Shop And Sip With Purpose

by with One Comment philanthropy

This post is sponsored by Teneral Cellars as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, all opinions expressed in my post are my own as always.

Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you. – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

There are a lot of things happening in our world that can make us feel like we’re out of control, especially when there is so much to be done and you don’t know where to even begin. It’s a tricky time to be a brand with a platform and I’m proud to partner with brands that are using their objectives for purpose.

Teneral Cellars is doing just that. They’re DOING the doing and not just saying the sayings. Unlike traditional wine companies who pass on issues or avoid controversial conversations, they’re willing to have a voice and use it to stand up for humanity and equality. For me, this partnership is about love, life, and standing up for all women alongside them.

With the limited release of their newest collection, these RBG inspired wines were created to further commit to the brand’s ethos to diversify, to empower, and to support rights for all womxn. $10 from every 3-pack of the RBG collection sold will be donated to the National Women’s Law Center, so now we can all shop (and sip) with intention. Cheers to them and cheers to you.

So besides this incredible goal of theirs, Teneral Cellars have produced the most bold and delicious wines on the market. This trio is more than just beautiful packaging- they’re smooth, rich, sweet, and full bodied. There’s something for everyone with their Sauvignon Blanc tasting of yellow plum, chamomile, figs, and lemon curd, their Zinfandel with its scent of crushed blueberries and toasty pie crust, and their Cabernet Sauvignon which is both fruity and savory … you don’t have to pick just one you can choose all three!

Teneral Cellars is proud to lead the way toward greater wine industry inclusion and advocate for equality, and I’m proud to support them and to shop and sip with purpose alongside YOU.

Helping With Hyundai

by with No Comment adventurecharitycommunityfamilyholidaysmom lifephilanthropy

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” – MLK

Ever since Corrine was little I’d try and do things with her that would teach her to be empathetic. I think one of the greatest things we can do for one another as humans (and to teach our children) is to practice empathy and selflessness. So whether it was donating some of her gifts to children less fortunate than her, serving meals at Thanksgiving, and mentoring children at The Mission together in downtown L.A., it was a way for us to give back to our community and practice gratitude even when we were struggling ourselves and graciousness didn’t come so easily.

I was a single mom, a teen mom… and I remember that even the smallest gestures of kindness made such a huge impact on my life. I worked two jobs when Corrine was little and on the weekends to make ends meet, I’d pull overtime where I’d bring her to work with me and I’d set her up in a sleeping bag near the foot of my desk. She’d watch SpongeBob (the ONE episode she had) on repeat while I’d work from 5am-noon. My manager Karen at the time was so wonderful to let me do that because over time was a privilege and she allowed me to do this for months.

Girlfriends of mine would bring extra lunch to work and share it with me, for Christmas my friends would give me gas gift cards and donate wrapping paper for me to wrap presents with… just a few of the sweetest things that would mean nothing to someone else meant everything to me. So I really try and teach my daughter to give back when and where she can because if we’re in the position to help someone, why wouldn’t we? They say it takes a village to raise a child, well it also takes a village to help keep your head up when you’re down and out. 2020 was a perfect reference point for that and we all came together to help one another. I’d love to keep that theme going.

You’ve seen on my Instagram how proud we are to be a part of the Los Angeles Hyundai fleet. My Kona boo and I bop around town, choosing a different organization to highlight and help each month. For December we partnered with Hyundai to provide infant and toddler essentials to the families in need at the Good Shepherd Shelter (to help end domestic violence and rebuild lives) and donate to the CHLA. For January I picked up your donations from all around the Los Angeles area to donate to the Good Shepherd Shelter (new and unused items) and to the Mission (used items and goods) and I just wanted say thank you for being a part of this with me.

You’ve helped to restore hope for individuals and families, provided essentials that we wouldn’t think twice about not having, and purged your closets for donations … I’m so honored to be a part of this community. Please join me in continuing on with this mission, for the month of February I’d love to pick up where we left off in November with the food drive. There are a lot of non-profit organizations around L.A. as I’m sure there are in your communities, so if you’re local email me or DM me! Let’s try and feed 100+ families together this month <3

Food, water, shelter, and safety … these are the things I believe to be a human right and the fact that so many go without in the world of abundance that we live in is just incomprehensible to me. So I’d love it if you’d help me by A) donating canned goods and non perishable food items for me to pick up B) list some of your favorite organizations that we can all help and highlight in the coming months and C) tell me what you’re doing in your local community that we can support you with.

Helping with Hyundai means helping in our communities, activating our neighborhoods to reach out and give back where we can. I appreciate you, I love that we’ve been doing this together, and I hope I get to see your smiling faces (through masks… smile with those eyes haha!) very soon as we make our way around town this month.

