Be a Food Rescue Hero!

By now, you may have seen me share about 412 Food Rescue several times! Why do I keep sharing? Because I love how the Pittsburgh community is coming together to ensure that food surplus does not go to waste! We're so thankful for all the restaurants, grocery stores and other organizations who are passing on their food surplus to those who can use it. 

Some important factors to remember about 412 Food Rescue:

• They do not rescue spoiled food, wilted vegetables, expired food or consumer waste. 
• They do not rescue food that has been served to the public (e.g. at buffets) 
• They only rescue food that we would eat ourselves and instruct volunteers to ask themselves if they would eat it themselves.  

It's a great family endeavor and an easy way for your kids to come along with you and participate! 

What’s on your holiday wishlist this year? Make it something meaningful. By donating to 412 Food Rescue, you ensure that good food is reaching individuals and families struggling with food insecurity, rather than landfills. There are variety of ways to financially support #412FoodRescue. 

Here is how you can directly support 412 Food Rescue this holiday season: 

• Make a monetary donation 
• Ask friends and family to donate in your name 
• Host a fundraiser / raise money online or in person (such as at a holiday party or similar event with friends, family, coworkers, or similar group) on behalf of 412 Food Rescue

Our family enjoyed a fun superhero-themed event last spring to benefit 412 Food Rescue! 

The holiday season is often a time to reflect on what we are most grateful for and when we resolve to do more to make a difference. Join us as we seek to spread joy, comfort, and sustenance with those who need it most. 

• Family rescues - kids home for the holidays? Want to take part in a meaningful activity together that benefits our community? Download the 412 Food Rescue Hero app today to explore real-time rescue opportunities. 
• Already an experienced #FoodRescueHero? Take the next step and commit to rescuing on a regular basis. There will be a growing number of available rescues this holiday season and into the new year. Email Mel at volunteer@412foodrescue.org if you can help! 

And finally, here are some easy and practical ways to end food waste this season. The holidays are a time of abundance during parties, gatherings, and get together. To be more thoughtful this season, take these steps to reduce food waste. 

At the Grocery Store 

• Make a list and stick to it. 
• Buy fresh veggies that you know you will use and use them rfist, and augment with frozen veggies so you know they won’t go to waste if you can’t get to them right away. 
• Before you go to a warehouse club, ask yourself if you will really eat a 5 pound bag of that product.
• Only buy food you know you will eat. 

At Home 

• Have one day of the week (maybe the day before your weekly grocery trip) where you use everything up in the fridge. 
• If you take home leftovers from a restaurant, don’t forget about them - explore how to repurpose them and be sure to use them within a few days! 
• If a recipe says it serves four, but there are only two people, halve every ingredient. 
• Only cut fruits and veggies right before you cook or eat them. 
• Remove rotten apples right away! They will make all other fruits go bad. 
• Do not wash grapes or other fruits until you are ready to eat them. 
• Sour milk can be used in recipes for baked goods and cottage cheese. 
• Freeze fresh meat unless you plan to use it within a couple of days. 
• To revive limp broccoli or greens, plunge them into an ice bath. 
• Cracked eggs should be used within 2 days. 
• 412 Food Rescue - facts from savethefood.com.

Ready to be a #412FoodRescueHero? Download the app here via iTunes/iPhone or GooglePlay/Android. Find a tutorial for using the app here. 

Follow 412 Food Rescue social media channels: 

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube

 #412FoodRescue 

This post sponsored by 412 Food Rescue in conjunction with The Motherhood. All opinions remain my own. 

Mega Giveaway: Celebrating Moms in May

It's May and I think it's ok to celebrate mamas all month long! Being a mom is one of the sweetest gifts to be given. But we also know there are weary days, sleepless nights and many constant demands of us. This month is a chance for us to celebrate motherhood in many special ways!

For our annual Mother's Day giveaway, we have some amazing prizes up for grabs as well as sharing some great Pittsburgh mom-owned businesses. Here's what we're giving away:

• $25 to MKN Apparel
• $50 to Levana Bratique
• $100 to Ikea
• $100 to Ross Park Mall

MKN Apparel knows that sometimes you need just the right shirt to make you smile and keep you motivated! MKN Apparel has a line of fun shirts for moms, dads & kids. MKN Apparel is owned by a Pittsburgh mama who loves to see other moms enjoying the fun shirts she designs. Check out their website for their full inventory of shirts with the perfect slogan just for you! ❤

MKN Apparel is giving a $25 gift card to their online store!

