Charity Hopping Around the World

Now tell me this isn't an amazing idea for a blog hop ~ you visit various blogs to learn about some great charities out there and could win a prize in return.  Thanks to I am a Reader, Not a Writer, Reading Away the Days and Reading a Little Bit of Everything for sponsoring this ingenious hop.

At this stop, I am going to tell you about Joy Jars, the brain child of a child suffering from pediatric cancer, Jessie Joy Reese.  As told from NEGU Foundation website (that stands for Never Ever Give Up):

JoyJars™ were inspired by 12 year old Jessie Rees in March of 2011 as a way to help spread hope, joy and love to other kids fighting cancer.  Jessie and her parents came up with the idea after learning of Jessie’s diagnosis of brain cancer.  While Jessie fights her two inoperable brain tumors, she chooses to bless other kids fighting cancer by sending them JoyJars™.
During 2011, Jessie and the JoySquad were able to fill over 3,000 JoyJars™ for kids.  They were sent to over 27 states and 7 Children’s Hospitals.  Jessie’s Wish is to send a JoyJars™ to every kid fighting cancer in the United States.  That is over 50,000!
You can help Jessie spread joy by making a charitable donation to JoyJars™. 

Okay, cue the water works right about now. A child dying from cancer just wants to make sure other kids are happier??  I want to help and I want my own kids to help.  In addition to giving money, here are some of the volunteer opportunities available:

If you would like to help volunteer your time and talents there are many opportunities for you at NEGU…

• General administration support
• Stuff JoyJars
• Ship JoyJars
• Inventory JoyFactory
• Event coordination
• Phone calling
• Research
• Coordinate JoyDrives

These are just a few of the opportunities to help strengthen NEGU.

Please contact Gina Crofts at gina@negu.org if you would like to learn about more opportunities.

Personally, I'm trying to get my daughters' girl scout troop to sign on for a Joy Drive and hen deliver the jars to our local children's hospital. If you're all about supporting this charity - or would like to teach your own kids about the joys of being generous - enter the rafflecopter form below.  I'll be making a $20 donation to JoyJars in the name of our winner, plus sending you a copy of the book, Generous Kids.

Plus, please like Jessie's Page on Facebook.  They're trying to 200,000 likes by April 8th to win a $25,000 gift.  Please do this even if you don't enter my contest.  Consider it your good deed of the day.  ((HUGS))



a Rafflecopter giveaway