1. Hand Drawn Dots Ash - What wish list would be complete without TOMS shoes? These would be a great addition to my collection. Aren't they fun?! TOMS Shoes
2. Classic 301 - New to the TOMS family, these stylish sunglasses look good and do good, too! Each purchase helps give life saving sight to a person in need. So cool!! TOMS Eyewear
3. Jute Pencil Case - This nifty little zipper case is great for any little doo-dads. It's awesome and it provides work for vulnerable women in Cambodia. Love it!! Trade As One
4. The Ultimate Stocking Stuffer - Mints, gum, coffee, and a shirt that all give back to a variety of causes! Plus they look cool and taste yummy! Yes, please!! Project 7
5. Paracord Bracelet for Honduras - A blogger friend's daughter has decided to make these to support Touch a Life Center in Honduras after being moved by their work while on a missions trip. They are super neat and you can order them in a variety of colors! Awesome!! Wherever He Leads Us
6. Kiva Cards - These unique gift cards let the recipient choose a project to loan the money to. From helping Caleb run a green grocery store in Kenya to providing a group of women funds to purchase threads and fabric for their dressmaking shop. Give away!! Kiva
7. Toys - I love toys! And apparently so do kids. :) Children's Hunger Fund wraps and distributes thousands to children in the US and around the world to bring smiles at Christmastime! Anyone can help support this project and others through their gift catalogue. Fun, fun!! Children's Hunger Fund
8. "Kisses from Katie" - This is a story of Christ's grace as Katie serves him with her life in Uganda. Her blog is heart breaking, inspiring, and a beautiful portrait of Christ's love. So moving. Amazima Ministries
9. Feed 10 Bag with Pouch - Fun and flexible, this bag works for all kinds of fun things! With its purchase, 10 meals are provided to school children through United Nations World Food Programme's School Feeding program. Feed me! FEED
10. Faith Shirts - Super excited about this one! Brogan came up with this design (inspired by our LOVE shirts) to benefit Children's Hunger Fund! Each shirt features Faith with an apple symbolizing the good it does for kids and families in need! So proud of him! Faith, Hope, and Love Shirts
Each year we search the internet for some of the coolest gifts that give back. I know we are a little late with the TaylorFrankie lists but there is still time and who wouldn't want these gifts all year round? Some of these products make the list every year but some of them are new and a few are being revealed here on our list for the first time ever! So check out my list and be on the look out for Taylor's coming soon!
1. TOMS - These TOMS are awesome! TOMS gives a pair of shoes for every pair that you buy and start at $45.00 for the classics- that is not a bad deal. TOMS
2. Hello Somebody - This one is new to our blog. We have been keeping it a secret from you for a bit. We heard about them from our friends at Bless Your Heart. For just $25 you get this sweet watch offered in a variety of colors plus kids receive food and education. Hello Somebody
3. Starburst Basket - Hand crafted by women in Uganda, this bowl is stunning! Even more beautiful is that this bowl gives work to a family in Uganda that can now support themselves. "Gifts that bridge worlds and rebuild lives". Women's Peace Collection
4. Bibles - CHF's menu has always made its way on to my list. This year why not give bibles in the name of someone you love? Children's Hunger Fund
5. Hope Shirt - This shirt was designed and is being sold by Taylor's 6 year old sister. She has always had a heart for Haiti and knows the importance of food and shelter for everyone.
6. Project 7 Gum - Did you know for less than $18 you can buy 12 packs of this gum and at the same time 10 fruit trees magically appear on our planet? Project 7
7. TOMS Eye Wear - The newest TOMS product! For each pair of glasses you buy you give sight to someone else. TOMS
8. Feed Bags - There are so many Feed Bags to chose from. Most feed people around the world but with the purchase of this bag, another identical bag is sent to Africa with medical supplies inside! Feed
9. World Vision Bike - You do not receive an actual bike but instead you help a girl continue to go to school safely by giving her transportation. World Vision
10. Holga Camera - $36 goes to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, New York Chapter. And this is just one of many gifts on this site that gives to tons of different causes when you buy products from them. Gifts that Give
This morning I got to be with the rest of the 300 people wrapping bears in San Antonio, Texas! Check out the video! We had a lot of fun and if you look really close you can see my sister's head when they pan through the SA warehouse.
