March DeClutter Results ~ 14 gowns donated ~ 116 blog hits

Well, I didn’t make my goal of 25 gowns, a bit disappointing. Still, on the bright side, I delivered 14 lovely gowns to General Electric in Lynn, home of the North Shore Fairy Godmother program, an all-volunteer effort by members of the Elfun Society, a service-oriented GE employee program.

I met Cathy, the group’s coordinator and she gratefully accepted 14 gowns including 1 brand new with tags, 2 very fancy beaded gowns, several lovely black long gowns, a couple of semi-formal dresses and 2 retro gowns from weddings gone by (I joked with some of my fellow 40somethings that you know you are getting old when past bridesmaids and formal gowns may actually be in again – as a vintage dress or for someone who is going for the retro look!)

The Fairy Godmother “boutique event,” when they help teens identified by service organizations and high schools as being in need, is this Saturday, April 4th, so my best wishes for a successful day to Cathy and her fellow volunteers. I encourage folks to visit the boutique page if they know someone in need or just to see the good work being done.

Another measure of  impact, I’ve had 116 hits (I’ve updated this number a few times) on the weblog from folks looking for prom donation info and people definitely clicked through to several of the organizations I mentioned in my original prom gown post. So, I’m hoping that, just maybe, in some way, I did help get 25 gowns in the hands of teens who are less fortunate but certainly deserving of feeling special as they head of to their prom, as all young ladies should.

A prom gown and accessories collection would certainly make a great community service project for a group of teen girls, as would many of the DeClutter For Good drives and ongoing re-use initiatives planned for Time Well Spent. But, community service is a post for another day!

One of the things I’d love to see with the prom dress drives, in the future, is that the opportunity will be taken to teach girls about dating abuse, safe choices, girl empowerment and the like. I learned that none of the prom drives currently give out such information, but they all agreed it was a worthwhile idea. They have their hands full with organizing the prom gown events logistically, several of them working as an all volunteer program, including North Shore Fairy Godmother. Still, they all said they would welcome info or handouts. So, unable to provide handouts, I took the time to share some great teen-empowerment sites. I thought it made sense to post the links here as well, so here they are (pardon the messy links, but I have a business plan to write!):

http://www.helpabusedwomen.org/Resources.html

http://www.teenvoices.com/issue_current/tvresources.html

http://www.loveisrespect.org/dating-bill-rights/index.html

http://www.teenvoices.com/amplify/

I was thrilled the other day to see Martina McBride on television talking about the very topic, hoping to teach every teen girl that when a boyfriend doesn’t want her talking to other boys, texting others and the like, that isn’t “cute,” or proof that ”he loves me so much he’s jealous.” It’s a red flag. Hopefully, with efforts to educate young girls, a new generation of victims can be averted or at least reduced.

Here’s the link to Martina’s involvement with a great organization:

http://www.loveisrespect.org/2009/03/24/martina-mcbride-teams-up-with-loveisrespect-national-teen-dating-abuse-helpline-against-teen-dating-violence/

So, bringing together some of the prom gown drive organizations with some of these teen empowerment programs was time well spent as well, I hope!

Special thanks to those who donated. I will be providing addresses to NorthShore Fairy Godmother (next week!) and they will send out donation/tax deduction receipts. Gown donators, send me your mailing address if you think I may not have it. Thanks AGAIN!

Carpe Diem! N.

American Sustainable Business Council

I’ll add links to this post later but wanted to share this important info for any one who happens by…  In the meantime, number-crunching calls, so all I can say is, “GOOGLE anything that catches your eye!” (Oh, and pardon the run-ons!)

Check out the organizations above, all sharing a common mission to support enlightened business models that take the best of capitalism and put it to work in service to a mission that takes into account impact on fellow man and the environment within their overall mission. Reminds me of my necklace, "The Purpose of Life is a Life of Purpose." That purpose can be providing jobs, meeting needs, even the need for fun and whimsy, so long as decisions are made that consider the impact on all stakeholders. My guess is that people who conduct business with sincerity, integrity, honesty and a values-driven purpose are happier for it!

