Make an Impact - Volunteer!

As citizens of the state of Michigan, we are inundated by sorrowful and negative news on a daily basis. From the Big 3 woes, home foreclosures and homelessness, many families and individuals in the mitten state feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

There are so many amazing organizations throughout southeast Michigan that work diligently to help those in need. With the holidays sneaking up on us at lightning speed, many people will be seeking assistance. So what can you, as one single person, do to make a difference? Volunteer.

I, along with my gal pals Lauren (@metrogal84), Sarah (@sarshie) and Kendall participated in Panera Bread and United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Impact Your Neighborhood program on Saturday at Gleaners Food Bank in Warren, Mich.

DISCLAIMER: If you read my blog or know me well, you know that Panera is my client. I am not writing this to promote or publicize Panera. I am writing about this because volunteering and giving back to my community makes me happy :)

Impact Your Neighborhood is a regional initiative aiming to build stronger communities in metro Detroit. The program offered one-time volunteer projects on select Saturdays in September, October and November. The Gleaners volunteer day was the last project this year, but due to overwhelming interest in the program, we're hoping to expand it next year...so be on the lookout for more details in the future!

So what did we do to make an impact? We helped sort a variety of goods into boxes, then packaged individual boxes for families to take back home with them. Simple, right? All it took was a few short hours and what we did will give happiness to people who are suffering. It was so great to see how many volunteers got up early on a Saturday and took time out of their precious weekend to make a difference.

As I previously mentioned, there are a TON of organizations throughout metro Detroit aiming to help struggling families and individuals that I'm sure are in need of volunteers now and throughout the holidays. Here are a few:

• The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division and The Salvation Army of Washtenaw County
• Food Gatherers
• Lighthouse of Oakland County
• Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
• Spaulding for Children
• Vista Maria
  

That's just a snippet, so feel free to comment about different organizations that you feel passionate about or ones that need volunteers.

Next up on the volunteer schedule -- ringing bells for The Salvation Army. More to come on that...

One Magazine, Many Things Learned

I love having something to look forward to. It always seems to make the dragging days/months (although since I've started working I can't recall many days that have dragged!) breeze on by. People look forward to a variety of things - weddings, concerts, vacations, movie premiers, etc. I look forward to all of those fun things too, but sometimes I just look forward to reading a good book or one of my favorite magazines at the end of a brain-numbing day.

As the end of each month approaches, either or LDub or I make a point to stop by one of our local Panera Bread bakery-cafes and pick up a copy of Strut Magazine. Now of course I would be a fool to not monitor this woman-empowering pub every month for client purposes. But on a more selfish and self-indulging note, I read it for my own personal pleasure...AND because I always seem to learn something new and inspiring after I read it. The writing and article topics are just so darn creative and witty! So I thought I'd share the wealth and write about some of my favorite parts of August's "Moving On" issue.

First off, I'm a quote fanatic. Back in the day, I had time to log my teenage thoughts in a journal and search hours on end for quotes and poems that moved me. I may not do that now, but I always make sure to take note of quotes that catch my eye. Here are a few favs from Strut's August issue:

"Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience."

Victoria Holt

"Pick the day, enjoy it - to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come. The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present - and I don't want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future."
Audrey Hepburn

"If you must leave a place that you have lived in and loved and where all your yesterdays are buried deep - leave it any way except a slow way, leave it the fastest way you can. Never turn back, and never believe that an hour you remember is a better hour because it is dead."
Beryl Markham

While I basically read Strut cover to cover, I'd have to say that the article I most align myself with is six surefire secrets to stand out from the crowd from a local PR pro (duh, it's advice from a female PR pro - of course it's my favorite!) When people ask me what my advice is about landing a job in PR straight out of college, I always say the same exact thing: Stand out from the crowd. Looks like I'm not the only one! Here are Sharlan Douglas' ways for job hunters to make themselves shine among the fierce competition:

• It's not about you. Research the company you're applying at online, the name of the person who would hire you and be able to explain why and how you would make this person's life easier.

• Know your competition. Vocalize your unique selling proposition and articulate those differences in a way that positions you against the competition.

• Think strategically. Consider trade-offs to reach your long-term goals, i.e. does the employer offer generous education benefits, or will you have time to participate in a professional association?

• Network. Tell people you know that you're job hunting. People with experience in our field love to share their knowledge.

• Make cold calls. You'll probably have to do this at some point during the job search, just like you'll DEFINITELY have to do this at some point if you work in the PR industry.

• Motivate yourself. Job hunting is a job, so if you don't put your all into it, who will?

FINAL THOUGHT (OK sorry that's very Jerry Springer-ish): Sometimes I wish I could get paid for reading books/magazines/blogs and sharing words of wisdom with anyone who cares about my opinion. Another notch added to the "Things I'd Like to Accomplish One Day" post :)

Birmingham Welcomes Panera Bread

Panera Bread, best known for its artisan breads and scrumptious baked goods, will officially open its first bakery-cafe in downtown Birmingham at 100 Old N. Woodward on Tuesday, May 6 at 5:30 a.m. (check it out on WDIV during the morning!) To celebrate the opening of this new cafe, Panera teamed up with Children's Charities Coalition of Birmingham. Panera will host a benefit night for the coalition on Monday, May 5 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. It's not technically open to the public, but interested passer-bys will not be turned away! Panera will also donate 10 percent of sales to the coalition during the week of May 6-13, so your money will go to a great organization.

So be sure to stop on by the new Birmingham location! Oh, and don't forget to try one of Panera's new breakfast sandwiches! In all honesty (and not because it's my job to do this), the new b. sands (as I like to call them) are far better than any breakfast sandwiches I've tried in the past. And I have been known to love the Egg McMuffin! :)