We have [finally] compiled a collection of items that give with dual purposes- they are delightful for the receiver and do good for those who sell them! This includes one-for-one programs like TOMS shoes, fair trade items which promote sustainable business and break cycles of poverty and dependency in the developing world, as well as adoption fundraising support, and more! This allows loved ones who want to purchase gifts for each other to give something meaningful to someone while still making a difference. [Give more.]
We cannot neglect however, the gifts that go directly to helping those in need. These are very much a blessing to us knowing that those in great need are receiving help from loving organizations. This includes items such as the Food Pak(R) and other items from Children's Hunger Fund's uniquely crafted "menu" or a goat or other animals that provide nourishment and extra income from World Vision's gift catalogue. And of course we LOVE water! This year Living Water International has great giftcards that lets the recipient choose the clean water project! [Spend less.]
So enjoy our picks for this year whether you are purchasing these [awesome] tangible items or simply purchasing hope. :) Christmas can change the world, either way.
1. TOMS Shoes, for each pair of shoes purchased another is given to a child in need, $69.00 toms.com. 2. Dop Bag Toiletries Pouch, made from recycled tires, promotes social and economic welfare of artisans in India, $19.00 TradeAsOne. 3. Darfur's Tears T by Rob Gould, for each t-shirt you buy an orphan is given a school uniform, $33.00 CommonThreadz. 4. Tablecloth, made by women in the slums of Mumbia using organic cotton, vegetable dyes, hand-block printing and embroidery, $49.00 TradeAsOne. 5. Candle in Water Buffalo Horn, from shed horns that are typically wasted resources providing vital and fair income, $12.00 TradeAsOne. 6. Apple Ipod Nano, portion of the profits goes to (RED), 8 GB $149.00/16 GB $179.00. 7. Nabali Tree Olive Oil (500ml), provides stable income for Palestinian rural communities caught in conflict, $18.50 TradeAsOne. 8. Recycled Billboard Cooler Bag, made from non-recyclable plastics bought from the trash picking communities in Jakarta, Indonesia, $45.00 TradeAsOne. 9. The Secret Agent (RED) Edition, 50% of the profits go to (RED), Penguin Classics.
10. One Orphan at a Time T, part of the proceeds benefit a family's adoption plus it's great advocacy, $22.99 AdoptionBug.com 11. TOMS Shoes, for each pair of shoes purchased another is given to a child in need, $54.00 TOMS.com. 12. Ugandan Magazine Necklace, handmade, upcycled necklaces by the Karamojong women working to maintain sustainable income for their families and 50%+ profits go back to a kids feeding program nearby, $20 147 Million Orphans. 13. Akun Bracelets, (Cambodian for "thank you") each unique bracelet is handwoven by human trafficking survivors undergoing rehabilitation, $15 Somaly Mam Foundation, Empowerment Store. 14. Batik Rings Bag, fabric is hand batiked in Ghana and made into a bag in Guatemala providing fair and dignified employment to impoverished women, $33 TradeAsOne. 15. (Starbucks) Red Giftcard, each purchase made with this card helps fight AIDS in Africa, $15/$25/$50/$100 Starbucks. 16. Handcrafted Piggy Bank, a free gift for making a micro loan for those in need to start small business world wide, $20 MicroPlace.com(scroll right through pictures, other great ideas available here!) 17. Divine Dark Chocolate, fair trade and organic from the first farmer-owned chocolate company in the world, made with 70% Ghanian cocoa, $3.99 TradeAsOne. 18. Iron Star Ornament, promoting social and economic welfare of artisans in India, $7 TradeAsOne. 19. "Free" Tote, produced by human trafficking survivors in Cambodia, all profits go toward new production centers for survivors in 2011, $25 MadeBySurvivors.com. 20. Ada, an Acorn Angel, created by a sweet 11 year old girl helping to raise funds for her friend's family's adoption, $2.50 AcornAngels. 21. "Advent: A Family Guide to Savoring Christ in Christmas" by Marci Miller, prepare yourself for a whole-hearted celebration of the coming of Christ and proceeds help fund the author's adoption, $11.04 SheCanLaugh.blogspot.com.
