Monthly Archives: January 2013

Eating Disorders Awareness: Because “Everybody Knows Somebody”

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Eating disorders affect people young and old, male and female, chubby and thin. In fact, almost half of all Americans know someone who has an eating disorder. It’s a lot more common than you might think.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which takes place Feb. 24 – March 2, 2013, is the perfect time to help bring the issue to light. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), this year’s theme is “Everybody Knows Somebody.”

During National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, NEDA hopes “to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment.”

Custom Printed Eating Disorders Pocket Slider

If everyone did just one thing to help raise awareness this National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, the ripple effect could be amazing. It can be something big (like organizing a NEDA Walk) or small (like passing out National Eating Disorders Awareness promotional items in schools).

Your contribution can and will make a difference!

Think Ahead: Jazz Appreciation Month and Black History Month

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With only 12 months in a calendar year and thousands of awareness programs, it is no surprise that there are dozens of awareness events during each month. Wouldn’t it be nice to celebrate more than one each month?

That’s where the custom imprinted Black History – Jazz & Blues Legends CDs come in. This CD includes ten original songs from amazingly talented musicians including iconic jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal and world-renowned blues guitarist B.B. King. Additionally, the CD includes a screensaver of famous African Americans throughout history. Even President Obama himself is on this.

So whether your organization is spending February celebrating Black History Month, Jazz Appreciation Month or just happy that Barack Obama has been elected to another presidential term, you’ll want to get this item.

February is Cancer Prevention Month

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Not all cancers can be prevented. But there are things that we can do (or in some cases, not do) to protect ourselves from developing disease. Help spread the word about these preventative measures during National Cancer Prevention Month this February.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, the three general guidelines for cancer prevention are:

1. Eat more plant foods and less red meat.

2. Get active every day for at least 30 minutes.

3. Try to stay at a healthy weight.

Custom Printed Vitamin and Mineral Wheel

Following these rules will not only help protect you from cancer, but may also help prevent other conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Furthermore, if more people cleaned up their lifestyles, reports Reuters, “Forty percent of the 12 million people diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year could avert the killer disease.”

This February, take action by distributing National Cancer Prevention Month giveaways. You can hand them out throughout your community, at the office and even in classrooms. Remember, education is key to beating this awful disease.

What Is American Heart Month?

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Every minute, someone in the U.S. dies from a heart disease-related event. Every day, approximately 2,200 Americans die from heart disease and/or stroke. Every year, more than 900,000 people in the U.S. have a heart attack.

These shocking stats, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), remind us just how important American Heart Month (aka American Heart Association Month) is.

Custom Printed Basil Mini Seed Paper - Heart Shape

The month-long initiative launches February 1, with National Wear Red Day. According to the American Heart Association, Wear Red Day is all about dispelling various myths about cardiovascular disease and women.

Beyond National Wear Red Day, American Heart Month is dedicated to empowering Americans to make nutritious and healthy choices, improving care for those who rely on treatment and preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2016′s end.

How will you help support the cause? American Heart Association giveaways are ideal because they spread the word and offer a long-lasting message.

What other ideas do you have for educating others about American Heart Month?

This January, Become a Mentor

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January is National Mentoring Month in America. The idea behind mentoring is that by pairing a young person in need with a caring adult, that child will be better-prepared for a successful adulthood.

National Mentoring Month

According to the U.S. Corporation for National & Community Service, students who are mentored are:

  • 52 percent less likely to skip a day of school
  • 37 percent less likely to skip classes
  • more likely to finish high school and attend college
  • more likely to form positive social attitudes and relationships

Mentors can have a positive impact on the kids they connect with. And while a mentor cannot replace a parent, he/she can take part in encouraging positive decisions, promoting self-esteem and improving school achievements.

Watch Gen. Colin L. Powell explain why “Mentoring Works”:

Get involved with National Mentoring Month by hanging up campaign marketing materials in your school or around your community, courtesy of NationalMentoringMonth.org. You might also want to distribute Mentoring Month handouts to help make a big impression.

Poverty Awareness: “A hand up, not a hand out”

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Did you know that 16 percent of the American population currently lives in poverty? That means nearly 50 million people within the U.S. are affected. More than 16,000 children under 18 lived below the poverty line in 2010.

“A hand up, not a hand out.”

Poverty in America Awareness Month — a campaign created by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development –  is observed each January in the U.S. to encourage Americans to lend a helping hand in their communities. Whether you donate food to a local food pantry or bring old your coats to a homeless shelter, every little bit helps.

Custom Printed Cotton Tote Bag - Natural

Perhaps the most important thing you can do during Poverty in America Awareness Month is to help increase awareness about poverty in our society. Many people are unaware of conditions outside of their own homes.

You can help spread the word by posting statistics on Facebook and Twitter, handing out flyers at community centers or giving away imprinted National Poverty in America Month items.