I invite you to join me on the 29-Day Giving Challenge Community!

Are you participating in the 29-Day Giving Challenge?  Let’s connect!

Learn more about the challenge and the online community.

I wanted to take a minute to catch you up on my challenge progress.

Day 3 (Nov. 1)

Last week as a big one in our house (flat, actually).  I had a long list of items left on my to-do list and I expected, Friday night, to be working on them for a good chunk of Saturday.  As many of you have experienced yourselves, I’m sure, it can be pretty easy for people like us who are passionate about what they do, excited to get involved, and happy to help to get over-committed.  Or, at least, have too many items on the to-do list.  Since moving here in September, it has been a personal goal of mine to avoid establishing a pattern of work-aholicism, but I haven’t kept the goal front-and-center.  So, Saturday, I decided to give time and attention.

I gave up my whole day to whatever ELSE there was besides work.  I didn’t get online at all.  Instead, I spent time with my husband and our friend, ‘vegged out’ to some old episodes of The Office, and went to a play at the Hampstead Theatre.  It sounds very silly and selfish, but it felt great to push aside the laptop and give a full day to people and things that I love.

Day 4 (Nov. 2)

Sunday, I was browsing through my RSS feed, reading news and stories, not expecting to come upon a wonderful gift.  But I did!

Dining for Women is a nonprofit organization that I really like:

Dining for Women is a dinner giving circle. We “dine in” together once a month, each bringing a dish to share, and our “dining out” dollars are sent to international programs empowering women.

Through support of international grass-roots programs in education, healthcare, vocational training, micro-credit loans and economic development, and through our members’ combined donations, we encourage women to believe they can improve their living situations.

Education is an integral part of our mission. DFW believes that through education, our members become agents of change, capable of altering the face of world poverty.

As a new fundraising mechanism, DFW is offering beautiful charity boxes with the organization’s logo on them.  “This project was conceived and designed exclusively for DFW by the Ithaca chapter– for the nationwide DFW membership. It is a collaboration with The Zanger Company (Gloria Smith), importer of Polish Stoneware, and the women of the Ceramika Artystyczna Factory in Poland.”

I purchased a charity box for my mother – the person who first taught me about giving.  I can’t wait for it to arrive to her door!

Day 5 (Nov. 3)

Yesterday, I received an email from DonorsChoose.org wrapping up the Bloggers Challenge from last month.  I clicked through to my account and decided to check in on projects I had selected.  Many were fully-funded and the campaigns were thus closed.  The project I donated to during the challenge, was still in need, though.  So, I decided to give again.

Why?  The project is something very close to home for me – digital storytelling.  Right now, I’m in the middle of quite a few conversations, idea-sharing, and email exchanges discussing the use of video and storytelling for organizations, conferences, and more.  The power of a video, a message coming directly from those being served, is incredible.  And in this proposal from a teacher in South Carolina, we can help a classroom of elementary school students start telling stories digitally, too.  Check it out – and if you are able, help them out!

Day 6 (Nov. 4)

Today, Tuesday, November 4, 2008, is the US Election.  GO VOTE!

What did I give today?  I gave my voice, my political contribution, my commitment to the future.  Voting is the easiest, truest way to show patriotism.  Participating in the process is the best way to start engaging with your neighbors, your community, your country.

I actually already voted, because I had to mail the ballot a while ago to ensure it made it from London in time.  But today I am using all the powers I have to get out the vote.  Giving away my Facebook status to my time.

This is one of the most important elections you will probably ever participate in given the current issues facing our country and the timeline we require for answers and action.  I, obviously, would love to have the candidate I voted for take office in January.  But today, that isn’t what is most important to me: I just want you to vote.  Please.

Find your local polling place here.  Find out if there are any voting reports from your area or report with Twitter Vote Report here.

DAY 1 (Oct. 30th)

The London Underground, or tube, has recently put up ads that ask when you last smiled at another passenger.  As a ‘foreigner’ I quickly noticed how many people here become quite steely on public transportation, there isn’t much conversation, let alone eye contact or smiles.  The ads suggest that you can change someone’s day by smiling at them on the tube.  So, I started doing it yesterday as my first day of giving: giving away smiles!

The results?  Well, as I’m sure you can imagine.  Some people were very confused, others just ignored it, but some smiled back and passed it on!  A smile can go a long way, start one today!

Day 2 (Oct. 31st)

Today, I guess I didn’t technically give anything away, but I put myself out there.  I joined School of Everything and created my teaching (and learning) profile.  This way, I can connect to people right here in Camden or around the world to share skills and knowledge that I have.  This is what the site says:

School of Everything connects people who want to learn with passionate teachers in their local area. The award-wining site is free to join for both people who want to learn and people who want to teach.

Teachers register online and create a personal page giving information on their lessons, the qualifications offered and the format in which they teach – for example workshops or one-to-one sessions. Potential pupils find a tutor who’s right for them simply searching by subject, learning category and location. They can then send them a message, arrange to meet and begin learning their new subject.

I met the co-founder, Andy Gibson earlier this week so School of Everything was on my list of things to investigate.  Once I visited the site, I just had to participate!  Try it out for yourself, or connect with me!  I’m looking forward to the connections, friendships, and all the shared learning to come!

Join in with the 29-Day Giving Challenge!