RSVP—Guy Kawasaki Joins #GNO This Week at Our Virtual Pajama Party Sponsored by My Mommy Manual

What's a Pajama Party Without a GUY?

The fabulous Ria and Suzanne from My Mommy Manual and in partnership with Mom It Forward and the 12 for 12K team, are throwing the pajama party of all pajama parties and you're invited. In support of our 6-week focus on charity, service, and giving, they are raffling off a wide array of prizes with the proceeds going to Yehu Microfinance, Basa Body, and Coast Coconut Farms. Click here to enter to win!



What's more? Guy Kawasaki is joining in on the fun! After all, what's a pajama party without a GUY? Join us Tuesday, April 14 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. eastern (8 CDT, 7 MDT, & 6 PDT) to chit and chat about tips for entrepreneurs—starting and running your own business and using social media to do it. Click here to RSVP for the party!

Guy Kawasaki is a managing director of Garage Technology Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm and a columnist for Entrepreneur Magazine. Previously, he was an Apple Fellow at Apple Computer, Inc. Guy is the author of nine books including Reality Check, The Art of the Start, Rules for Revolutionaries, How to Drive Your Competition Crazy, Selling the Dream, and The Macintosh Way. He has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College.

When: Tues., Apr.14 from 9 pm to 1 a.m. EDT (8 CDT, 7 CDT, and 6 PDT)




What: Girl's Night Out (What's GNO? Click here to find out!)




Topic: Tips to Starting & Running Your Own Business—in conjunction with our charity to fight poverty in Kenya (Yehu, BasaBody, Coast Coconut Farms)




Where: Tweet Grid (use the #gno hashtag)and on UStream





Who: @guykawasaki, @riasharon, and @zenmommy




RSVP: Use Mr. Linky below (enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jyl_momIF). If you would like to include your blog, please enter it next to your name. Make sure to include your twitter URL in the URL line. Please do not enter your blog URL there.

How Do You Enter to Win the Giveaways?

My Mommy Manual has rounded up nearly $5,000 in prizes. Check out this short video below to see how to enter!


Click here to RSVP for this week's RSVP!!!

#GNO Live—Moms Helping Moms Fundraiser

Meet Up With #GNO Gals for a Great Cause Sat., Apr. 18 in the US, Canada, & Australia

Mom It Forward, in partnership with 12 for 12K, is kicking off 6-weeks of fundraising for moms and by moms (Tuesday, March 31 through Tuesday May 13) and we need your help!

On Saturday, April 18, Mom It Forward and 12 for 12K events will be taking place all over the US, in Canada, and in Australia (see list of locations below) to raise funds and awareness for Yehu Microfinance, BasaBody, and Coast Coconut Farms. The goal? To combat poverty by empowering poor rural entrepreneurs in Kenya to help lift themselves out of poverty through enhanced accessibility to sustainable financial services, business opportunities, and skills training.

Yehu Microfinance, BasaBody, and Coast Coconut Farms work together to achieve this mission. How? First, women secure micro loans from Yehu Microfinance. Next, they purchase a franchise from Coast Coconut Farms, which gives them the materials, skills/business training, and opportunity to run a coconut oil extraction business right from their village. Then, Coast Coconut Farms makes regular village runs to purchase the coconut oil and processes it in its plant. Finally, Coast Coconut Farms exports the oil to the U.S. where volunteers there use the oil to create and sell bath, body, and cooking products—part of the Basa Body and Coast Coconut Farms product lines—returning the proceeds right back to Africa to help more and more women.

How Can You Help?

Our goal is to raise $35,000 for Yehu Microfinance (click here to learn more about donations) and sell $5,000 worth of Basa Body and Coast Coconut Farms product like mint chocolate truffle and cherry soap with coconut oil (shown left) or hand lotion (shown below). Cash donations or product purchases is certainly one way to help and is much appreciated.

We recognize not everyone can donate cash during these tough financial times. Therefore, we have come up with many ways to contribute:

1. Be part of a Moms Helping Moms event planning committee in your area.
   
   
2. Volunteer at a Moms Helping Moms event.
   
   
3. Donate product or services for the event (the venue, food, raffle items, etc.).
   
   
4. Help us publicize it on and offline.
   
   
5. Attend the event.
   
   
6. If there is not an event listed for your area, consider putting one together. We have a team and materials in place to help with this initiative.

Where Are Events Taking Place?