 

I got an email in my inbox from Anne Wunderli, Pine Street Inn, yesterday, that I am eager to share. Anne embodies Ghandi’s “Be The Change” mantra and is doing wonderful work at the Pine Street Inn with regard to the social enterprise she runs there, Abundant Table. In addition, Anne works at the national level as a board member on the Social Enterprise Alliance and, here in Massachusetts, as a founder of our networking group that strives to increase awareness about social enterprise. I am honored to know her and thrilled that Time Well Spent has brought people like Anne into my life.

Here’s an excerpt from the letter followed by a link to read this exciting call to action yourself:

SEA is participating in an exciting new collaboration of mission-driven business executives organized to give voice to our shared priorities. Our coalition will be providing a letter to key contacts in the Obama Administration, starting with The Office of Public Liaison/Dept. of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources; The Office of Social Innovation and Civic Engagement; and The Council on Environmental Quality. This letter is an initial document advocating for policies to accelerate the transition to a more equitable and sustainable economy, through innovations such as social enterprise.

 We’re seeking to raise awareness within the Administration of the vibrant social enterprise field, and welcome your engagement in this process. We would like to get as many signatures as possible from the field before submitting the letter to the Administration.

If you would like to sign this letter, please do so by clicking this link http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5407/t/5509/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=296

and sign on by Monday, March 30th.  (Limit one signer per company or organization)

 Note that while the letter touches on a number of key issues, this letter will be part of an ongoing series of communications and dialogues with the Obama Administration on additional issues and recommendations. Plans are also underway to collect survey data on the key priorities of mission-driven business leaders and social entrepreneurs, facilitate discussions at conferences, and establish ongoing dialogues with other members of the Administration.

 

 

Please, show your support for social enterprise by reading the letter .  If you fit the following description, please consider adding your signature (last check it was at 299 signatures):

The undersigned individuals are the chief executives of mission-driven businesses, social enterprises, and sustainable business networks representing hundreds of thousands of employees, members and leaders, and hundreds of billions in economic activity.

Look for me ~ I’m #98 on the list. Anne’s Lucky #7 !

Thank you for supporting social enterprise and a sustainable and equitable economy based on conscious capitalism.

Carpe Diem! N.

 

DeClutter For Good February Results & Business Suit Delivery to Solutions At Work

Each month, I plan to add results and observations from each month’s DeClutter For Good efforts.

Why do I think that’s important? Glad you asked…Two  three reasons come to mind:

Reason 1: Good business practice includes setting goals, tracking results and analyzing those results. So, a social enterprise ~ serving a people and planet-focused mission in an income-generating model that incorporates best business practices ~ would certainly include goal setting and measurement. Ultimately, there will be annual goals and results measured in terms of SROI ~ social return on investment.

Reason 2: Ultimately, I see each DeClutter event as an opportunity not only to get our collective clutter to those in need and the organizations that serve them, but it’s also an opportunity to share with the community the needs that do exist, and the stories behind them, of those in need and of those working to help their fellow man (and woman) as they strive to reach a better point in their lives. Honestly, it’s part of my mission.

Reason 3: Quantifying the results goes a long way toward empowering those who contribute to the collective decluttering. My hope is that folks start to see that, with a little effort, one can contribute to make a measurable difference. I hope to inspire thoughts like, “Isn’t it great to see what we can do together?” and, “Gosh, that wasn’t so hard!” and, “Hey, I didn’t contribute to that effort, but I’m going to see if I have extra clutter for next month’s DeClutter For Good Event?”

But, no time for a long post this month! I’m such a business tiger (yes, that was meant to be sarcastic) that I’ve got my nose to the grindstone working on my bplan and financials (my info-loving brain would love to google the source of that old phrase, nose to the grindstone… what’s that all about… but I’m staying strongly on task…)

So, here’s the shorthand version of the results – by the numbers.

Business Attire Drive – Okay, more disclaimers: I misplaced the piece of paper with the exact tally. It’s not lost! It’s not gone forever. Just misplaced. I’m taking it as a teachable moment to use a 3-ring binder to log donations as they come in. See how my action-while-planning approach is making for a stronger business model. Okay, I’ve had the binder set up for months, it’s the using it that takes a while to ingrain. Good habits don’t just happen overnight.

