Miss Do-Gooder

Purrfect Pet

2012-02-25T08:15:00.001-08:00

If you’re a pet owner, chances are astronomically high that you consider your Pug/Siamese/Labrador/Spaniel/Tabby to be the most adorable animal on the face of the planet. I know that I do.

Well, it’s that time of year where you get the chance to show the proof is in the pudding and also help the Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the U.S. put an end to pet homelessness.

In honor of World Spay Day this Tuesday, February 28 the aforementioned organizations (along with nearly 300 participating local organizations) are hosting a WSD online pet photo contest. As in the past, you can win lots of prizes including a $5,000 grant your favorite animal charity, plus free photo sessions and a feature in Pets of the Week or All Animals magazine.

You know the drill. Send in your best shot along with a few vital details including 1) What’s your favorite thing to do together?, 2) What’s his or his or most endearing bad habit?, and 3) Why does he or she make you smile?

You don’t have to donate money to submit a photo, but all contributions are greatly appreciated and will allow you unlimited access to vote for your favorite pooch, kitten or other furry creature. Click here to help reduce pet overpopulation and possibly lay claim to the title of “World’s Owner of the Cutest Pet.”

The Do-Gooder's Apprentice

2012-02-24T10:31:00.001-08:00

It seems that America's most notorious real estate mogul conceals a heart of gold (metaphorically, though Donald Trump's heart might actually be made of gold).

Turns out that the stars who fight for pretend employment on "The Celebrity Apprentice" every week -- the likes of Debbie Gibson, Meatloaf, Clay Aiken, George Takei, Bret Michaels, Lil Jon duke, et al -- are vying for a chance to win $250,000 for their favorite charity. Jolly good show, as the Brits would say (about the charitable part, if not the, you know, show).

Could be that this isn't news to the diehard devotees of this riveting reality show. The fact that this blogger wasn’t might be attributed to: A) the fact that she's never seen it, B) the host’s other publicity stunts, somewhat ironically, crowd out this quite endearing story, or C) the liberal media elite refuses to give him a fair shake. I'll let you decide.

Contestants in the current season (also known as "The Apprentice 12") are giving their all for charities like Racing for Cancer, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, After-School All-Stars and The Magic Johnson Foundation. If you’d like to know who's lining up behind which cause and why, tune in to NBC on Sundays at 9/8 central, or click here.

Not So Secret

2012-02-23T10:12:00.001-08:00

After much hemming and hawing I decided to selflessly share with you all a chance (read: contest) to rub elbows with a few of the funniest – and most free-speech supporting - people on Earth at a fancy ball in NYC. Get a move on because you’ve only got until end of day Monday (February 27) to give yourself a shot at two tickets to Amnesty International’s Secret Policeman’s Ball on March 4 (includes airfare and hotel accommodations as well).

You can only enter once and, unfortunately, you don’t get extra chances by forwarding on to friends and family, so the best of luck to each and every one of you. One extremely fortunate winner will get to hear firsthand about Amnesty’s 50 years of life-saving human rights work from some seriously hilarious folks including Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Kristen Wiig, Sarah Silverman and Russell Brand. Quite a line up. You’ll also get to see Coldplay perform live, which I’m sure will be highly entertaining, but probably not very funny. But you never know.

Click here for some comedy relief and here for more information about the world's preeminent human rights organization.

Time For a Good Work Out

2012-02-21T09:00:00.003-08:00

If you haven’t already jumped on the gym bandwagon this year (or if you've already fallen off and want to get back on again) here's a pretty compelling reason to check out your local Crunch Fitness: a portion of your membership will help efforts to find a cure for ALS. During the month of February, Crunch is hosting its “Love Your Muscles” campaign, donating $10 of every new membership being to the Muscular Dystrophy Assocation’s Augie’s Quest.

It's also offering cool workshops including Relax & Breathe, Fly & Flow, World Beat and S.T.A.R. Treatment, training demos and special personal training offers ($30 for 30 minutes and $60 for an hour). All are available at www.loveyourmuscles.com, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Augie's Quest.

Also, be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, February 25th - Crunch's official Love Your Muscles Day. All Crunch locations nationwide will be free, and I’m sure happy to take your donation for this great cause.

"The Lorax" Picks His Friends Carefully

2012-02-16T10:15:00.000-08:00

Universal Pictures' whopping 70 promotional partners for "The Lorax" movie (in cinemas on March 2) are, by almost (ahem) universal media consensus, a refreshing change from the usual band of burger and chicken chains. The studio has rejected the predictable strategy of putting plastic toys in happy meals (which are notorious for their, um, environmental impact), and will instead work only with organizations that embody the anti-industrial and pro-tree message of Dr. Seuss' classic children's tale.

