Month: November 2015

Categories
Charitable donations Clothing donation Organizations that help military families

Extend a Helping Hand for the Holidays How to Give Back the Right Way

Donations for non profit organizations

This holiday season, there are plenty of families and children in need of warm winter clothing and other assistance. If you’ve been thinking of cleaning out your closets or cupboards and donating, now is the time to do it! For children in need clothing can be a huge gift and you can know that you helped someone in need simply by giving away what you didn’t want. It’s a win-win for everyone — families get warm clothes that are in good condition and you create more space and less clutter in your own home. You also save that material from ending up in a landfill or dump somewhere.
Does Donating Really Help?
Believe it or not, if you donate clothing or other household items, it keeps those items in the consumer loop and prevents them from just being thrown away. About 12 million pounds of clothing or other textiles are thrown out every year in the United States — a huge waste, when it could be used by someone else. For children in need clothing like your kids’ old winter coats could be the difference between staying warm and well during the winter season or coming down with colds.
Additionally, many people enjoy shopping for secondhand clothing. Americans buy about ten pounds of gently used clothing every year, which is great, considering that 90% of the clothing or textiles tossed every year could have been reused. The lower prices on secondhand clothing and the variety to be found in secondhand stores can make it a fun shopping experience — a little like a treasure hunt!
It’s also a popular option for donations — in 2011, for example, about 2 million pounds of clothes or other textile materials were donated or recycled.
It also teaches your kids to give back to the community they live in. It’s great to establish a culture of philanthropy in the house early and promote giving back. Teaching by example is one of the best ways to foster this and will make everyone in the entire family feel good!
Where Can I Donate?
There are multiple charitable organizations in the United States — from charities that will pick up donations to places that you can drop donations off at. If you have a specific charitable interest, such as supporting military charities, veterans charities, or helping families in need more generally, there’s an organization for you to give back to. However, if you’re just starting to think about giving back, a quick online search about a cause you care about or an organization you may have heard about will yield certain results.
Some donors prefer giving material goods as opposed to money, because they feel more certain that their donations are reaching the intended parties without any third party interference. (Many have concerns that a portion of their donations go towards funding the organization itself, instead of reaching the people they’re trying to help.)
For children in need clothing can be a huge way to give back. Consider looking into a charity or a local shelter to donate to — your efforts are sure to be appreciated and you could help turn someone’s life around in a positive way.

Categories
Charity clothing pick up Charity foundations Purple heart donations

Why You Should Give to Charity

Charity foundations

When trying to find a charity to support it can be difficult to choose because there seem to be so many. So what are the best charities to donate to? Most charities can be broken down into seven groups. We will go over them in this article.

  1. Animal charities. This includes wildlife conservation organizations, pet an animal welfare organizations, hunting and fishing conservation groups, and zoos and aquariums.
  2. Environmental charities. The two main subgroups for this kind of charity is environmental conservation and protection and parks and nature centers.
  3. Community development charities. This would include things such as fundraising organizations, community foundations and housing and neighborhood development.
  4. International organizations. These charities usually are based out of one country but actually work in another. This type of charity includes international development NGOs, disaster relief and humanitarian NGOs, peace and human rights NGOs, conservation NGOs and child sponsorship organization.
  5. Health charities. These charities support and treat the sick and disabled, try to find cures for diseases, and promote public awareness. This type of charity includes diseases and disorders, medical services and treatment, medical research to charities and patient and family support charities.
  6. Education charities. These kind of charities take care of students from all age groups and focus on making education more accessible and effective. This would include private elementary, junior high and high schools, universities and colleges, scholarship and financial aid services, school reform and experimental education and support for students teachers and parents.
  7. Arts, culture and humanity charities. This last group of charities work to preserve artistic and cultural legacies and celebrate the arts and our heritage. This includes museums and art galleries, performing arts, libraries and historical societies and public broadcasting and media.

