related causes.

Did you know?

6 million seniors in America face the threat of hunger
Every $1 invested in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits generates $1.84 in economic activity

United Way 2-1-1

United Way 2-1-1 Phone System offers community access to health, social and human services. People living in a 9-county region of Northeast Florida can dial 2-1-1, the easy to remember, three-digit telephone number for free information and referral and access to health, social and human services. It is a non-emergency number.


Need a Hero: For more information on United Way 2-1-1 services, click here.


Be a Hero: United Way 2-1-1 is looking for volunteers. Click here for more information.

Warm Coats and Warm Hearts

The final months of the year not only usher in the holidays and a bustling shopping season but also some of the year's coldest weather.

Many adults and children across the country struggle during the winter months because they are unable to afford proper cold-weather attire. With so many people struggling financial because of the recession, your coat and clothing donations matter this year more than ever.


"Good Morning America," together with retailer Burlington Coat Factory and the nonprofit organization One Warm Coat, once again want to help those in need with the 3rd annual Warm Coats & Warm Hearts Drive.


Last year we collected 177,339 coats and the first year of the drive we collected 175,125 coats. All the coats were distributed free of charge to those in need. This year we'd like to spread the warmth even farther and wider.








This is the season and what another great way to give back so if you have any coats please donate it is easy use the website for a map of a shop/dropbox location near you!

Thanks for givng! I had 7 coats donated and will be taking them to my local store this weekend! And it just gives me reason to shop which I love to do and even better with a discount!


http://corporate.burlingtoncoatfactory.com/gmacoatdrive/