We love that MKN Apparel is our shop of choice to print our Pgh Momtourage t-shirts! This fun design was created by one of our very own Momtourage mamas. If you join us at our Momtourage playdates, look for our group in the teal shirts! You can also order your own Momtourage tshirt here.

Levana Bratique is a woman owned and operated business. They are the only independently owned store of it's kind in the greater Pittsburgh area! Owner Judy Masucci says, Great bras are my passion!  After spending 9+ years helping nursing moms to find great bras, I decided to close my maternity business and open a business where I can help all women to find great bras! 

I have been an entrepreneur since 2007 when I opened my first business, A Mother's Boutique®.  This business started out as a nursingwear shop and gradually morphed into the largest selection of nursing bras in the greater Pittsburgh area.  As time went on, I decided I wanted to help all women, not just new moms, to find great bras. From this desire, Levana Bratique was born.  

Levana Bratique carries bras for every woman and specializes in hard to find sizes. Underwire bras, soft cup bras, sports bras, sexy bras, nursing bras - you name it - if you are looking for it, chances are they have it. They carry bras in sizes ranging from 28-60 bands and A to W cups - something for everyone!  Levana Bratique includes the selling floor, 3 fitting rooms, a refreshment area and a small room where classes are regularly held. So many women are not wearing the correct size of bra and having the right fit is essential for comfort & confidence! Judy and her team know exactly how to find you the perfect fit. You will definitely get a personalized and focused experience at Levana! Judy Masucci has a passion for her business. She says, “I love helping women to feel better in their own bodies. I have met so many women who have never worn the right bra size, and when they finally have a bra that fits them correctly; it is literally a life-changing event. You wear your bra all day, every day, and wearing one that doesn’t fit or isn’t comfortable can really have an impact on your overall well-being. I love being able to make a difference for women.” 

Levana Bratique will be giving a $50 gift card to their store to one lucky mama!

Who doesn't love a trip making wish lists and wandering the winding aisles of Ikea? ☺ (I know this mama does!)  Amazing eye-catching products at great prices, a kid's drop off play area, kids eat free Tuesdays  + more! My hubby and I have definitely taken advantage of dropping our kids at their fun Smaland and having some uninterrupted shopping time together.
Are you looking for a part-time job? Did you know IKEA is a great option for moms? If you work at least 20 hours you get paid vacation and sick days. There are also benefits to work nights and weekends and after 3 years, maternity leave is covered 100%. 

IKEA is generously giving you the chance for a $100 shopping spree....I'm sure you'll have a hard time choosing what to buy! 

Another favorite stopping point for many is the Ross Park Mall. They are anchored by 4 major department stores, but have 170 specialty shops as well. Some of my favorites there include JCrew, H&M, Crate & Barrel, Francesca's, GAP, Apple, Sephora + many more! They also have a great kid's play area for those days you can't get outside. There are multiple options in the food court, including the newly added Panera. The Cheesecake Factory is an added bonus for a sweet treat! 

One mama is going to have a great time spending $100 on herself with a fun shopping spree! 

Project OM. Join the Movement.

Ross Park Mall is proud to support Manduka and Susan G. Komen on project: OM, a yoga class of one million to battle breast cancer. Donate $10 to Susan G. Komen and receive a FREE yoga class plus a discount card offering 25% off participating retailers. Make your donation and sign up for a class by visiting https://bddy.me/xxxxxx. 

You can also sign up for a free class at South Hills Village here. 

GIVEAWAY:
Enter to win one of these 4 great prizes at link below! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If your kids are little, there isn't always a lot of thank you's to go around. I hope those around you, whether it's your husband, your own mom, your sister or your friends will encourage you in your journey of raising little people this month! 💗

Thank you to MKN Apparel, Levana Bratique, Ikea and Ross Park Mall for showing their appreciation for moms in this special giveaway! 

412 Food Rescue

40% of food goes to waste. 

1 in 7 people go hungry. 

I'm so thankful that people have taken the initiative to change these statistics here in Pittsburgh. I'm thankful that grocery stores, markets and restaurants have a desire to see their surplus food passed on to people who can use it and that thousands of volunteers have come together to make this happen. 

The mission of 412 Food Rescue is to prevent perfectly good food from entering the waste stream.

