Love All Things Peanuts? March is Your Month!

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If you’re anything like me, you go crazy for anything containing peanuts. Peanut butter? Love it. Peanut brittle? Fantastic. Chicken in peanut sauce? Sure, why not.

Peanuts in the Shell - Large Round Top Header Bag

But did you know that March is National Peanut Month? That’s right; even if you’re a peanut fanatic, you probably don’t realize how important the peanut is in the United States. Let’s take a look at some statistics, courtesy of the National Peanut Board:

  • Americans eat approximately 1.5 billion pounds of peanut products (including peanut butter) each year
  •  U.S. presidents Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter were both peanut farmers
  • 40 percent of the top candy bars in the U.S. contain peanuts or peanut butter

Celebrate everyone’s favorite nut (which is actually a legume) by handing out your favorite peanut treats or other National Peanut Month giveaways!

Now, you may be thinking, “This all sounds great, but I’m allergic to peanuts!” If you fall into this category, why not help build awareness about the potential dangers of peanut allergies? Millions of people across the world are also allergic, so education is very important.

African American History Month

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Did you know that February is African American History Month? The month-long observance, supported by several U.S. organizations including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Smithsonian Institute, pays tribute to African Americans throughout history who overcame adversity to be seen as full citizens in America.

The awareness event began as “Negro History Week” in 1925. According to African American History Month’s official website, the week-long initiative “encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.” The public responded in an overwhelmingly positive way, and by 1950, “Negro History Week had become a central part of African American life and substantial progress had been made in bringing more Americans to appreciate the celebration.”

In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford expanded the program to a month, officially giving life to African American History Month.

Custom Printed African-American Historical Ruler

Let’s take a look at some famous figures in black history:

1. Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth was born a slave, but was able to escape. Known for her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech, she was an advocate for freed slaves after the Civil War. Truth spoke of feminism and racial equality.

2. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Perhaps the most well-known civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is famous for seeking equality for African Americans. He helped organize historic events like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1964.

3. Rosa Parks

According to History.com, “The leaders of the local black community organized a bus boycott that began the day Parks was convicted of violating the segregation laws.” When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man, it sparked a lot of positive change for the African American community.

Who are some other important people in African American history?

This Valentine’s Day, Help End Violence Against Women

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Did you know that one in three women on the planet will be either raped or beaten in her lifetime? That means approximately one billion women across the globe have been violated, a statistic that’s equally shocking and unsettling.

One Billion Rising

February 14, 2013 marks the 15-year anniversary of One Billion Rising, a worldwide campaign to end violence against women, promote justice and achieve gender equality. The awareness initiative calls on one billion women and men across every country to “walk out, dance, rise up, and demand an end to this violence.” Because together, we can form a revolution.

How can you help spread the word? One Billion Rising offers a comprehensive tool kit for planning an event. Ideas include sharing information across the social web, making signs and posters, organizing a dance party and more.

Help put an end to the atrocity. Be one of the one billion that rise up this Valentine’s Day.

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.

Think Ahead: National Hug Day

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We tend to post information on very serious awareness months. Scrolling further down in this blog, you’ll see posts that talk about World AIDS Day, Breast Cancer Awareness and even an awareness day that has recently reemerged into the media limelight – World Mental Health Day.

It’s not often that we inform our readers of silly and fun awareness events. But we encourage our readers and subscribers to circle their calendars for January 21, 2013.

January 21 is National Hug Day. Recognized by the United States Copyright Office and countries throughout the world (Australia, Germany, China, Russia, United Kingdom and many others) this day is set aside to spread love and increase morale. There are benefits to giving and receiving a hug linked to improving everything from one’s mental health to one’s heart.

On January 21, 2013 be sure to hug those who you love. (and some you would never think about hugging) The activity could benefit you and others greatly.