As an early Christmas present to one of our readers, we want to give you something from our list! We are giving away a $10 Living Water gift card! You can spend it yourself, choosing which part of the world you would like to make an impact on, or use it as a Christmas present for a loved one! To be eligible to win, leave us a comment telling us how you are going to [Spend less.] [Give more.] or do Christmas differently to make it more meaningful! We'll draw a name next Saturday, the 11th so get to conspiring! ;)
Last Saturday was the Children's Hunger Fund Banquet in San Antonio! It was so much fun to see everyone that we have been blessed to meet through this blog- CHF staff from California, staff here in the Southwest office, new friends, and even an old friend from high school! The venue looked great and the food looked delicious! We say that it looked delicious because we were so nervous that we could hardly eat a thing. And we were nervous because a few months ago Fred Martin, Communications Director of CHF, called to ask if we would accept the nomination for the Widow's Mite Award! This award is given each year to a young person or persons who do a lot with a little, like the widow in Mark 12:41-43. What an honor!
If you were there to hear our speech, we were actually speechless... we fumbled with note cards, and tried to look out at people with lights in our eyes, and nervously recited some of what we had written a few hours ago. And half way through it hit me- the last time we were in the same room as David Robinson, he was on stage being recognized and congratulated on behalf of Oak Hills Church for being inducted to the NBA hall of fame, and were we just beginning to learn about CHF. This time we were on stage right before he was (actually David Robinson couldn't make it but he was still being recognized as a Children's Champion Award Recipient and accepted via video) along with a group of other really incredible people doing the work of God and showing his love so beautifully. And it wasn't us- it was God that did that, He is the only one that could do something so big from something so little, and all I could say was "I don't know why we are here". Because in my mind we are just Taylor and Frankie, we live in Houston, we enjoy spending time with family, we like to take pictures and blog, and we just aren't people that can do big things. (And this is also why we stick to blogging, because when we lose our words we can always come back to it later. ;)
So even though we felt really good about Saturday night, and we made people laugh, (and we were told that we did an awesome job!), we would like to share with you what we really had prepared to say in acceptance of the Widow's Mite Award!
*roll introduction video...
*cue Chris Sue (thanks for the great intro, new friend!)
*walk toward beacon, Charif Martin :)
*take place behind podium, facing 650 people...
We would like to thank Children's Hunger Fund for the great work they do for children in need around the world, and their wonderful staff- they make it so easy and so much fun to serve! We also want to say how great it is to see so many people here supporting CHF. Our families are also here and we want to thank them for supporting us through all of our adventures and for teaching us how important it is to love others. We want to also thank Oak Hills Church for sharing their vision with us of loving our neighbors.
We first heard about CHF at the Oak Hills Church Bigger than You service. We saw the video and we were moved but we weren't really sure what we could do. We decided that if CHF was giving these boxes to families in need we were going to see if they really worked. We switched our food budget for theirs and began to eat from the Food Pak. We started to blog about our experience and the need really became real to us. We knew that the need was big and we had to do more.
Tonight, we want to encourage you to do something. If you feel moved to try what we did then go for it! If you want to do something else then find something that your are passionate about and that you can share with your family and do it. Don't be afraid to do something. Set a goal, make a plan, put it to action, fill your heart with dedication, and God will take it from there. God will make it big. No matter how small it may seem to you, it will change someone else's life and yours! To God be the Glory! Thank you!
After comparing pre-speech notes and reflecting on our actual speech, we really didn't stray too far from what we had planned to say. And we share this with you because we don't just want to encourage the people in that room, but we want to encourage you readers, too. You come here and read about what we are doing, and it would bless us so much to know that what we do moves you to do something too. We can't do great things on our own, but with God we can do so much!
We were in the company of truly incredible people that night...
~David Robinson, founder of the Carver Academy. He has a big heart for children and is a great role model and example of how to love God and to show love in your community.
~Michael and Carol Hart, founders of Zoe International, and our new heroes. These are two of the most beautiful people we have ever met. They spoke with such passion for their ministry and love for God.
~Carlos Pimentel, Executive VP of Esperanza International. Carlos also did a great job sharing his dedication to helping others. We were honored to be recognized with him.
~Donnie Laurence, First VP of Investment Officer of Nebens/Laurence Wealth Management Group. He and his wife are great supporters of CHF as he promotes them throughout his organization.
Great people were recognized, but God was the one who was really honored that night. Here are a few pictures from the evening.
Amy was there!
Frankie's special guests, Chita and Juan!
Frankie's mom, Olga and sister, Kathy
Kathy, and Frankie's step-mom, Rose and dad, Gilbert
Taylor's dad, Bryan and mom, Tina
Jesse Reyes, of CHF Southwest. He took care of us that night, told us when we were going on, and showed us around. He was a big help and also goes to Journey Fellowship! Thanks, Jesse!
