Tag Archives: Christmas and holiday season

Tis the season to help others…

christmas 2007 (Photo credit: paparutzi)

I wanted to put up a post highlighting some of the incredible things that Pittsburghers are doing to help other Pittsburghers in need this season.

I was writing the email about the 12 giveaways of Christmas last night and watching the local news – which was an impressive collection of stories of Pittsburhgers – and many anonymously – coming together and helping others in need.

I’ve exchanged several emails with others this week – and the need this year in Pittsburgh is very real. Thank you to everyone who has made an effort to make someones holiday season a little bit brighter this year.

There are still many organizations that can use your help this holiday season and I know many people want to give. If you know of an organization that needs help or donations – please let us know leave a comment below and we’ll update the list.

http://storify.com/iheartpgh/pittsburghers-helping-pittsburghers

12 Giveaways of Pgh – #5-8 – Beer, Books, Bags and Kayaks

Welcome to day 2 of the 12 Giveaways of Pittsburgh! We’re giving away 12 Pittsburgh gifts for you to give to your favorite Pittsburgher or to keep for yourself.

To enter – we ask that you help save Christmas for some folks served by a local nonprofit. Please help support the Community Human Services Holiday Gift Project. (We’ve helped raise funds for this each holiday season and we are currently only at HALF what we raised last year.

Before I share today’s giveaways – I just wanted to share a quick fact about the CHS Food Pantry, this is one of the many reasons that I am supporting this organization this holiday season.

In Sep 2012 – the CHS food pantry served 366 people, in Nov. 2013 – they served 1001 people. That is over a 200% increase in need right here in Pittsburgh.

Here are the next 4 items we’re giving away (you can still enter to win items 1-4 here.)

#5. 2 tickets for a Grains to Glass Tour of East End Brewing ($50 value) – this is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon in Pittsburgh.

#6. 2 1-hour passes to Kayak Pittsburgh ($30 value) – one of the best ways to spend a summer afternoon in Pittsburgh is on the river

#7. A $25 Gift Certificate to East End Book Exchange – yes! There are still independent book stores in Pittsburgh. East End Book Exchange is located in Bloomfield and carries new and used books.

#8. Tiny Clutch no. 5 from Moop – beautifully bags that are loved all over the world, but made by hand right here in Pittsburgh.

Enter to win one of these via the Rafflecopter widget below! If you want to just contribute to CHS you can do that here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Help A Pittsburgh Non-profit Save Xmas!

Let me start this post by giving credit to the Pittsburgh bloggers AND blog readers. Remember back in September – I wrote a post about how the Light of Life men’s shelter was in desperate need of underwear – Pittsburghers stepped up to the plate and not only donated tons of new underwear, but we also raised $1385 for Light of Life to purchase even more clean underwear.

With the holiday season upon us – I’m hoping you will read this and consider lending your support to another Pittsburgh organization that is working very hard to bring some holiday cheer.

Community Human Services (CHS) is a non-profit, located in Oakland – that offers several different programs that serves some of our fellow Pittsburghers who need some extra help. Many of their programs work with Pittsburghers who are homeless or struggle with mental illness. You can learn more about CHS and their programs on their website – http://www.chscorp.org/

For the past few years – CHS has organized a holiday gift card drive – gift cards and donations are collected for CHS to be able to offer some holiday gifts, trips to restaurants and some fun to the Pittsburghers they serve. We have been happy to help support this gift card drive in the past and this year we really need your help. I was talking with the folks at CHS and they are behind in meeting their $5000 goal.

There are a number of you can help CHS reach their goal… keep scrolling down for how you can win some prizes too!

1. Attend the CHS Holiday Gift Project Event on Thursday, November 29, 2012, 6-10pm at Hough’s in Greenfield

This is going to be a fun event. Last year we gathered on Mt. Washington for an evening of cookie eating and gift card gathering for CHS. The host committee is working extra hard to make sure this year is even better – I hope you will join me and the rest of the host committee (and this is an all star crew of folks that work on great cool projects for Pittsburgh) to eat cookies and support CHS.

Event Details:

CHS Holiday Gift Project Party
Thursday, November 29, 2012
6-10p,
Hough’s, 563 Greenfield Ave, Greenfield
Admission: Bring a gift card to donate or make a donation in any amount (you can donate online before the event here), cash bar.
RSVP: Click here to RSVP Not required but helpful – let us know you’ll attend by filling out this quick form here (it will save you some handwriting at the door)
Facebook Event Link – please invite your friends – http://www.facebook.com/events/295774077189954/

2. Donate to the CHS Holiday Gift Project

Did you say you have plans on Thursday and you can’t make the event? Not a problem! You can still help support the CHS Holiday Gift Project and help us reach our goal – we’ve set up a one of those nifty crowdrise pages for the cause – http://www.crowdrise.com/chs2012/

3. Help Spread the Word – Donate, Tweet & Share to Win

While I hope you will come to Hough’s on Thursday and make a donation on the Crowdrise page – I also hope you will help us spread the word about the CHS Holiday gift programs AND your favorite Pittsburgh holiday charities. I know there are tons of great organizations that Pittsburghers support – please share a link to your favorite project in the comments below or on Twitter with the #pghsavesxmas

I have pulled together some raffle prizes to giveaway for helping to spread the word and set up a Rafflecopter page for keeping track of this – lots of ways to enter!

Raffle Prizes include: Pgh Love t-shirt, $25 Gift Certificate to East End Book Exchange

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Holiday Shopping Opportunities This Weekend

Christmas is just 22 short days away! But fortunatly for you there are lots of fun places to shop this weekend – pick up some great gifts and support Pittsburgh Businesses.

Last Unblurred of 2010 – Stroll along Penn avenue for the monthly Unblurred – held the first Friday of every month – businesses and galleries stay open late for fun times.

The Cotton Factory is hosting another Tee-Rex Event from 6-10pm, they will have t-shirts for sale, local crafts and local beer for drinking (Click here for Facebook event).
Pittsburgh Glass Center kicks off their Holiday Glass sale this eve – the glass sale will be open Saturday and Sunday as well.
C Space Collective has their annual holiday show this evening as well – lots of local artists will be selling gifts
Need a gift for a coffee lover? Stop into Voluto Coffee – they are serious about coffee and can help you select the perfect beans. The also have some other gift items available for the holidays. (Note they close at 6pm on Friday)