Was philanthropy something you learned as a child or something you got involved with more as an adult?

p.s. my email is [email protected] and my IG handle is here

It’s A Heluva Holiday To Give Back

by with No Comment familyfoodholidayholidayshostinglifestylemom lifeparty planningphilanthropy

to dip or double dip, that is the question

This post was sponsored by Heluva Good! Dip as part of an Influencer Activation, like always, all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

So chips and dips… I will use any portal necessary to get the biggest bite from my dip, anyone else with me on this???

I’m proud of my snacking skills, my hosting abilities, and how HUMBLE I sound right now haha I’m also really passionate about working with companies that are philanthropic. You’ve seen me talk about this during the release of my Gift Guides this month so you’ll understand why I’m proud to have teamed up with Heluva Good! Dips and Walmart today!

I love that we’re helping to raise awareness about 1) their delicious dips and 2) ’tis the season of giving and Heluva Good! Dip will be donating a portion of sales to Toys for Tots that will run through the remainder of the year. I mean, talk about my two favorite things teaming up … spreading dips and spreading joy.

Dips make for delicious snacks perfect for anytime aka when everyone is waiting for dinner to be made this holiday season, just set out some chips (and some pita, oh and some crackers too) and Heluva Good! Dips for them. This is a for sure crowd pleaser every time!

Easy snacking, a time to gather around the table and catch up with friends and family, chips and dip are nostalgic for me. During this time of year when we can’t be with our families due to the pandemic, it’s so wonderful to have some tradition here at home. My mom always had her favorites in the fridge and can you guess what it was? French Onion! That’s my go-to flavor as well, it’s so creamy and SO yummy.

If you’re passionate about benefitting great causes and supporting brands that are like minded, please join me in purchasing your Heluva Good! Dip at Walmart or Walmart.com (pssst available for pick up or Walmart grocery delivery) and help donate to Toys for Tots this month. How convenient and wonderful it is to do some good, simply by purchasing something your family will enjoy while helping to make someone else’s holiday just as wonderful.

It’s a Heluva Holiday to give back … see what I did there? 😉

Happy holidays from me and mine to you and yours <3

Delivering Smiles This Holiday Season – A Family Tradition

by with No Comment communityfamilyGift Guidegift ideasholidayholidaysphilanthropyshoppingspecial occassions

This post is sponsored by Amazon, however all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Tis the season… the season of holiday celebrations, family time, and sharing traditions. So I want to share with you what this ‘season’ means to me and my family and what some of our traditions are.

This is my favorite time of year because it’s the one time that most of my family is in the same state, under the same roof. It happens only once a year, and it’s such a special time for us all to reconnect and spend time doing things that are traditional to our family. Traditions are so significant, they bridge time and distance and link generations. 

Every member of our family contributes to activating the rest of us to be philanthropic, especially this time of year, and we also all contribute to burning at least one thing for dinner… but of course. This year, it was my dad’s turn. This is my dad, Michael, he’s one of my heroes. He is a veteran, a loving husband, and humble father. This year he asked us to volunteer at the VA so most of us will be volunteering our time in person, but those unable to join us will also be participating in a different way! Amazon makes it easy to give back to organizations we collectively love and support. This way, we’re all in it together.

Our family realizes that a lot of families go without many of the things we take for granted this time of year and aren’t able to give back in this way, so it’s a privilege for us to come together and give back – and it brings us closer as a result. We also realize that we’re connecting to an entire community of families that give back with Amazon this holiday season.

Want in on all the feel good? Well, there are three really easy ways to do it, my personal favorite being through AmazonSmile Charity Lists. You can browse by cause or search for an organization’s needs and the items you purchase are donated and delivered directly to the charity. I love this method because it takes the guessing out of it for us, we simply see what they need and we’re able to purchase those items for them directly.  

You can also donate a portion of the purchase price of your eligible products on Amazon to the charity of your choice with AmazonSmile by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com –  and if you have an Alexa-enabled device, you can donate with Alexa to a registered charity simply by saying “Alexa, I want to make a donation.” Choices like this really do make it rewarding to give back when and where you’re able.  

The organization near and dear to us is the Best Friends Animal Society. We chose to purchase items for them, shopping from their list as they are a part of the AmazonSmile Charity List. As a home that has adopted two fur babies, BFAS has a mission that resonates so closely with our family. Their mission statement is, “Best friends – save them all.” They believe that just because cats and dogs don’t have a safe place to call home doesn’t mean they should be euthanized. They work closely with volunteers, shelters, rescue groups, and other animal welfare organizations to educate communities and encourage them to adopt, donate, spread the word, and volunteer to help reach their goals. 

Philanthropy practiced this way allows all members of our family to be connected, and I hope you join us in this tradition! Encourage your family members to contribute to your communities in person and virtually. Amazon makes it so easy to give back to charities you love. Start a new tradition that’s timeless and that connects your family the way it does ours, and please let me know which organizations you’ll be #DeliveringSmiles to so we can check them out! 

Happy holidays from me and mine to you and yours <3