Posts Tagged ‘Philanthropy’

When the earth shook and devastated the South of Haiti, including the capital, Port-au-Prince, the whole world felt the aftershock. We all watched in horror as roads, bridges and buildings collapsed, hillsides flattened, people were displaced and countless lives were lost. Days later, we are heartbroken by images of the bodies of lifeless children buried beneath the rubble—and even sadder to learn that the damaging aftereffects of the earthquake have only just begun.

Singer/producer Wyclef Jean, one of first to aid victims, said this the night of the earthquake: “I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.”

President Barack Obama echoed his sentiments, promising the traumatized nation that the world will unite to help them in the wake of this natural disaster. “To the people of Haiti, we say clearly and with conviction, you will not be forgotten. In this, your hour of greatest need, America stands with you. The world stands with you,” said President Barack Obama.

Here, at POSHGLAM, we are doing everything in our power to bring aid to our Haitian brothers and sisters rattled by this 7.0-magnitude earthquake, and we respectfully urge you to do the same. Whether you donate to the American Red Cross or set aside time to volunteer with the Forgotten Children of Haiti, every effort will help bring immediate relief to the people of Haiti.

We’ve listed a few legit charitable organizations that have directed their efforts toward bringing aid to quake-ravaged Haiti. Here’s how you can get involved:

-Donate to the American Red Cross, who is contributing an initial $200,000 to provide food, water, shelter and medical services to Haiti immediately. Click here to make a contribution.

- Text “Yele” to 501501 to donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Foundation, begun by Haiti native, Wyclef Jean. The donation will be automatically charged to your cell phone bill.  You can also donate here.

-Help the Forgotten Children of Haiti, a 17-year old charity that is sending out 55-gallon drums to Haiti, full of canned foods, water bottles, clothes, shoes and more. Contribute monetary donations (one drum costs $153) or volunteer to help with the tedious work of sorting and packing goods. For more information and drop-off locations, join the Facebook group “Forgotten Children of Haiti,” visit their website or contact: Marie-Noelle Espositomarienoelle@helpfch.org and Michael Espositomichaelesposito@helpfch.org.

-Use social media for good. Several hoaxes are being spread via Twitter concerning Haiti relief efforts, one claiming that the UPS is sending boxes under 50 pounds to Haiti for free. (UPS is actually donating $1 million to relief efforts, according to CNN). Make sure news briefs and volunteer organizations are valid before advertising or contributing to their efforts. For legit Twitter news regarding Haiti, follow @Wyclef, @YeleHaiti, @CNNBrk and finally @HaitiGoodNews, which tweets the names of people who have been reported safe so family and friends can be aware and to spread hope to others.

-Go to the website, One People One Haiti, for a list of legit charities providing relief to Haiti and information about when aide shipments are leaving the US for Haiti. The site also provides a support system for people with loved ones who have been and are being affected. For more information on the site and their upcoming fundraiser in  NYC, email help@onepeopleonehaiti.org and follow the group “Haiti Cherie- We will prevail” on Facebook.

Photo Courtesy of CNN.

Rob Halford, the “Metal God” in the world of Rock N’ Roll is gifting a fun tee for the holidays from his apparel line, aptly titled Metal God. These soft, cozy tees, re-produced on custom-dyed cotton, are available for men, women, youth and teens. Pre-sale is on now, and Halford plans to donate the proceeds to the Child Crisis Center in Arizona. From December 1st  through December 31, 100 percent of all sales  of the “Thunder God” t-shirt ($40) will be donated to this cause. So get your rock on, listen to some tunes and shop, Metal God Apparel.

Would you like to win this tee? If yes enter our raffle* at: HolidayGiftGuide@poshglam.com. Type subject: “Metal God Apparel Giveaway” and please include your name, mailing address and size.

* Raffle deadline December 31, 2009 12:00 p.m. EST

Whoever said being sissy meant girlie certainly has yet to ecnounter Debra Rodman. This indie fragrance creator finds girlie to be tough, sweet, sexy, carefree, whatever the girl chooses to be. Women are made up of many layers and the fragrance reflects that from her mystery to her innocence to her independence and beyond. Combining Clove Buds, Turkish Rose, Egyptian Jasmine, Chinese Magnolia, …the list is endless yet the hints of each scent is alluring and refined. Rodman seeks to keep all girls feeling fresh, infectious, captivating, and most importantly girlie. And the best part of Girlie, half of all sales of the scent will be donated to children attending The Man-Rod Academy in Lamu, Kenya.

