Father’s Day is this weekend on Sunday, June 19^th. It’s a day to celebrate all the dads out there – your dad, grandpa, step-dad, father-in-law, husband, etc. It’s also a day for giving that wonderful person you’re celebrating a gift that’s just as special as they are.

So do you have your Father’s Day gift ready? If not and you’re still looking for something unique and special, then consider a gift that’s not only special, but also gives back. Make it a gift of charity.

Here are some ideas:

Make a donation – Donate to a charity or fundraiser in dad’s honor. Support a charitable organization that dad likes, consider an organization that help fathers in need or find an organization that concentrates on male related causes, such as prostate cancer.

Create a fundraiser – Help dad fund his socially conscious enterprise, project or cause. Create a fundraising campaign and make it a group gift. Invite family, friends and other poeple in your network to make a donation. Everyone’s contribution will add up to a very memorable gift.

Purchase a gift that gives back – Buy products from socially conscious companies that support charities. There are many companies that donate a portion of an item’s purchase price to charity, so you can buy something great for dad while doing good for others.

But of course, don’t forget the most important gift of all – a few simple words like “I love you”, a warm hug, and a big smile

Happy Father’s Day!

Consider SocialWish for your fundraising needs. SocialWish is a fundraising platform that leverages social media. You can quickly and easily create a fundraising campaign and use built-in tools to spread the word about your campaign via social networks, as well as host your campaign on other platforms (i.e. website, blog, Facebook page).

Memorial Day, celebrated on the last Monday of May, is just a few days away. Since it’s a federal holiday, many Americans will have the day off from work on Monday, May 30^th and are looking forward to enjoying a three-day weekend. It’s an opportunity for many to have a day of rest, fun and celebration, so plans for spending time with friends and family, having a picnic and firing up the grill for a barbecue, or taking a trip somewhere for a mini vacation are already in the making. But what is really the point of this holiday and why do we celebrate it?

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day is a day to honor soldiers. It’s a day of remembrance for those who have died while serving in the American military, sacrificing their lives for our freedom. Many Americans still observe the true spirit of this holiday by visiting cemeteries, memorials, participating in parades, and taking a moment of silence at 3 pm local time.

Help keep the true spirit of this holiday alive by giving back and honoring all the men and women who have served our country. Here are some other things that you can do to pay tribute to those who have given so much to us:

Make it a day of service – Donate your time or money or both to an organization, individual or group. You don’t have to look far. There may be someone in your community, school or family that might be in need of assistance.

Start a fundraiser – Create a fundraising campaign to help others. Lead by example and others will follow.

Help with a fundraiser – Support someone with his or her fundraising efforts and encourage everyone in your network to get involved too.

Giving back requires only a fraction of your time – a day, an hour or even a minute. Yes, a minute. In less than a minute, you can make an online donation or spread the word about a cause via email and social media tools like Facebook and twitter, so you’ll still have plenty of time left for relaxing, barbecuing or whatever other holiday activities you have planned.

Consider SocialWish for your fundraising needs. SocialWish is a fundraising platform that leverages social media. You can quickly and easily create a fundraising campaign and use built-in tools to spread the word about your campaign via social networks, as well as host your campaign on other platforms (i.e. website, blog, Facebook page).

Are you still looking for Mother’s Day gift ideas, but don’t know what to get? Perhaps you’re struggling because your mom is the type that never needs anything or she could be difficult to shop for because she already has everything. Or maybe you’re just trying to find something different or extra special for her this year. Well, here are some ideas that will help you not only please your mom, but support social good as well.

Create a fundraising campaign on SocialWish:

For your mom’s personal project or cause – Does your mom have a creative project (art, film, book, etc.) that she needs assistance with? How about a cause that she’s passionate about, like a community program? Help your mom raise money for what she’s working on or would love to start.

In support of other mothers and women in need – Consider the less fortunate. It could be a person or even a group that you know. Maybe it’s someone who is going through a hardship, someone who is without family or whose family is far away, or even someone who is a single mom. Honor them and make them feel loved by creating a fundraiser on your mom’s behalf to raise money for what they need.

In support of your mom’s favorite charity or organization – Get involved with your mom’s philanthropic interests. Support and join her efforts to give back by raising money for an organization that she’s involved in.

And if you’re a mom yourself and would love others to support social good in lieu of buying you a gift, you can ask them to do the same for you.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s (and mother figures) out there!

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• Help DIYgenomics crowd-source clinical trials (for DIYgenomics.org)
  

Wishing everyone a very happy and safe July 4th holiday!