Anyway, I remember the approximate totals and will firm them up when that piece of paper “emerges” from the piles. Here’s my best estimate:

18 – 20 complete suits

10 pair of business pants

4 skirts

5 business dresses

10 blouses

5 blazers

5 overcoats

7 pair of shoes

5 handbags

5 scarves and neckties

Did I meet my goal of 50 suits? No. Did I meet a worthwhile level of contribution? Yes. What else did I learn? Adjust the goal to use a term that includes the other key pieces. When I’m up and running for real (feels like it now!), I’ll encourage people to perhaps collect suits at their place of business, furthering the reach and empowering folks that making a difference is easy and worthwhile of their time. Was it time well spent already? You bet!

My visit with Tracy at Solutions At Work was very meaningful. In service to my mission, I hoped to blog more about the visit. I encourage you to visit the site, taking a few minutes out of  your busy schedule to cyber-see for yourself the good work being done by a staff of people who were once homeless themselves and now work to help others who are striving to make their lives better, through hardwork, determination, and yes, with help from the kindness of strangers sharing their business clothes. Here’s just a short quote from their homepage:

Solutions at Work helps people transition out of homelessness. Founded in 1989, we remain true to our dual mission: helping homeless people advocate for their own needs and breaking the economic chains that bind people in homelessness.

Led and run by homeless and formerly homeless people, our programs bridge the gap between being homeless and living again as stable members of the broader community. Most of our programs are built upon recycling of high-quality items that would otherwise be discarded or sold, including clothing for children and adults, computers, cars, and bicycles.

 

 

 

I want to add that, for those children’s clothes not meeting the standard of no stains that Cradles to Crayons and consignment shops like require, Solutions At Work has a children’s clothing section called The Children’s Clothing Exchange that will happily accept your children’s clothes with plenty of wear left in them. They have a wonderful exchange program. Here’s a little more than a snippet:

Even at a used-clothing outlet, the cost of clothing a family of four can be devastating for transitioning families. And the vast majority of homeless families are single-parent families — primarily mothers with small or grade-school children.

At the Children’s Clothing Exchange, they trade for what they need — an eight-year old’s winter coat for a ten-year old’s summer outfit. Good quality for good quality. We take toys, too. If you don’t have good clothes, you can trade your time, volunteering.

Some are surprised that our barter system works with transitioning people at all. But we’re never surprised at how much a person who’s had so little is willing to give back. It’s simple: the participants fill each other’s needs, year after year.

And, that’s the short version… Yes, I have to practice brevity in my writing (I know, lots of practice is needed there!).

Thanks to those who contributed suits, and I didn’t forget you! I’ll be getting your addresses and donation info to Solutions At Work so that they can get you tax donation info ~ I figure I have until the end of the year! All most kidding aside, it’s on my list, my long, long list!

Carpe Diem! Nancy

Anyone who knows the source of “nose to the grindstone,”  post it here! Thanks!

 

 

March DeClutter For Good Prom Dress Drive Reminder

3/23 UPDATE: I’ve been in touch with my North Shore Fairy Godmother contact and have arranged to deliver gowns/semi-formal dresses and accessories on Tuesday, 3/31. So, I can accept donations through next Monday. Just be in touch to arrange a mutually-convenient drop-off time. 

Just the Facts!

Sunday, March 22nd

10am – 4pm

at Time Well Spent’s Pre-Launch Office

89 Turnpike Road/Route 1, Ipswich MA

(near Tee Time Mini Golf and Majestic Dragon) 

Click Here for Driving Directions. 

 It’s A Drop, Swap and Donate Event (Meaning that teens donating their prom gear can take a dress to wear to this year’s prom or semi-formal if they see one they like!)

 Donate Your Clean, Gently-Used: 

Prom Gowns (including cocktail dresses and bridesmaids’ dresses)

Semi-Formal Dresses

Dress Shoes, Bags & Bling  

(Extra small and extra large sizes of particular need.)

 to benefit:  

 The North Shore Fairy Godmother Project

 Your Warm Kids’ Clothing Drive Donations are Welcome, too! 

Park in the front parking lot and give a toot! Someone will be down to let you in. To discuss alternative drop-off arrangements:  Reply to this post, text or call 617.548.6340. Anticipated Delivery Date to Fairy Godmother: Friday, March 27th. If you’re interested, read the post with more info about organizations that get gowns into the hands of those in need.

