If you’re looking for a way to infuse giving into your family’s culture, consider committing as a group to a Monthly Family Give. You can sit down now and plan out the year or decide on your ‘give’ from month to month, just be sure that once you make the commitment you follow through. Before you know it, helping others in your community will become second nature!

Here are a few ways your family can come together once a month to help others and get involved in your community: More

TAG Question of the Week

We know that there are so many different ways to give. And in many cases our efforts aren’t or can’t be spontaneous our impulsive. Getting involved in a movement can involve significant organization and preparation. We don’t stroke a check without considering our finances and we don’t just decide to jump on a plane to Haiti tomorrow to help build a school. There are ways to give that require significant planning and those that do not. Both are of equal importance and it’s important that our children understand the difference and why.

So while financial giving and major, planned efforts are extremely important, there are lots of things we can do right now that do not involve considering year-end recommendations from our accountant or require extreme organizations, effort or time. More

TAG Question of the Week

One of the great things about being part of a community is seeing how people come together. We talk a lot about exposing our children to community need and one of the great lessons of this is showing them how great it is when people come together.

But what is a community? It’s lots of things! It’s your school. It’s your place of worship. It’s your neighborhood, town and state. It’s even your scout troop or sports team.

And there’s a lot more to a community than just services and organization. In our community we find friends and neighbors, we celebrate tradition, we share values and we enjoy life – with its ups and downs – together as a group.

So what do you personally appreciate about your community? What does your family enjoy? Why is your community important to your children? What does that mean to them?

Find out how your family feels about your community using the Question of the Week!

Published each Friday, use the Question of the Week to spark conversation with your children about family, money, giving and help them explore what matters most to them.

Introducing children to community need can be a little daunting. The issues facing our community can be complicated and many parents aren’t sure how to explain these problems in a way that kids can begin to understand and in a manner that won’t scare them.

At the same time, we want our children to grow into community-minded adults who are aware of the needs of our neighbors. And we want them to know that they have the power to make a difference. So where should we start? More

Last week, we caught a segment on Good Day Columbia regarding a recent report published by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) which ranked South Carolina fifth in the nation for food hardship. And if you zero-in on regions, the Columbia area ranks 13^th in the nation.  (click the link to see the full report)

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. More

TAG Question of the Week

“No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” – Edmund Burke

We are all compelled to help in different ways. Some refer to it as a ‘calling’. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the amazing efforts of another person? Perhaps you know a doctor, like Dr. Brian Huff, who travels to other countries to provide medical care to those who do not have access or Rachel O’Neill who has organized tens of thousands of dresses for little girls in Africa. Or did you read about the Lewis family who went on a year-long trip around the world, committed to six continents and 12 good deeds, volunteering in a different country each month? More

TAG Question of the Week

When we think about philanthropy, three ‘gifts’ come to mind that can be shared: 1) Time, 2) Talent, and 3) Treasure. All are important. If you don’t have money, you can give your time. If you don’t have time, you can give your money. If you have a special talent or profession, you can use it to help someone in need.

But today, let’s focus on money. Why is it important to give financially? Without financial support, organizations and services will cease to exist. Since the economic downturn, we’ve seen nonprofits struggle and even close due to decreased funding. Money is needed to house rescued dogs and cats. Money is needed to pay the bills for the offices at The Cooperative Ministry. Without donations, Souper Bowl of Caring would not be able to support groups throughout the country in raising millions of dollars for hunger organizations. More

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

So you’re thinking about planning a Charitable Birthday for your kiddo(s) this year but not sure what nonprofit would be appropriate to support?

To help, we’ve pulled together a list* of Midlands, SC-area** nonprofits for your consideration that provide wish lists on their websites. Items requested range from art supplies to snacks to cleaning products to linens to baby food. There are so many options! More

TAG Question of the Week

We’ve been thinking about Martin Luther King a lot this week and are inspired not only by what he accomplished, but by the way in which he accomplished it. We all know people that scream, yell and possibly make threats when things don’t go their way, but not Dr. King. His persistent yet peaceful, nonviolent philosophy in the face of very heated and emotional issues is still a great lesson in the world today. This might be true everywhere from your neighborhood to Syria. More