care2share boise

It is so refreshing to see you doing this for people in your community, I only wish they were doing something like this in my community.  I am a single mother in Georgia raising my 2 kids on my own.  I am currently unemployed and don't really have any money to buy my kids presents for Christmas.  So I am afraid our Christmas tree will be bare this Christmas.  My kids, who are 11 and 13, seem to understand the struggles I go through financially and act like it doesn't bother them but I am sure it hurts them more than they let on.  It is so great to see people reaching out to other people in their times of need.

by Kim (@pure_nirvana)

These are a few of the reasons why I chose to give to this cause:

When I was growing up, I was raised by my Mom who had left my dad to escape an abusive relationship. She had always been a stay at home mom, she had a jr. high school education and moved all 5 of us kids to another state to be by her sister. We stayed with my aunt for a total of 30 days! That was how long she gave my mom to find a job and get on her own. My mother was able to get a job and move us out, but we had very little money. 

I was a very shy, chubby poor girl. That girl that all the pretty, popular girls made fun of. I was horribly teased and made fun of all throughout school. I can relate to these families that are hurting and in need. They are not where they are because they are lazy or dumb or anything they can even control. I like to give whenever I can because I know exactly what it's like to be that kid with no presents under the Christmas tree. I have been there and it's not a feeling any child or parent should have to feel. I also know that my Mom always put herself last and us kids were priority, which is why I also chose to give to this charity.

Most of the Moms were not even asking for anything for themselves, which is why I chose to give haircuts to them.  They deserve to feel beautiful and to be pampered.  To have a day away from the stress in their lives.

- submission by anonymous Care2Share donor

I liked the story about the nail clippers earlier - it got me thinking about our house and all of the stuff that doesn't get used and the toys that don't get played with.  My 7 year old son shares his time between my house and his dad's and usually ends up having multiple Christmas celebrations to accommodate all the extended family members that love to spoil him. 

It has been a yearly challenge to make him understand that not all children are that lucky.  I think this year he finally gets it.  He tells me that he is excited to go shopping and find toys for the 7 year old boy in the family we chose.  I find it interesting that the first family link that I clicked on was a single mother around my age with a son the same age as mine.  It reminded me of when I too needed a little bit of help in life.... 

We need to pay it forward.  Merry Christmas!

by @meganegbert

I have a blessed life.

I don’t say that because it’s Christmas time. I don’t say that because I think I’ve somehow earned the blessings I’ve been given. I say it because it’s true. I also say it, because it hasn’t always been this way.

This year I am acting as a family advocate for a single mom and her 18 month old son who are getting assistance through the Women’s and Children’s Alliance. The program is called Care2Share and it’s a social media based way to give during the Holiday Season. The concept was thought up by my amazing friends and although only in it’s second year Care2Share is helping fulfill the needs of 20 families this month.

I have to admit when I was first asked to be a family advocate I hesitated for a few minutes. It’s not because I don’t support the genuine efforts that my friends have put into this. Nor is it because I don’t want to help out families in need. I just have a hard time with Christmas. It’s a ridiculous holiday that highlights greed, consumerism, over indulgence, and all out cultural and religious ignorance. Christmas is a total sham.

However, I only thought about these things briefly before I eagerly agreed to help out in whatever way I can. It wasn’t a change of heart about Christmas that caused me to commit. It was a haunting of memories from times not so blessed that made me reevaluate my attitude toward Christmas

I have walked through those doors at the Women’s and Children’s Alliance and had to utter the most difficult words my mouth could form: “I’m fearful for my life and need some help.” I am one of the fortunate ones that never had to make that tear stained trek with children in tow. The journey was impossible enough without the weight of them.

Once I moved on in my life, found some safety and an ounce of self esteem, I started a family; the real blessings in this story. Although I had moved past that difficult and dark period in my life, living was far from easy. Pregnant at 23, single mom, still in school, unemployed, uninsured… I’ll save you the nightmare tales I could tell about the first years of my girls’ lives. What I will say is this; without my family, without my friends, without this community that I’m fortunate enough to be a part of, I would be nothing and I would have nothing to give. Nothing to give to the kids I love working with every day. Nothing to give to the staff I hope I serve as an adequate mentor. Nothing to give to my family who has literally given me every ounce of love and support they could possibly muster. Nothing to give to this community that has not just extended a hand to help me up, but has shoved me from every direction until I had no choice but to stand on my own. Nothing to give to my precious children, who deserve a mother who is capable of giving.