There are a few charities that do not fit within the seven types of charities but for the most part everything can be broken down between the seven categories.

Hopefully the type of charity that you want to support or donate to his class within one of these categories. If not I’m sure it would not be difficult to find out how exactly your particular charity is categorized.

Maybe you weren’t planning on donating and don’t even know why it’s a necessity or wonder what are the best charities to donate to. Let me cover a few reasons donating is beneficial.

  1. Donations are tax deductible. The money you give is tax deductible but also any travelling done for a charity, parking fees or even event fees as long as you haven’t been reimbursed for anything.
  2. You’ll become part of something bigger. It may not seem like you giving much but if everyone gave just a little time or money it would become a lot and could make a huge difference.
  3. Benefit the world’s neediest people. This pretty much says it all. Just $450 can fund an entire fistula surgery to repairs obstetric injuries that happened due to complications at birth.
  4. Feel good It might seem like a selfish reason to do something so selfless but there are medical studies that prove giving to other people can make a person happier with themselves.

These are just a few of many, many reasons to donate clothes, money or time to people in need. So what are the best charities to donate to? The one where your charitable donation could save someone’s life. More info like this.

Categories
History of oriental rugs Oriental rug repair company Oriental rugs for sale

What You May Not Have Realized About Caring for and Cleaning Oriental Rugs

Oriental rug interior design

If you’ve been following the latest design trends in home magazines or tuning in to HGTV’s programming, you’ve probably noticed that there’s one familiar decor staple that’s making a comeback. That’s right — oriental rugs are trendy once again, and this form of carpeting is popping up everywhere. These rugs typically feature unusually thick pile of up to 160 knots per square inch and have very rich color combinations. From being a centerpiece in the dining room to making a family room extra cozy, you can class up your home with one of these beautiful and unique handmade carpets.

Yet what most people don’t realize when they jump on this trend is that Oriental rugs are incredibly delicate and usually made from either silk or wool. Because they are hand-knotted, they must be handled with care, whether they’re on display in a central location of the home or only brought out for special occasions.

As a result, caring for and cleaning Oriental rugs can be difficult without the use of a professional Oriental rug repair and cleaning service. For the most part, cleaning Oriental rugs needs to be done with special solvents, and it’s best to do this with antique rugs made from natural materials. However, even synthetic materials may need proper care, so they don’t fade or fall apart.

Fortunately, you can also take care of your rugs at home with these helpful tips:

  • Oriental rug dealers will often give you information about where your rug was made and what it’s made out of if you’re buying a truly authentic piece. Make sure you write this information down somewhere, so you have it handy when the time comes for you to get a professional Oriental rug cleaning.
  • By moving furniture around regularly, you can avoid leaving permanent dents in your furniture. If you keep something like a dining room table on your Oriental rug, make sure to move the table and chairs a few inches every now and then to avoid serious wear and tear on the carpet.
  • Don’t try to clean the rug yourself! Even supposedly “gentle” household cleaners can have disastrous effects on your rugs. Make sure that you have a professional repairing and cleaning oriental rugs for you, so they have the best chance of lasting a lifetime or more.

Whether your rugs are simply for decoration or are a priceless family heirloom, make sure they get the proper care they need and deserve. Have more questions about caring for your Oriental rugs? Ask away in the comments below or bring them to a professional.

Categories
Master-planned community Tampa bay homes

Looking for a Change? Move to Florida for Warmer Weather and Financial Freedom!

Modern home design

If you or someone you know as been contemplating about checking out the real estate market for a new home, you should consider Florida as your next new home. Not only does Florida have a booming economy, but the sunshine state really lives up to it?s name with cities like Land O?Lakes having an estimated 248 sunny days a year! No matter the area of Florida you?re interested in moving to, there are plenty of communities and homes to choose from. Enlist the aid of master planned community developers to build your dream home, or have a realtor show you how to buy a new home that’s already been built. There are a lot of single family homes out there, so the options are endless.

