Happy Wednesday! Here are a couple great Chicago service opportunities that I’ve come across! 7/11: From 10:45-2p, be part of an unique grocery shopping experience! Vital Bridges runs four grocery centers across Chicago that cater to the specific dietary needs of people living with HIV. Clients fill out their grocery menu and you shop the food pantry for the items. For the details, click here. 7/25-7/27: If you speak fluent Spanish and have great communication [...]

I’ve always wanted a sterling silver charm bracelet. Something about the style whispers classic femininity with a sense of individuality. Charity Charms is a company that not only offers beautiful styles,  but they allow you to raise awareness and funds for a charity of your choice. Charity Charms has created logos in recognition of over 40 nonprofit organizations, ranging from the Best Friends Animal Society to the American Lung Association. When you purchase a logo [...]

Most of us volunteer just for the sake of giving back to our communities. However, that doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t also enjoy a “tangible” reward. Well, how about this? When you volunteer for eight hours with a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit, you qualify for either a complimentary night stay or 50% discount on hotel rooms at Sage hotels nationwide. Once you’ve completed your service, contact the hotel nearest you to use the “Give a Day, [...]

About a week ago, I mentioned that I would be in attendance as ULTA treated its inaugural scholarship recipients to an afternoon of pampering at the 18,000 sq. ft store and salon on Chicago’s State Street. I did and I had an absolute blast meeting some of the young ladies as well as ULTA President and CEO, Lyn Kirby. First of all, if you’ve never been to the ULTA store, then you do not know [...]

We all have something in our closets that we should consider giving away. You know which item that I’m talking about! If you’re in DC, then consider bringing your stash to Fashion Fights Poverty‘s ReUse: 2009 Fashion Swap. This event will give you the chance to do one of the following: Consign Your Former Favorites w/Current Boutique Swap for “New to You” Fashions Donate Directly to Covenant House Washington The fashion swap will take place [...]

Every adult should have a set of stationary for sending notes, Thank You cards, etc. As I get older, I find myself spending hours in Papyrus or the stationary section at Borders and Target. I’m now the proud owner of 3 sets of Thank You cards, 2 boxes of note cards, and some cute invitations. I’ve tried to curb this habit, but I fear that it’s only going to get worse! While researching the Junior [...]

I am very VERY excited to announce that we’ve launched a new and improved webpage for The Red Pump Project! I have to give a huge kudos to Luvvie for her tech prowess and all that she did to make this happen! Head on over there and let us know your feedback! ALSO *drumroll* We’ve officially launched the male counterpart to The Red Pump Project! That’s right, The Red Tie Project, is now up and [...]

Gave That is a blog focused on great gift ideas. The selection of merchandise presented is vast and ranges from jewelry to housewares. Gave That also gives readers the chance to join invitation-only sample sales sites like Gilt Group, ideeli, and Billion Dollar Babes. Now, provided that you are a Fabulous Giver, you will definitely want to keep an eye out on their “Give Twice” posts, a roundup of products and companies who’ve released a [...]

In keeping right along with my “Summer of Service” theme, here’s an opportunity to help prepare teenagers and young adults for career opportunities. Jobs for Youth is a Chicago nonprofit that provides workshops and development opportunities at no cost to participants. This summer, JFY has plenty of opportunities for volunteers to assist students with mock interviews and one-on-one workshops, such as Resume Writing. Volunteers can get trained to teach classroom workshops on networking and internet [...]

While treatments such as chemotherapy are an essential part of fighting cancer, no one denies that it can and will change your appearance. And, of course, outer beauty isn’t everything, but things like the loss of hair or skin changes definitely have some effect on the way some women see themselves. And, studies have found that addressing the non-medical effects of cancer can be just as important as addressing the actual physical symptoms. Look Good…Feel [...]