Pictures with Santa, you can even bring the dog!

Claus & Paws hosted by the Swarhtmore Community Center

Saturday, December 1st from 9 am-noon

Family & dog friendly Pictures with Santa to benefit the SPCA

Cost: Monetary Donation

Where: Swarthmore Community Center 715 Harvard Avenue Swarthmore

More info: www.swarthmorecommunitycenter.org

In addition to photos with Santa, the Community Center will also be hosting a towel & sheets drive for the SPCA, please drop them off during the event!  

Rose Tree Media Students- Martin Luther King Day of Service

I would love to see more schools participate in this event next year!!!!

Elementary, middle and high school students in the Rose Tree Media School District are participating in the 17th Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 16 – collecting needed items for disadvantaged children in the five-county southeastern Pennsylvania area and delivering them to Cradles to Crayons for distribution to local youngsters in need.
“This is the first such district-wide event to bring together all the high school, middle school, and four elementary schools in a volunteer drive of this magnitude,” explained Ralph Harrison, assistant principal at Penncrest High School and event organizer.
Each school had a schedule for the collection of clothing and other items needed by Cradles to Crayons for several days leading up to and including MLK Day. On MLK day, students will sort and bag the items in accordance with the guidelines of Cradles to Crayons, with the assistance, as necessary, of Penncrest High School students. Rose Tree Media School District Maintenance Department personnel will pick up the sorted items from each school on Tuesday, January 17 and deliver them to the Cradles to Crayons' warehouse in West Conshohocken. “It was a true team effort from start to finish,” Harrison said. “It's pretty easy to mobilize the students and community for such a great cause and on such a great day. Cradles to Crayons represents the essence of Dr. King's message that has continued to live on years after his untimely death.”
“The Rose Tree Media School District children – along with their parents and school district staff – are performing important work,” declared Cradles to Crayons’ Executive Director Michal Smith. “We cannot ignore that Philadelphia is the poorest of the nation’s ten largest cities, with one in three of the city’s children living in poverty, but it must be noted that one in 12 children living in the Philadelphia suburbs are living below the federal poverty level. In fact,” she continued, “poverty rates in the suburbs and rural communities have increased faster than in urban areas!
Cradles to Crayons (www.cradlestocrayons.org, 215-836-0958) is the only local organization that maintains a year-round comprehensive and continuing program for collecting and delivering necessary supplies to children, free of charge, in low-income and/or homeless situations. ###

Jr. League of Philadelaphia presents the American Girl Fashion Show

American Girl Fashion Show March 3 &4, 2012 at The Desmond Hotel and Conference Center, Malvern, Pennsylvania.

This fun, engaging program showcases historical and contemporary fashions for girls and their dolls. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc.’s community programs.

Local models will present the fashions, while lively commentary, music, and decorations will create a memorable experience for girls and their families. Audiences will delight in historical clothing, from daywear to sleepwear to special-occasion clothing, that resembles what the popular American Girl characters Kaya, Josefina, Addy, Rebecca, Kit, Molly, and Julie might have worn. Contemporary “My American Girl” outfits for older girls and sweet Bitty Baby fashions for little ones complete the program.

The event also includes a plated lunch, dessert, party favors, a raffle, and door prizes. Tickets are $55 per person for regular seating, and $65 per person for VIP seating.

Go HERE for more info and for ticket purchases!

Holiday Craft & Gift Show to benefit Anabelle's Wish

Saturday December 3 from 10-4:30pm
at Swarthmore United Methodist Church
129 Park Ave, Swarthmore, PA

Come & see the wonderful selection of handmade crafts such as hand-knit clothing, hand crafted jewelry and purses, handmade baby blankets, pottery, as well as a large selection of "Re-Giftables" d...onated by our generous friends.

We also have representation from many vendors, such as:
-Tastefully Simple
-Avon
-31
-Pampered Chef
-Mary K
-Scentsy
-Mama May I
- Silpada Jewelry
There is something for EVERYONE - Don't Miss it !!!
ClickHERe for the facebook event!

One Warm Coat Drive

Warming Communities…One Coat at a Time

If you have an extra coat in your closet, this is a great opportunity to help a community organization!

The need has never been greater and it’s never been easier to make a difference in your community. Here is your opportunity to make sure that nobody goes without such a basic necessity as a coat this winter.

Now through December 9th, Media Children's House will be collecting coats as part of the One Warm Coat community service project. Coats of all shapes sizes are welcome. One Warm Coat is dedicated to distributing reusable coats, free of charge, directly to local children and adults. The program is an easy way for you and your family to pass along coats and jackets that you no longer need.

Media Children's House has made donating a coat simple. Just bring us your clean, gently used coats and jackets to 3301 Concord Road in Aston, PA (across from the Aston Community Center) from 8:00 am to 5pm. Then, Media Children's House will take care of the rest. All donated coats will be given to the UAME shelter in Chester, PA for distribution to local people in need.