States like Florida aren?t just for retirees anymore. Young professionals and people of all ages are seeking out the warmth the state has to offer. Another reason why Florida is a prime destination state for those looking for a change is that it is one of the few states that doesn?t collect income taxes. Other states that don?t collect income taxes include Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Because of this unique aspect of the state, some people can really benefit financially by moving to Florida, especially if they live in a state with a high income tax rate, like New York.

Other benefits of moving and buying a home in Florida is that if you declare a place your primary residence, you can receive an exemption for up to your first $50,000 in property taxes. Thanks to master planned community developers, the suburban landscape is also growing throughout Florida, which is a good thing because nearly 66% of millennials seeking to buy homes prefer living in more modern homes in the suburbs, as opposed to 24% who prefer more rural locations and 10% who prefer city living.

So if you?re one of the many people who want a change of pace, move on down to Florida where you can enjoy not only the warmer weathers, but also the financial benefits from living and owning a home in the nation?s sunshine state!

Categories
Amish sheds in new jersey Large sheds Pergolas

Furnish your home uniquely and beautifully

Wooden playsets for kids

Amish furniture is handcrafted by the Amish in America and is usually made from 100% wood. Amish furniture is usually more traditional style. They do not just sell couches and coffee tables like you might think but actually Amish furniture can extend to a pool house, custom sheds, they even have barns for sale. To give you a little better idea of what Amish furniture can bring to your home I’m going to go over a few things that they sell.

Pool houses They say that most of their buildings can be made into a pool house but the ones they prefer are called ‘Victorian’ or ‘Elite’. These feature a large overhang and a porch but the porch can be optional. Columns, large windows and glass doors are the traditional look of a pool house made here but every piece can be customized or updated to your liking. A pool house can either be made on site, at your location or it can be made and then delivered in one piece to you.

Dog Kennel Dog kennels can be pretty upscale and fancy. The ‘Elite’ dog kennel features light gray paint, white trim, charcoal shingles and black doors. It is eight by 10 shed area, connected to a four by eight insulated box, ending with six by eight run area that has the option of having a chain link fence installed.

Dutch Corner Cupboard When it comes to indoor furniture, there are five collection types to choose from. For the purpose of this article we are looking at the David collection. The dutch corner cupboard is made of oak wood for easy of staining or painting to the owner’s specification. It features 3 open shelves framed by an arch and a door for storage at the bottom.

Weathervanes Weathervanes, just like any other piece of Amish furniture, are mostly made of wood. However, weathervanes do differ slightly as they can also be made out of copper or brass.

These are just a few pieces to give you an idea of the types of things you can buy at an Amish furniture store. These pieces will are beautiful and since they are handmade, no two are going to be exactly alike. Sure, to the naked eye they may seem like that but that is what makes handmade items so rare; the little differences that you could never see unless you look very closely. Of course, you can also have each piece customized to your liking so this will make your furniture even more unique and special.

As far as price goes, you can pay all up front or work out a payment plan for a rent to own deal. What kind of Amish furniture would you buy?

Categories
Adirondack chairs Vehicle playsets What is an amish cupola

Unique Business Brings Local Craftsman and Amish Group Together

Vehicle playsets

The Amish are known for their high-quality furniture, sheds, and gazebos, but many people in the Selkirk-area of New York have also known Fred Becker to provide similar services. For the past 21 years he’s worked with the local community to provide sheds and gazebos, but it wasn’t until recently he decided to start his very own family business. Today, Backyard Sheds is a small, family-owned business with the philosophy to treat customers the way they, themselves, would want to be treated, according to the Capital District news source SpotlightNews.com.

?It?s a business that really appealed to me, and I enjoy working with customers. I like working with my hands,? said Becker, who owns Backyard Sheds with his wife, Sue Hulick.