Mike Richards, Regional Director of CHF Southwest
Charleen! Of CHF Southwest
Francis Chan!!! (host of the evening)
Antonio Giuliano
Don't know why but I like this photo!
That's better... Fred Martin (CHF Headquarters.), Dave Philips (CHF President and Founder!)
The whole group!
And the award!
(View all honorees introduction videos at chfus.org to learn more! You'll be inspired, no doubt!)
Back in Houston after a wonderful weekend of friends and family... for a few days anyway! I feel like we are in our car more then in our apartment this month. First a parade, then a camping/girls night, CHF Banquet, and this weekend is our second yard sale for water, then the 5K walk for ALS. All in San Antonio or around there - kind of makes you wonder what in the world are we doing in Houston. We have been wondering and praying about the same thing...
But today we must focus on today and not worry about tomorrow. And today we need food! So we came up with a list last night and I will be headed to the store on my way home. Here is our list:
Bread - 2 loafs
Eggs
Some fresh Fruit
Tomatoes
Corn
Ground Beef
Pork Chops
Pasta
Pasta Sauce
Beans
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Snacks
We don't normally buy meat, let alone two different types, but we think we might be able to fit it in. :)
We have so much to post this week! Like I said earlier we are having a Yard Sale this weekend to raise more money for out water well in Africa though charity:water. This is our second since the first went so well- we raised over $500! Saturday's sale will be in Pleasonton, TX and we are starting to become overwhelmed with items! We have been pricing things for awhile and we are still looking for more! In fact I am taking the whole day off on Friday and we are going to be driving around San Antonio, Devine, and Pleasenton collecting items from family and friends. We are even working on a few projects at home to start selling this weekend.
Next weekend is the ALS walk and if you want to help with that, the post is below this one! There is a link on how to give. We even talked about offering ad space here on Taylor Frankie to anyone who makes a donation to that cause. So if you have a product, business, or blog and have a picture, logo, or ad let us know. And we will be posting a little more on that in the next few days.
We will also be posting about the banquet this past weekend, because if you follow us on twitter you know something that we haven't announced here on the blog yet! ;) That will also be coming in the next few days.
So hold on tight because we are about to hit warp speed!!!
This weekend is the CHF Children's Champion Award Celebration Banquet in San Antonio!!!
To be honest, our families actually decided that they were going before we did! It is so great to see them so excited about this event and to support a great organization! What could be easier? You buy a ticket, get dressed up, and enjoy a dinner and an evening with a group of wonderful people- all supporting a wonderful cause! So easy that we actually filled up a whole table of 10!
So if you want to come out and be a part of a great night, I think you can still register here.
If you can't make it, we will be posting a few photos from the night.
"Texas ranks 3rd in the nation for food insecurity, meaning one in five adults and one in four children in our state are hungry, and that is simply unacceptable." - Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner, Todd Staples
Simply unacceptable - we agree! That's why this month we are matching our food budget with a donation to Kids' Meals - Houston's only meals on wheels for kids, striving to be the first city with no hungry children. What a mission!
Kids' Meals delivers nutritious meals directly to the homes of 1,200 hungry pre-school aged children living in poverty. The meals come Monday through Friday, year-round and are free of cost to the families.
A big thanks to our friend, Janie, who sent out an email making us aware of this great organization and bringing to our attention the real need for nutrition for children in our city. Also, our local Christian radio station, KSBJ has recently partnered with this organization to bring snacks and school supplies to these children! They also brought us these facts from Kids' Meals:
One in four children in Harris County (our county!) go to bed hungry each night. 24% of children ages 0-5 in the Greater Houston Area live in poverty, and approximately 60,000 preschoolers do not receive free meals in schools through the breakfast and lunch assistance programs.
So here's to you, Kids' Meals! Keep up the good work!
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For August, we decided that we were going to donate a Food Pak® since we celebrated the 1 year anniversary of our Food Pak® Challenge! Even though we didn't make it all the way through our recreation of the challenge, we still owe it to CHF to donate a Food Pak®! One for one! ;)
We love you, CHF! :) And we'll try that Food Pak® Challenge again, soon!
Not only is today our Bloggie Birthday and our 100th post, but it is also our Food Pak® Challenge Anniversary! For those of you who don't know, the Food Pak® is something that the Children's Hunger Fund distributes to struggling families in our cities and around the world. Through the Food Pak® they offer support and love to our neighbors, and hope through relationships with volunteers and our Savior!
