Volunteer of the month 

Congratulations to Janet LaBerge for being selected as our volunteer of the month! Janet has over 20 years of social work experience and now owns her own business, Dirty Deeds, which helps with small and large-scale clean-outs. Her company specializes in clean-outs during especially difficult and tragic circumstances. Last month, the Dirty Deeds crew volunteered their time, their trucks and their energy assisting staff in a long, tough, dirty day of clean-up at our off-site warehouse. With Janet at the lead, the dirty job was done quickly and efficiently!  

Thank you, Janet! We couldn't have done it without you!

http://www.dirtydeedscheap.com

Massachusetts' Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in the 14th Annual National Awards Program

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Brittany Bergquist, 18, of Norwell and Moira Landry, 12, of Swampscott today were named Massachusetts' top two youth volunteers for 2009 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 14th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Brittany was nominated by Norwell High School in Norwell, and Moira was nominated by Swampscott Middle School in Swampscott. As State Honorees, each will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., where they will join the top two honorees ? one middle level and one high school youth ? from each of the other states and the District of Columbia for several days of national recognition events. Ten of them will be named America?s top youth volunteers for 2009 at that time.

Brittany, a senior at Norwell High School, co-founded a nonprofit organization that has purchased nearly 700,000 prepaid phone cards for American servicemen and women by collecting and recycling used cell phones. Five years ago, Brittany saw a TV news story about a young soldier stationed in the Middle East who was struggling to pay a large cell phone bill. ?I knew I had to do something to help him and all the other soldiers trying to keep in touch with loved ones while far away from home,? she said. Brittany told her parents she wanted to use her piggybank savings to help the soldier pay his bill, and then she and her younger brother organized car washes and yard and bake sales to raise more money.

Soon, Brittany realized that they could help many more soldiers by recycling used cell phones and using the proceeds to buy phone cards. She and her brother found a recycling company to purchase donated phones, designed a website to solicit phones (www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com), recruited volunteers in all 50 states and in Canada to set up collection sites, and secured a large donation and other assistance from AT&T. So far, the Bergquist siblings have sent one-hour phone cards worth more than $2.5 million to troops serving at military bases and recuperating in hospitals throughout the world. At the same time, they have helped the environment by keeping toxic chemicals in cell phones out of landfills. ?Cell Phones for Soldiers will be around as long as there are troops deployed,? said Brittany. ?The great feeling you get from making a difference in the lives of others is more powerful than anything else you can do.?

Moira, a sixth-grader at Swampscott Middle School, celebrated her birthday last year by conducting a two-week drive at her school to collect essential items for homeless and other disadvantaged children, and then throwing a volunteering party at a local nonprofit agency that serves the needy. After meeting a homeless person for the first time, Moira couldn't forget the experience and felt a deep desire to help the less fortunate in some way. She began volunteering every week at the Boston warehouse of Cradles to Crayons, an organization that supplies clothing, books, toys, and other items to underprivileged children. She also organized craft sales, collected bottles and cans to raise money for the agency, and conducted a winter coat drive.

But she wanted to do more. ?I wanted to give the people around me a chance to understand how important it is to help someone less fortunate,? she said. Moira got her principal's permission to hold a collection drive at her school, and over the following two weeks asked her classmates to bring in donations for Cradles to Crayons. Then, she hosted a birthday party at the organization's warehouse, inviting all of her guests to bring presents for needy kids rather than for her. During the event, Moira gave her friends a tour of the warehouse operations, and arranged for them to spend the afternoon volunteering at the facility. ?My family and friends have always asked me what I did at Cradles to Crayons every Saturday,? said Moira. ?I thought this would be a good opportunity to show them.?

In addition, the program judges recognized six other Massachusetts students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion:

Emily Cunningham, 18, of Weymouth, a senior at Cardinal Spellman High School in Brockton, has raised more than $5,000 for UNICEF's work on behalf of refugees in Darfur by organizing annual benefit concerts over the past three years. She also founded a student coalition at her school to raise money and awareness for anti-genocide activities, has spoken at rallies, and has networked with other schools to educate people about the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Oylan Dong, 18, of Cambridge, a senior at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, has raised $37,000 over the past three years for projects benefiting disadvantaged families in Panama. She also traveled to the Central American country to help build homes for two families, renovate a goat farm that supplies milk and meat for an orphanage, and acquired equipment for an after-school center for needy children.

Elizabeth Hogan, 17, of Plymouth, a senior at Plymouth North High School, has helped raise close to $200,000 to find a cure for Polycystic Kidney Disease by leading volunteer teams in an annual fund-raising walk, and creating and selling PKD bracelets across the country. Elizabeth, who was diagnosed with PKD five years ago, also gives speeches about the disease, and has lobbied Congress for research funding.

Emma Kerwin, 12, of Weston, a sixth-grader at Meadowbrook School, brings cheer to residents of a local nursing home by playing piano for them and creating seasonal decorations and craft items to brighten their rooms. Emma makes wall decorations and baked goods, selects and practices songs, prepares printed programs, makes balloon animals, and visits seniors in their rooms.

Amanda Seigal, 17, of North Easton, a senior at Oliver Ames High School, raises funds for cancer research and patient care by creating and selling crafts and by recruiting and organizing volunteer walkers for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walkathon in Boston. She also maintains a website at www.walkformom-amanda.com. So far, Amanda has raised more than $35,000.