412 Food Rescue is the only Pittsburgh organization that directly addresses the fact that we waste 40% of our food while 1 in 7 go hungry. Founded in 2015, 412 Food Rescue and its growing corps of over 2,000 volunteers in the Pittsburgh region have recovered over 1 million pounds of food from over 200 retailers and donated to over 250 nonprofits! 

412 Food Rescue is providing huge resources of ending food waste in our community. They are facilitating thousands of pounds of food from stores and restaurants that would typically be thrown away and engaging a volunteer army to move it to organizations that will put it to use.  It's important to note that this is not "food waste". They do not rescue spoiled food, wilted vegetables, expired food or consumer waste. They recover perfectly good, healthy food –mostly fruits and vegetables. Food is donated for many reasons:

• They are approaching their sell-by dates and need to be used within the day or a few days.
• They are not up to consumers’ “cosmetic standards” for food – consumers want the perfect apple, tomato etc.
• They need to be cooked or eaten today or in a few days – e.g. yellow bananas and other ripe fruit, day old bread that are still good, vegetables that are ready to be cooked today or in a few days. All perfectly good but will need to be consumed soon. 

"412 Food Rescue has helped to ensure that no HACP resident will be denied access to fresh, healthy food. Despite major cuts to the federal SNAP program....412 Food Rescue has managed to effectively end hunger in our public housing communities."

Michelle SandidgeHousing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

My daughter and I recently had the opportunity to do a Food Rescue. It was shockingly easy, close to our home and took less than an hour of time out of our day! We were able to sign up for a pick at a local Giant Eagle and drop off at a family center that were both within 10 minutes of our house. With hundreds of food donors in our region, you can most likely find a location near you as well!

As more food donors come together to eradicate food waste in our city, more and more volunteers are needed! It's a simple task that many of us could add into our weekly schedule. The first step is to download the 412FR app. Go here for  iTunes/iPhone and here for GooglePlay/Android. 

The app allows you to login, see if there are any food rescues needed in your area and allows you to accept the rescue. It's so easy to use! This tutorial explains exactly how to use the app for your rescue. 

 In 2017, 412 Food Rescue is set to hit two million pounds of food rescued and is gearing up to launch its technology in other cities. In less than two years, 412 Food Rescue has been recognized nationally as a leader in food recovery. It is so exciting to see the way food surplus can be distributed in a city and to see other cities getting ready to follow the model that has been initiated in Pittsburgh!

GIVEAWAY:

Want to help spread the word about 412 Food Rescue? Enter our giveaway to win special 412FR swag! Includes a t-shirt, an apron, a bag and stickers (valued at $50).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want to learn more about 412 Food Rescue in person? One of the 412FR co-founders,  Leah Lizarando, will be speaking at NextFest Pittsburgh on Friday, April 7. Go here for more information. 

·    See more on the 412 Food Rescue social media channels:

o    Facebook: http://bit.ly/2nTiW6L

o    Twitter: http://bit.ly/2oRkEmY

o    Instagram:  http://bit.ly/2oR0rxF

o    YouTube: http://bit.ly/2nPjU2m

#412FoodRescue 

#FoodRescueHeroes

#EndFoodWaste

Sponsored post in partnership with The Motherhood on behalf of 412 Food Rescue. 

Families For Good Challenge

This past year, we've seen of lot of mess, a lot of ugliness, a whole lot of brokenness in our world. Whether it's the amount of children being orphaned in our own state because of the opioid crisis, the nonstop political battles that are raging, race relations and tensions or the sadness of cancer and car accidents that claim so many lives. It's easy to get discouraged by the bad. But there is GOOD. There are organ donors that step forward and save lives, there are Free Stores, there are caregivers for the elderly, handicapped and foster children, there are people that are doing everyday, mundane GOOD in their communities. It's up to us to step away from the ugly sparring that too often happens on social media and ask what we can do to be part of the GOOD.

 One of the best things we can teach our children is to be part of the GOOD. This can be done by intentionally finding ways that our families can participate in ways to give back in our communities. I was thrilled to be contacted by United Way to partner with them in their first #FamiliesForGoodChallenge. This initiative was launched last Saturday (March 18) at United Way’s annual Be My Neighbor Day event. United Way’s first-ever #FamiliesForGoodChallenge seeks to inspire families to volunteer together and challenge their friends and loved ones to do the same on social media to make a big impact throughout the community.