Thanks and Carpe Diem! N.

Warm Clothing Drive for MA Children in Need

Ipswich High National Honor Society
Warm Kids’ Clothing Drive
will be wrapping up at all Ipswich Schools.

 

Drop-Off @ Time Well Spent is also available

at this weekend’s DeClutter For Good

Prom Gown Drop, Swap & Donate.

 

It’s the perfect time to clear out
the warm winter clothes that no longer fit
or that your kids didn’t wear all season.

Large sizes for pre-teens are in particular need.

Click Here to go to the post with all the details about the donations.

Click Here to go to the details of this weekend’s DeClutter For Good event.

Prom Gown Donation Organizations – For those with dresses to give AND those in need – Every girl should feel like a princess at her prom!

For this month’s DeClutter For Good event, I did some preliminary research online that pointed to a lot of sources. Read my summary of what I learned and think about how you can help make someone’s wishes for a magical prom come true!

Nationally ~  Becca’s Closet is a  prom dress organization with regional chapters.  Becca’s Closet was created to honor the memory of a lovely young lady. Though Becca died tragically at age 16 in a 2003 car accident, she lived a life of kindness and service during her lifetime. Here’s a quote from the site:

In the Spring of her Freshman year at Nova High School in Davie, Florida, Rebecca launched a dress drive to provide prom dresses and accessories to high school girls who could not afford to purchase them. Rebecca was a passionate, bright, fun-loving young woman who loved being with her friends and felt that no one should miss a high school event because they couldn’t afford to be there. She saw the inequity in the situation and sought to change things. During the Spring of her sophomore year, Becca single-handedly collected and donated over 250 formal dresses and helped hundreds of girls across South Florida attend their High School proms in style.

I found Becca’s Closet a particularly inspirational site that is taking their mission to the next level:

Although the core mission of Becca’s Closet was to collect and distribute dresses, our goals have expanded to offer additional opportunities for deserving young people. In the spirit of Rebecca’s visions and aspirations, our foundation fundraises to award educational scholarships to recognize the exemplary efforts of young men and women who demonstrate Becca’s spirit of generosity in their own communities.

Locally ~ There are several worthwhile organizations, as well. Because it is located on the North Shore, I’ve decided to give this year’s donations to The North Shore Fairy Godmother Project located at General Electric in Lynn.  General Electric has a service group known as the Elfun Society that runs this wonderful program. The fact that my father, now 84, was a member of the Elfuns during his 32 years of dedicated work at GE makes the connection all the more special.

The Fairy Godmother Boutique  Day  will take place on April 4th from 9am-4pm. Advance appointments are required. Click here to go the page about Getting a Dress.

To donate a dress, come to our Drop, Swap & Donate event this Sunday, March 22nd at Time Well Spent (click here for more details). Click here for alternative drop-off donation arrangements for the North Shore Fairy Godmother program.

Another North of Boston Option ~ Focused on the Greater Lawrence area, The Priceless Prom Gown Program does not require referrals for girls in need of a dress. Also, they’ve just announced an ongoing location, so that access to the dresses goes beyond their several stated boutique dates:

We will be set up at the Olde Andover Village shopping building, located at 89 Main Street, ANDOVER (RT 28). It is in the South Mall entrance thru the brick archway, next to Dunkin Donuts, & across the street from Bertucci’s. Appointments can be made per school as well as set boutique give-a-way dates.

Currently, dates are March 19th, & March 26th, from 6pm to 9pm. Dates for April are the 9th and 15th, 6pm to 9pm for both. Also, the Grand Boutique date of April 30th, at the Days Hotel & Conference Center on Pelham Street in Methuen. Located right off RT 93. Event begins at 5pm.

In Boston ~ With a major event taking place at Simmons College in Boston on April 18th, Belle of the Ball is a project of Anton’s Cleaners, a regional organization that continually supports the local communities through their cleaning and collection efforts.  Reflecting the larger scale of the Belle of the Ball event, this prom gown giving and receiving program has considerable sponsorship and support and will help an enormous number of teens in and around Boston. I look forward to seeing their results.

