Each year, the United States and Canada salute our hospitalized veterans during the week leading up to Valentine’s Day.  We can all help boost the morale of our wounded veterans by making Valentines for Veterans and delivering them to our local VA Hospital.

We asked bloggers to volunteer to make Valentines for Veterans and earn a donation of clothing from Dollar Days for Sew Much Comfort.

I’ve been touring the bloggers who have already posted and am incredibly touched not only by their efforts but also by the comments from their readers–soldiers who are thankful for the support, amputees who recognize the importance of adaptive clothing, people familiar with Sew Much Comfort attesting to this organization’s amazing work, those who never knew about Sew Much Comfort but who want to help, and others who just want to salute our veterans. There’s even a funny discussion about whether or not to “macho” up the valentines for our rough and tumble veterans.

Please show support for the team of bloggers and help each earn an extra $50 for Sew Much Comfort (more will be added as posts come in):

• Fairly Odd Mother
• Life with my Special Ks
• The Ever Changing Life of a Military Wife
• Health, Beauty and Family
• Cora’s Story
• Army Wives Lives
• Mamanista
• Emily @ The Jar Group

You can help our veterans, too!  Here are some ideas of ways to help:

• You can make Valentines for Veterans, too! Locate your nearest VA hospital and call to make sure they can accept your Valentines.  Canada also salutes its vets during this week and has some tips on making Valentines for Vets. Share your project on your blog, facebook, or twitter feed to inspire others to do the same!
• Comment on the posts: Dollar Days will donate $50 retail value in clothing for each post, plus $50 more for each post that receives at least 10 comments.  The total donation will be well over $1000 worth of clothing.  So, please comment!
• Donate to Sew Much Comfort: Sew Much Comfort provides adaptive clothing free of charge to wounded veterans and is able to do so through generous donations and volunteer hours. Financial donations are always helpful and there is also a list of needed clothing and fabric.  Sew Much Comfort specifically would love to receive t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirt or sweat shirts with logos of local sports teams in any area of the United States (size large is most needed). The wounded soldiers love having sport themed clothing but it is hard to get unless you live in that state.
• Volunteer with Sew Much Comfort: Sew Much Comfort relies on its 1600+ volunteer seamstresses to make clothing for wounded soldiers–and they can always use another pair of hands. If you know your way around a sewing machine, find out more about volunteering here.

Photo Credits: US Air Force and Azalea W

Valentines for Veterans is a project to boost the morale of Veterans during National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week (February 7-13).

Sew Much Comfort provides adaptive clothing for wounded veterans, through the volunteer efforts of seamstresses and donations of clothing and fabric.

Dollar Days will sponsor a large clothing donation to Sew Much Comfort in honor of the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week.  Dollar Days will donate $50 retail value in clothing for every post that is officially part of the project, plus, to encourage your community to talk about the cause, $50 more for each post that receives at least 10 comments.

We are looking for bloggers who will:

1. Make and deliver at least 12 Valentines for your local Veterans’ Hospital.  You can do this with friends, as part of a playgroup, with a classroom, with a blogger meet-up or tweet-up–have fun with it!  Canada also salutes its veterans on Valentine’s Day and has some great tips for making Valentines for Veterans.
2. Blog about the project by February 8. You can explain your craft project, share photographs of making the Valentines, focus on the idea of helping hospitalized veterans, or let your readers know more about Sew Much Comfort.  Please remember to thank Dollar Days for their donation and explain the mission of Sew Much Comfort.

During Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week, we will be sharing more about how people can volunteer with and donate to Sew Much Comfort and will link up to all of the wonderful bloggers who post on this project.

Please click here to fill out this form (by February 4) if you are interested in participating.  Feel free to share this information with your friends and community if you know of other bloggers who would like to get involved!

Photo Credit: US Government

We had the opportunity to work with Sesame Street Live “When Elmo Grows Up” to arrange giveaways on three blogs, plus provide 12 tickets to New York City-area children’s charities.

Madison Square Garden is no stranger to giving, either: The Garden of Dreams Foundation “makes dreams come true for kids in crisis”.

As soon as we have the charity choices, we will be sharing more information about these wonderful organizations and how you can help out with your local chapters.

Please head over to support these blogs and, if you are able to attend, enter the contests they are hosting for charity:

• 5 Minutes for Mom
• Real Moms Guide
• Mamanista

Non-Profit Partners: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Schneider Children’s Hospital

Sponsors: Corolle, LeapFrog, Steiff, Scholastic & Klutz

Blogger Team: Debbie Bookstaber of Mamanista, Candace Lindemann of Mamanista & Naturally Educational, Veronique Christensen of Little Elephants, Sarah Peppel of Genesis Moments and DIY Frugal

More About the Project:

Bloganthropy.org bloggers, Debbie Bookstaber of Mamanista, Candace Lindemann of Mamanista & Naturally Educational, Veronique Christensen of Little Elephants, Sarah Peppel of Genesis Moments and DIY Frugal, are bringing Toy Donations from Corolle, LeapFrog, Steiff, Scholastic & Klutz to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Schneider Children’s Hospital on Long Island as part of our first project.

Children recuperating from surgery and battling illnesses benefit from play therapy and from knowing others are thinking of them. Families need to focus their energy on helping their children recover and generous individuals, organizations, and corporations can provide support in the form of products, financial contributions, and volunteer hours.

Corolle, Steiff, LeapFrog, Scholastic and Klutz have all generously donated thousands of dollars in toys as part of the effort.

Our bloggers are delivering the toys and learning more about how volunteers and donors can assist their local children’s hospitals.  Look for more about their experience, soon!

How You Can Help in Your Community

Here are some ideas about how you can help:

• Volunteer: Children’s hospitals are also always in need of volunteer entertainers, tutors, and helpers, who typically must be screened and commit to monthly volunteer hours.
• Volunteer Virtually: Some children’s hospitals have inaugurated closed-circuit television stations, that allow community members to lead craft projects, give performances, or allow the children to interview them about their careers.
• Toy Drives: Children’s hospitals welcome new, unopened toys and books for the patients and the playroom. Playgroups and other organizations can host events at area facilities, charging reduced admission in exchange for a new, unwrapped toy, and then bring the toys they collect to their local children’s hospital. Some young patients are in need of lengthy transfusions, that require them to sit at their beds for hours every month. Video games and DVDs are especially helpful for these children.Ask toy companies or local toy stores for “matching” donations.
• Fundraisers: Work with your local or online group to raise funds–many local hospitals support their programs through community donations.  Ask your local hospital about their needs, establish your fundraising goal, and speak with businesses about matching grants.
• Share Your Expertise: Many children’s hospitals are reaching out in the social media space to raise awareness about their programs and mission and also to provide pre-admission information to patients and their families.  Offer your time and talents to help children’s hospitals help their young patients.

If you have volunteered or helped out children’s hospitals, please tell us! And don’t forget to spread the word on your social media networks–this way your message goes viral.