We celebrate Christmas in my family. My kids believe in Santa. They ask for presents, although I try to keep them modest in their asking. We decorate a tree, we drink hot cocoa, we sing silly songs in false vibratos… we do it all. I want my children to believe in Christmas magic, but not the type of magic that we might typically associate with this holiday. The magic I want them to believe in has nothing to do with the miscalculated birth date for a religious idol. It doesn’t relate to a creepy man in a velvet suit. I want them to believe with all their hearts in the power of giving. I want them to know it’s what we do as members of a caring, committed, and fortunate society. I want them to know it’s not just something we do during the holidays, but that holidays are especially hard on those in need. I want them to know that we once were fortunate enough to be helped time and time again, and that is a debt that can never be repaid.

There is a single mom with a baby that I know nothing about, except that she had to walk through some doors, and do something that felt insurmountable. I know, firsthand, that this type of giving really does make a difference.  I know that she needs help. I know that many of you have the ability, the compassion, and the fortitude to give. Please check out these remaining items to see what you might be able to help with. The gift is much bigger than you could ever realize.

by @kranberrysIdaho

I was asked to share about what Care2Share means to me and why I am so passionate about making sure "my" family gets every last need and wish granted.

It's hard to gather my thoughts and put into words my story without getting emotional. It all starts with my childhood. I grew up the oldest of 8 children. My dad had a seasonal job, which meant winter and especially Christmas was a very tight time financially.

One Christmas, in particular, I remember each of us kids getting bed sheets from our grandparents and a board game to share. Christmas dinner consisted of some discounted chicken, green beans my mom had raised in our garden and canned, and fried potatoes. We ate a lot of green beans and fried potatoes that winter. Mom had canned over 150 quarts of them. Ironically I still LOVE green beans. They remind me not only of not so good financial times, but also of my mom's hard work to store up so we could have food all winter.

As times got better and after I started to earn money of my own, I  always made a point of buying at least one item each Christmas for a child in need. Because I remember what it was like that Christmas morning. I remember the disappointment of wanting so badly just one toy like all the neighborhood kids and not getting one.

More recently . . . two Christmases ago, my husband was laid off from his job. We went from a very good living to unemployment over night. I remember parking far away when I went to apply for food assistance. I was embarrassed because we have a newer SUV and I was afraid of being judged as not "really" needing help. I remember crying as I told the counselor that while we were able to scrape together enough money for rent and heat...there was NOTHING left for food.

That same Christmas a wonderful woman from Georgia somehow heard about our situation and sent my kids each a HUGE box of toys and clothes so they wouldn't feel the disappointment of an empty Christmas tree. I remember crying with thankfulness as my kids enjoyed their best Christmas ever and never even knew the stress we adults felt.

This is why... I will give up whatever I have to in order for my Care2Share family to have their needs met. Because I remember and I am thankful."

- anonymous submission from a care2share donor

As I read through the families and their needs, it was this small little item that finally pushed me over the edge and made me realize how fortunate I am.

I have a nail clipper in my purse, one in the table beside my couch, one in the bathroom upstairs and one in the bathroom downstairs. I have four nail clippers for my personal use. Four.

Family #20 has to ask for one to be given to them.

By golly, they're going to get one, along with a whole bunch of other basic items that we all take for granted. Things like shampoo, conditioner, soap, batteries and gift cards.

While surveying our remaining familyCare2Share requests, visitors and would-be givers commonly note the difference between unmet basic needs and wish list items, wondering how best to give.  It is understandably difficult to ignore basic needs like toilet paper and socks, in favor of a video game or even educational toys like puzzles and books. Care2Share community partner and Giraffe Laugh ELC Executive Director, Lori Fascilla, has encouraging words for all with similar questions.  

As a person who has adopted a family before I’ve struggled with wants versus needs.  As a person who needed help at one time I completely understand the wants.  I was not able to buy the things my child wanted yet I so ached for his dreams to come true.  I continually have to remind adopters that they should do what they feel best doing…whether that be providing essentials or making a child’s Christmas wish come true, both are valid and appreciated!  

 

It’s a fine line we walk. All children see the same things on TV, the Internet, in stores and at their friends’ house, so it’s difficult for them to separate their needs from wants. The buyer has to decide how they want to and can contribute the most.  I, for one always take care of the needs first, and then take super delight in being Santa by making sure at least a few WANTS are included…after all, who wants socks for Christmas?  

We hope Lori’s words of wisdom will shed a little light for those who would like to contribute this year. When considering how best to lift up and encourage these families, give what feels best to you and seems most appropriate, believing in other community members to do the same until all needs are met. Thank you for giving of your time and resources.  

