Friday, December 26, 2014

Feel Good Friday - AAA Tipsy Tow

For those of you who have been following this blog for over a year, you'll recognize that this is a Feel Good Friday flashback!

Why in the world is there a repeat blog, you ask? Well, New Year's Eve is upon us and I want you to know about a way you can have fun and still stay safe. The original blog post from 2013 is below.

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The American Automobile Association, really?

Yes.

AAA makes me feel good every day, not just Friday. They can assist you with travel, buying a car and connecting you with tons of discounts. If you're me, they'll also jumpstart your car, change your flat tire and tow you when you blow a head gasket, burn out a clutch or otherwise breakdown on the side of the road. As a side note, I swear I spread these (and other) distress calls over 22 years and two cars.

The reason they are the topic of today's Feel Good Friday post is because of their Tipsy Tow program. New Year's Eve is this Tuesday and a lot of people will go out, celebrate and ring in the new year with a cocktail or two. This can be problematic if you've driven to the festivities. Research from the CDC states, "Every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impared drive. This amounts to one death every 48 minutes."

AAA is here to help. From 6pm on December 31st to 6am on January 1st, AAA will provide a free ten-mile tow home for drinking drivers and their vehicles - whether your an AAA member or not!

If you need this service, call 800-222-4357 (AAA HELP), tell the operator "I need a Tipsy Tow" and they'll send a tow truck out to get you and your car and drive your drunk butt home. Even if you don't need a tow but you're happy that it's an option, show your support by liking their Facebook page.

For those of you living and celebrating in San Francisco, MUNI is FREE from 8pm Dec. 31st to 5am Jan. 1st. Most other Bay Area public transportation companies are offering free, and extended hour services that night as well so do yourself a favor and use them!



Thank you for all your support of the Feel Good Friday blog in 2013. I can't wait to share 52 more reasons to feel good in 2014! Have a fabulous, safe and happy New Year!

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All of that and here's to a fabulous 2015!

Friday, December 19, 2014

Feel Good Friday - Last Minute Gift Guide

Happy Feel Good Friday! Hanukkah is here, Christmas is coming... if you're like me, you've waited until the last minute to do your shopping. Don't worry, there's an upside!

For today's Feel Good Friday, we're going to take a look back at companies we've profiled in 2014 that have a feel good product to sell. Given how last minute this list is, you may need to make these presents for the new year or save them for someone's birthday in 2015. But hey, now you've got your birthday shopping taken care of too. You're welcome.

Click on the links below to go to the original FGF posts and get all the details!

Guardian Princesses - books about "super heroines who work together to protect the people and the planet."

GoodWeave -  rugs made without child labor by a group that also provides "education and opportunities to rescued and at-risk children."

Thistle Farms - beauty products made and sold by women in Tennessee "who have survived lives of prostitution, trafficking, addiction and life on the streets."

luminAID - a solar-powered, waterproof, inflatable light. When you buy one for yourself, take a moment (and get a discount) to buy one for a person liven in a country without reliable access to electricity.

ChopChop Magazine - a magazine full of recipes to teach kids how to cook real food with their families.

GoldieBlox - engineering toys designed for girls to get them interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Wonderbag - "a non-electric, heat-retention cooker that allows food that has been brought to a boil, to continue cooking after it has been removed from the fuel source." For every Wonderbag you buy, one is sent to a family in Africa!

If you'd rather make a donation to another organization in someone's name or buy a goat for a family in Guatemala, you can scroll through the Feel Good Friday archives to get ideas or just to feel good.

Happy Holidays!




Friday, December 12, 2014

Feel Good Friday - Homeless Prenatal Program

I learned about today's Feel Good Friday organization from a friend. Located in San Francisco, Homeless Prenatal Program is celebrating their 25th anniversary!

As summarized on their Twitter page, a great place for summarizing, "Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP): a nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood poverty and family homelessness. We serve over 3,500 families every year."

Founded in 1989 by Martha Ryan, HPP's mission is a simple one, "In partnership with our families, break the cycle of childhood poverty." You can watch this video to hear Martha tell her story and/or keep reading.

The services of HPP have evolved over the years from prenatal care for 72 women in the first year to a more comprhensive set of services provided to over 3,500 families each year. These include; housing assistance, prenatal education and parenting classes, community health worker training, mental health counseling, domestic violence support, substance abuse resources, child care, emergency food and SRO vouchers, a Community Technology Center, income tax assistance and a resume and interview workshop!

What has been the impact of these services? From their website, "More than 90% of children born to HPP clients are born healthy (of normal weight and drug free). More than 80% of our Community Health Worker Training Program particpants graduate, and more than 90% of the graduates secure meaningful, family-sustaining jobs in community based organizations within 30 days. In addition, more than 400 families each year are able to obtain permanent housing with our assistance."

Ready to support this organization? If you live in the Bay Area, you can volunteer in the Community Technology Center, Wellness Center or Low Income Tax Clinic and no matter where you live, you can always donate a little cash.

In the month of December HPP is celebrating 25 years by sharing 25 success stories. To keep this Feel Good Friday feeling going, like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @HPP_SF.

If you've got a suggestion for a FGF story you'd like more people to know about, tell me! I'm always on the lookout for a reason to feel good.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Feel Good Friday - Our Better World

Can you think of a better way to spend Feel Good Friday than giving a non-profit organization $10,000 that isn't yours? I can't! How is that even possible? Our Better World.

The "about us" section of their website explains it best. "We think stories are magical. And we think people are powerful. Both have the ability to touch the heart, challenge the mind and spark the soul. So we tell stories, with a focus on Asia, to bring together the magic of stories and the power of people, to inspire change - to make it our better world. Along with featuring people who are changing lives and whose lives are changed, we pull together a range of tangible, useful actions for you to join the journey."

It's like taking an Inspiration Safari through Asia! The basic idea is, the more people that share these stories, the more people will learn about, and potentially help, the profiled organizations. You can browse their entire catalogue of stories here.

"Yes, but what about giving away $10,000", you ask? Great question. For the entire month of December, Our Better World is asking people to vote for the "good story of the year". You've got 12 entries to choose from and you can vote for one video each day. Voting ends on December 31st at 10:00am Singapore time, so do yourself a favor and start watching these videos and voting now. I've got a few favorites so I'm glad I can vote more than once!

The reason I created Inspiration Safari was to help share good news stories from around the world and I'm very happy to support an organization that's doing the same! I also relish any opportunity to give away other people's money.

The best way to get the message about about Our Better World and the voting is using social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @obetterworld