December Happy Hippy Mama

The Christmas Season in my hometown Peninsula, Ohio. :) 

Happy December All,

We are happy and excited to welcome the Christmas season into our home.  The guests from out of town, the delicious food, and the fun outings top our list. Gift-giving and receiving is fun, but it is the joy of spending time together with family and friends that warms my heart. 

I am looking forward to cookie baking, tree trimming, and gift wrapping with those I love. At the same time, I am aware of the need to slow down, breathe, and remember what this season is truly about.  To remember that pausing and taking care of myself is equally important. Life is short, enjoy the holidays, don’t kill yourself trying to make them perfect. You are enough. :) 

This month I am sharing part of an article I wrote for Wish Cleveland, about three businesses (who would be great to support during this busy holiday season)  that are using the social enterprise model.  They seek to balance successful businesses with social goals. They work to tackle social problems, improve people's lives and futures, support local communities, and/or help the environment in ways that benefit their neighbors and their neighborhoods.  Amazing right? 

Motogo 

Motogo is a mobile shop class that travels throughout the greater Cleveland area, offering a class on wheels. Through providing hands-on instruction in motorcycle maintenance, Motogo also provides students with an opportunity to build confidence and develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.  An underlying premise of the class is that higher learning and vocational careers should not be mutually exclusive and that ALL students benefit from understanding how machines work.

Molly Vaughan, Executive Director of Skidmark CLE’s Motogo Program, asks if you “remember tinkering in your Grandpa’s garage. You loved it, right? While schools no longer offer those opportunities, our kids still love it.” 

Vaughan explains that “Last year, Motogo worked with 283 students in over 220 hours of programming. This school year, we are on target to double those numbers,”  adding that she’d be grateful for our support in helping Motogo “bring back shop class to students across Northeast Ohio.”

Upcycle Parts Shop

Founded by Nicole McGee and Devon Fegen-Herdman, Upcycle Parts Shop is the leader in sustainable art and craft supplies in Cleveland, Ohio. This non-profit is dedicated to provoking creativity and promoting community through reuse.  At Upcycle Parts, you can donate used art and craft supplies and can also purchase such items at modest prices.  The shop serves thousands of participants each year by supplying materials to creative endeavors, leading programming, and building community in Cleveland's St. Clair neighborhood.

Since opening in 2014, Upcycle has diverted over twenty-seven tons of waste from the landfill.  Co-founder Nicole McGee says that “We truly mean it when we say we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the support of hundreds of people.” 

Cosmic Bobbins

At Cosmic Bobbins, they create apparel that empowers the community. Through trauma-informed practice in art-based education, screen printing, sewing, embroidery services, and workforce development, Cosmic Bobbins’ work defines the spirit of hope in the Greater Cleveland area.

Founded in 2002, Cosmic Bobbins has as its mission the creation of jobs for those who are typically underserved through promoting art-based entrepreneurship, providing sewing education, and establishing outreach in the community.  Cosmic Bobbins is committed to creating a community where social good becomes a lifestyle, a community where people are meaningfully employed and the essence is a spirit of hope.

To read the article in its entirety visit: https://wishcleveland.com/givingtuesdaycle-the-good-hat-bash-and-you-part-ii/  Support these companies or small businesses like them this holiday season and know you are helping the greater good.  To check-in or continue the conversation shoot me an email at HappyHippyMama@yahoo.com or visit us on Facebook at Happy Hippy Mama.

This months mantra:

I will put myself on my list of loved ones.

If you take care of yourself even half as well as you do everyone else, you'll be way ahead when the holidays are over. Watch your sleep, nutrition, and exercise — and make sure you're having fun, too.

This months mingle option:

The Good Hat Bash 

Tuesday, December 3, 2019, 5:30 pm 

Beachland Ballroom

15711 Waterloo Rd

Cleveland, OH 44110

Put on your good hat or any hat really and join us for an epic celebration! 

Every year, nonprofits big and small throughout Cleveland join the global #GivingTuesday movement, a worldwide day of generosity fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. For the second year in a row, WISH Cleveland is inviting you to help harness and celebrate the collective impact of generosity in our community.  This fundraiser is open to the public and tickets are $30  via the website www.dogoodcle.org.

Until next time...Namaste