Girlie retails for $98, shop Girlie by Debra Rodman. Wish you could win this gift? Enter our raffle by emailing: HolidayGiftGuide@poshglam.com, with subject line Girlie and a valid mailing address.

* Raffle deadline December 20, 2009 12:00 p.m. EST

Yummie Tummie has quickly become a cult favorite amongst celebrities, athletes, new mothers and even fashion models. Designed by a woman, for a woman, Yummie Tummie slims and shapes the body, while remaining comfortable and supportive. The tanks can be layered underneath your favorite top or dress, or worn on their own, as the workmanship is flawless, and the tanks are really cute.

While Yummie Tummie has quickly become a favorite, what makes the company even more lovable is their devotion to philanthropy. This holiday season, the Yummie Tummie team is volunteering at The Homebound Cooking Program in New York, a group that cooks and delivers meals to the needy in New York City. In honor of their love of giving back, the team has decided to help others give back to their favorite charities. Between now through December 22^nd, you can go onto the Yummie Tummie website and tell your story about how you and your charity bring happiness and laughter to the less fortunate. Of the stories, 5 will be published on the site, and one lucky winner will get $2,500 donated to the non-profit of their choice, courtesy of Yummie Tummie. The winner will also receive 7 Yummie Tummie tanks, one for each day of the week. And the best part, every person that enters this contest with a valid entry, as a thank you for the goodwill they are giving to the people around them, will receive a $25 Yummie Tummie giftcard. So, everyone is a winner. After all, Yummie Tummie isn’t only about looking good, it’s about feeling good, too.

To enter the contest, visit Yummie Tummie.

Celebs have become philanthropists by spreading their fortunes to communities that are in dire need of assistance. One such place Malawi, Africa with an approximate population of 12 million, has been favored by Madonna. When the Pop Queen learned of the need there through a friend of a friend, Victoria Keelan and a native of Malawai, Madonna began her quest.

After Madonna’s first visit in 2006 she adopted a daughter Mercy, then age 3 and created her charity Raising Malawi. The objective of the foundation is to help feed, educate and provide medical care for some of the orphans, as more than 500,000 children have been orphaned due to AIDS.

Last year Madonna went back to Malawi and adopted David then age 4, and more recently began a new project— The Raising Malawi Academy for Girls. The Academy is expected to be done in 2011 and its purpose is to raise future female leaders. The school will admit 500 girls from 28 districts of small southern African communities. Madonna’s most recent trip took place last week, as she was there to oversee the launch of the school and plant a young tree in celebration of the good things to come. We applaud Madonna in her quest and will keep you posted on other such philanthropic journeys. For more information about this foundation please visit RaisingMalawi.org

We all have those days when we look into our closets and sigh, “I have nothing to wear!” Almost makes us wish we had a uniform so we wouldn’t have to plan an outfit, right? Well,  Sheena Matheiken is doing just that – but for a great cause.

Beginning this May, Sheena began an incredible quest combining sustainability, philanthropy, and fashion, by wearing a single dress for 365 days. Sheena has created a blog for this self-dubbed The Uniform Project, where she will transform her look daily, using only donated accessories such as brooches, hats, and scarves.

If you don’t even recycle your sports bras, it is probably tough to imagine wearing one single clothing item for a whole year. Luckily this dress, which was created by designer Eliza Starbuck, can be worn front and back, as well as an open tunic. The dress is made of 100% breathable cotton and even works for layering.

So what’s the point of wearing only one dress for a year? The Uniform Project is partnered with a year-long fundraiser benefitting the Akansha School Foundation, a grassroots non-profit dedicated to promoting education and equality for poor children living in Indian slums.  This project has already shown a higher success rate for Akansha alumni in terms of academics, confidence, and social skills. Talk about dressing for success.

The idea for The Uniform Project was inspired by Sheena’s childhood growing up in India, where her school required uniforms. “Kids always found a way to bend the rules and flaunt a little personality…girls obsessed over bangles, bindies, and bad hairdos,” she says. Using these crafty style skills honed in her grade-school days, Sheena has turned an everyday uniform into something inspirational.

Check out Sheena’s outfits on The Uniform Project here
Donate an accessory or concept an ensemble for the Uniform Project here
Donate to the Akansha Project here