Monthly Archives: December 2011

It’s obviously important to us here at Piece x Piece to conserve, re-use, re-purpose and give back to our community, essentially lessening our impact on Mother Earth whenever possible. It’s not always the easiest route to take but it sure does feel good. During the Holidays its especially important to not only be grateful for everything we have but to also pay it forward and extend an arm to those who may be less fortunate.

One of our favorite ways to give back is to give the gift of animals, and we don’t mean puppies and kittens. Heifer International is a perfect organization to give the gift that keeps on giving. Heifer’s basic goal is to end world hunger & poverty by giving families a hand-up, not just a hand-out. Gifts of livestock and training, help families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. They refer to the animals as “living loans” because in exchange for their livestock and training, families agree to give one of its animal’s offspring to another family in need. It’s called Passing on the Gift – a cornerstone of the Heifer mission that creates an ever-expanding network of hope and peace. If you would like to contribute in a meaningful way this Holiday season that will not only impact one family but many others, Heifer would be the way to go.

Visit Hefer International to find out more.

Secret Santa’s are popping up everywhere. With the season for giving at hand we are seeing more generosity than any other time of year. In a recent interview with a Nebraska Kmart Store Manager, “Dozens of Kmart customers across the country have had their layaways paid off by strangers…buying the Christmas gifts other families couldn’t afford, especially toys and children’s clothes set aside by impoverished parents.” A trend that has sparked across the country with many retailers offering layaway services and more and more families living beyond their means. It feels good to do something great for someone else.

If you always have a hot plate of food for dinner, it may be hard to imagine how many adults and children go without. In San Francisco, more than 150,000 people struggle each day to feed themselves and their families. Giving to your local food bank could be the easiest and most important giving you could do this Holiday Season. The San Francisco Food Bank will distribute approximately 40 million pounds of food and fresh produce this year to families in need. For a list of locations to drop off canned goods and other foods visit the SF Food Bank website. Or, simply text FEED to 80077 to donate $10 to Bay Area Foods Banks courtesy of ABC 7′s  20th Annual Holiday Food Drive.

Christmas is a necessity.  There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.  ~Eric Sevareid