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I thought about giving all the Moms I know a mom’s rising t-shirt. But it can get expensive. I emailed 3 or 4 times asking if there was the possiblilty of a discount on 5 or more shirts and have gotten no response for weeks.

Christmas is fast approaching. I would still like to do this.

Please respond.

Teja Van Wicklen
tejavision@yahoo.com

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Include an easy and quick knitted scarf pattern that takes under 15 minutes. A cozy scarf is the perfect gift for a busy Mom. (And a wider scarf is almost baby blanket size.)

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Give the gift of charity for the holidays. Heifer.org (com?) is a good one where you purchase an animal (depending on your price range) and it is sent to an impoverished family in another country and they are taught to use the animal in order to sustain themselves or to sell in the local market: i.e. goat milk, or honey from bees.
There are other sites were you can adopt a strech of rain forest or a family of polar bears, etc.
Happy holidays!
Steph from New Jersey

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You could create a custom greeting card for members to open (pdf file) and print out at home. It could be their own new year’s greeting card as well as publicizing the cause… I envision the cover of the card as the MM mom and baby with a few different versions to choose from… one with the mom and baby wearing santa hats, but you must have different versions, not only use Santa Claus hats as I’m sure the many mothers out there come from many different traditions… do not alienate non-Christian supporting members. Also a menorah worked in somehow… on mom’s shirt? A chinese new year version, a dwali version (although dwali has already passed). An A-2 sized card is one half of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, you can fit two cards on a page, print out, cut in half and fold in half and put into an A2 envelope. I’m a graphic designer and I am sure you have connections to help out.

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Could MomsRising create a nice but relatively inexpensive gift for a teacher or child care provider that says “thanks for all you do”? It could be a calendar, blank book, box of chocolates, bath oil, or small ornament that would be appreciated, or a “teachers’ edition” of The Motherhood Manifesto (same book with a different cover and a dedication page on which someone could write a personal note of thanks.) Of course, it should come with a note saying that the gift also benefited MomsRising, a new organization advocating for excellent child care and after school programs as well as more family friendly workplace and public policies.

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I wanted to offer two really beautiful prayers I have found, written for mothers to say for their children. The second prayer is for mothers to say while they are still pregnant with their child. These prayers look very nice printed up in a fancy font on good quality paper and framed, they make a wonderful gift.

“O God! Educate these children. These children are the plants of Thine orchard, the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden. Let Thy rain fall upon them; let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love. Let Thy breeze refresh them in order that they may be trained, grow and develop, and appear in the utmost beauty. Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Compassionate.”

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Compilations, Baha’i Prayers, p. 34)

“My Lord! My Lord! I praise Thee and I thank Thee for that whereby Thou hast favored Thine humble maidservant, Thy slave beseeching and supplicating Thee, because Thou hast verily guided her unto Thine obvious Kingdom and caused her to hear thine exalted Call in the contingent world and to behold thy Signs which prove the appearance of Thy victorious reign over all things.

O my Lord, I dedicate that which is in my womb unto Thee. Then cause it to be a praiseworthy child in Thy Kingdom and a fortunate one by Thy favor and Thy generosity; to develop and to grow up under the charge of Thine education. Verily, Thou art the Gracious! Verily, Thou art the Lord of Great Favor!”

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Compilations, Baha’i Prayers, p. 65)

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Fund raising is a great idea for the holiday season! Many people are willing to help non-profit organizations out if they can, especially one that is family oriented like this one is.
One idea I had is getting ornaments (or other holiday goodies!) with the moms rising logo, and having them for sale on this site. Also, getting the members who can afford it to donate enough money to buy some advertising space on the net. Anything to get the word out. People need to know what’s going on and what to do about it.

On another note, I wanted to give everyone a head’s up on where I am in Santa Cruz, CA. I am going to school, hoping to get my degree in order to make more money for my family. We barely make enough money to cover rent and bills and food (and we are subletting two rooms in the house we’re renting!). I went to apply for food stamps, but there’s new legislation requiring students to work at least 20 hours per week, and fall below the state income level (which is unfair since Santa Cruz is the most expensive place to live in California). At my job, I’m on call, but working 20 hours a week wouldn’t even give me enough money to cover childcare. That doesn’t matter. There is no exception for new mothers under this legislation. Why not? Isn’t a young new mother trying to go to school needing more assistance than a young student with no children?
Something should be done about this!

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At this time of year, especially, many people are feeling lonesome and isolated. This organization is about building community. We need to switch the focus from the frenzy of the gift buying, hussle and bustle to connecting with people, heart to heart. Women are the nurturers. We don’t have to be super moms. If we prioritize and bring our focus into what is really important in this season we will see that it is all about LOVE and connection. Let’s embrace everyone we meet with a smile and a kind word or two. Take time for the human connection and,not so much, the material world. A simple gift of rememberance can be more significant than spending time and money on lots of shoppping and save you time for connection (and inner peace)

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I saw a coupon for custom printed M&M’s- you might be able to print up M&M’s with your slogans and then perhaps sell them as a product or even give some of them to legistlators for Christmas? Everyone loves chocolate and would probably pay a fair price for some that had proceeds going to a cause like yours. “fair wages are sweet” —something like that?
Janine S., self confessed chocoholic

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Could you ask the Children’s Television Workshop for permission to use a graphic of the chortling TMX Elmo, which is currently all the rage, and let folks send virtual holiday giggles in an e-card? Reminding everyone that public television, Moms and kids go together in a big way.

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