Mom It Forward and 12 for 12K are working with volunteers within our communities all over the US, Canada, and Australia to support Yehu Microfinance, BasaBody, and Coast Coconut Farms through fundraising efforts. The live events listed below (details to come) are being planned and carried out by amazingly giving teams of volunteers in local areas. The success of these events relies on terrific volunteer involvement and every team is looking for help. If you have time, services, or products you would be willing to donate, please e-mail us at momitforward AT gmail DOT com so we can put you in touch with the team leader in your area.

Note: Hyperlinked cities mean there is a Facebook group already formed for this team. If you are near one of these cities and would like to contribute, please click on the link, join the Facebook team, and let the team know how you'd like to contribute. Thanks!

The United States
Chicago, IL
Dallas/Ft Worth, TX
DC Metro (DC/MD/VA)
Kansas City, MO
Milwaukee, WI
Nashville, TN
New York City, NY
Philadelphia, PA
Portland, OR
Raleigh, NC
Salt Lake City, UT
San Diego, CA

Canada
Toronto
Vancouver

Australia
Sydney

If you are interested in participating or having an event in your area, please contact us at momitforward AT gmail DOT com. Thanks for your interest! Together, we can change the world one mom at a time!

click to tweet this

Kids Easter Crafts Service Project—Fun for the Family!

Serve Side By Side With Your Children Saturday, March 28 in Salt Lake City!

Want to teach your children the value of service and giving? We have just the opportunity for you! Take advantage of this amazing service project, hosted by Mom It Forward and sponsored by Make and Takes and Provo Craft, where you can serve side by side with your children all for a great cause.

• What: We'll be making spring crafts and ornaments to decorate the "April Tree" for the Christmas Box House.
  
  
• When: Saturday, March 28 from 10 a.m to 12 p.m.
  
  
• Where: The Christmas Box House—3660 S. West Temple
  
  
• RSVP: Please click here to RSVP by 3/26 so we can purchase the right amount of materials and food. In your RSVP, be sure to mention how many people will be coming in your party.
  
  
• For More Information: Please contact marie [at] makeandtakes [dot] com or momitforward [at] gmail [dot] with "Christmas Box House" in the subject line.
  

(Photo used with permission from Flickr.com)

What Is the Christmas Box House?

In 1997, The Christmas Box Foundation, with support from the community, agreed to fund and build a new shelter intake/ assessment and residential facility. This facility has greatly enhanced services to abused and neglected children and reflects a statewide model for delivery of best practice assessment and treatment services to victims of child abuse.

The Christmas Box House provides:

• Emergency residential services, 24 hours a day, 7 days-a-week, to children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or a foster care placement failure.
• Emergency intake and assessment services, based on a multi-disciplinary treatment approach, are available around-the-clock for youth to address their emotional, physical, educational and placement needs.
• The Residential Unit provides specialized care for a maximum of 34 children, ages 0-11. It provides state-of-the-art comprehensive services, which reflect best practice and innovative breakthroughs in childcare.
• Over 45 licensed Resource Homes within the community provide nurturing care to children for up to 28 days. Last year Resource families provided care within their homes for 619 children.
• For current volunteer and donation needs, please contact Tammy Champo at 801-269-7506, tchampo@slco.org, or Elisbeth Williams at 284-3301, elisabeth@thechristmasboxhouse.org.

(Information and picture taken directly from http://www.cbh.slco.org/.)

click to tweet this

Enter Giveaway for a Chance to Serve & Score!

3 Different Giveaways. 3 Amazing Prizes.
3 Ways to Enter: Vlog, Blog, or Photog.
1 Great Purpose: To Mom It Forward!


Click on the links and images below to learn the entry requirements, see the specs for each prize, and find where to enter each giveaway. Please do not enter in this post.



Vlogging Giveaway 1
HP Mini 1535NR Laptop Specs
Click Here to Enter
Deadline: Saturday, February 14

Blogging Giveaway 2
HP Photosmart 6380 All-in-One Printer Specs
Click Here to Enter
Deadline: Saturday, February 7

Photogging Giveaway 3
Muvee Reveal Movie Editing Software Package Specs
Click Here to Enter
Deadline: Monday, February 2






Thanks to Sugar Jones from Living In Theory for awarding us winners of the HP Magic Giveaway. Giveaways 1 and 2 include prizes from that contest and these giveaways are an effort to spread the HP Magic even further.

