Breast Friends Now Raising on CafeGive

“Every woman in America will be touched by breast cancer in her lifetime. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. The other seven will know her. Our goal is to reach the seven in order to help the one.” Becky Olson and Sharon Henifin, Founders of Breast Friends.

Founded in 2000 by two Portland breast cancer survivors, Breast Friends is dedicated to improving the quality of life for breast cancer patients. Often breast cancer patients are in emotional pain but are unable to ask for help. Breast Friends teaches the friends and family of cancer patients specific ways to offer support, helps them understand what the patient is going through, and suggests useful resources for the patient and her family. CafeGive is all about supporting people, our causes, our friends and family, our advocates, and our merchants. It makes sense to team up with a cause that supports those in need with this sensitive issue.

Ever been involved in an uncomfortable issue, where you want to help but don’t know how to? I know I have. I get worried about not doing it “right” or that I might say the wrong thing, etc. Time goes by and I end up not doing anything at all. Breast Friends reminds us that it is never too late to make contact and provide useful and appreciate support to those we love who are dealing with breast cancer.

Breast Friends has developed several different programs to help assist patients and their friends and family members. By providing emotional, spiritual or physical support they need, Breast Friends helps support everyone involved with the disease to create an awesome support team for the patient. Help support our mothers, sisters, aunts, grandparents, cousins, and friends by supporting Breast Friends on CafeGive!

Shop online and support the Breast Friends by checking out their profile page on CafeGive, advocating for them and purchasing great products like those under our Health and Beauty tab.

Interested in learning more about CafeGive? Check out our website, Facebook Fan page, blog and

Twitter.

Involved with Breast Friends or another great cancer support group? We want to know, leave a comment here on the blog.

It's Not Too Late to Shop On CafeGive

do you still need a gift or two? last minute shopping via CafeGive delivers on time!

Some of us are more organized than others. Some just need a last minute addition. Whatever your situation, here are a few suggestions from CafeGive for gifts which will still deliver on time for the holidays!

email a gift certificate that earns for your cause

click on the link below which takes you to CafeGive. Then click "buy" and look for gift certificates or gift cards on each site. Here are some suggestions of CafeGive merchants that offer email gift certificates:

• Altrec.com
• Borders
• iTunes
• Keen
• Buy.com
• Litte Missed Matched

two day and next day shipping is still an option

Many stores on CafeGive can still get your gifts delivered on time. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Fossil
• MacMall
• SnowShack
• PetSmart
• In the Hole! Golf
• The Walking Company

Holiday giving to your loved ones helps earn for the cause you care about without costing you anything extra!

Shop CafeGive!

Friends of Trees Growing on CafeGive

In high school I planted a tree for an environmental class and removed invasive blackberry bushes from local wetlands. Anything for a little extra credit that didn’t involve doing actual school work! I think Friends of Trees has the same mindset, only they made a career out of it. Since 1989, Friends of Trees has planted more than 375,000 trees and native plants.

Friends of Trees’ mission is to bring people in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington metro area together to plant and care for city trees and green spaces. Their two flagship programs, Neighborhood Trees, which offers local citizens discounted trees to plant in their yard and planting strip in the fall and winter. These native plants are tailored to your planting strip width and the growth space available. It costs $75 (max) for the trees, delivery, hole-digging, assistance in planting, mulch and stakes, and a follow-up maintenance check. Friends of Trees has seen neighborhoods come together during these plantings. It is this type of community building that attracted CafeGive to work with Friends of Trees!

Through Friends of Trees’ other program, the Green Space Initiative, volunteers restore natural areas in parks and green spaces along public right-of-ways by planting native trees and shrubs and removing invasive species. This year Friends of Trees led a restoration project along Hwy I-205, which beautified our freeways, increased habitat connectivity, reduced storm water run off, and enhanced bicycle paths. Just another way Friends of Trees is making our community just a little bit better!

We aren’t all gardeners, but we can all shop online to support the Friends of Trees. Check out their profile page on CafeGive, advocate for them and purchase great products like those under “Green” in our navigation.

Interested in learning more about CafeGive? Check out our website, Facebook Fan page, blog and Twitter.

Involved with Friends of Trees or another great environmental cause? We want to know, leave a comment here on the blog.

Building Up Hearts with Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley

Sometimes I think CafeGive’s Mary Enderle is my long-lost sister! She loves animals (she brought Humane Society Silicon Valley on board with CafeGive), she loves making a difference in people’s lives (why else would someone work for such a great company, like CafeGive), and now she has gotten Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley involved with CafeGive. I raised a Guide Dog for the Blind puppy, also work for CafeGive, and have participated in the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge. I think our only difference is she lives in sunny California and I live in rainy Oregon. Anyway, back to Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley...

Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley (H4HSV), formed in 1986, is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Habitat for Humanity is a faith-based organization welcoming people of all beliefs to join in its mission to eliminate poverty housing throughout the world. H4HSV’s mission is to transform families and strengthen communities by building decent, affordable housing for long-term home ownership. Their vision is to be the pre-eminent affordable home builder for hard-working, responsible families with low incomes in Santa Clara County. That are wanting the stability and security of long-term home ownership. Their dream of “one habitat” is why CafeGive is so proud to be working with such a phenomenal cause.

In the past 23 years, H4HSV has built 50 homes in San Jose, Alviso, Campbell, Santa Clara, and Los Gatos. They are currently working on six homes in the City of Morgan Hill.

Core Beliefs:

· Home ownership transforms families and strengthens communities.

· Families willing to invest in their future deserve the opportunity to build and own homes for long-term stability and security.

· Volunteerism provides the opportunity for people to improve their communities by generously sharing their resources.

· Our mission unites people of all beliefs by putting social justice into action.

It’s easy to see how Habitat for Humanity is able to make such a change in families’ lives.

Shop online and help support Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley by checking out their profile page on CafeGive, advocating for them and purchasing products to help get your own home “Ready for Winter” under the “Ready for the Holidays” shopping tab.

Interested in learning more about CafeGive? Check out our website, Facebook Fan page, blog or Twitter.

Involved with Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley or another Habitat chapter? We want to know, leave a comment here on the blog.

Making Dreams Come True Through CafeGive and The “I Have A Dream” Foundation

I think we can all agree that going to college is a good thing. But did you know that in the United States today, less than 15% of children from low-income families will get a bachelor’s degree, compared to 26% nationwide, and more than 50% in high-income communities? As a recent college graduate, I definitely fall into the 50% statistic here and while in college I also met those who were from the 15% mentioned above. This is where The “I Have A Dream” Foundation makes a difference.

With the vision that one day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to pursue higher education and to fully capitalize on their talents, aspirations, and leadership, children will be empowered to have fulfilling careers and create a better world. “I Have Aa Dream” Foundation empowers children in low-income communities to achieve higher education. They do this by providing them with guaranteed tuition support while equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and habits they need to gain entry to higher education and succeed in college and beyond . While only 50% of students from low-income communities finish college, only one out of seven will graduate from college, but “I Have A Dream” Foundation sites have doubled (or tripled) the local high school graduation and college enrollment rates.

“I Have A Dream” Foundation is in the process of developing an ambitious new plan --, to significantly increase their impact on students and communities across the nation. With a goal of doubling the number of Dreamers at any given time, CafeGive is excited to help out our nation’s future teachers, social workers, secretaries, scholar-athletes, lawyers, etc.and more.

Help support “I Have A Dream” Foundation by checking out their profile page on CafeGive, advocating for them and purchasing products like Bags, Backpacks and Luggage and Computers and Consumer Electronics.

Interested in learning more about CafeGive? Check out our website, Facebook Fan page, blog and Twitter.

Involved with “I Have A Dream” Foundation or CafeGive? We want to know, leave a comment here on the blog.

I Have A Dream Foundation – Oregon, Now Live on CafeGive

We all have dreams, but for some realizing their dreams seems impossible. I Have A Dream Foundation seeks to empower children in low-income communities to achieve higher education by providing them with guaranteed tuition support and equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and habits they need to gain entry to higher education and success in college and beyond.

As you know, CafeGive has been working with I Have A Dream Foundation’s national chapter for a couple of months. We have been excited with the progress they have been achieving through our website and now we are excited to announce that I Have A Dream Foundation’s Oregon chapter has also joined the ranks of CafeGive causes!

In our own Oregon backyard, 60-70% of students from low-income communities drop out before finishing high school. I Have A Dream Oregon’s approach has been 10 years of mentoring and college scholarships resulting in a 20% reduction of drop outs! I Have A Dream Oregon has doubled the high school graduation rates and sent 50% of their graduates on to further education! Talk about a successful organization!

In 2010, I Have A Dream Oregon is aiming to start a new project each year in the Portland Metro area as well as an additional class each year in other locations in Oregon. Thus being a regular and consistent organization making significant improvements in the lives of at-risk youth in Oregon. This goal can only be achieved if I Have A Dream Oregon can proactively find and engage sponsors as well as raise enough money to start new projects each year.

Help support I Have A Dream Oregon by checking out their profile page on CafeGive, advocating for them and purchasing products like Bags, Backpacks and Luggage and Computers and Electronics.

Interested in learning more about CafeGive? Check out our website, Facebook Fan page, blog and Twitter.

Involved with I Have A Dream Oregon or CafeGive? We want to know, leave a comment here on the blog.