It's a list that will shake corporate America to its core, giving valuable airtime to anti-establishment upstarts including HP, Mazda, Comcast, DoubleTree by Hilton, Pottery Barn Kids and IHOP.

Disingenuous PR spin notwithstanding, "The Lorax" is putting his weight behind the EPA, Whole Foods Market, Stonyfield Farms and a few other great and good organizations, which is wonderful.

And the movie will be awesome.

Kudos to Keebler

2012-02-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

No call to arms here, just a well-deserved (and of course unpaid for) shout-out to cookie company Keebler for its two-year deal with the American Red Cross. Announced last summer, the partnership calls for Keebler to donate six million cookies each year to the ARC - a sweet treat that helps donors keep their strength up after giving blood.

Turns out that, on average, someone in the U.S. needs a blood or platelet infusion every two seconds, with nearly 40,000 blood donations required every day. That's a lot of donors, and a lot of cookies.

Find out more about this great partnership here, and if you're up to it, go see the American Red Cross and donate some of the red stuff.

Sleep On It

2012-02-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

MDG loves her eight hours of shut-eye as much as the next young superhero, and she's a big fan of CARE’s tremendous efforts to fight global poverty.

And if you think that sentence was something of a non sequitur, then you may be as gently puzzled as I was by the news that CARE is teaming up with the maker of sleep aid Lunesta to raise money for the world's most vulnerable citizens.

But then you think about the 900 million people around the world who live on less than a dollar a day, and the great work that CARE does to provide emergency aid and reduce poverty, and you figure it doesn't really matter if this whole thing makes sense or not.

In the new online game “Follow the Wings,” you’ll soar across a meadow, leap over ponds and fly through the forest collecting coins and flowers for points along the way. You’ll also earn $1 for CARE every time you play (once per day) – or share – the game between now and March 31.

It'll probably all make sense after a good night's sleep.

Down to a Tee

2012-02-09T12:48:00.000-08:00

Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy fame is asking fans to submit their most powerful designs to raise awareness and funds for Invisible Children. In a partnership with online Tee community MASScanvas, the famous rocker is seeking cool illustrations focused on the theme of – you guessed it - “power.”

Five lucky winners will win $1,000 in cash and see their designs brought to life (hand-numbered, in limited-edition) and sold in support of this terrific charity. You’ve got until February 29 to unleash your power.

Fashionably Late

2012-02-08T10:02:00.001-08:00

There’s still time – but not much time – to stop by your local H&M store and lend your support to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Give a donation of any size before stores close on Thursday, February 9 (a.k.a "tomorrow"), and you'll get 20 percent off an item from H&M's hip kids' collection.

One hundred percent of your donation will benefit the clubs, so hurry into H&M after you've finished reading this post.

Don't Be Flat-Footed

2012-02-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

I’m not sure February is the best time of year to launch a collection of ballerina flats, but I suppose if you’re TOMS you can get away with it. The sleek new slip-ons – priced at just $79 a pair – still support the company’s one-for-one business model: you buy a pair, a pair goes to someone in need.

Click here to choose from 14 different styles including blue suede, leopard print, canvas, chambray, and rose linen (plus basic black, of course). Then just pray that spring arrives a whole lot earlier this year.

That's So ... Not Cool

2012-02-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, Miss Do-Gooder’s home team didn’t make it all the way to Super Bowl XLVI, but she does have something to cheer about this Sunday: GLSEN is getting free air time – courtesy of Grazie Media - to deliver its powerful “ThinkBe4YouSpeak” PSAs.

Spectators outside the entrance to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will receive a gentle reminder – 60 of them to be exact – to stop using the phrase “that’s so gay” to describe something bad or uncool. And with comedienne Wanda Sykes delivering the memo to “knock it off, you’re better than that,” hopefully each and every one of the estimated 150,000 fans will get the message before sitting back to enjoy the game.

Build a Burger

2012-01-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

Omaha Steaks is taking to Facebook and urging fans to build their best burger (beef or chicken) to benefit one of four charities: Disabled American Veterans, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, charity: water and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

During the OS Ultimate Burger experience – which runs through February 29 – users can get crafty with more than 50 different ingredients including curry sauce, bacon, Worcestershire sauce, sauerkraut and guacamole.

The charity receiving the most virtual burger votes will receive a $25,000 donation, plus all four organizations will take home $25,000 if the Omaha Steaks Facebook fan count reaches 225,000 before the end of the promotion.

There’s already some stiff competition from several burger connoisseurs with concoctions named the Rowdy Reuben, the Glut-Ton, the O-Town Hottie and The Mess. Click here to build your own.