The goal of the #FamiliesForGoodChallenge is to have the local community log 5,000 collective hours of family volunteerism from now – May 20, 2017. United Way, along with its agency partners, offer a variety of family volunteer activities, including at-home opportunities, for the community to participate in whatever way is most impactful and convenient to them.

“It is United Way’s goal to create meaningful, fun family volunteer opportunities where our community can work together with their families to make a real difference,” said Lois Mufuka Martin, chief volunteer engagement officer. “The challenge is a great opportunity for parents to teach their children the value and importance of giving back. We hope to see people of all ages participating in family volunteer activities through the #FamiliesForGoodChallenge.”

Families who want to participate in the challenge should start by visiting familiesforgood.org, where they can sign up for United Way’s volunteer activities, which include building literacy kits for local children, supporting women in crisis, painting youth centers, cleaning up local parks, building spring cleaning kits for veterans, decorating pots for seniors and more. While these opportunities are available, United Way invites the community to log their hours after participating in any volunteer activity across the city with their family.

Here are some of the opportunities listed on their website:

Community Volunteer Opportunities - Allegheny County

• Build literacy kits that help kids ages PreK-3rd grade increase literacy skills so they can succeed in school - March 31 (2 hours)
• Pick up, paint and plant together at a neighborhood cleanup in Braddock - April 1 (3 hours)
• Build literacy kits that help kids ages PreK-3rd grade increase literacy skills so they can succeed in school – April 22, 9:30-11am (1.5 hours)
• Build literacy kits that help kids ages PreK-3rd grade increase literacy skills so they can succeed in school – April 22, 11am-12:30pm (1.5 hours)
• Paint at Youthplaces to make hallways more welcoming to students - April 29 (4 hours)
• Tidy up a park in Clairton to create a safer community space for kids to play - May 6 (3 hours)
• Join United Way's fitUnited initiative at a Turtle Creek playground for our Day of Action - June 10 (4 hours)

At-Home Opportunities - Allegheny County  (Pick one of the suggested at-home activities or you can tell them what you're doing on your own!)

• Build spring cleaning kits for veterans as a family - At Home (2 hours)
• Put together summer enrichment kits for children in need - At Home (2 hours)
• Brighten a senior's day when you create a "sunshine kit" - At Home (2 hours)
• Assemble safety kits for seniors - At Home (2 hours)
• Host a family book drive for local kids in need - At Home (2 hours)
• Collect flip-flops for women living in shelters and write notes of encouragement - At Home (2 hours)

Additional opportunities for Westmoreland and Fayette counties are also listed.

While at a local volunteer activity, families can join the conversation by sharing their photos and experiences on Facebook and Twitter and tagging United Way of Southwestern PA and #FamiliesForGoodChallenge.

Many of you know that I started the nonprofit, Foster Love Project, to help foster children in Western PA. I am so thankful for all the families that have volunteered together and participated in our holiday bag drive! This has provided a lot of opportunities for my kids to help give back and help in our community.

Whatever mission you choose to take on, I hope you will take the #FamiliesForGoodChallenge! What better way to welcome spring than giving back with your family for GOOD to our community? 

The #FamiliesForGoodChallenge will run through May 20, 2017. 

is post is sponsored so I received compensation or products in exchange for my promotion. All opinions remain my own as I don't endorse companies that I don't value.

Triple B Farms: Fall Festival Giveaway

It's that time of year again as the air turns crisp, pumpkin explodes into everything, and apples are begging to be picked! Our Fall family tradition has become picking apples as well as choosing pumpkins and mums for the front porch and my kids are already asking when we get to head to the farm! We love the local fall festivals and Triple B Farms has stayed at the top of our list. Ride a wagon to the pumpkin patch to view Storybook Pumpkinland, pick apples from the trees at kid height, slide down the Liberty Tube, munch on apple cider donuts + much more!

Triple B Farms

823 Berry Lane

Monongahela, PA 15063

The Fall Festival opens the last weekend in September (9/26-27) and runs each weekend through the end of October. Open Saturday/Sunday, 10am-6pm. Beginning Oct. 7th, they will also be open W-F, 4-7pm. A wristband gets you unlimited access to all activities! Adults: $8 / Kids: $12. Face painting + pony rides are $4 each. 

A hayride to the pumpkin patch takes you through Storybook Pumpkinland where your kids will delight to identify 250 storybook characters from nursery rhymes and children's movies. 

The corn maze, bounce houses, duck derby, farm animals and wooden play structures are just a few places around the farm that you will want to stop!