Blogging Giveaway 2.......... HP Photosmart C3680 Printer

Giveaway Details
Thanks to Sugar Jones from Living In Theory for awarding Mom It Forward winners of the HP Magic Giveaway. The HP Photsmart C3680 Printer All-in-One Printer, Scanner, Copier is part of that package and this giveaway is an effort to spread the HP Magic and the spirit of service and giving even further.



One lucky winner will receive the HP Photosmart C3680 Printer All-in-One and two runners up will receive Muvee Reveal movie editing software. Winners will be announced during #gno on twitter and on this blog Tuesday, February 24 at 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST). Please see "Giveaway Entry Rules" and "Service Project/Post Hints & Tips" sections for more details.

Giveaway Entry Rules
1. Serve: Plan and carry out a service project or random act of kindness (see criteria below).
2. Blog: Write in 500 words or less about your experience and post it on your blog.*
3. Share: Tweet about the giveaway, including a link to your blog post and this link: Mom It Forward Giveaway.
4. Post the button below on your blog either in the sidebar or in your post.
5. Join: Join the Mom It Forward Facebook Fan Page and Mom It Forward Facebook Group.
6. Enter to Win: Submit a comment here by Saturday, February 21 at midnight EST (9 p.m. PST), letting us know when you have completed steps 1-5, including links to your tweet(s) and blog.**

Note: To be considered for the contest, you must complete all of the above-listed steps.

Service Project/Post Hints & Tips
The giveaway winner will be chosen by a panel. We are looking for someone who embraces the Mom It Forward spirit and helps others catch the vision as well. Hint! The winning blog post will be chosen based on, but not limited to, the following criteria. Consider a service project or random act of kindness that involves:

Creativity—Fun, unusual, or unique ways to meet a need.

Reach—Involves a lot of people or helps a lot of people.

Meaning—Touches someone in a big way or meets a big need.

Sharing—Helps spread the Mom It Forward movement by getting the Mom It Forward word out in a big way!

Inspiring—Helps others catch the vision of your project in a creative post that showcases how you met the above-listed criteria.

The Finer Print
*Sorry! Blog posts over 500 words will not be considered. Pictures are allowed and encouraged.
**Due to shipping costs, only applicants in the continental US will be considered.
***One winner will receive the grand prize and two runners up will be awarded the Muvee Reveal movie editing software.

Photogging Giveaway 3 Muvee Reveal Software

Giveaway Details
Dying for some great movie editing software? Then this Muvee Reveal giveaway is for you! Check out Carissa's review of the software here to learn more.

Not one, but five lucky winners will receive a Muvee Reveal software package which retails for nearly $80. Winners will be announced during #gno on twitter and on this blog Tuesday, February 3 at 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST). All entries must be received by Monday, February 2 at midnight EST (9 p.m. PST). Please see "Giveaway Entry Rules" and "Service Project/Photo Hints & Tips" sections for more details.

Note: Nine people will win the Muvee Reveal software: 5 winners from this giveaway, 2 runners up from the blogging giveaway, and 2 runners up from the vlogging giveaway.

Giveaway Entry Rules
1. Serve: Plan and carry out a service project or random act of kindness (see criteria below).
2. Photog: Take a picture of your experience and upload it to the Mom It Forward Flickr Group.*
3. Share:

a. Create a flickr account if don't have one.
b. Upload photo to your own flickr account.
c. Join the Mom It Forward Flickr Group.
d. Choose "add photo" on Mom It Forward Flickr Group
and upload one photo for your entry.

4. Tweet about the giveaway, including this link: Mom It Forward Giveaway.
5. OPTIONAL: Share your photo on twitter using Twit Pics.
6. Post the button below on your blog either in the sidebar or in a post.
7. Join: Join the Mom It Forward Facebook Fan Page and Mom It Forward Facebook Group.
8. Enter to Win: Submit a comment here by Monday, February 2 at midnight EST (9 p.m. PST), letting us know when you have completed steps 1-7, including links to your tweet(s) and blog.**

Note: To be considered for the contest, you must complete all of the above-listed steps.

Service Project/Post Hints & Tips
The giveaway winner will be chosen by a panel. We are looking for someone who embraces the Mom It Forward spirit and helps others catch the vision as well. Hint! The winning photo will be chosen based on, but not limited to, the following criteria. Consider a service project or random act of kindness that involves:

Creativity—Fun, unusual, or unique ways to meet a need.

