Show LOVE by Running, Walking, or Biking #VDay10k

The United Nations Foundation and Charity Miles has partnered for this month (February) to help encourage everyone to help raise $10,000 by simply downloading the free app (Charity Miles) and participating in a virtual #VDay10k by simply getting up and going out for a walk, run, or bike (with your phone!).

For each mile you bike, 10 cents is donated, and for each mile you walk or run 25 cents are donated! How easy is that!

My friends and family have been seeing random posts on Facebook from Charity Miles for a while. I found out about it from another site and couldn't believe how easy it is to help raise money by simply walking.

Here is a video of how it works and then the instructions are typed below:

1. Download the free Charity Miles app to your smart phone.

2. Open the app.

3. Select the charity you want to raise money for.

4. Choose whether you are walking, running, or biking.

5. Press start. 

What is awesome about this app is that it keeps working even when you close the screen to adjust your music or send a text. (Just don't forget to stop it once you have finished your activity.)

It keeps track of your time and milage. Once you have completed your activity, press finished and it will ask you if you would like accept sponsorship and post to Facebook. You must press accept that in order for the money to be donated. If your Facebook friends get annoyed by the post from the post that are showing how you are helping raise money to help others, well then, maybe you shouldn't be hanging out with those types of people ;)

You can choose from a wide range of charities but the #VDay10k is about helping the UN Foundations organizations. They are Shot@Life, Girl Up, and Nothing But Nets. 

A little information about each of these awesome organizations:

Shot@Life

"Shot@Life is a movement to protect children worldwide by providing life-saving vaccines where they are most needed. There are children today who are still at risk of contracting polio. But we are close to eliminating the threat forever. (Polio is 99% eradicated!) With your help, we can wipe this crippling disease from the face of the earth." - Charity Miles info link about Shot@Life

They raise money to help provide vaccines to children in need around the world who are dying from preventible diseases. 

Girl Up

"Girl Up mobilizes American girls to raise awareness and funds for programs that provide girls around the world with life-changing opportunities, like the chance to go to school, see a doctor, and stay safe from violence." - Charity Miles App info about Girl Up

Being born in the US is like winning the lottery for most of the world. When I look at my sweet 2 year old daughter, the idea of her being denied healthcare or schooling because she is a girl makes me sad and angry. Then, you bring up violence against her just because she is a girl and this mama bear gets fighting mad. No little girl, no matter where she was born, deserves to be treated like less than a human being. 

Nothing But Nets

"Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to raise awareness and funding to fight malaria, a leading cause of death among children in Africa." - from their website

No child should die from something that can be preventable with a net!

As of today, February 17th, they are not yet on Charity Miles but they will be added later this month. 

Help raise money for these amazing organizations by participating in the #VDay10k!

Links to the Charity Miles App are below:

Download for the iPhone:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/charity-miles/id505253234?mt=8

Download for Android:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.charitymiles.android

Do you prefer to walk, run, or bike?

Help and Chat with a Child in Bolivia

Imagine being a child in an extremely poor country and getting a message from someone across the world. All of a sudden you feel like someone knows you exist. You somehow don't feel so alone.

This is part of a new program the World Food Programme has started with the school children of Bolivia.

First a few facts about Bolivia:

-It is one of the poorest countries in Latin America with nearly two thirds or 80% of the country living below the poverty line.
-Stunting in children under 5 years old remains at 27-37% and has for ten years, due to lack of nutrition.
-The income of 40% of the population (once again hight in rural areas at 59%) is insufficient to meet the basic food needs.
-63% of households cannot provide the MINIMUM caloric intake needed for adequate growth.
-They depend mainly on agriculture so in lean seasons or natural disasters they cannot make money nor eat.

You can get more involved with the children of Bolivia. WFP has an amazing tool that allows you to ask questions to these children and then they will reply back. I am just trying this out today and I look forward to their response! This is an amazing tool to use with older children to help open their eyes that the world is much bigger than your family, home, town, or country. It helps them put a face to a need.

Words have so much power, especially to children. Just a simple note or question can make a difference. Imagine someone asking your opinion or what your hopes or dreams are?!

Send your message or question through this site:

The World Food Programme is working to help the children of Bolivia by reducing malnutrition in children. This will allow them to concentrate and learn in school. This will help all children, even those not in school. They are working to enhance emergency preparedness and how to respond during emergencies.

You can donate to the World Food Programme here.

**This is my second post as part of the Global Team of 200! Follow us!**


I would love for you to share your question/message and the response you get from the children of Bolivia!

Trick or Treat with Purpose

I had no idea that you could help other children by Trick or Treating but you can!

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF was started in 1950 during the aftermath of World War II. It encourages children to collect coins to help those still affected by the war. It is still going on to day and helping children around the world. This program helps show children that they can be active global citizens and help other children all while having fun and dressing up!

It is one of UNICEF's longest -running youth volunteer initiative and is 62 years old this year. In it's 62 Halloweens, $167 million has been raised. This has helped children in over 190 countries and territories. The money goes toward health care, immunizations, clean water, sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. Without the money raised during Halloween, children would have to do without some of the basic necessities of life.

They have fun boxes you can use to collect money if you order their free kits in time. Obviously, today is Halloween so you most likely will not have one of their boxes but you can make a box or envelope of your own or help your children make one.

Here is an awesome, short video that introduces the program a bit more:

A few other ideas to help raise money for UNICEF before or after Trick-or-Treating:

-Have them assign a value to each of their candies and treats they get tonight. Then have them "sell" their candy to you for money that can then be sent to UNICEF.
-Have your children go through their piggy bank or chore money and left them buy some of the candy back from you.
-If you have time to set up a cider or hot chocolate booth in your neighborhood, you can collect the money raised from that and send it to UNICEF.
-You can also make a donation online.

I wish I would have known of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF when I was younger but my daughter will grow up with this as much a part of Halloween as pumpkins!!! This is such an easy way to show children that helping others can be fun and easy!



***This is my first post as part of the Global Team of 200!! Please follow along with us as we blog throughout the next year sharing amazing programs and organizations!!****