Birthday Party Planning

by Josee Celebrating the birth of our daughter is a grand occasion in our home, but not in the traditional gifts and cake sort of way.

For her 1st birthday, we decided to ask for donations to the Ottawa Food Bank. Although some guests did bring gifts (mostly second-hand—as requested) we were able to make a decent donation of non-perishable food items.

The idea was born out of a need to keep excessive amounts of “stuff” out of our little house and to teach our little one that giving is just as much fun as getting. So, we’ve decided to make this an annual event and we’ve upped the ante. Our goal this year is to “donate her weight” and, at 30 pounds, that’s no small feat! Guests will be asked to bring a donation in lieu of gifts.

Our evite reads:

Jacqueline-Eva LOVES to eat. When she learned there are people in her community who can’t afford to eat as well (or as much!) as she does, she decided to take action!

This year, in lieu of gifts, Miss Jeva is requesting guests bring non-perishable food items to be donated to the Ottawa Food Bank. Her goal is to “donate her weight”…so about 30lbs of food!

We’re hopeful that she will look back with fondness as she recalls memories of rallying together for a good cause and we look forward to making this a family tradition for years to come. Josée is a first-time mom and she is still getting a handle on finding balance with her roles as wife/mom/daughter/friend/employee… not to mention trying to keep up with the appetite of her soon-to-be two year old Jacqueline-Eva.

Flashback: Moms helping moms

As the Holidays quickly approach there are some great posts from the archives that remind of us of the wonderful things we can do within our community. Check out Sasha's post from last November. by Sasha

‘Tis the season for giving. And while we’re busy making our lists and checking them twice, our thoughts often extend beyond friends and family to the wider community.

Giving feels good.  And if you can also clean out the closets, re-purpose outgrown kid stuff, or indulge your crafty side at the same time, then so much the better.  And with that in mind, here are some ideas for moms looking to help other moms this holiday season.

The Food Bank

The Food Bank – it’s not just about the food. The food bank also accepts baby care items, such as diapers and wipes. Something we like to do at the office around Christmas time is pass the hat and then a bunch of us go on a shopping spree in the baby aisle. It doubles as a team building exercise: the folks with older children reminisce, and we tease the young single guys who have no idea what babies need. Two Ottawa Moms have also started a Diaper Drive for the Ottawa Food Bank.  See their Facebook page for more information.

The Snowsuit Fund

If you’ve dusted off last year’s snowsuit and can see 3 inches of ankle between boot and suit, then consider donating it to the Snowsuit Fund. Gently used winter outerwear can be dropped off at any local Canadian Tire or Brown’s Cleaners, or at the Snowsuit Fund depot (225 Donald Street, Unit 134).

Getting Crafty

For those with a crafty side, Yarn Forward accepts new, hand-knit or crocheted hats, mitts and scarves for the Snowsuit Fund. They also keep a stash of customer-donated yarn that you can use for this purpose. Similarly, Wool Tyme keeps a yarn stash and collects blankets for Project Linus.

Ottawa area hospitals also accept knitted and crocheted newborn hats, as well as blankets and sleepers.  Details vary between hospitals – call the volunteer office at your local hospital for more info.

Young Moms

St. Mary’s Home provides a wide range of support for young moms, from prenatal education and health care to ongoing support for mom, dad, and baby. Usually, they accept donations of used baby and maternity clothing (now, if I could just decide whether I’m done with those oh-so-sexy panel jeans).  Currently, however, their donation room is undergoing renovations, so they are directing donations down the street to Chez Mère Bruyère, where they will also be available to the St. Mary’s moms.

So there are just a few ideas, what are yours?

Sasha is an Ottawa mom and blogger who only occasionally writes about herself in the third person. She blogs about losing a few things (weight is just one of them) at Sasha Loses It, and about everything else in her Rambling Notebook. You can also find her ~ far too frequently ~ on Twitter at @sasharambles.