Nordstrom Celebrates 10 Years of Giving New Shoes to Kids in Need

by Jennifer SwartvagherAugust 25, 2020

Even though the beginning of this school year looks different than years past, kids are still looking forward to meeting new teachers and classmates. Even if this year consists of remote or hybrid learning there is the excitement that comes with buying new clothes, shoes and supplies. Nordstrom is proud to continue its partnership with customers and the nonprofit Shoes That Fit for the tenth year in a row to provide brand-new and well-fitting sneakers to kids in need in local communities.

Starting today and through Oct. 4, customers can purchase $10 giving cards in all Nordstrom stores or donate online. One hundred percent of proceeds from every giving card purchased goes toward the gift of one pair of new sneakers for a child in need. Individuals can also make an online, tax-deductible donation at www.shoesthatfit.org/Nordstrom.

“At Nordstrom, we are committed to making a difference in our communities,” said Scott Meden, chief marketing officer at Nordstrom. “Each pair of shoes donated represents a child with more confidence, hope, self-esteem and joy. We are thankful to our customers and employees who have helped us give more than 200,000 pairs of shoes to kids in need over the last 10 years.”

Since 2010, together with its customers, Nordstrom has raised nearly $4 million to give 200,000 kids in need a brand-new pair of shoes. These shoes have been delivered at schools across the United States, all of which have a high percentage of students on free or reduced lunch programs. When children receive their new shoes through the Shoes That Fit program, schools shared that 40% of those students increased attendance and 87% reported increased self-esteem.

“For children to reach their full potential, they need to feel good about themselves. Creating this confidence in children at a young age is empowering and critical to their future success,” said Amy Fass, CEO of Shoes That Fit. “We are proud to partner with Nordstrom to give back to these children and invest in their future.”

This year, Nordstrom has also enlisted the help of Olympic gold-medalist Gabby Douglas to encourage people to help the retailer donate over 35,000 shoes to kids in need.

Beyond the partnership with Shoes That Fit, Nordstrom supports the local communities where it does business. In 2019, the company donated nearly $11 million to 392 organizations in every community where Nordstrom does business. Many of these organizations provide basic necessities to kids and families so they can thrive and reach their full potential.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Nordstrom

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The Muddy Puddles Project to Host First Virtual Mess Fest with Peppa Pig

by Jennifer SwartvagherAugust 17, 2020

After a rainstorm kids can’t resist jumping in a muddy puddle. Knowing that parents are looking for a safe way to have summer fun, The Muddy Puddles Project will be hosting the first ever virtual Mess Fest series with appearances by Peppa Pig. The Muddy Puddles Mess Fest is an annual fundraising event that supports childhood cancer research through the Ty Louis Campbell Foundation.

For three days starting on Aug. 24, families can join up to three, virtual 30-minute activity sessions where they can get messy with crafts, jam out to music or enjoy story time with a special appearance by Peppa Pig. The nonprofit typically hosts large, in-person “Mess Fest” events, but this year the virtual platform will bring a wave of positive energy and joy to children’s homes all across the country, while introducing philanthropy to little ones in a fun and relatable way.

“Kids grow up so fast, and my personal journey with childhood cancer made me reflect on my instinct to avoid a mess by hiding the finger paint or holding hands right past the puddles. Parents need to remember that for some children, those rights of passage – like jumping in muddy puddles – may not be possible,” said Cindy Campbell, Co-Founder of The Muddy Puddles Project.

Campbell said, “I wanted to find a way for everyone to take a step back and to appreciate these years with their kids. The Muddy Puddles Project is a celebration of childhood, but it is also a nonprofit platform for funding childhood cancer research so we can cure more kids, keeping them outside, having fun, and getting messy before they’re all grown up and see wet clothes and dirty shoes as nothing but a nuisance.”

“We are honored that Peppa Pig was such an important and positive part of Ty Campbell’s too-short life, and with the involvement of our terrific sponsors, this year’s virtual Mess Fest is sure to inspire families across the country to get messy, jump in muddy puddles, and support The Muddy Puddles Project’s fundraising efforts,” said Julie Powell Christopher, eOne Family Brands’ SVP of Marketing for North America.

Campbell wants parents to remember that children are little sponges, and fun is contagious, so we should all try to have more fun in our everyday lives.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: The Muddy Puddles Project

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Turn Your Hello Bello Diaper Box into a Lemonade Stand to Help Fight Childhood Cancer

by Jennifer SwartvagherAugust 6, 2020

Summer may not be what we expected, but let’s take these lemons and make them into lemonade. Hello Bello wants to help with their new August lemonade stand diaper bundle box. Each purchase will also help raise funds for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a nonprofit fighting childhood cancer.

