A big ‘holiday’ is coming up. For some, it’s a favorite day. Yes, indeed, it’s a very special annual ritual where we gather around the big screen with friends, eat delicious foods like cheese dip, hot wings, grilled hot dogs and maybe even enjoy a evening, many children get to stay up past their bed time, eat junk food on paper plates in the living room (please-don’t-spill-or-touch-anything), watch cool commercials that everyone will be talking about at school tomorrow and maybe even hang out with some of their friends. Oh and then there’s the football. It’s the SUPER BOWL. What could be better!? More

There’s something refreshing about starting a new year and the possibilities it presents. Some call it a ‘do over’ while others might see an opportunity to turn over a new leaf. Regardless, it’s a great time to consider creating new family traditions and habits.

In terms of making giving a part of your family’s activities and ensuring that the value of helping others becomes part of your children’s lifestyles, here are few new new traditions and exercises to consider for this New Year. And if you have others, we’d love to hear about them! More

Many of us hit the stores on Black Friday. Maybe even more of us participated in Cyber Monday. Lots of us shopped locally on Small Business Saturday.  ’Tis the season of giving and getting. But what about really giving?

Well now we have an opportunity to show that we ‘give as good as we get’ on GIVING TUESDAY. Today! It’s simple, really. All you have to do is find a way to participate in acts of giving. You could include your family, your business or a group of your friends. You can volunteer, you can give financially, you can help a neighbor. It doesn’t matter what you do, just simply do it.

Bonus points for Giving Tuesday? Tell your children. Better yet? Include them. More

This week we are observing National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (November 10-18).

Hunger is a huge problem and a complicated issue, but we can empower our children to make a difference if we educate them about the issue and provide them with opportunities to help instead of ignoring or attempting to insulate them from the reality of this epidemic issue. One in four children in our state goes to bed hungry at night. It is all around us.

Here are some ways you can help and get your family involved in making a difference in the lives of those that are hungry. More

Homelessness might not look the way you think it does.

This week we are observing National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (November 10-18).

What face comes to mind when you think about homelessness? Most of us think of middle-aged men, but there are many others that are affected by homelessness. Like families. Like the young mother and her baby? A single father and his teenage daughters. The family of four that is down on its luck.

Did you know that every school in Richland School District One has at least one homeless child? Homelessness is an issue that we cannot avoid or shield our children from, and there are things we can do to help our children understand the issue of homelessness and instill compassion in their perspectives. More