"More people than ever need help these days. I am proud of the thousands of coat drive organizers whose creativity and generosity of spirit are making a real difference in their own communities.” commented Sherri Wood, President and National Coordinator for One Warm Coat.

MCH is proud to partner with One Warm Coat, a national non-profit organization that supports and encourages coat drives. It helps individuals, groups, companies and organizations across the country collect coats and deliver them to local agencies that distribute the coats free to people in need. More than one million coats have been provided to those in need at no cost since its inception in 1992. Everyone at MCH is excited for this opportunity to teach our children what the holiday spirit is truly all about!

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month~Please Read

The following note is was written by my friend Susan who is an amazing mother & woman. She took a terrible situation is now trying to make it just a little easier on families like hers who have been affected by cancer. Kayla was in treatment for 2.5 years and has been off treatment for 22 months.  Please take a moment to read Susan's note & help her if you can. Jess

September is right around the corner. Many parents and their children are getting ready to start a new school year. Unfortunately, some will never get that chance because of childhood cancer. My daughter was diagnosed with High Risk ALL (Leukemia) on June 8th, 2007 at the tender age of 4. Since that time, I have focused on raising money for ALSF (www.alexslemonade.org). I have recently been focusing more on ALSF due to the simple fact that the funds received are 100% used to find a cure for childhood cancer, be it grants for nurses/doctors to conduct research, funds to help patients travel to world class hospitals, special events to take their minds off of treatment, The Hero Holiday Party and much more. That being said, I encourage all of my friends, FB friends and family to host a lemonade stand during the month of September, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. As a stand ambassador for ALSF, I will help you make your stand a success. I have stand packets filled with everything you need to host a stand, anytime, anywhere. Please consider taking a few hours out of any day you choose in September (or any month/day) convenient for you and your friends, family, co-workers, etc. Thank you in advance for helping make a difference in the life of a sick child. It could happen to anyone's child, it happened to mine.  Contact Susan at premiergirl2011 (at)gmail (dot)com or leave a comment below!

Losing her hair starts and the NG tube was placed. My poor baby. 2007



Cancer took aware her hair, but never her smile :) 2007



2010

The original note & pictures were posted on Facebook and this was posted by me with permission from Susan. 

Cradels to Crayons~In need of donations and volunteers

Cradles to Crayons is one of my all-time favorite organizations to support. For one thing, as a mother, the thought of another child in need of basic necessities breaks my heart. Secondly, they accept gently used clothing & supplies and lets face it, my kids have plenty of clothing they have never worn. It cost me no money and very little time to make a difference in someone else's life.

The shelves at the wharehouse are almost empty!!!

Cradles to Crayons is currently in serious need of supplies and volunteers and community partners to help them, help families in the Philadelphia metropolitian area.  I'm currently planning a drive in October, but they need help now!  They accept the following:
-Clothing sizes newborn – 14/16 (we especially need summer clothing right now)
-Shoes and sandals
-Toys
-Books
-Baby equipment (stroller, car seat, pack-n-play, bouncy seat, bath tub)

Go HERE for tons of information!

Cradles to Crayons is located in a 16,500-square-foot warehouse at 30 Clipper Road, West Conshohocken, PA 19428 and you can call them at 215-836-0958.

If you make it up there, make sure you tell them I said hi! 

3rd Annual Touch a Truck

 Kids of all ages can climb in construction trucks, motorcycles, fire trucks, trash trucks, a cement mixer, police cars, ambulances, a school bus, and tow trucks! Plus some “no touch” antique cars and a bounce house!

Saturday, July 30 · 10:00am - 2:00pm at Freedom Playground Haverford
Click HERE for more info abotu Freedom Playground

Cost is $20 per car/family or $5 per person. There will be hand tiles, fence posts, brick pavers, components, t‐shirts, food, snacks and drinks for sale.

Head over to Facebook for more details or to RSVP!

Haven Fun Day

Strath Haven High School presents Haven Fun Day on King Field, Saturday 14 May from 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Come run in the most awesome obstacle courses, dunk teachers in the dunk tank, eat great food, play fun carnival games, receive prizes, get your face painted, and more. Proceeds benefit Nyumbani Children's Home.

Stamp Out Hunger

On Saturday, May 14, the Delaware Valley’s letter carriers will again help Stamp Out Hunger! across America with your help in order to provide assistance to the rapidly increasing number of Americans who are struggling with hunger.


Now in its 19th year, the Stamp Out Hunger! Food drive is the nation’s largest single-day food drive. Last year the Stamp Out Hunger food drive collected a record 77.1 million pounds of food donations, pushing the 18-year total to more than one billion pounds of food.

