5 Ways To Give Back and a Giveaway for $100 Visa Gift Card to Help You Do It! #LiveOnGiveOn #BakkenInvitation

posted on : December 12, 2014

Thank you to Medtronic for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring me to give back to my community!

 We are so lucky.  I never have to look far to find someone who could use a little helping hand of some sort.  Whether this is food, a hug, a job, or even just an ear to listen.  This holiday season I am so inspired by the stories of the Bakken Honorees. Medtronic selected 10 honorees from around the world who have overcome a life-changing medical challenge and realized how precious life truly is.  They realized that they were granted a second opportunity to live each day to the fullest. One story that truly touched me is that of Krystal Boyea.  You can read the stories of everyone here.  

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I was inspired to write a post about 5 easy ways anyone can give back.  Medtronic has given me the ability to hold a giveaway for a $100 Visa gift card for someone to use to give back to their community.  Here are 5 easy ways I thought of from my life experiences.

1.  Donating clothes to your local NICU- My daughter was born premature and we were lucky that she only had to spend 2 weeks in the NICU.  I learned so much then though.  The babies in the NICU wear clothes that have been donated, but the pickings were pretty slim.  The clothes were rarely the sizes they needed.  This inspired me to donate all my barely worn baby clothes. With $100 and a great sale, this could supply your local NICU with a good amount of baby clothes. 

2. Blankets for your local shelter- Thrift stores are often a great place to find a great deal.  $100 can buy a lot of blankets that your local shelter would be happy to have.  

3. Diapers for your local women’s shelter- Shelters offer a safe place for women and children, but diapers can be very expensive.  $100 can buy a much needed supply of diapers for your local women’s shelter.

4.  Food Donation- Do you know how much canned goods $100 can buy?  A LOT!  A little tip, try to buy low or no salt added canned goods as well as fruit in water, not in syrup.  Give the gift of healthier canned goods.

5.  Donate toys to your local shelter- There are many kids in shelters who won’t get a gift this holiday season.  $100 could buy gifts and wrapping paper.  Even coloring books and crayons from the dollar store and go a long way.

Enter the $100 Visa gift card giveaway below to help giveback to your community.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

50 COMMENTS

  1. Rena McDaniel-Alzheimers Caregiver | 12th Dec 14

    Great post! I’ve been stopping by sharing all of the giveaway posts and I was touched about the NICU suggestion which is one I also made because I have two grandbabies in the NICU right now. They were born on Nov 5th at only 28 1/2 weeks old. My grandson will be coming home soon probably a day or two after Christmas but my grand daughter is having lung and heart problems and probably won’t be home until the middle of January. It’s a hard thing to deal with especially for the new moms. Thanks for sharing.

    • Half Crazy Mama | 12th Dec 14

      All the best to your grandbabies!!! My daughter is now 4 and the tallest one in her preschool class. I never would’ve thought that when she was only 3 lbs. Happy Holidays to your family 🙂

  2. Jennifer Rote | 12th Dec 14

    I donate toys to local families every year. This would help with that.

  3. Amy Simonds | 12th Dec 14

    There are so many ways each of us can make a difference in the life of someone or something in need. I would use the gift to help he animals in need. So many are left behind and with the temperatures dropping and food supply diminishing, they need our help. Humans can ask, but animals can’t always find a way.

  4. Elena | 12th Dec 14

    I would buy some toys and donate them to our local charity

  5. HS | 12th Dec 14

    I’ll like to use the money getting warm clothes and coats for local shelters. Last time we visited, these are things they could use the most.

  6. Rosie | 12th Dec 14

    I make fabric flower accessories, and in the colder months, sew cute fleece mittens and give them to disadvantaged girls and homeless women and the mittens to the mitten drives. I’ve also made baby blankets for the kids in hospitals through church.

  7. jenna d | 12th Dec 14

    I would like to donate to the local toy drive

  8. Julie | 12th Dec 14

    I would help with the local food bank by donating this Christmas season, and giving a warm blanket and a hat and gloves to the Women’s shelter with some shampoo and conditioners. I also would help by buying a really nice gift for a needy child. I am doing all these things this Christmas!

  9. kelly D | 12th Dec 14

    I would like to donate $100 to my local food pantry. $100 feeds everyone dinner for 1 night.

  10. Stephanie | 12th Dec 14

    i would help the homeless

  11. Lisa | 13th Dec 14

    I’d love to do something for the animals in need in my area — animals, dogs especially, are my passion

  12. heather | 13th Dec 14

    I would love to spend my win locally to help local family farms.

  13. jalapenomamamn | 13th Dec 14

    I’d like to donate it to the food shelf where I volunteer.
    form name Barbara Montag
    thank you

  14. Jessica Beard | 13th Dec 14

    I would love to give back to the senior citizens in our community. I would make care packages to take to some living in a nursing home close to my home. It would brighten their day!

  15. Deb Jackson | 13th Dec 14

    I would use it put small share libraries around town where children can take a book or leave a book for others. I saw this when visiting my sister and our town could really use it. The $100 would help with supplies.

  16. velezita | 13th Dec 14

    My pet project is hunger. I blog about it, I volunteer at the local food pantry, I donate and ask others to donate. Basically, I’ll do anything I can to help make sure people have food. It’s such a basic thing.