Big Miracle Blog

2012-01-13T10:13:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the inspiring new movie “Big Miracle” with Drew Barrymore and John Krasinki, the folks at Huffington Post Teen Impact (HPTI) are kicking off a contest for teens – ages 14-18 – who are making a difference in the world. If that sounds like you, send HPTI a blog post (maximum 800 words) telling them how your story can possibly top the film’s tale about a group of people coming together to save a family of grey whales (say, for example, you saved a family of blue whales or great white sharks - you'd be golden).

Just kidding: the exact description is to “explain why you should be chosen as the best representative of your generation's unique power to do good." Feel free to jazz up your entry by posting a YouTube video, photo or video.

The grand-prize winner will see $1,000 donated to their charity of choice and win a trip to New York for a special screening of “Big Miracle” with host Arianna Huffington. Share your big story here.

Give Moore This Valentine's Day

2012-01-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

Help save your children the embarrassment of showing up empty handed at school this Valentine’s Day by shopping now for cute cards designed by Julianne Moore and a few of her talented author friends. Of course 100 percent of your purchase – available exclusively from OpenSky – will benefit Save the Children, which provides health, education and literacy programs to the millions of children living in poverty here in the U.S.

It’s Moore’s sixth straight Save the Children’s Valentine’s Day campaign and this year she’s got help from beloved children’s book authors Ian Falconer, Kevin Henkes, LeUyen Pham, Brian Selznick and Mo Willems. Your $25 donation gets you 30 cute cards and envelopes, six from each kid-friendly author/illustrator (including the "Freckleface" author, herself.)

Click here to stock up on cards that share the love.

Resolve to Do Good in 2012

2011-12-27T10:04:00.000-08:00

MDG is not a big believer in the whole New Year’s resolutions concept, but perhaps if I had to make one small change next year, it might be adhering to 52X52.org’s “giving plan.” The super simple site suggests one different charity each and every week for you donate to directly (i.e. they don’t collect any cash themselves).

It doesn’t matter how much you give - $50, $25, or even $5 – the most important thing is that you pledge to keep giving it each week. This week’s spotlight is on The ASPCA; past recommendations have included Nothing but Nets and charity:water.

Smarter Than Your Average Card

2011-12-23T10:14:00.000-08:00

Who wouldn’t want to receive a cute, cuddly Bloomingdale’s bear e-card, especially when they know that for each one sent, the upscale retailer will donate $1 to the Child Mind Institute? Just drag and drop a background (Happy Chanukah, Season’s Greetings, Happy Holidays, etc.), drag and drop a bear (I like the one on its head!), then write a few words of cheer to complete your card.

Oh, and for each e-card sent you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $500 Bloomie’s gift card. Click here to create your furry own card.

Self Awareness

2011-12-20T10:12:00.000-08:00

If you or someone you know happens to be a chick dedicated to doing good - an inspirational kind of gal whose selfless works would be furthered by a bit of publicity - you might want to drop SELF magazine a line.

The popular women's monthly is teaming up with L’Oreal to offer three philanthropic heroines a $10,000 donation to the charity of their choice, plus an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City for a swanky ceremony and a profile in its September issue.

You’ve got oodles of time to enter: this one's open until March 19, 2012.

Big Cheese

2011-12-15T13:04:00.000-08:00

Cheese lovers rejoice! Stonyfield and Organic Valley have teamed up for a dairylicous holiday contest to benefit Wholesome Wave, a nonprofit that creates partnership-based programs that provide fresh, healthy, locally-grown foods to underserved communities.

Feel free to enter once each week at www.celebratewithorganic.com for a chance to win a year’s worth of Stonyfield or Organic Valley products, with one lucky grand prize winner taking home all the dairy he or she can consume in a year, plus a $1,000 gift certificate to Cooking.com. That’s a heck of a lot of lattes.

Both companies are kindly donating 10 cents each to Wholesome Wave for every person who enters (minimum donation is $30,000; maximum is $50,000). There’s no real rush here; you’ve got until the end of January 2012 to milk this one.

In Dogs We Trust

2011-12-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

If you’ve got an active four-legged friend, you’ll be pleased to hear that off-leash dog parks are the fastest-growing category of park in the U.S. - a rather surprising but very welcome fact brought to us by the enduringly awesome Trust for Public Land (TPL).

To celebrate this happy news, TPL is rewarding dog owners who can sit, roll over, and submit a snap of their furry friend at the park on command with some cool TPL swag. The fact that TPL is just about the coolest organization you will ever come across is guaranteed to make the swag even cooler.

Click here to submit your favorite photo by December 24 and show your support for a trusty nonprofit that has, since 1972, gone to ingenious lengths to conserve land for ordinary folk (and sometimes their pets) to enjoy as parks, gardens, rural lands and other natural environments.

