I have vivid memories of flipping through the shiny American Girl Dolls catalog as a child. For hours. Circling… hoping, ooohing and aaahing. Later, I devoured the book series, learning and soaking up a bit of American history.
The Samantha doll I longed for never did end up under the Christmas tree. My mother had four girls to raise on her own, and there was no room in the budget for such luxuries (times four!)
Of course, I have since recovered and have two daughters of my own who happen to love the wholesome American Girl dolls. Thanks to two very generous Grandmas, and much to my surprise, two dolls now live in our home.
Imagine my delight when 20 years later, American Girl reached out to me to help spread the word about their new Shine On Now program. Since giving back is important to me, I happily hopped on board as an official “parent partner”.
Shine On Now is an initiative calling on girls from across the country to donate one million dollars in clothes, books, dolls and money to four charities:
- K.I.D.S (Kids In Distressed Situations)
- NACHRI (The National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions
- NWF (National Wildlife Federation)
- Save The Children
Starting now, girls can head over to Shine On Now and become official American Girl ambassadors to help with this amazing project. As an ambassador, they will receive a downloadable tool kit with ideas for ways to make a difference. It is wonderful to see American Girl using their wide influence to teach and challenge young girls to help others.
Now through July 31, help your daughter visit Shine On Now and “donate” up to 100 free stars a day. If a total of one million stars are collected, American Girl will donate one million dollars of books, clothes, dolls and money to the four charities.
Let’s help them reach their goal!
As a Parent Partner on this initiative, I also have the great pleasure of giving away one all new My American Girl doll to a deserving young lady. It is a fully customizable American Girl doll where you get to pick the hair color, length, eye color, skin color, even things such as glasses, braces and of course outfits and accessories.
Enter to win 1 My American Girl Doll to keep or donate:
1. Leave a comment below: How do you currently or plan to help in your community – big or small – with your children?
If you are reading via email or in a reader, please click through to the post to enter.
For up to (2) Bonus Entries (leave a separate comment for each)
2. If you are a subscriber or follower (thank you!), leave a comment. You may subscribe for free updates via RSSor email, and/or become a “fan” of KingdomFirstMom on Facebook.
3. Become a fan of Shine On Now on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
This giveaway will end on Friday, July 30th at 11:59 pm CST. The winner will be drawn using Random.org, and notified via email. Open to U.S. residents only.
Disclosure: American Girl is sponsoring this giveaway and provided an additional doll for myself. I am choosing to donate it to local charity this Christmas. I received no monetary compensation for this post.
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I subscribe to RSS feed through My yahoo
I follow like Shineon on Faceook.
We are involved in lots of community programs through our church, and our congregation had an amazing VBS this past year, with our family doing our part to help spread the Gospel!
I’m a “liker” on FB!
Following Shine On Now on Twitter!
We look for opportunities to teach our children to give all through out the year. Currently, we are stocking backpacks for local needy children and getting in our Christmas mode and gearing up for Shoeboxes. We always let the children pick what goes into the bag/box.
I am an email subscriber.
I follow Shine On on Twitter.
.-= Tabitha (A Penny Saved)´s last blog ..Reader Tip- Pampers Diapers for Cheap! =-.
I am an email subscriber. Happily so!
.-= Tabitha (A Penny Saved)´s last blog ..Reader Tip- Pampers Diapers for Cheap! =-.
I regularly have my kids go through their toys to give to needy children. We then take them to the Salvation Army to donate.
We help by doing community service projects and fundraisers for school.
Facebook fan
Twitter follower
We help the homeless and lower income folks in the neighborhood around our church by donated time, food, advice, an ear, etc. With our business we also will mow and help out with tree removal, etc for free for some people who are not able to pay to have it done. We don’t get a tax break for it or anything, its just something we do as we can.
Email & Facebook Subscriber
Became a Facebook fan of Shine On
My family volunteers to help families with children who have autism. Even my 8 yr old daughter volunteers to teach and model social skills to children with autism, because her big brother has autism. She is incredibly patient and understanding, and finds ways to reach the kids through songs, games, and just sitting quietly beside them. She volunteers with autism sibling support groups and shares her feelings about having a brother with autism who cannnot communicate nor care for himself. She is an amazing open, loving and giving child who would probably choose to share or donate this doll if she won! Thank you for an opportunity to honor and recognize her contributions to making the world a better place for children with disabilities.
