SavvySugar

5 Charities That Support Our Troops

SavvySugar — Mon, 28 May 2012 10:00:48 PDT

If you'd like to honor the men and women who have served our country or are in the process of doing so, one way of giving back is to donate to a charity that supports our troops. Many military charities exist, but these five have been rated as some of the most efficient organizations. Can't afford to donate? Visit your local veteran's hospital for volunteer opportunities.

Designers Team Up to Create Cool Lighting Pieces That Also Benefit a Great Cause

Angela Swinderman Elias — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:40:24 PDT

New York City-based nonprofit Kids of Kathmandu, whose ongoing mission is to support 49 Nepalese orphan children, has just launched the enLIGHTen Project. Seventeen renowned lighting designers from all over the world (including Lindsey Adelman, David Weeks, Jason Miller, David Trubridge, and Rich Brilliant Willing) will design a piece of unique statement lighting that will be auctioned to fund solar panels for the children. The solar electricity will give the children access to lighting, clean water, refrigeration, computers, and basic sanitary improvements, giving them a chance at an education and a better life. If you're looking for a truly unique piece of lighting, you should act fast because bids are already being placed! The auction will run until May 17.

Danny Seo Celebrates Earth Day With a One Kings Lane Tastemaker Sale to Benefit Charity

Guest Writer — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:00:00 PDT

We're excited to present a post from guest writer, eco lifestyle expert, and all-around awesome guy Danny Seo.

Late last year, I had the privilege to sit down with one of the co-founders of One Kings Lane, Ali Pincus, and talk about our favorite places to shop, how I'm addicted to the home shopping site, and to talk about ways I could get involved with One Kings Lane. We came up with the idea for me to do a TasteMaker tag sale where I could collect some of my favorite vintage and antique items from my home and put them up for sale on the site. I agreed under one condition: if we could donate the proceeds to my favorite charity, Baby Buggy.

Baby Buggy, in case you aren't familiar, is the wonderful nonprofit founded by Jessica Seinfeld that has the motto "Love, Recycled." It's so appropriate because they accept lightly used baby gear, clothes, and new baby and children essentials to help families in the greatest need. They are a clearinghouse of sorts that works with a network of nonprofits who call Baby Buggy with a wish list of goods they desperately need. And like a fairy godmother, Baby Buggy always comes to the rescue. With the proceeds from this sale, Baby Buggy will be able to buy the most needed essentials to help families in need. In the spirit of Earth Day, selling vintage and antique items is green for Mother Earth since it's reusing what already exists; the sale proceeds will coincidentally help many mothers here on Earth.

In this special CasaSugar post, I'm excited to give you a sneak peek at three items for sale and the unique story behind them. I've traveled the world for work and always found time to visit out-of-the-way antique stores, flea markets, and galleries to search for beautiful things. I hope whoever buys these goodies will cherish them as much as I have over the years.

Indian ArrowHead Collection When I was filming my TV show "Simply Green with Danny Seo" (all episodes on Hulu now), I made a point to visit a small antique store in the sleepy town of Point Pleasent, PN. Down an alley and past a blacksmith shop (of all things!), I found a little antiques store that was going out of business. Rummaging through box after box, I came across a collection of mounted arrowheads, all hand mounted on colorful felt with a hand pounded metal backing in glossy black frames. What I loved about these pieces is that clearly someone had scavenged the woods of Pennsylvania for each arrowhead, cleaned them, and displayed them in a very beautiful and interesting pattern. I also love the pop of color in the background.

Keep reading to learn about two more special items from the sale

The Communal Table: Hunger Hits Home

Susannah Chen — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:06:03 PDT

As much as we love to cook and eat, we can't ignore the stark reality of what's going on around us: each day, millions upon millions of people struggle to secure their next meal. (Ironically, even food writers have been known to live off of food stamps.) To bring more awareness to the cause, Food Network's brought together some of the country's top food outlets for a virtual roundtable to discuss the fight against hunger. Find out how you can help beyond just donating money, and see what the rest of our friends are doing to raise awareness of poverty and food scarcity.