These slides are one of the highlights of our visit for my kiddos! Grab a burlap sack, chug up the hill and get ready to take on the Liberty Tubeslide. 

Nothing beats a freshly picked sack of apples and we have a hard time making sure we come home with a full sack. :) The dwarf apple trees are at perfect kid-height, so parents can sit back and let them do the work! 

The food barn has been known to hold such treats such as apple cider donuts and pumpkin fries with caramel dip. I don't know for sure what they have planned for this year, but I have no doubt it will be tasty!

 There are plenty of beautiful options for your front porch pumpkin display! My kids can't wait to pick their special pumpkin. Orange, blue, white or gnarly.....we love them all.

GIVEAWAY:

Triple B Farms has kindly offered to give away a family 4 pack of tickets to one family for their Fall festival! Enter below (please note that a blog post comment is required for an entry): 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special Events:

Sept. 26-27: Build Your Own Scarecrow Benefits Autism Speaks. 11-3pm. $20 per scarecrow. Call to reserve.724.258.3557

Oct. 3-4: Build Your Own Scarecrow Weekend Benefits Autism Speaks. 11-3pm. $20 per scarecrow. Call to reserve.724.258.3557     

Spookley Scavenger Hunt 10-12pm.

Oct. 10: Special Music by Glassport Swing Band. 1pm

Oct. 11: Al-Amazing Magician 12-3pm

Oct. 12: COLUMBUS DAY. ALL Activities Open 12-6pm. Extra Day of Fall Fun!    

Oct. 17: Special Music Presentation.

Oct. 18: Al-Amazing Magician 12-3pm      

Oct. 24-25: Mad Science Experiments 12-3pm  

Oct. 31: Treats for Children ALL Day! Happy Halloween!

Nov. 1: LAST Day Savings! Stock Up for Winter! Call for details. 724.258.3557.

This post sponsored by Triple B Farms. All opinions remain my own. 

The #SnackMob truck

Have you heard that the Bolthouse Farms #SnackMob truck is here in Pittsburgh? They are traveling around our city handing out FREE snacks that your kids don't want to miss. For those of us who will soon be packing school lunches, they have great healthy options to add to packed lunches. You can find the Bolthouse Farms Kids™ line in the Produce Section at your local Giant Eagle and they contain no added preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, or artificial flavors. Their new kids line include smoothies, veggie snackers, and squeezable fruit tubes. 

Last week was National Night Out where neighborhoods across the country plan events to encourage greater community awareness. My church was hosting a kickball game for kids in the neighborhood and we were thrilled when we heard the #SnackMob truck was able to come by during the event. The Snack Mob truck is a happy and friendly crew and we enjoyed hanging out with them for the evening. 

They passed out smoothies and carrot snack packs. I loved seeing so many people walking around with healthy foods in hand!

Lots of happy customers! We had 125+ guests which included neighbors, church members, police officers and other officials. 

It was pretty cool to have the Bomb Squad + S.W.A.T. truck stop by as well!

The Snack Mob truck will be at a lot of venues over the next few weeks. A few to highlight are:

Sunday evenings through August: Citiparks Cinema in the Park Movie Nights (dusk)

August 15: "Kindergarten … here I come!” at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh ​ (9 a.m. – 10 a.m.)​​

August 30: First Responders Day at Kennywood Park(10:30 a.m.) ​

​

September 19: Junior Great Race at Point State Park (8 a.m.) 

You can find the complete schedule for the Bolthouse Farms #SnackMob truck here. 

------->>>> Head here to print a coupon for $1 off any Bolthouse Farms Kids™ product!

But that's not all....YOU could have the #SnackMob truck to come to your party! 

Here are details to enter the #SnackMob #Contest:​

• WIN a visit from the Snack Mob by tweeting @BolthouseFarms for a chance to get the #SnackMob truck to deliver Bolthouse Farms Kids™ product for free at your next party! ​
• Be sure to use the hashtags #Snackmob and #Contest in your tweet, and include the date and type of event (e.g., soccer tournament, block party, etc.) in your entry. Contest ends Sept. 10, 2015 at 11:59pm. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. Maximum of 100 people per event.​

Follow Bolthouse Farms Kids™ :

http://www.bolthouse.com/

http://www.bolthousefarmssnackmob.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bolthousefarms

https://twitter.com/bolthousefarms

https://instagram.com/bolthousefarms/

This post is brought to you by Bolthouse Farms Kids™ and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.