Pretty Trashy

2011-12-09T10:15:00.000-08:00

Once you’ve twisted, rolled and squeezed the last bit of toothpaste, soap, shampoo and/or lipstick from its container, you can now “trash it” – in an environmentally-friendly fashion - thanks to TerraCycle’s new Beauty Brigade.

Just collect enough cosmetics/personal care containers to fill a shipping bag or box, print out a prepaid mailing label (or request one by mail) and drop it off at any UPS location. Your waste will then be repurposed or melted down into usable raw materials, rather than taking up space in your local landfill.

But, the best part is that for each and every item you send, you'll be credited two TerraCycle points, which can be redeemed for donations to a charity of your choosing. They accept almost every beauty bottle, jar, case, tube and dispenser you can think of, with the exception of hair spray, nail polish and nail polish remover containers. Those things are just plain hazardous.

Click here to join the Beauty Brigade. P.s. It’s free!

New Music as a Cause

2011-12-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

If your interest in music only extends to predictable, corporate-friendly recording artists, chances are you’re not going to spend much time on the new music-for-charity Web site Cause.fm. But the site is probably just what you're looking for if you get a thrill from being among the first to discover something new - under-exposed acts like, for example, Good Luck Jane, Modern Groove Assembly, Minus Ned and the Bad Cactus Brass Band.

And, better yet, each time you download a song/album from the site, a portion of the sale is donated to the charity of the artist’s choice (they also choose the amount).

The site is brand new, so let’s just say that there aren’t quite as many choices as you'll find on iTunes or Amazon. But if there were, an edgy music lover like you wouldn't be interested, would you?

I'm a Believer

2011-12-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

If you still believe in a plump, jolly, white-bearded man who makes lists and checks them twice, figures out who’s been naughty and nice, works with elves at the North Pole and delivers gifts via reindeer on Christmas Eve – well...anyway - just a reminder that you can post your special letters at Macy’s locations across the country to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Each letter mailed using Macy’s certified Santa Mail Letterboxes raises $1 for this magical children’s charity.

And, if you mail your letter in store this Friday, December 9 (National Believe Day), Macy’s will double the donation for each and every letter received. Find out more about making wishes come true here.

Toy With Feeling

2011-12-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

It looks like Toys for Tots is in it to win it this holiday season. Not only have they partnered with Kohl’s for a contest (see MDG's previous post), they’ve also teamed up with eBay for the Give-a-Toy Store.

If you’re lucky enough to live in either New York or San Francisco (and you ARE lucky if you do), you can visit this outpost in person and purchase (i.e. donate) gifts simply by scanning items in the window using eBay’s mobile app. Prices range from $2 to $25 and will provide items such as books, toys, games and sports equipment to disadvantaged kids across the country.

If you happen to live elsewhere (sorry), you can still donate a toy - or two - at eBay’s virtual window shop. Click here to spread some joy – and a few toys – for children in need.

Do or Tie

2011-12-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

I’ve long been a supporter of Dress for Success, but until now I had no idea there was a version (for lack of a better word) for guys. Well, it looks like Career Gear has been providing suitable clothing – and counseling - for disadvantaged men looking for employment for a number of years.

In fact, this is the third straight it has hosted a Celebrity Tie Auction to help raise funds for its job retention services. In collaboration with Charity Buzz, they’re auctioning off an impressive list of autographed ties from celebrities including Kevin Spacey, Zach Galifianakis, Jay Leno, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, Al Roker, Tim Gunn and David Duchovny.

You’ve got until December 6 to buy a tie for a guy looking for that much needed big break.

A Big Lump of Kohl

2011-11-30T10:14:00.000-08:00

On the face of it, Kohl’s “Love to Give, Happy to Save” holiday promotion is all pretty straightforward. Submit a photo – along with 500 words or less of your most persuasive prose - that shows the positive things that inspire you to give this holiday season (no extra points if you credit your generosity to charity promotions by giant retailers).

Then choose which charity, Toys for Tots or Feeding America, you’d like to support. Keep in mind that your vote will determine which one takes homes a bigger share of a $500,000 pot, courtesy of Kohl’s.

The rules after that become a bit involved, but the gist of it is that 600 winners (200 in each of three rounds) will receive a $100 Kohl’s gift card and a $500 donation to Toys for Tots or Feeding America. Then, one grand prize winner will receive a $2,500 gift card and $25,000 for either charity. The first-place winner (first in a sort of second-place kind of way, apparently) will receive a $1,500 gift card and $15,000 for charity; and the second-place winner (who actually comes in third if you take a moment to really think ... ah, whatever) takes home a $1,000 gift card and $10,000 for charity.

You’ve got until December 23 to figure out who wins what and submit as many inspirational stories and photos as you’d like.