  17. k | 13th Dec 14

    I would Donate to the ymca drive we have at my work

  18. Betsy Barnes | 13th Dec 14

    We have a wonderful shelter here in our town. They serve meals daily and they just began growing fresh veggies. I would love to help them with $100 worth of garden tools and some plants. 🙂

  19. nicole dz | 13th Dec 14

    I would love to use the gift card to purchase some canned food and box goods to donate to our local food shelter.

  20. Emily Smith | 14th Dec 14

    I would donate the gift card to the local womenspace. They helped my sister get out of an abusive relationship and I would love to do anything to help them to do the same for other women.

  21. ellen beck | 14th Dec 14

    We give back to our community in several different ways.. we volunteer at a food giveaway site and help serve meals. I am an avid gardener and give some of what was bessed to me back to the food bank. We also love giving to Toys for Tots . Theres a long story involved there but years ago when I was a child our family got toys and I will never forget them.
    I also do TNR and socialize kittens out of pocket and maintain a feral cat colony (TNR is trap nueter release) I have done that well over 20 years .
    We do quite a but, and try to do more. So many people are hurting, and although we have little it is a pleasure to do what we can. I would use the $100 to buy more seeds for the garden to give back more.

  22. Lisa Brown | 14th Dec 14

    i give to my local food bank regularly and donate to charities that care for the elderly in hospices in our area.

  23. Janet W. | 14th Dec 14

    I would like to spend this on canned goods and shelf stable foods to donate to our local shelters. I would love for my grandsons to help me with this so they learn giving and sharing.

  24. shelly peterson | 14th Dec 14

    I would donate to or local food bank and toy drive.

  25. Sarah Hayes | 15th Dec 14

    I would like to use it to buy a few gifts for needy kids in this area

  26. D Schmidt | 15th Dec 14

    I would like to purchase food items and take them to the local shelter.

  27. steve weber | 15th Dec 14

    I would buy food items needed at the local food pantry.

  28. Rosemary | 18th Dec 14

    I would spend it to give toys away. I work with a low income family and it breaks my heart that their parents do not do anything special or have the income to do so. Their holidays sounds sad as they explain it to me. There is nothing more sad than to see a child unhappy.

  29. Amy Orvin | 18th Dec 14

    I would love to use that $100 to help buy cat food to feed cats in the neighborhood.

  30. Celeste | 18th Dec 14

    I would donate it to our local Women’s Pregnancy Center… a Christian center that helps support women choose life!

  31. Whine Less | 19th Dec 14

    My girls and I enjoy picking out items for the Operation Christmas Child shoebox. This would get a few more boxes packed! We also send gifts to troops overseas.

  32. Gina M | 27th Dec 14

    I was really inspired by the story of Lucille Bossi who has been living with Parkinsons for 30 years.

    I plan to use this money (stretched with coupons and sales) to make donations of personal care items and baby items to our local womens shelter.

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

  33. Elizabeth J. | 28th Dec 14

    I would donate the $100 Visa gift card to teachers to help them purchase needed school supplies for their classrooms! Thanks for the chance!

  34. Lots of Opportunities to Win a $100 Visa Gift Card to Give Back | | 28th Dec 14

    […] Half Crazy Mama:  Ends Dec. 29th […]

  35. Valerie McElroy | 28th Dec 14

    I would like to give to my students. Being at a low income school, many of my students need everyday school supplies, so I can get more supplies that are needed everyday.

  36. Teacher Contests Ending Dec. 31st | | 28th Dec 14

    […] Half Crazy Mama:  Enter to win a $100 Visa Gift Card to donate to your school or another teacher friend at the Half Crazy Mama blog. […]

  37. Melissa | 28th Dec 14

    I’d love to jump start some teacher projects on Donors Choose!

  38. Rhonda P. | 28th Dec 14

    I would love to donate this to an awesome non-profit organization, Right Road Kids, to help them continue making a difference in children’s lives by building up their self-esteem and guiding them to make wise choices on their journey on the right road in life. Thank you for the opportunity!

  39. carole Saysanith | 28th Dec 14

    I Would use the gift card to buy supplies for my class.

  40. elishia bakle | 28th Dec 14

    I would buy some supplies and books for my kindergartners class! they dont have much in there room it would be great to have enough books for all the children to choose and to read and other learning toys.

  41. Vera Wilson | 28th Dec 14

    This would go a long ways to donate towels and other necessary items to My Sisters House (for Mom and children) in need of a safe place to stay.

  42. softie100 | 29th Dec 14

    I WOULD GIVE IT TO MY VERY BEST FRIEND WHO SURELY DESERVES EVERY DOLLAR OF IT, THANKS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR, AISLING0325@HOTMAIL.COM

  43. Breanne Simons | 29th Dec 14

    I would use the $100 to purchase supplies for my Kindergarten team at my school.

  44. Nicole | 29th Dec 14

    I would donate lots of clothes to the Free Store in town. It’s an amazing place that people can sign up and then shop at for free!

  45. Tara | 29th Dec 14

    I would donate food to the foodbank.

  46. Marianne Griffith | 29th Dec 14

    I would love to buy school supplies for some kindergarten classes at my school. They are Title One and really need help!

  47. shaunie (@sandyhills25) | 29th Dec 14

    Just being apart relay for life . I would use the money to go toward any kids programs for any of our local schools.

  48. Kristen | 30th Dec 14

    I’d like to buy some needed items for our local home for foster kids.

  49. Thomas Murphy | 30th Dec 14

    I would buy food for my local shelter.

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