With its mission to inspire, equip, and mobilize a nationwide network of kids and teen volunteers this holiday season, generationOn kicked off its two signature campaigns Monday, November 10, 2014 to provide youth, families and schools with easy and meaningful ways to give back to their communities.

The campaigns – The Joy Maker Challenge and Family Volunteer Day – offer welcome respites from the end-of-year crush of social, work and school obligations, while enabling participants to contribute to and connect with the true spirit of the holiday season.

“One of the big ironies of the holiday season is that although it is often thought of as ‘family time,’ in reality it is the busiest time of the year, and meaningful connections often get lost in the shuffle,” said Daniel Horgan, generationOn Executive Director. “Volunteering during the holidays is the perfect way to spend time together while participating in activities that enhance and benefit our communities. generationOn makes it easier than ever this year to get youth, families and schools motivated and engaged.”

Since launching in 2010, generationOn – the youth and family division of Points of Light, the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service – has been committed to making volunteering as easy and accessible as possible. By partnering with teachers, parents, schools, community organizations and businesses, generationOn gives kids and teens the inspiration, opportunities, tools and resources to positively impact their neighborhoods and become part of the solution.

“Your child can learn from a young age how to appreciate the things they have and the importance of helping those who are less fortunate,” said parenting expert and generationOn partner Dr. Michele Borba. “Starting a tradition of coming together as a family and helping people in need in your community is very important, as children learn values and behaviors by watching their parents’ actions.”

With its holiday volunteer campaigns that launched Monday, November 10, 2014 generationOn provides immediate opportunities to get involved.

The Joy Maker Challenge Engages Tens of Thousands of Youth in Service

For the fifth year in a row, generationOn is proud to partner with Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) for The Joy Maker Challenge, a campaign that connects students in grades K-12 to meaningful, hands-on service projects during the holiday season. For each action a child or teen takes to help others as part of The Joy Maker Challenge, Hasbro will donate a toy or game to Toys for Tots, up to one million dollars’ worth.

 From November 10 through December 10, 2014, students and teachers can sign up for The Joy Maker Challenge through www.generationon.org/joymaker. They can get project ideas, download a service project planning tool kit and submit their service impact stories via the website for the chance to win prizes. Twenty schools will receive a $250 grant to support continued service in their community. One grand prize-winning school will receive a $1,000 grant to support continued service, a special holiday party package, and $10,000 worth of toys and games that can be used to bring joy to kids in need in their own community.

“At Hasbro, we believe all children, regardless of their age, have the ability to change the world,” said Karen Davis, SVP of Global Philanthropy & Social Impact at Hasbro, Inc.  “For five years now, The Joy Maker Challenge and generationOn have engaged hundreds of thousands of youth worldwide to spread joy during the holiday season and the entire Hasbro family is once again proud to help extend this amazing work by making a donation to Toys for Tots.”

Call for Families to Come Together for Service

During this season of giving, Family Volunteer Day celebrates 24 years of tapping into the power of families to positively impact their neighborhoods, communities and the world. Disney Friends for Change, a global initiative that inspires kids and families to take action, and generationOn once again join to invite families of all kinds to come together on November 22, 2014 for a day of service. Activities can range from local clean-up projects to providing Thanksgiving meals for others in need to making cards for children in the hospital.

Families are encouraged to share their story at www.generationon.org/fvd for a chance to win one of twenty “family night out” prize packages, and ten families with amazing service impact stories will be selected for inclusion in a fall issue of FamilyFun Magazine.

“Coming together and volunteering as a family shows kids first-hand how even one act of caring can make a real difference in someone else’s life,” said Mike Strautmanis, vice president of Strategic Programs, Corporate Citizenship at Disney. “Disney is proud to continue our sponsorship of Family Volunteer Day to inspire kids and families to develop a lifelong love of service and share in our commitment to creating a brighter tomorrow.”

generationOn

generationOn is the youth and family service division of Points of Light, igniting the power of kids, teens and families to make their mark on the world. generationOn inspires, equips and mobilizes hundreds of thousands of kids and teens annually to take action through service, service learning and youth leadership initiatives. It also provides tools and resources to kids, teens, families, youth practitioners and educators to help kids change the world and themselves through service. For more information, visit www.generationon.org.