Simply order your Hello Bello diaper subscription, build the box into a stand, post a photo using #HBLemonAid and Hello Bello will donate $1 to the cause (max donation is $10k).

Proceeds from this virtual fundraiser will go directly to Alex’s Lemonade Stand to help change the lives of children with cancer through funding impactful research, raising awareness, supporting families and empowering everyone to help cure childhood cancer.

Hello Bello always goes the extra mile to provide families with fun and unique experiences through their diaper bundle boxes. Their July boxes transformed into rockets, May boxes were designed like treasure boxes and the holiday themed boxes turned into cute gingerbread houses.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Hello Bello

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Brickworld Hosts Anti-Racism Discussion During LEGO Fireworks Virtual Con

by Jennifer SwartvagherJune 26, 2020

If you are planning on attending the Brickworld LEGO Fireworks Virtual Con on Sat., Jun. 27 there is a new community discussion that was just added to the agenda from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. CT. “Building Our Voices” will facilitate participants building a representation of their voices while talking about their experiences with the group.The discussion will be moderated by LEGO influencer Ryan Linsner, who owns the Bricks and Minifigs LEGO store in Crest Hill, Illinois.

Brickworld is also holding a fundraiser for The Education Trust, a national nonprofit that works to close opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and those from low-income families. Donate here to help raise $1,000 by Jul. 19.

“Brickworld is pleased to continue to bring LEGO bricks to the world,” says producer Mark Larson. “Our virtual events allow global fans to learn new construction techniques, be inspired by massive buildings, participate in global games and remain #SaferAtHome!” Brickworld is also posting ongoing how-to demonstration videos so LEGO builders can improve their skills at home. Current postings include Building Round Part One and Building a Truss Bridge. Fans are encouraged to subscribe to the Brickworld YouTube channel to see the latest in alternative builds and other skills.

Tickets to the conference are $9, with $1 from each ticket donated to Brickworld’s longtime charity partner Make-A-Wish. Only 2,000 tickets will be offered worldwide, so early registration is encouraged at https://brickworld.com/brickworld-virtual-jun-27/.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Xavi Cabrera on Unsplash

Scholastic Read-a-Palooza Supports Literacy at Home While Schools are Closed

by Jennifer SwartvagherMay 6, 2020

Extended school closures means most, if not all, kids will not return to the classroom until the fall. To continue to support literacy during the coming months Scholastic has launched Scholastic Read-a-Palooza. This free program is designed to increase book access and ensure engaging experiences to keep kids reading this summer.

“With the unprecedented closing of U.S. schools, for many through to summer break, supporting literacy at home has never been more important. We know the power of reading and access to books is irreplaceable, and a critical component of combating the summer slide under normal circumstances. With the prospect of a greater slide due to the impact of COVID-19 and a nation of families and educators feeling emotional exhaustion, Scholastic is more dedicated than ever to partner together in inspiring and illuminating joyful, purposeful student learning. Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza can serve as a an easy-to-use, engaging bridge for kids to connect with books, both digitally and through book donations this summer, in partnership with United Way Worldwide,” said Pam Allyn, SVP, Innovation & Development, Scholastic.

Starting Monday, May 4, kids can join the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza in the newly created summer zone on Scholastic Home Base, a free and safe digital destination, where they will be encouraged to explore free resources, read select ebooks, engage with fellow readers and favorite authors, and keep Reading Streaks, which also help unlock a donation of 100,000 print books from Scholastic, distributed by United Way Worldwide.

“United Way is proud to partner with Scholastic once again for a dynamic summer program that will encourage children everywhere to develop strong reading skills while improving the quality of learning environments in communities everywhere,” said Suzanne McCormick, U.S. President, United Way Worldwide. “United Way is dedicated to building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities and we believe it’s critical all children, especially during this era of distance learning, have the ability to develop essential literacy skills through access to quality books.”

