People often contact me about contributing donations to their organizations. Since I have always loved volunteering, feel a compulsion to donate my time and money when I can and believe that what goes around, comes around, it is a no brainer for me to donate mick&mack items! One organization that I have already mentioned is Read to Me Co. Not only are we going to be collaborating with them to raise awareness for their cause, we also donated a gift card to their Colfax Marathon Team. Their team completed the Marathon in 5 hours and 15 minutes and their half marathon team finished in two hours and thirty minutes! In the process they raised over $1200 for their organization. Such an awesome effort! Way to go! Can’t wait to see what the winner purchases with their gift 
They are also currently in the race to win a Pepsi grant for $50,000. The voting is closing soon and if you could vote for them, they would really appreciate it! Go to www.refresheverything.com/readtomecolorado.
On May 18th, 2010 the Bellevue Children’s Hospital had their Children of Bellevue’s Toast to the Children Fundraising Benefit. We sent a hot pink tutu, punky shirt and a pair of monkey-toes shoes to be auctioned off. Tom Colicchio of Top Chef Fame hosted the event. He is a proud father and has a new little boy named Luka. When his first son Dante was born, eight weeks early and weighing only 2 pounds and 5 ounces, he spent two months in Bellevue Hospital’s neonatal ICU. When it was finally time to take little Dante home he was asked by a social worker if he had a crib, diapers and an air conditioner at home. Fortunately, he did but what if the answer had been no? That is when he learned that the Children of Bellevue program provides assistance to families of in-patient and out-patient children. Colicchio has been involved with the organization ever since and for the past thirteen years he has helped turn the annual cocktail party fund-raiser into a gala benefit with over 20 NYC restaurants participating! Not only was Tom Colicchio there but Uma Thurman (who volunteers at the hospital’s teen psych unit) and Food & Wine’s editor Dana Cowin.
I am so proud that we were able to give something to this great organization and so flattered that we were asked to! It is definitely something I will do again in the future. To top it off, our gift package was auctioned off for $1000! Can you believe it? I was overwhelmed and so incredibly happy.
So just remember, every little bit counts and sometimes a tutu, t-shirt and a pair of shoes can make a huge difference