Max Wallack, 12, of Natick, a freshman at the Advanced Math and Science Academy in Marlborough, has collected nearly 600 jigsaw puzzles for distribution to nursing homes and facilities caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. To collect donations of new and gently used puzzles, Max contacts puzzle manufacturers, maintains a website (www.puzzlestoremember.org), and makes frequent pickups at collection bins that he has set up in his area.

?The recipients of these awards vividly demonstrate that young people across America are making remarkable contributions to the health and vitality of their communities,? said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. ?They truly deserve all of the praise and encouragement we can give them.?

?Congratulations to this year?s state winners in the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards,? stated Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. ?The hard work and determination that these students have exhibited in trying to make a difference in the lives of others is remarkable.?

All public and private middle level and high schools in the country, as well as all Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of HandsOn Network, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award this past November. More than 5,000 Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel, which selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.

While in Washington, D.C., the 102 State Honorees will tour the capital?s landmarks, attend a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian?s National Museum of Natural History, and visit their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. In addition, 10 of them ? five middle level and five high school students ? will be named National Honorees on May 4 by a prestigious national selection committee. These honorees will receive additional $5,000 awards, gold medallions, crystal trophies, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit, charitable organizations of their choice.

Serving on the national selection committee will be John Strangfeld of Prudential; Larry Bradley, president of NASSP; Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of the Points of Light & Hands On Network; Marguerite Kondracke, president and CEO of the America?s Promise Alliance; Kathy Cloninger, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA; Donald T. Floyd Jr., president and CEO of National 4-H Council; Pam Farr, the American Red Cross? national chair of volunteers; Elson Nash, associate director for project management at the Corporation for National and Community Service; Michael Cohen, president and CEO of Achieve, Inc.; and two 2008 Prudential Spirit of Community National Honorees: Kristen Allcorn of Sedalia, Mo., and Shanna Decker of Plainview, Minn.

In addition to granting its own awards, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program will be distributing President?s Volunteer Service Awards to nearly 3,100 of its Local Honorees this year on behalf of the President?s Council on Service and Civic Participation. The President?s Volunteer Service Award recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represent the United States? largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. The program is part of a broad youth-service initiative by Prudential that includes a youth leadership training program administered by the Points of Light Institute; a free booklet of volunteer ideas for young people offered through the Federal Citizen Information Center; and a website featuring profiles of outstanding youth volunteers, volunteer tips and project ideas for students, an electronic newspaper on youth volunteerism, and more (spirit.prudential.com). The Spirit of Community Awards program also is conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Ireland.

For information on all of this year?s Prudential Spirit of Community State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visit spirit.prudential.com or www.principals.org/prudential.

In existence since 1916, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the preeminent organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. NASSP?s mission is to promote excellence in school leadership. The National Honor Society ®, National Junior Honor Society ®, National Elementary Honor Society?, and National Association of Student Councils ® are all NASSP programs. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, Va., visit www.principals.org or call 703-860-0200.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Leveraging its heritage of life insurance and asset management expertise, Prudential is focused on helping approximately 50 million individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth. The company?s well-known Rock symbol is an icon of strength, stability, expertise and innovation that has stood the test of time. Prudential's businesses offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/.

Editors: Graphics depicting the award program?s logo and medallions may be downloaded from spirit.prudential.com.

Local Singer/Songwriter Supports C2C with Song

Singer/Songwriter Ellen Tipper, resident of Maine and friend of Cradles to Crayons, has recently released her new album entitled Flanagan's Field.  To show her support for our cause, Tipper has promised the online sales of her single Crayons to C2C.  "It's a great mission and I applaud the work you are doing," said Tipper.  Crayons was inspired by Tipper's daughter.  "[She] made me remember that the world we create at the kitchen table can sometimes be even more rewarding than the one we live in."  

Click here to listen to Crayons or the rest of Flanagan's Field.  You can now purchase Crayons online at iTunes at www.itunes.com/ellentipper.  If you do not have iTunes, you will need to download it first.  Download iTunes here. 

Thank You to EMC for Being a Cradles to Crayons Champion!

 
EMC Corporation, a leader in information infrastructure solutions, partnered with C2C this summer hosting three fun-filled drives in a competition format at their Summer Socials. EMC raised $13,000 and donated over 13,000 children's items including clothes, toys, books, shoes, and baby items. In total, they filled two 15 foot trucks full of goods and one 24 foot truck. We look forward to continuing our partnership with them in the future!  

Interested in doing a similar drive in your company? Find out how.

Local Women Use Their Home Businesses to Make a Difference  

Feeling Entrepreneurial? Home parties are a great way to scratch that entrepreneurial itch while making a huge difference!

Spark a child's imagination, creativity and love of reading with books and activities from Usborne Books! Usborne Books are fascinating, lavishly illustrated books written with humor, surprise and drama. For information on hosting a home party or to organize a book fair at your local school, faith-based or community organization, contact Julie Mitton at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . Proceeds benefit Cradles to Crayons.

Is jewelry more your style? Jenna Umbrianna, a life time resident of the South Shore, donates 10% of her Silpada Designs proceeds to Cradles to Crayons. Jenna's home show are relaxed get-togethers where you can try on jewelry with your friends with no formal presentation. For more information on Silpada's hand-crafted jewelry, or if you are interested in hosting your own Silpada Designs home show, contact Jenna at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

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