Supporting the drive this year are Campbell Soup Company, the U.S. Postal Service, National Association of Letter Carriers and Feeding America, Valpak, the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, the AFL-CIO, United Way and Uncle Bob’s Self Storage.

To help Stamp Out Hunger! in the Delaware Valley this year, simply leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, like canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal, next to your mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on May 14. Food items should be in non-breakable containers, such as boxes and cans. Local letter carriers will be collecting donations from homes across the Delaware Valley and delivering them to Philabundance.

“As letter carriers, we see people on our routes six days a week that must rely on the generosity and assistance of others to help provide something as basic as a meal. We’re proud to have established a program that truly provides assistance in every community across the country,” said Rolando.

Donations can be made by visiting www.Facebook.com/StampOutHunger.
The need for food assistance across America has never been greater. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual study measuring food security in the United States, the number of Americans living in a food insecure home surpassed 50 million in 2009 (the most recent year that such data is available). Perhaps most alarming is that approximately one-third of those at risk of hunger are children (17.2 million).

For more information about the Stamp Out Hunger food drive in the Delaware Valley, ask a letter carrier, contact a local post office, or visit www.philabundance.org,  www.helpstampouthunger.com, www.facebook.com/StampOutHunger, or www.twitter.com/StampOutHunger.

Moms' Night Out Bingo---A prize list is included!

Event Details:

April 8th from 7:30-10:30 pm

Mom's Night Out Bingo Night BYO

at the

Swarthmore Community Center

Cost $5 per Mom for soft drinks, light apps & Bingo

We will be collecting gently used children's clothing & supplies to be donated to Cradels to Crayons for families in need around the Philadelphia metropolitan area..

This even is sponsored by the Swarthmore Community Center Playgroup!  Below is a list of fab ladies who have donated prizes, making our event a success.  (This list is a work in progress so keep check back for more items!)I also want the prizes to be kind of a surprise, so you don't see specific items until after event....but they're awesome!

Dos Primas donated two custom necklaces.

Michelle Jordan Photography donated a beautiful photography gift.

Susan Danzi of Premier Jewelry Designs donated a gift certificate.

Fantasia Home Parties donated a gift.

Avon donated a gift.

Anne Nikolaus of Stella & Dot donated an amazing necklace!

Aimee Snelbaker from Pure Romance donated a prize package.

Hobby House Retreat donated a gift certificate.

Melisa Mons donated a Choffy gift package (and the Choffy is awesome :).

Happy Baby donated a prize package
Mom's Club of Wallingford Swarthmore donated 2 Trader Joe's Gift Cards
We also have a California Pizza Kitchen Gift Card & 2 gift certificates to the Philly Phaithful.

More to come!!!

Mom's Night Out

I have some super fab prizes...don't worry, you'll get a sneak peak soon!

We are having a Mom's Night Out/Bingo Night on April 8th to benefit Cradels to Crayons. Cradels to Crayons donates gently used & new children's clothing & new supplies to families in need around the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Event Details:

SAVE the DATE

April 8th from 7:30-10:30 pm

Mom's Night Out Bingo Night BYO

at the

Swarthmore Community Center

Cost $5 per Mom (where are you going to go and get a better deal!) and includes soft drinks, light apps & Bingo

We will be collecting gently used children's clothing & supplies to be donated to Cradels to Crayons.

This even is sponsored by the Swarthmore Community Center Playgroup!

40 bags in 40 days, day 2

So the room I tackled today was my bedroom.  I picked it for one reason...of all the rooms  I clean, it will stay cleaner longer!  My bedroom is also usually the last room I clean, so it doesn't happen often enough. 

So what did I get rid of, I'm sure you want to know! 

• 3 bags of clothing (all mine) and a few books which I will donate.
• 1 bag of trash (including the Lanolin cream from 3.5 years ago & make up that is so old only God knows when I got it)
• 1 bag of paper recycling

There is still more to do in that room but I feel so much better about it!  I just wish it would stop raining so I could get some of the stuff out of my house forever.  So my 2 day count is at 6 bags.  I'm starting to think the 40 might not be so hard! (knocking on wood!)  What did you do?

40 Bags in 40 Days

I found this great blog post called 40 Bags in 40 Days Are you up for a Lenten challenge? "It’s a pretty simple concept: Just commit to ridding your home of 40 bags of “stuff” during the 40 days of Lent." So I am committed!

I feel like I live my life in a constant state of unorganization, so this is great. It also challenges me to get rid of meaningless things that are cluttering my life, instead of just giving up candy 40 days...this could be life changing (at least I hope!). I'll try to post often and if you're taking part, please comment and let us know what you're getting rid of, we'll cheer each other on...I'm sure I'll need some help around bag 20 or so!

Without furth ado. My first bag is a bag of shoes. My daughter's school is collecting shoes to send to Liberia, where they learned that many children are so poor they run around barefoot. Olivia & I both found a few (6!)pairs of shoes that we could donate and I'm happy to know they're going to someone who can really use them!