Reach—Involves a lot of people or helps a lot of people.

Meaning—Touches someone in a big way or meets a big need.

Sharing—Helps spread the Mom It Forward movement by getting the Mom It Forward word out in a big way!

Inspiring—Helps others catch the vision of your project in a creative photo that showcases how you met the above-listed criteria.

The Finer Print
*Sorry! Only one photo entry per person.
**Due to shipping costs, only applicants in North America will be considered.

Giveaway 4: Movie Sountrack CD or Hoodie

Giveaway Details
Remember those audio tapes you used to put together for the guy you were "going with"—you know, the total babe you just knew was "the one"? Or better yet, remember getting a tape from him? Yah! Those were the days! The only downside was actually making the thing. It took forever.

The great thing about the new He's Just Not That Into You soundtrack is that it is the equivalent of the relationship soundtracks from back in the day. (Come on, admit it, you made one, or wanted to!). The good news? This one is made for you. Not only that, but it includes some of the hottest artists varying from classic bands like REM and The Cure and popular music from Maroon 5 and Keane to new hits by The Ting Tings and Erin McCarley. And, if you're a Scarlett Johannson fan, check out her new cover of Last Goodbye. Two lucky winners will receive prizes from this giveaway. One will receive a He's Just Not That Into You movie soundtrack CD and the other will win this awesome ladie's hoodie.*

Giveaway Entry Rules
1. Serve: Perform a random act of kindness of your choice.
2. Share: Tweet about the giveaway using this link: Mom It Forward Giveaway.
3. Post the button below on your blog either in the sidebar or in a post.
4. Join: Join the Mom It Forward Facebook Fan Page and Mom It Forward Facebook Group.
5. Enter to Win: Submit a comment here by Tuesday, January 27 no later than 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST), letting us know when you have completed steps 1-4. Be sure to include a description of your random act of kindness and links to your tweet(s) and blog.**

Note: To be considered for the contest, you must complete all of the above-listed steps.The giveaway winner will be chosen by a random generator from a list of people that have completed all of the above-listed steps.

The Finer Print
*Mom It Forward will choose which winner receives the CD and which winner receives the hoodie.
**Due to shipping costs, only applicants in North America will be considered.

GNO's "Happiness Headline" Challenge!

GNO Gals Spread Cheer and Kindness Across the Globe, Making It a Holiday Season to Remember!

This week, we are issuing a challenge—to perform at least one random act of kindness this week and to post about it! We will be creating a newsletter, compiling all of your great submissions to share with the Mommy Gossip—GNO community. The purpose is to share ideas, inspire, and help spread the holiday spirit not only within your communities, but with each other. You'll be amazed at how big of a difference one act of service, one blog post, and one "happiness headline" can make. Try it and see!

To participate, read the directions carefully:

Identify and perform at least one random of act of kindness (RAK) this week (December 2 through 9).





Post about the experience in written, picture, and/or video format(s).



Be creative! Keep it simple. Do something within your means and time. Include your friends and family.



Submit the post URL via e-mail to mommygossipgno AT gmail DOT com by Monday, December 9 at 6 p.m. Eastern (3 p.m. Pacific).



Grab the button below and post it on your blog.

• Sign up for the GNO Newsletter where your post, along with all the other GNO Gal's posts, will be featured. The purpose of this newsletter is to uplift and inspire each other and to share great RAK ideas!
  

Topic Talk—Chatting for Charity!

I am choked up writing this. I just jumped off of Twitter after nearly 6 hours of tall tweeting, trying to keep current with the short, but speedy conversations. In the flurry of excitement, I observed more than 100 women and a few men, stepping past mere socialization into the realm of service. 100+ people—most of whom have never met IRL, who were gathered for a greater cause than conversation...

...who were gathered to find a cure. A cure to help families facing hunger this holiday season. A cure to provide as many families as possible with a Thanksgiving dinner. And, in these few hours, with little preparation beforehand and less marketing, #GNO Guys and Gals raised more than $1200 for Feeding America. And, that is just from tonight. Who knows how much more we can raise by Friday, November 21 when the charity ends!

So from us...

Your #GNO Gal Pal, @CarissaRogers (with her daughters)


























And your #GNO Gal Pal, @jyl_mommygossip (thankful for her two boys!)

...thanks to everyone who participated and who may still participate—who gave with their hearts and their hands, who encouraged, who participated, who made GNO GIVES a success!