FN Dish: 4 Ways to Take Action Against Childhood Hunger Today
EatingWell: 6 Inspiring People Who Are Fighting Hunger
BlogHer Food: Poor Girl on SNAP: Using EBT at the Farmers Market
Food52: A Day in the Life at Share Our Strength
GMA.com: Fight Hunger With These 5 Charities
Cooking Channel: Join the Great American Bake Sale
Food Republic: Joining Bloggers to Take on Hunger
Eatocracy: Focus on Hunger

Join in on the conversation over at Twitter by checking out #pullupachair.

5 Ways to Fight World Hunger Beyond Donating Money

Susannah Chen — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:58:30 PDT

Between Easter feasts and Passover Seders, Spring is high time for eating aplenty. That doesn't mean, however, that we should ignore the surge in world hunger that's increased over the past decade and a half.

Food scarcity is a concern that touches more than 925 million people - or one in seven individuals - around the world. Despite America's wealth, this statistic is even more stark stateside: more than one in five children in the United States face food insecurity.

Donating money is an obvious way to help fight hunger, but there are some additional ways to make a difference. Here are five of our favorites.

Help serve a meal at a community dining room. Make instant, personal connections with others by volunteering your time at a local homeless shelter.
Exercise your brain. Got a restless mind and time to kill? Keep yourself on your toes by playing the United Nations World Food Programme's multiple-choice online game Free Rice, which donates rice for every question you've answered correctly.

For three more ideas, keep reading.

Savvy Confessions: Can I Afford to Be Charitable?

Savvy Community — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 05:00:55 PST

This reader posted in our anonymous Savvy Confessions group, asking if she should continue charitable contributions now that she's unemployed. Do you have any advice for her?

I've been a sponsor of a child through a charitable organization for the past few years. However, I recently became unemployed and I am trying to find ways to save and cut costs. I've been debating about whether I should stop sponsoring the child, but of course, I would feel bad discontinuing my donations. Should I be thinking of my own finances first?

Pose your own anonymous questions or off-load your work confessions by posting in the Savvy Confessions group, and I'll find the right expert to help you out.

Tax Tips For Charitable Donations

Emily Co — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:05:20 PST

If you were particularly giving in 2011, you can look forward to a smaller bill come tax time. Read these tips from Kathy Pickering, executive director of The Tax Institute at H&R Block:

Itemizing Deductions: To deduct a charitable contribution, you must file Form 1040 and itemize deductions on Schedule A.
Note the Date of the Donation: To be able to deduct contributions on your 2011 return, you must have completed the donation by December 31, 2011. A bank record or receipt is needed for all cash donations of less than $250; cash donations of $250 or more require written confirmation from the charitable organization in addition to the receipt or bank record. Additional substantiation requirements apply to cash donations of over $500 and to all noncash donations. Donations of stock or other non-cash property are usually valued at the fair market value of the property. Clothing and household items must generally be in good condition to be deductible.
Qualified Nonprofit: To qualify for a tax deduction, you must be giving to a qualified organization. You cannot deduct contributions made to specific individuals, political organizations and candidates.
Deduct Benefits : If you receive a benefit in return such as tickets to a game or merchandise, then you can deduct only the amount of the donation that exceeds the fair market value of the benefit received.

Leonardo DiCaprio Breaks Into the Coffee Biz

Susannah Chen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:04:17 PST

Have a hard time getting up in the morning? Well, you've got more than just coffee to look forward to. Thanks to a new line of coffees, the best part of waking up could be Leonardo DiCaprio in your cup.

Today, The Great Gatsby actor announced he's partnering with La Colombe Torrefaction to produce a new coffee line, Lyon. Its entire net profile will benefit the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation to promote sustainability for the planet. "Raising awareness on the most pressing environmental issues of our time is more important than ever," DiCaprio said in a statement. "I am thrilled to be a part of this new project with La Colombe that will help aid the shift to a truly sustainable future for the planet and its inhabitants."

Starting today, the coffee will appear online and on shelves in Williams-Sonoma stores across the country, as well as select Whole Foods Markets. Will you try one of Leo's new coffees?