Gap & Old Navy Give & Get

Shop 4 days only, March 17–20 At Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Banana Republic Factory Store, and Gap Outlet in-store. Enjoy 30% Off
and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society gets 5% of what you spend!

Click Here to get your coupon.

Thanks to my friends at Old Navy, Marple Crossroads for the coupon. You can check them out on Facebook to get store event updates & coupons!

Mom's Night Out!

I am currently working on a fantastic charity event and I need your help!

We are having a Mom's Night Out/Bingo Night on April 8th to benefit Cradels to Crayons. Cradels to Crayons donates gently used & new children's clothing & new supplies to families in need around the Philadelphia metropolitian area.

I am looking for Bingo prizes & event sponsors so we can make this event a huge sucess! Sponsorship starts at $10, so this event is affordable for everyone!  All sponsors will be listed in an upcoming post on Delaware County Moms.  Emails me at Jess(at)delcopamoms(dot)com with any questions as well. 

Event Details:

SAVE the DATE

April 8th from 7:30-10:30 pm

Mom's Night Out Bingo Night BYO

at the

Swarthmore Community Center

Cost $5 per Mom and includes soft drinks, light apps & Bingo

We will be collecting gently used children's clothing & supplies to be donated to Cradels to Crayons.

Ronald McDonald House American Girl Fashion Show

There are two American Girl Fashion Shows to help two great charities!
Yesterday, I told you about the one in Malvern, today, its in Delaware!

Ronald McDonald House of Delaware
American Girl Fashion Show
Saturday, March 12th and Sunday, March 13, 2011
Ticket price - $35 per person, includes a meal, American Girl goodie bag for children, program book for adults and door prizes.

Saturday, March 12th– 10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 13th– Noon and 4:00 p.m.

All proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware.

Click HERE to purchase tickets or for more information!

3rd Annual Monte Carlo Night Little Smiles

On Saturday, March 12th, Little Smiles will be hosting our 3rd Annual Monte Carlo event at The Diamond Club at Citizens Bank Park. All proceeds from this event will benefit Little Smiles Philadelphia, a nonprofit organization that strives to bring smiles to the faces of children residing in hospitals, hospices and shelters in the greater Philadelphia region. This is sure to be an amazing event. The festivities will begin at 7pm and end at 11pm.

This year’s Monte Carlo event will include 10 Monte Carlo Tables, dinner, open bar, ballpark tour, Little Smiles own signature Martini (Smile- a- tini), silent auction, raffles for fantastic prizes and a live DJ. Tickets are just $100 for all this + you\'ll receive $50 in chips at the door!

Don't want to miss the basketball tournament? We\'ll be broadcasting it throughout the event!

Come enjoy an evening at the ballpark and help some very deserving children feel like kids again!

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For details, look for the sponsorship information link on the top right of this page or email phillylittlesmiles@verizon.net.

For more information about Little Smiles or to purchase tickets click HERE!

Bingo Night Prize Info & Save the Date

I am currently working on a fantastic charity event and I need your help!

We are having a Mom's Night Out/Bingo Night on April 8th to benefit Cradels to Crayons. Cradels to Crayons donates gently used & new children's clothing & new supplies to families in need around the Philadelphia metropolitian area.

I am looking for Bingo prizes & event sponsors so we can make this event a huge sucess! Sponsorship starts at $10, so this event is affordable for everyone!  All sponsors will be listed in an upcoming post on Delaware County Moms.  Emails me at Jess(at)delcopamoms(dot)com with any questions as well. 

Event Details:

SAVE the DATE

April 8th from 7:30-10:30 pm

Mom's Night Out Bingo Night BYO

at the

Swarthmore Community Center

Cost $5 per Mom and includes soft drinks, light apps & Bingo

We will be collecting gently used children's clothing & supplies to be donated to Cradels to Crayons.

Help Philabundance-Its FREE & SOOO EASY!!!

With the help of Mix 106.1 and ShopRite, neighbors in the Delaware Valley can easily Spread the Love and provide a jar of peanut butter or jelly to those in need by simply becoming a fan of Philabundance on Facebook!
Everyone should sign up at Pound for Pound Challenge to participate.

ShopRite will donate a jar of peanut butter or jelly to Philabundance for every new fan that “Likes” Philabundance on Facebook January 31st through February 14th. Online donations can be made via Mix 106.1’s website, www.mixphiladelphia.com or www.philabundance.org and all proceeds will go to purchase peanut butter and jelly for people in need. And, participants can donate plastic jars of peanut butter or jelly at the Spread the Love event on February 12th from 10 am- 2 pm at the Farmer’s Market at Suburban Square, Anderson and Coulter Avenues, Ardmore, PA.