Every child with a free Home Base account can create an avatar and experience the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza by:

Reading free digital books. Exclusive to the summer zone, kids will have access to select full ebooks in their entirety.
Unlocking book donations for home libraries: For every two consecutive days a child checks into the zone they will create a Reading Streak which will unlock a new free print book for a child with limited or no access to books. Reading Streaks are earned when kids check in to the Read-a-Palooza zone to confirm they have read that day. With the goal of unlocking all 100,000 books by July, United Way Worldwide, the world’s largest privately funded nonprofit, will distribute the books across the country to locations where access to more high-quality books is needed most.
Sharing reading progress. Kids will be able to create and print individualized reading reports summarizing their reading progress. These easy-to-download and printable reports can be shared with teachers or parents to show reading accomplishments.
Earning personal reading milestones. Kids will be able to earn accolades ranging from bronze, silver, gold and diamond levels for their reading streak progress while collecting summer-specific accessories to dress up their avatar.
Joining a community of readers. The summer zone offers kids a safe social platform to interact with friends and make new companions along the way. Through this summer reading community kids will share and discover the joy of stories and help provide books to their peers with limited or no access.

To learn more about Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza and access free summer reading resources, visit: http://www.scholastic.com/summer.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Ben White on Unsplash

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CNN & Sesame Street Will Hold a Second Town Hall About COVID-19

by Jennifer SwartvagherApril 22, 2020

CNN and Sesame Street will join together for a second very special Town Hall this Saturday morning to help children and parents deal with issues surrounding the coronavirus. The ABC’s of COVID-19 will be hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta and CNN anchor Erica Hill and Big Bird on Sat., Jun. 13 at 10 a.m. ET on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español. The 90-minute special will provide information and tools for families, and answer the big questions both parents and kids have.

This new special will cover the latest additional issues surrounding coronavirus, including staying safe in the summer months, going back to school and how to manage big feelings. This second hour-long special will again be hosted by CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Erica Hill, along with Sesame Street’s Big Bird, with special appearances from Elmo and Abby Cadabby.

The ABC’s of COVID-19 builds on Sesame Workshop’s new Caring for Each Other initiative, which provides free content designed to help parents provide comfort and manage anxiety as well as creating routines, fostering playful learning at home, and staying physically and mentally healthy. This free resource is powered by the nonprofit’s Critical Needs Response Fund. Viewers can support this crucial source of flexible funding, designed to meet the urgent needs of children and families, by visiting SesameWorkshop.org/response or texting SESAME to 51555 during the broadcast.

The ABCs of COVID-19 will stream live for subscribers on CNN.com’s homepage and across mobile devices via CNN’s apps for iOS and Android. It can also be viewed on CNNgo (at CNN.com/go on your desktop, smartphone, and iPad, and via CNNgo apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, SamsungSmart TV, Chromecast, and Android TV). The special will also be available on demand to subscribers via cable/satellite systems, CNNgo platforms and CNN mobile apps.

Additional Caring for Each Other resources addressing everyday challenges like missing friends and feeling worried were made possible by AT&T.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Sesame Street Workshop

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Sesame Workshop Launches Caring for Each Other Initiative

by Jennifer SwartvagherMarch 26, 2020

Children are facing a time of uncertainty right now. They aren’t allowed to leave their homes, attend school or play with their friends. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, is offering a broad variety of free resources to help children and families during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Caring for Each Other initiative marks the beginning of a commitment to support families for the duration of this crisis, with brand new content featuring the Sesame Street Muppets sharing messages of love and kindness, playful learning activities and virtual play dates launching soon. Mindful that the adults who care for children need support too, the resources are intended to help caregivers as well as children.

Sesame Workshop is offering a broad variety of free resources designed to help parents provide comfort and manage anxiety, as well as help with creating routines, fostering playful learning at home, and staying physically and mentally healthy. Families can also find an expanded offering of free on-demand episodes of Sesame Street on PBS KIDS digital platform and over 110 free Sesame Street ebooks available on all major ebook platforms.

“Around the world, young children’s lives are being turned upside down, and parents and caregivers are looking for ways to give their children—and themselves—a sense of stability in this new normal,” said Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, Senior Vice President for Curriculum and Content, Sesame Workshop. “But there are things parents and caregivers can do to face each day with optimism. Sesame Street is here to provide the caring adults in children’s lives with the resources they need to help children, and foster their healthy development at home.”

In the coming weeks, Sesame Workshop is also creating brand new content on topics like hand washing, how to cough or sneeze properly and how taking good care of yourself means taking good care of others.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Alena Shekhovtcova from Pexels

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Nonprofit Creates Alice’s Library to Provide Books for Children Home Due to School Closures

by Jennifer SwartvagherMarch 20, 2020

As schools and libraries around the country close, children who rely on borrowing books may not be able to keep up with their reading assignments. Millions of children in need do not have in-house libraries or technology to access ebooks. Alice’s Kids, a national charity that provides financial assistance to children in need, has established Alice’s library to help.