Get Involved! Help Make Dreams Come True…

Each of the referenced efforts requires the participation of many, many volunteers in addition to those who donate, so think about how you might help:

• Spend a minute passing along word of the programs by sharing this post with someone who could benefit from a new dress at no cost.
• Spend a minute passing along word to those whom you know might have prom gowns and gear to donate.
• Spend 10 minutes buying a gift certificate for hair-up-does or manicures.
• Spend an hour getting together and delivering some donations.
• Spend a day volunteering to help at one of the events.

So, whether you know someone with extra prom gowns and gear to donate or someone in need of that special dress (not to mention matching shoes, gift certificates for prom hairdos, manicures and other primping), contribute to making this year’s prom season special for area teens, whatever their circumstances.

Each and every young lady in the area should feel like a princess going to the ball!

Watch this video ~ Eco-Conscious Hearst Tower in NYC

http://www.hearst.com/hearsttower/index.htm

I’ll try to embed it, but this is cool stuff! It’s the Hearst Tower in NYC. My eldest just decided to go to Northeastern but still needs to choose a career. She’s a talented photographer but all girl, loving style and such… Hearst owns tons of magazines. I’d love to see her feel as mission-driven as I feel, but that day will come. Maybe someday she’ll get a co-op at Hearst and be inspired by their environmentally-responsible perspective. Watch the video to learn about the first eco-friendly highrise in NYC. What’s comparable in Boston?

Here’s Courtney’s photoblog archive to get a glimpse of her work. Click on any images for a close-up look.

Upholsterer or Upholsterer Wannabees Needed!

One part of my multi-purpose concept involves repurposing and reconditioning
old quality pieces rather than putting them in the land fill, avoiding the
manufacture of a brand new project as well.

I’ve found a freecycler with 2 couches to get rid of and would love to cover one
for use at my place (in the learning and sharing resource center where we share
books and the like that are cluttering our homes)and one for use at Cornerstones
Residential School, an alternative school in Ipswich for children age 6-12, many
of whom are victims of abuse. They need some spiffing up at their residential
portion of their facilities and want to minimize any institutional feeling,
making it a more home-like environment, in the best sense of the term.

The love seat is kind of "retro" with "clean lines" (I think!) and the full-sized couch more traditional and perhaps just right for the kiddos at Cornerstones. And, yes, that's a bolt of fabric that's part of the deal. If you are interested in either project, leave a comment here or go to the contact page to get in touch.

So, if anyone is interested in trying their hand as a newbie upholsterer OR knows of an experienced upholsterer willing to volunteer their skills (and get positive exposure for it, not to mention warm fuzzy feelings that come with
helping others!). I’ll certainly spread the good word about the volunteer help here and in my newsletter.

Heck, I’ll throw in a press release as an added benefit to share with the local newspapers – better than free advertising!

Also, fyi, Bernina’s in Topsfield offers reupholstery classes along with private lessons, open studio time and lots more… The owner, Stefanie, would love to help someone learn on one of these donated pieces.  Check out Stefanie’s Bernina website by clicking here.

March 8, 2009 Declared John Updike Day in Ipswich, Massachusetts

I’ve said it before, Ipswich, our hometown of 11 years, is a neat place to live and raise a family.  Scroll down a few posts to read about the Ipswich Arts for the Arts event.

A photo from the website courtney gallant photography (yes, she's my daughter!)

 

 To see some more beautiful photos of Ipswich, click here to visit Courtney’s virtual portfolio.  

Read on for the announcement to honor one of Ipswich’s own ~ John Updike…

 

Some Green Ways to Pass the Nor’Easter – Watch Planet Green TV!

I’ve been stressing because I’m reading the Transitions Handbook and I have to work on my business plan and financials. So, I thought I’d chill while still being “green”… There’s been so much snow this winter, the kids aren’t as “into it” as they were for the first 5 storms… So, we are watching some television – but it’s mission-based television (I just made that up!) so guilt-free…

I’m a fan of Planet Green, the Discovery Channel’s eco-friendly tv station. Here’s a link to the Monday (anticipated snow day) schedule. Planet Green is on channel 233 for those with Comcast cable and there’s a channel finder for those who aren’t – just plug in your zip code and service and it provides the channel.

Read on for some suggested viewing…