When we first heard about CHF and the Food Pak® we weren't really sure we were going to donate anything, but something stirred within me and I had the idea of getting one of these boxes and eating out of it ourselves to see if it really had what it took to feed a family for weeks, like it claimed. I told Taylor my idea, and like I learned in Church this weekend- by vocalizing what I felt, I was in a way, committing to do it. Taylor was on board and she was there to make sure that we stayed on track... I couldn't have done without her. Together we went shopping, we cooked, we blogged, and at the end of week God planted an idea that then grew into what you are seeing today. We could simplify and change our eating habits and provide multiple families with a good, sustainable amount of food at the same cost. How can you argue with that? We can eat and be healthy and be happy and help others. We may not be eating our favorite foods, and it may take longer then driving through, but we do it for the love of our brothers and sisters. Our first Food Pak® experience went so well that we did it again, and at the end of our two weeks we had saved enough money to make 10 Food Paks®! God really blessed us and allowed us to greatly bless others. :)
Since then, we decided that we wouldn't be able to go back to eating normally... well, not right away. We knew we wanted to do something and we wanted to do something big, so we set our sights on 2010 and we set a goal to eat for $10 a week for a whole year. At the end of the month we take the same amount that we spent on groceries and we donate it to food and water organizations. It has been a good year so far, and it's hard to believe that we have come such a long way. But we would like to go back to where it started, and we would really love for you come along with us.
For the next two weeks Taylor and I will be taking the Food Pak® Challenge again, and we want to encourage you to try it for a week, as well. The items in the box are really common items and can be bought for around $25. If you decided to try this, we would also like to encourage you to make the same $25 donation to CHF to help feed other families through the Food Pak®. So please consider it, pray about it, and let us know! We would love to have someone to share stories, recopies, and pictures with; we would even love to offer you a chance to share with us what you learned and experienced here on our blog.
Here is the list that comes with the Food Pak®.
Here are our groceries!
And our first dinner!
Look like fun? Give it a try!
To learn about the Food Pak® Challenge visually, check out the video CHF put together on our "Media" tab!
Time for our third giveaway! And this one is pretty sweet! CHF has been a big part of what we do and it's because they are so awesome at what they do. Children's Hunger Fund provides help to families who are in need of some love. The way this organization presents help and shares God with locals families in our cities as well as over seas is just remarkable. We love that they do not separate the charity from the donor- you can be as involved as you want to be. They ask for help in donating for food, packing Food Paks®, back packs, or anything else that they are doing, and after a training class you can even deliver Food Paks® to a families who are ready to receive! That last one is something that we haven't done yet, but we hope to make it to a training class one of these days.
So, this time you are entering to win this great iPak, Food Pak® shirt (size medium, unisex) and/or CHF bracelets!
And everyone who enters or doesn't enter is invited to join us later today on our Menu Monday post where we will be posting the rules of the Food Pak® Challenge! It starts today and we hope that you will join us.
Just leave us a comment about what your favorite birthday cake flavor is and you will be entered! Ever try banana cake? It is so good! First name drawn will receive shirt and bracelet, next two winners will receive bracelets! Winners will be announced at 4:30PM!
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UPDATE
And the winners are...
Anna wins the shirt + bracelet!
Lexie wins the bracelet!
Kara wins the bracelet!
(Sorry for my lack of process photos, Taylor ran off to school and I am working with a camera phone and a busy work load)
Congrats to the winners and in about an hour we will post the last giveaway! You won't want to miss it!
In May, Fred Martin (Director of Communications, CHF) was in town from California to shoot some video in San Antonio. He took the oppurtunity to invite us down to CHF so that he could meet us and interview us about our adventures with the Food Pak. We happily accepted! We got to meet him, visit our CHF friends, and answer some questions about what we are doing and why. It was really fun! We didn't really talk about it much here though because we weren't really sure of what was to come of it...well, while we were on vacation in CT, we recieved an email that our video had been posted! And what an amazing job they did! This video is a wonderful testimony and summary of what we are about and why we are choosing to challenge ourselves in our everyday eatting! Take a look!
It's really neat to be in the spotlight for a little bit, but even better is the way that God has already used us and will use this video to change and challenge others! (It's also really encouraging when people get excited about what we are doing.) To Him be the glory as we try to stay humble and as we continue to serve His children!