Staff Members at Animal Shelters Can Use These Things

Morgan Ashley Parker — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:50:01 PST

While we usually think of giving things to shelters for the animals, the staff can use your help, too! It helps to contact your local one to learn exactly what they need, but I gathered up a list of recommendations that you may be tossing, or can easily spare, this New Year.

Camera: If you were lucky enough to get a new camera for Christmas, a doggie shelter could use your old one! Supply the cables, too, and staff can upload photos of their available dogs to their website or Petfinder.
Computer: Ditto goes for your computer. Many animal shelters don't have budgets to upgrade their computers so it's possible your hand-me-over is better (and newer) than what they're working with.
Printer: Sure, they probably have one but it helps to have a backup in case one breaks.

Learn other things that most shelters need that won't break your bank and

Ink cartridges: Anyone who has a printer can attest that replacing the cartridges (especially the color ones) can often cost more than the machine itself over the shelf life. Ask your local shelter for their exact model so you know it fits!
Paper and pens: While it's not that pricey, it helps to have a backup supply of people and other office supplies as well.
Light bulbs: For lightbulbs, I like offering the pricier, energy-saving models that shelters may not splurge for themselves.
Cleaning supplies: Common products needed include laundry detergent and softener (for pet bedding), rubber gloves and washcloths/paper towels/ toilet paper, too.

Lastly, while many people send a holiday gift to a vet's office, consider bringing a fruit tray or baked good for staff at shelters to enjoy in the New Year! Now share your additional suggestions in the comments below!

Gift Guide: 10 Charitable Gifts For Architecture, Design, and Home Enthusiasts

Elka Karl — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 04:00:08 PST

If you're still searching for a passable gift for a friend or family member who seems to have everything she needs, put down that credit card for a moment and consider giving a charitable gift instead. There are amazing charities and non-profit organizations out there doing great work, which could definitely use your charitable gift this year.
For friends and family members who appreciate charitable gifts and have a deep love for causes related to design, architecture, and home, here are 10 gifts they'll be sure to cherish. (These gifts are tax-deductible, too, so you can feel good about your holiday giving and feel good about your taxes.) Of course, this is only a tiny fraction of the charities that need your support. If none of these seem to fit your gifting agenda, make sure to check out charities in your area, too!

Located in Boston, The Food Project turns abandoned urban lots into productive farms that make nutritious fresh produce available in former food deserts. Around 40 percent of the food grown is donated to hunger relief organizations and homeless shelters, or sold at below-market rates at farmers' markets.
The Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum is the United States' only museum completely dedicated to historic and contemporary design. With over 250,000 objects, the Museum holds the largest design collection in the country. Contribute with a gift amount or a membership.
Berkeley's Ecology Center is a public resource for reliable information, tools, hands-on training, referrals, strategies, infrastructure, and models for sustainable living.
Architecture For Humanity strives to create a more sustainable future through its network of more than 50,000 professionals who lend their time and expertise to help bring design, construction, and development services where they are most critically needed across the world.
The National Coalition For Homeless Veterans provides advice and assistance to policymakers, Congress and the federal agencies involved with homeless veteran issues and service providers with the goal of ending homelessness among veterans.
The National Housing Law Project is a law and advocacy center dedicated to housing justice for the poor. For over 40 years, NHLP has used the law to increase and preserve the supply of decent affordable housing, to improve existing housing conditions, including physical conditions and management practices, to expand and enforce low-income tenants' and homeowners' rights, and to increase opportunities for racial and ethnic minorities.
Habitat For Humanity helps to provide home ownership opportunities through the building of safe, energy efficient, and stable homes, in partnership with the potential home owners through its "sweat equity" program. Habitat For Humanity seeks to "eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action."
The American Folk Art Museum is devoted to the preservation, conservation, and interpretation of traditional folk art and creative expressions of contemporary self-taught artists from the United States and abroad.
West Oakland's City Slicker Farms has been working to create food justice and improve the environment in West Oakland since 2001 through a series of gardens, workshops, and related projects for the community.
The Good Shepherd Center in Los Angeles helps homeless women rebuild their lives so they and their children will experience a brighter future. Through housing, employment and other supportive services, we offer women hope and the opportunity to achieve independence.

Do you have a favorite cause or charity that you give to each year? Leave the name and link in the comments below.