Points of Light
Points of Light – the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages more than 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it matters most. For more information, go to pointsoflight.org.

About Hasbro

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company dedicated to fulfilling the fundamental need for play for children and families through the creative expression of the Company’s world class brand portfolio, including TRANSFORMERS, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH, MY LITTLE PONY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF and LITTLEST PET SHOP. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative play and entertainment experiences, in a variety of forms and formats, anytime and anywhere.  The Company’s Hasbro Studios is responsible for entertainment brand-driven storytelling around Hasbro brands across television, film, commercial productions and short-form.  Through the company’s deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named to the Civic 50 as one of the “Most Community-Minded Companies” and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens.” Learn more at www.hasbro.com.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. Being a good corporate citizen is a time-honored Disney tradition. Through contributions, collaborations with local organizations, in-kind gifts and volunteering, Disney helps to brighten the lives of kids and families in need and strengthen communities around the world. In 2013, the Company donated nearly $370 million in cash, in-kind support and products, and Disney VoluntEARS gave over 667,000 hours of service. For more information visit the waltdisneycompany.com/citizenship or @CitizenDisney.

Credit: generationOn, Walt Disney Company, Hasbro and Points of Light.

Los Cerritos Center is pleased to unveil a full calendar of seasonal events to warm the holiday spirit. Shoppers can enjoy visits with Santa, family-friendly festive activities, partake in opportunities to give back and also win big this holiday season.

Los Cerritos Center invites guests to Shop Early this Thanksgiving holiday. Macy’s, Sears, Forever 21 and several other retailers will open doors at 6 p.m. and many other mall retailers will be open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving night. The retailers and mall doors will remain open through Black Friday, November 28 until 10 p.m. for the ultimate holiday shopping experience.

Families can experience the wonder of Santa’s Village in the modern and digital age at the Santa HQ presented by HGTV. Now through December 24 visit the HQ and get scanned by the ‘Naughty or Nice O’Meter, visit Santa’s Observatory in ELF-RAY Vision, and then take a photo with Old St. Nicholas himself. Skip the line and reserve your space in advance online at http://santa-hq.com.

On December 2, 9 and 16 from 6-8 p.m., the Santa HQ will welcome the Santa Paws Pet Photo Nights in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society. Bring your furry friends for a memorable photo with Santa. Best Friends Animal Society will be hosting pet adoptions on-site and $2 from every pet photo package purchased will go back to help the organization continue their mission to rescue animals.

Sounds of the Season returns to Los Cerritos Center to warm the musical spirit. The series will feature special performances by the Good News Kids with Dean & Mary Jean Brown on December 8 at 7:30 p.m. and D. P’s Angels Orchestra performing on December 24 at 10 a.m.

On Saturday, December 13 at 11 a.m., Kids Club Powered by National Geographic will offer a seasonally inspired Penguin Holiday Party. Kids will learn about their tuxedo-dressed penguin friends and their behaviors through songs and games. Each child that attends Kids Club will receive a complimentary ticket to visit CHILL, the winter holiday wonderland at The Queen Mary.

Los Cerritos Center is offering sweepstakes and incentives to sweeten your shopping experience this holiday season. Now through December 24, visit http://shoploscerritoscenter.com and enter for your chance to win $10,000 courtesy of HGTV’s Home for the Holidays Sweepstakes. Purchase a gift card from the mall Guest Services or Mall Management Office of $150 value or more and receive a $15 Mall Visa Gift Card now throughDecember 7. Visit guest services to redeem $350 or more in same day mall receipts December 4-19 and receive a free Knott’s Merry Farm regular admission ticket, a $65 value.