Here's your chance to get to know just a few tweeple from the wonderful group that is #GNO! Check out their blogs to learn more about them!

• Deanna at The Gratitude Circle.
• Renee at Cutie Booty Cakes.
• Mommy Wizdom.

The Gratitude Circle writes about Taylor Fitch, Miss Teen America, and how she gives gratitude for helping children with special needs. Deanna, in a personal note to #gno, writes:

The holiday season for me really starts in November (which did you know is actually National “I Am So Thankful Month?) We love thanksgiving. My husband and I love to prepare the meal together and spend the day with my family eating traditional food and watching football (our favorite family activity)! We always use the Thanksgiving weekend as the kick off to decorate for the holidays, too. We enjoy doing this early so that we can thoroughly enjoy our decorations all through the month of December.

I will be hosting Christmas Eve and a small Christmas Day at my house this year. My Christmas Eve will be really special this year. My grandmother passed away this year at the tender age of 90. Christmas Eve was always her holiday—a traditional polish Christmas Eve. In tribute to her, I am hosting dinner this year in her memory with my aunt, uncle, cousins and my family. It will be very meaningful to all of us.

The holiday time can be so stressful…it has become quite commercial and a bit demanding of our time. It’s important to reflect and think ahead of time how to spend your time and with whom. What will make it special for you? How do you want to feel (or not want to feel)? What can you do to go out of your way for someone in need to help them to have a grateful and fulfilling holiday?

Cutie Booty Cakes shares this sweet picture of her mom, snuggling with her grandson. In this post and the one below it entitled, "Gratitude," she shares her grateful spirit with us.






















Mommy Wizdom talks about the temptation to indulge and reminds us of the people all around us who may be less fortunate and ways in which to help them:

There are people in the world who are starving! And I don't mean the children in Ethiopia that our parents taunted us with... I mean children in our own neighborhoods (yes, yours too!) who can't afford to buy lunch at school on a daily basis. Whose parents work 3-4 jobs just to make ends meet.

My friend's daughter goes to school with a girl who cannot afford to buy lunch. My friend packs two lunches for her daughter to take to school. This may very well be the only meal this girl gets all day.

Hunger is very real. Please, don't discount its existence.

If you don't believe that it can be happening in your neck of the woods, click here, type in your zip code into the food bank locator on the bottom right. There you will see hunger statistic for your area. I guarantee you'll be surprised. I was surprised about mine!

Thanks to today's featured GNO Gals for extending the topic of service, giving, and gratitude beyond GNO and into our week.

Wanna be featured? Please comment here or e-mail us at mommygossipgno AT gmail DOT com and provide your BLOG URL, linking to the post you'd like to contribute.

What Is Mom It Forward?

What Is the Mom It Forward Mission?
Mom It Forward is the newest trend in mom groups and makes giving back fun, sociable, accessible, and stylish—the new “in crowd” of moms where "mom" is a verb. Not only is it fun, fosters friendships, but it is all for a good cause—serving and teaching service to our children.

The Mom It Forward mission is "to change the world one mom at a time." We will achieve that by 1) strengthening women, 2) helping them become the best moms they can be, and 3) providing ideas, opportunities to, and recognition for carry(ing) out the Mom It Forward mission in small and large ways, locally as well as internationally.

Where Is Mom It Forward?
With its unique niche, the Mom It Forward community is the perfect mommy gathering place—both online and in real life through local chapters—to talk about something moms have in common—our passion for making a difference.

Currently, we meet Tuesday nights on Twitter for our Girl's Night Out (#gno) parties and feature community members on our blog daily at Mom It Forward. We are in the process of developing a Mom It Forward social networking site (online community), which will be our online gathering place. We also are forming Mom It Forward Worldwide, which is an international organization moms can take part in with other women in their communities.

What Is the Benefit of Being Part of the Mom It Forward Community?
Members of the Mom It Forward community join for strength and friendship—you know, the adult interaction all of us moms are craving—but leave with so much more... feeling strengthened, uplifted, excited, and with ideas for and a call to action to give back in fun, creative, meaningful ways all while balancing and our role and improving our abilities as a mom.

One of the many benefits of being a part of this group has been meeting such great people and serving alongside them and on some occasions, serving together with our families. To learn about what we've done recently to Mom It Forward, click on Mom It Forward Cares. To find out how you can get involved in upcoming Mom It Forward opportunities, e-mail us at momitforward [at] gmail [dot] com.