Alice’s Kids provides direct financial assistance to children upon the receipt of a request from a teacher, social worker or counselor. Requests are not accepted from the general public. The charity pays for prom tickets, field trips, sports equipment, yearbooks and other items families may not be able to afford.

“These are extraordinary times,” said Ron Fitzsimmons, the Executive Director of Alice’s Kids, “and we want to do our part with this new program.”

Under Alice’s Library, any person in the US will be able to order three books per child up to three children. During this time, recipients will not have to go through counselors, teachers or social workers.

To request an order form, send an email to books@aliceskids.org to request three titles for each child. Alice’s Library will then order the books on Amazon and they will be shipped directly to the house. Alice’s Library will pay for the books and shipping.

“Our volunteers are ready to start taking orders,” said Fitzsimmons.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo:

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This 11-Year-Old Just Designed a T-Shirt for Target & Here’s Why

by Erica LoopDecember 13, 2019

Hallie Barnard is more than just an average 11-year-old. After beating a rare bone marrow disease and battling cancer, the artist and advocate is turning her attention to design.

Barnard recently designed a t-shirt exclusively for Target—and this limited-edition Cat & Jack tee is a must-have pick!

While most of us were still sliding and swinging on the playground at age six, Barnard was starting her own nonprofit, Hallie’s Heroes. Barnard’s nonprofit raises awareness for her rare disease, bone marrow screenings and bone marrow donor registration. Now that she’s 11, Barnard is making a national impact and taking her message to Target.

The artist/designer/advocate started her Target journey with her dad, a team member at the big red bullseye retailer. Last summer Target invited Barnard to its headquarters to meet with Pillowfort and Cat & Jack designers. During her visit, the 11-year-old’s artwork inspired the Target team and Barnard’s t-shirt was born!

So what inspires Barnard? On her love for design she says, “I’ve always loved art since I was little. Being in the hospital made my love for art grow, because it’s easy to get cabin fever there, but I don’t want to sit around and do nothing. I want to use my brain, and creating while I’m in the hospital gives me a sense of accomplishment.”

Target has pledged a $10,000 donation to Hallie’s Heroes this holiday season. To buy Barnard’s tee, visit target.com.

—Erica Loop

Photos: Courtesy of Target

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Carnival Cruise Line Is Becoming Sensory Inclusive & Your Vacay Just Got Better

by Erica LoopDecember 13, 2019

Carnival Cruise Line recently became the first line of its kind to earn a “sensory inclusive” certification!

The nonprofit KultureCity awarded the first certification in October, with all of the line’s South Florida-based ships following. According to a press release, Carnival plans to certify the rest of its fleet by March 2020.

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Vicky Rey, Carnival’s vice president of guest care and communications and the company’s ADA Responsibility Officer, said in a press statement, “Carnival Cruise Line and KultureCity share a heartfelt commitment to acceptance and inclusivity. Working together, all of our guests can maximize their enjoyment and be the truest versions of themselves during their time on board.”

Along with comprehensive staff training on sensory and other needs relating to autism, ADHD, PTSD and Down syndrome, Carnival Cruise Line will also equip its certified ships with KultureCity sensory bags—each of which contains a variety of calming items, such as noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys and a visual feeling thermometer.

photo: Kellie Klumb via Unsplash

Dr. Julian Maha, co-founder, KultureCity, said of the collab and certification, “We’re proud and grateful to partner with Carnival Cruise Line, offering guests with sensory needs an opportunity to more fully enjoy their vacations and create wonderful memories with their friends, families and loved ones. We appreciate Carnival Cruise Line for taking this important step in making their vacations accessible to everyone.”

Carnival didn’t stop at a sensory inclusive certification, either. The cruise line is also the first operator to complete an additional special needs certification program. The program, offered by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, includes 17 continuing education credits of training in subjects such as autism, Down syndrome, mobility issues and other special needs.

The certification, bags and other upgrades are getting plenty of well-deserved attention. Renowned autism advocate and author Dr. Temple Grandin recently said of Carnival’s latest efforts, “Carnival Cruise Line is to be commended for training their staff about autism and offering sensory bags that will enable individuals with autism and their families to have an enjoyable cruise.”

For more information on Carnival’s guest services, visit the cruise line’s website here.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line

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