Families will celebrate this 40th anniversary of Earth Day in a variety of ways. From learning to green their home, to teaching their family the three R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle), to possibly even beautifying by picking up litter from the side of a road.

However you decide to share this day with your family, please join the collective  regional blogs of SV Moms Group in celebrating as well. SV Moms Group has pulled together a list of earth-friendly posts that recognize how each blogger will be celebrating Earth Day.

From the first baby-step of learning an eco-friendly lifestyle to giving up a certain product to make your air cleaner, celebrate Earth Day with your family, friends, and bloggers that care.

Enjoy a cleaner Earth!

SV Moms Group Earth Day post

Family Earth Day projects at Kaboose

Earth Day Network – http://www.earthday.org/

Turn around time was less than a day. I received the form, filled it out immediately and mailed it off. I wanted to be counted. More importantly, I wanted my children to be counted, and for them to understand the importance of one little piece of paper – not just for us, but an entire community.

Did you know that an accurate Census count will help towards proper funding in:

• Special Education Grants to states ($10.8 billion)
• Head Start ($6.9 billion)
• State Children’s Health Insurance Program ($5.9 billion)
• Foster Care Title IV-E ($4.7 billion)
• Improving Teacher Quality State Grants ($2.9 billion)

The bad part is that if everyone doesn’t fill out the census, programs like those noted above may not receive funding in your community. Children could suffer in health care and education as a result of the census not being filled out and returned. What’s holding you back?

Not only could funding be diminished without accurate counts for community programs, but without the help of every household filling out the ten minute census form and mailing it back, taxpayers could potentially pay $1.5 billion to send census takers door-to-door to count households.

I would much rather taxpayers spend 42 cents on a stamp per envelope then to pay $57 per household for a census taker. It just make sense.

Tomorrow, April 16th, is the last day to mail back your census form. Take those ten minutes now to fill it out and drop it in the mail box.

Count in 2010!

Other resources:

http://twitter.com/USCensusBureau

http://www.facebook.com/uscensusbureau

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/

Hashtag for Census: #2010census

Yes, it is a simple statement – just give a pair of socks. Hannah did, and 5 years later a growing strong non-profit organization, Hannah’s Socks, is thriving helping thousands of people with one of our most basic necessities – socks.

Hannah’s story begins quite simply during Thanksgiving 2004.

Hannah, helping to serve the needy a Thanksgiving meal at a local mission, noticed a man in line with very worn shoes and no socks.  Hannah, worried that his feet would be cold, simply wanted to give the man her own socks so he could be warm. The very next day, history was being formed.

Each year, Hannah’s Socks have been able to raise more socks to give to local shelters throughout Ohio and in the Southeast Michigan area. This year’s goal is 60,000 pair of socks and they are very close to reaching their goal! It is great to see what positive results grow from one little girl’s concern.

Not in Ohio? There are many organizations in your local area that would so greatly appreciate your donation of socks. Many centralized drop off points will distribute to many shelters or homes. Below are a few that I searched out:

• Operation Sock Drop – Boston area
• No Cold Feet
• Socks 4 Tots – Manteca, GA area
• Blue Socks for Kids Project – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont

Did you know that you can also help our soldiers our by donating socks? Check out Socks for Soldiers!

Don’t forget, contact your local United Way to see if you have a local sock donation spot – if not, see how you can create a great organization like Hannah’s Socks!