Usually my Friday posts are reserved for movies, books, sports, vacations, and favorite things; but today I’m breaking away from the norm. What else is Ooo Factor worthy? Philanthropy.
My great friend and Wednesday writing partner, Amber West, decided a few weeks ago to start a new kind of blogging game. It’s simple: she’s encouraging the rest of us to give something up in order to give back to the community – the Go Without game.
I agree with Amber that the economy has taken a toll on a lot of us. While it may be difficult to think about making any sort of monetary donation right now, look at it this way: what can we give up, in order to give back?
Step one – Choose something to go without
I won’t begin to speak for others, but the list of items that I would consider giving up for a week includes Starbucks, Sonic, Barnes and Noble, and Rosa’s Cafe (my West and North Texas friends know that giving up Rosa’s would be a real sacrifice).
What will I give up? My weekly writing reward purchase of a half a dozen delicious treats from Sugar Queen Cupcakes.
Step two – Decide which charity to donate to
There are so many charities out there for us to choose from. Amber has put together a list of charities that accept text donations to keep it super easy for us:
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital:
Text KIDS to 27722 to give $10
Susan G. Komen – Breast Cancer:
Text KOMEN to 90999 to give $10
Elisabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation:
Text HIVFREE to 90999 to donate $5
The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children: Text NYSPCC to 50555 to donate $10
The list doesn’t stop here!
Jillian Dodd is giving up Chick-Fil-A for a week and is sending her donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Way to go, Jill!
Stacy Green is giving up her afternoon coke (or soda for those of you outside Texas) and is sending her donation to the American Diabetes Association. There’s a bit of poetry here, Stacy!
Andrea S. Michaels is giving up pizza and is donating her money to Save a Jaguar. I adore cats, Andrea, and your generosity melted my heart.
Who will I give to? St. Jude Children’s Hospital
Why St. Jude’s? St. Jude Children’s Hospital does not deny service to any child, regardless of the family’s ability to pay. They continuously strive to research preventions, cures, and treatments for all diseases plaguing our children.
I’ve always held a special place in my heart for St. Jude’s, and this is why I am donating $10 via their online donation center.
Step three: Link your blog
Link your blog below and join the others participating in Amber’s Go Without game. The linky tool will be active for a month, so there’s plenty of time to join.
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
If you don’t blog, don’t worry! Anyone can participate in giving back. Leave a comment below and let us know how you will play the Go Without game.
Amber also set up the hashtag #gowithout in Twitter for those of us twittering around the Twitterverse. Come tweet and tell us what you’re giving up and which wonderful charity will get a donation from you!
THANK YOU, Amber. Your Go Without game only goes to show what a wonderful person you are and I’m proud to call you my friend.
Will you join us in the Go Without game? What will you give up? Which charity will you choose to donate your money to? I’d love to hear from you!
Tiffany A White's Ooo Factor 
I also commented on Stacy Green’s “go without” blog. I still don’t know what I want to go without. I am sort of a grinch with money, so I don’t spend any of it on much of anything. I am thinking about it, though. 😀
Usually, we donate to the library, the zoo, and the museum. I also donate, on occasion, to a local hospice. I think their service is important. I’d like to donate to something with animals, but I haven’t quite found what I’m looking for. I’ll know it when I see it.
Good vibes to you. 😀
Good vibes to you, Catie! Making donations to the library, zoo, museum, and hospice are all wonderful things. I tip my hat to you….okay, I’m not wearing a hat. I lift my coffee mug to you! 🙂
Fantastic Tiffany!! I read Amber’s post and have been meaning to do up my own. What a fantastic thing we can each do to share the wealth. Woot woot! Happy weekend…
Amber’s idea is wonderful, and what you’ve chosen to give to is admirable, Tiffany! I don’t have the blog post up yet, but I’m going to give up my lattes (my hubs calls them my liquid candy bars) for a month. I’m like Catie, we donate a lot, to hospice, libraries, humane society, so I’m going to steal partly your idea, Tiffany, and partly Stacey’s and donate to American Diabetes Association two of the weeks, and to St. Jude’s the other two. My younger daughter has Type I diabetes, and my husband Type II, so that ties it to something personal for me. As for St. Jude’s, I was desperately ill for several months when I was 10, and in the hospital for quite some time. I know how my parents struggled for years to finish paying the bills, and love that St. Jude’s will not turn anyone away.
Sorry to go on so long!
Giving up your lattes is very admirable, Elizabeth! Also, I love your husband’s nickname for them. Liquid crack is what I like to call them…..
The American Diabetes Association is very important to me too. My father was recently diagnosed as a Type I diabetic and gives himself a shot every single morning. I also have a close friend who wears a pump. Diabetes is very serious, and we need to continue to donate to the ADA so they can one day find a cure!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Hmmm. Trying to decide what to give up.
Love this! Giving really is very rewarding, and kind of addicting. So … watch out. 😉
Ellie, I’d much rather be addicted to giving than many other things! 🙂
Thanks for mentioning me, Tiffany. Amber’s come up with a great cause. I’m totally drooling over those cupcakes, btw. You’re a strong woman for giving those up!
Is it bad that I’m counting down the days until I can take a trip to Sugar Queen’s? LOL – Thanks for stopping by, Stacy. And THANK YOU for donating to the ADA. ❤
Hey Tiffany! I agree with Stacy… those cupcakes sound divine. I’m cutting down my Starbucks latte fix from five days a week to three for the month. Eeek. I’ll do my weekend home brew on those days. I love this idea and hope to donate some time/crafts too.
Volunteering is such a wonderful thing to do, Barbara!
I’m loving this idea! When I read it on Jillian’s blog, I was in love and then Barbara had it and now you. All of you ladies are amazing and such an inspiration!
I’ve stripped my diet down to the bare veggies, so I’m going to give up mani/pedis. I’m donating to Share our Strength. Now, I’ve got to blog about it. Duh! Totally forgot that part.
Keep up the great work!
Giving up a mani/pedi for a donation to Share our Strength is wonderful, Tameri! Thank you for playing the GoWithout game! 🙂