Becker’s ultimate goal is to have the best-quality products at the cheapest prices. In order to do that he decided to enlist the help of workers from outside his family, but who he’s been close with for the last 15 years or so and considers to be trusted friends and business partners. The group is the Lancaster Amish Community.

?They?re great people to work with, and we?ve become close,? said Becker. ?About 95 percent of the work they do is exclusively for us.?

In true Amish tradition everything from the bowback chairs to custom gazebos are 100% handmade, usually from one of the five woods Amish typically use: oak, cherry, hickory, walnut, or maple.

Although a lot of the Amish furniture and products they sell is made beforehand, they are open to working with customers in designing a piece for their specific needs and desires. The only problem you might have is that it usually takes at least eight weeks to make custom Amish furniture.

Recently Backyard Sheds has even started building custom garages because of popular customer demand. They build these entirely on site by having a crew come in and even help you with the blueprints.

Categories
Day care coral gables Day care near me Preschool coral gables fl

How Can Preschool Benefit Your Little One?

Education is a long-term part for us as human beings. Many people think it starts in kindergarten, but it starts a lot earlier. When you think about learning, we need to remember that children ages 0-5 are acquiring massive amounts of information from their parents, family, friends, and technology.

Children age 0-5 also learn in other ways, such as preschool, where they can expand their minds beyond their immediate surroundings. Studies show that children who attend preschool do better in primary school, secondary school, and in life. The classes in preschool provide healthy interactions for children with adults and their peers to expand academic, social-emotional skills, verbal skills, and creativity.

Choosing a preschool can be a hard task, if you’re not sure what to look for. Look for a private preschool, where the student-teacher ratio is low. The average student-teacher ratio in private preschools is 10:1. The best private preschools take pride in giving your child the personal attention to meet their individual needs. If you’re a parent of a child age 2-4, now it’s time to explore “where can I find independent preschools near me?”

Finding a good preschool

Choosing the best preschool for your child can be a daunting experience, especially if it’s your first born! Finding a good preschool is such an important job for parents yet so many parents think it an optional part of schooling. According to research, more than five million children in the United States attend some kind of prekindergarten program on any given day of the year. Let me enlighten you to the benefits of preschool for your children!

I know preschool can often be confused with daycare. Generally, daycare centers or childcare centers are a place for children to be taken care of in a safe and fun environment while their parents are working or at school or whatever the case may be. While there are many similarities between the two places, daycare seems to focus more on entertainment and stimulation while preschool is just that: a prelude to school; a place where the child can begin to learn things that will help them later.

At preschool, not only do the children learn how to socialize and how to get along with other children but they learn vital things like sharing and contributing to a conversation or a team exercise, compromising and being respectful of others. Preschool is also a place to learn independence. From pouring their own drink to helping the teachers in easy tasks, the children can grow in their self confidence. These are just a few of the benefits of preschool.

Learning new activities and obtaining new interests is a vital part of growing and becoming one’s own person. Summer camp is another place where many new things can be introduced to children. Research done by the American Camp Association (ACA), stated that 63% of children who learn new activities at camp end up keeping an interest in that particular activity even after camp is over. However, if the child has not been able to acclimate to being surrounded by other children in a setting like preschool, summer camp will be an absolutely no-go for that particular child. He would most likely be intimidated, overwhelmed, over stimulated and learn hardly anything at all.

As far as academic learning at preschool, kids will be exposed to colors, alphabet, numbers and shapes. A private preschool would focus even more on the academic side of things. One of the reasons they are able to do that is because 36% of private school have an average student teacher ratio of 10:1 or lower. Public schools average only 10%.

So, how to find a preschool? Plan, search, compare. Do you want your child to attend a private or a public school? At what age would you like them to start? Some preschools take children as young as 2 1/2. Would you prefer a part time day or full time? There are lots of opportunities and options for you to pick from. The benefits of preschool are plenty so have fun with it, don’t get stressed and it will be a great experience for all involved!