Boise Co-Op has signed on to donate grocery gift cards to each of our families. We haven't heard whether these gift cards can boil potatoes or carve a turkey, but they'll easily provide our families with delicious local grub for Christmas merry-making!

Here's to the Co-Op, for being a true community partner!

by @StinaMFKing

I am fortunate enough to have a good job, money to buy my family presents, a car to drive me where I need to go, food on my table and a place to call home. This hasn't always been the case for me.

Ten years ago I was unemployed, broke, carless, hungry and homeless... not to mention 19, unmarried, hopeless and 8 months pregnant. While some women worry about gaining too much weight during their pregnancy, I worried whether or not I would even get to eat that day. Instead of shopping for baby clothes, I collected spare change so I could wash the only 3 outfits I owned. Sleeping is hard enough when you're knocked up, try doing it sitting in a chair at the airport because you have no where else to go. Once I even borrowed bus fare from a local transient to ride to RC Willy for a free hotdog. 

Rockbottom. Population: 1... and one on the way.

I made a promise to myself in 2001 while eating Christmas dinner (gas station burrito), to build a life for my son and never allow him to experience such destitution on what should be a joyous time of year. Thanks to my network of friends, who were themselves impecunious, I was able to sleep on couches and floors, hitch rides to the doctor, borrow clothes, and even shower. (Queue "With a Little Help From My Friends") Without their beneficence, I'm pretty sure I would have just thrown in the towel.

After a shit ton of hard-work, sacrifice and fortitude, I am happy to report I am the proud owner of a happy, smart, well fed, loved, and very spoiled 9 year old boy. The holiday season has served as a constant reminder of not only how lucky I am to be where I am today, but of the families out there who are experiencing the same desolation and despair I survived.

This Christmas, I'm paying it forward. I know first hand that even small acts of altruism can make a life long impact to someone's life. I hope you'll join me. I mean, if for no other reason, gas station burritos shouldn't even be eaten by humans... let alone for a holiday meal.

by @hucklebrie

Boise’s social media community is a tight knit bunch that meaningfully, regularly communicates and convenes both online and IRL (in real life, for the digital aliens among us). In the fall of 2010, @schlanghole and I began planning [wire] stone Boise’s annual holiday giving effort. We had recently participated in a couple successful crowdsourcing campaigns through Kickstarter. Inspired by the success of our friends, the idea of using the incremental investments of many people to meet a large community need began percolating through our conversations.  The more we batted the idea around, the harder it became to ignore the idea that we could do more, better, faster if we brought our SoMe friends on board to help.
 
Now, a @schlanghole in his natural environment is a social creature. In his daily travels, he planted this idea among friends strong of mind and soft of heart and asked for honest feedback. Overwhelming positive response and a good dose of holiday cheer led us to jump in with both feet,adopting ten local families from partnering nonprofits. A group of do-gooders locked in a conference room gave our baby a name and the Care2Share effort was officially born.  Stuffed with Thanksgiving turkey and a bit unsure how we were to accomplish the task at hand, we cobbled together a scrappy, grassroots effort.
 
The task before us – to meet the Christmas wishes of ten families in ten days – was daunting. We tweeted loud and often.  We posted.  We DMed and #FFed. We cried tears of happiness, sadness, relief and exhaustion. We collected, counted, celebrated. We remembered what it is do good on behalf of another human and became better humans for it. We met new friends. We made it. We wrapped, ate, drank, and were merry. We delivered.
 
The story of what we did is not nearly as fascinating as the story of what our volunteers and givers did.  These people – friends, acquaintances, strangers, anonymous do-gooders – gave freely of resources they easily could have kept for themselves. They purchased coats that could have kept their own children warm, bought one less toy for a loved one and instead brought a smile to a little girl’s face. They sacrificed precious time. They thought long and hard about what might bring joy or relief to the single mom who requested nothing for herself. They pored over our wish list, ensuring each request was filled. They returned for second and third rounds of giving, because they couldn’t ignore unmet needs. They relived moments of pain and need in their own lives – shared how they, too, had once struggled through the holidays. They drew our community closer, blew it up bigger, made it warmer.
 
Our inaugural dance was fast-paced, down and dirty, and certainly kept us on the edge of our seats.  We’re staring down the barrel of 2011 a bit more prepared. As it stands today, our volunteer force is fifteen times larger than last year, we are launching three weeks earlier, and we have sponsoredtwice as many families. We hope you’ll find us at each of our social properties and join in the journey however you’re able, because everyone truly has something to give.