Wear It Well

Are kids more socially conscious these days, or are they being raised by parents who want to inspire them to give back? Whatever the reason, there’s a slew of kids’ clothing out there that both looks good and does good, and I think that’s definitely a positive trend. Take the Giving Tee ($24) from California-based jillybean green. Made from 100 percent organic cotton, the shirt bears the image of a little girl or boy doing their part to help protect the planet. And 20 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the shirt go to Healthy Child Healthy World, which helps parents protect young children from harmful chemicals.

Share

Child's Play

My daughter doesn’t start preschool until the fall, but I already want to buy her one of Skip Hop’s adorable Zoo Lunchies insulated lunch bags. BPA-, phthalate-, and PVC-free, they’re just the right size for toting her favorite midday meal of ham and cheese with a side of banana. Skip Hop’s got plenty of other cute and cool products for kiddos and their parents, like diaper bags that could pass for high-style purses and a mod-looking bottle drying rack that’s as pretty as it is functional. And the company donates a portion of all sales to charities benefiting parents and children, such as the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Baby Buggy, and the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

Share

Support Steaks

After Christmas, I always end up with a slew of gift cards for OSI Restaurant Partners locations. What can I say—I’m a sucker for a Bloomin’ Onion from Outback Steakhouse or the Pollo Rosa Maria from Carrabba’s every now and then. If you know someone like me who has a birthday coming up, get them a gift card for Outback Steakhouse and encourage them to put it to use during the month of March. If they order from Outback’s “Red, White and Bloomin’” menu, available through March 31, the proceeds from menu sales will help the restaurant meet its $1-million commitment to Operation Homefront, which provides support for active U.S. troops, veterans, and their families. I'd say that's a good reason to treat yourself to a steak, wouldn't you?

Share

Sweet Sentiments

In 2009, Norman Love was named one of the Top 10 Chocolatiers in North America by Dessert Professional magazine. And there’s no doubt about it—his sweet creations taste as great as they look. But the Florida-based candy connoisseur behind Norman Love Confections deserves just as much praise for his support of worthy causes, having donated funds to everything from the American Heart Association to local arts organizations. The company recently announced a one-year partnership with Hope HealthCare Services, whereby five percent of the online sales from http://hope.normanlove.com/ will go to the Southwest Florida nonprofit, which provides in-home hospice care to patients with terminal illnesses. “Chocolates are a favorite way of expressing care and comfort,” says Samira K. Beckwith, president and CEO of Hope HealthCare Services. “And providing care and comfort to our patients and families is at the core of Hope’s mission.”

Share

Get a Bead on Your Health

The Count Me Healthy Helping Hearts bracelet ($88) is more than just a nice piece of jewelry. It also helps wearers to stay on top of their health goals. Say you want to make sure you’re eating enough fruits and veggies each day. Have the bracelet’s sterling silver, heart-imprinted beads each represent one serving. Every time you eat an apple or nosh on some carrot sticks, move a bead from one side of the bracelet to the other to keep track of your progress. Looking good while staying healthy—what could be better? How about the fact that 25 percent of the sale price of every bracelet sold is donated to WomenHeart, a patient-advocacy organization for women living with or at risk for heart disease.

Clothes with a Conscience

Kids often have the coolest ideas (remember the movie Big?), and verymeri celebrates their innovative spirit with a line of T-shirts created by the under-18 set. Design contests help the company find its newest looks; winning designers receive 3 percent of the sales of their shirts, with another 3 percent going to the charity of their choice. Current offerings speak out against things like bullying and in favor of concepts like peace, love, and conservation, supporting organizations such as Free Arts for Abused Children, GLAAD, and Autism Speaks. Out of the mouths of babes come some pretty simple ideas we grown-ups should embrace too.

Share

Banding Together

Bella Tunno’s new reversible headband ($8) doesn’t just look good, it does good. One hundred percent of the proceeds from sales of the product go to the Lift Up Ellie Fund, which provides financial support for Ellie Potvin and her family as the eight-year-old battles a rare form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. About 350 children are diagnosed each year with the disease, which accounts for about 3 percent of childhood cancers. The Potvins are doing everything they can to find a cure for Ellie, and by buying this headband for a special little girl in your life, you can help another special little girl fight for hers.

Share