I’m a Facebook fan of Shine On!
We regularly donate to local charities, and are great fans of the American Girl Dolls and stories.
Following you on facebook.
I subscribe to your email.
My kids & I collect food for our food pantry at church and we donate items to our local mission. It’s been great seeing my children grow as they realize how fortunate we are and they are becoming more thoughtful as they think of kids that don’t have “stuff” like even a house or new clothes. I believe that by giving back and helping others it actually helps us. We become more appreciative of what we’ve been given.
We donate to our church’s food bank.
I’m an RSS subscriber
Following Shine on Now on Twitter. @presprizes
My daughter is still a toddler, but we donate her old clothes to the local church that supplies them to a homeless shelter for women and children. As she grows, I plan to include her in more charitable activities.
My granddaughter Haley goes and volunteers at the Homeless Shelter and helps sever the food.She also goes to the Toys For Tots and helps wrap presents for Christmas.
She does all this and she is only 9! She has such a big heart ~and we all love her
Thanks for the chance to win!
.-= Deb K´s last blog ..Enstroms Toffee Winner Announced! =-.
I subscribe with Google Reader too
.-= Deb K´s last blog ..Enstroms Toffee Winner Announced! =-.
FB fan of Shine On{Deb S}
.-= Deb K´s last blog ..Enstroms Toffee Winner Announced! =-.
We donate to a local food closet!
reynoldsmommy at gmail dot com
I “Like” you on FB! (Ashley Reynolds)
reynoldsmommy at gmail dot com
I “Like” Shine On Now on FB! (Ashley Reynolds)
reynoldsmommy at gmail dot com
The way I plan to help my community is by continuing to support and volunteer and my children’s schools. I help out in the classroom, work in the library, participate in fundraisers, help with Girl Scouts, and donate items to the school food and clothing drives.
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
email subscriber
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
subscribe via RSS
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
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I plan to continue to support my children’s schools by helping out in the classroom, working in the school library, the book fair, Girl Scouts, fundraisers, and food and clothing drives. I plan to have our family continue to save “Box Tops For Education”, Campbell’s Soup Labels, and tabs from soda cans. All of these are ways my family can help out in our community schools.
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
Facebook Fan Shine On & Twitter Follower
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
Our family helps our local community by volunteering and donating. We help with church and local drives for injured and sick residents. My daughter is active in her girl scouts group and 4H and has had the oppurtunity to help residents at the nursing home, children in daycare, and collect toys and donations for children in the hospital.
jjudy05@hotmail.com
email subscriber
jjudy05@hotmail.com
I follow AG Shineon on twitter (jjudy04) and facebook (jamie judy)
jjudy05@hotmail.com
I would like to nominate my little niece who has been through a lot in her short life and still stands strong, willing to help out anyone in need by donating toys and clothes to local charities and participating in fundraisers all year round. She also loves doing volunteer work at local animal shelters and she’s really big on going green and helping out the environment as well. Her big brothers’ death and her parents’ divorce has left her scarred, emotionally, but she refuses to let it bring her down into a pit of depression and marches forward like the little trooper she is. Her brother died in a terrible car crash a couple of years ago and her parents’ decided to divorce shortly after. She might be young, but she is a very strong little girl with one of the biggest hearts I know, always willing to help out her community and environment in any way she can. She’s always dreamed of having her very own American Girl doll to hold and love, but because of the fact that their such expensive dolls, no one has been able to buy one for her. Her love for the dolls began after she started reading the American Girl doll books, which helped her cope through the hard times she was facing by allowing her to escape the “real world” for a while. It would be a blessing if I could win this for her and surprise her with one, I just know her little heart would fill with happiness if I did.
Thanks for this wonderful opportunity and God bless!
We have volunteered at a nursing home, donated clothing and other items to our local shelter and helped to support our crisis pregnancy center through donations and raising awareness of their needs. We support various missions through our local church as well.
I am a facebook fan!
I am an RSS Subscriber!
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