The pregnancy journey can be filled with many questions for couples, not to mention emotions ranging from excitement to confusion (and everything in between). So e.p.t and Path2Parenthood have teamed to create a video letting all the parents-to-be out there know how amazing they are: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4mNJ842IeA&feature=youtu.be

Thanksgiving is a time for food and family, but finding time to see everyone drives many people into a frenzy! Skype andSkype Qik, a brand-new, FREE video messaging app, can help your readers alleviate some of the chaos throughout the entire season of giving.

·         No distance is too far with Skype. Someone can’t make the trip? No problem! Invite family from afar to pull up a virtual chair to your dinner table by logging into Skype. Place a tablet in the center of the dinner table and it’ll like your long distance relatives are there with you (except you’ll have an extra helping of stuffing for yourself!)

·         Too many cooks in the kitchen. Planning a pot luck but don’t want seven types of stuffing? Figure out your holiday menu in advance with minimal effort by creating a Skype Qik group with all of your Turkey Day attendees. Qik video messages will allow your guests to put first dibs on what they’re planning on bringing without lengthy email chains.

·         Feast your eyes on this! Let’s face it – Thanksgiving is all about the food. Use Skype Qik to easily share before and after videos of your Thanksgiving table with your fellow foodies.

·         Dessert and Deals. After your family polishes off the apple pie, someone is bound to run out and get in line for crazy Black Friday deals. Use Skype Qik to show your family and friends videos of the masses waiting in line! They’ll know you really went to retail war on behalf of finding them the perfect holiday present.

Skype not only allows you to video chat with your family and friends, but you can also talk to each other through Skype IM! Additionally, Skype Qik – a FREE, mobile only video messaging app that is separate from the traditional Skype program – is available for download on Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

Credit: Skype. No compensation was received to post.

Looking for a fun way to keep your child wanting to read over the holidays? FarFaria  is the answer! FarFaria is an app for the iPad, iPhone and Android devices, giving families and teachers unlimited access to over 800 illustrated children’s books, and 5 new books are added each week.

Created for children ages 2-9, FarFaria helps children develop a passion for reading and encourages families to spend quality time reading together. FarFaria’s engaging story-discovery experience encourages children to stumble into new stories they’ll love forever.

I received an opportunity to test this app out and I like that there are so many different stories to choose from! Children ages 2-9 will love this! I tried it out on an iPad but this would also be great for the phone when you are traveling through the holidays. My son is a little older but he agreed that this is a cool app for younger kids. I really like that there is a book search and there is even a Book Club so kids can connect with each other. I haven’t actually seen that on any other apps that I have checked out.  One story per day is free, and unlimited-access pricing starts at $4.99/month.

For more information, check out the website. 

We have teamed up for a Holiday Giveaway! One winner will win an unlimited access membership to FarFaria (membership is good for 3 months) but you have to enter fast! Leave a comment below telling us one of your child’s favorite Books! Deadline to enter is November 20th 2014 at 8 am PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org. 
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

“¡Feliz cumpleaños!“ To celebrate its exciting 10^th anniversary milestone, Scholastic Media’s award-winning TV series, Maya & Miguel^™, makes its debut on iTunes – just in time for National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15). For the very first time, all 65 episodes of the energetic animated adventures of 10-year-old twins Maya and Miguel Santos are now available for download on iTunes in a collection featuring six volumes for hours of hilarious entertainment – and multicultural learning – anytime, anywhere! In addition, fans can download a very special episode fromMaya & Miguel: Vol. 1, “Mala Suerte,” for free until October 13.

“For more than a decade, young viewers, particularly English language learners, have strongly connected with Maya & Miguel, and we’re delighted to introduce even more kids and families to the spirited sibling stars and their engaging escapades with the upcoming launch on iTunes,” said Deborah A. Forte, President, Scholastic Media and executive producer and creator of the show. “Maya & Miguel was a groundbreaking success when it first premiered in 2004 and the show, with its emphasis on the importance of multiculturalism, friendship and family, remains just as relevant with today’s children and parents.”

As the Hispanic population in the U.S. continues to increase – Census Bureau data released in June estimates the numbers have grown to 54 million as of July 1, 2013 – it is more important than ever that all children see themselves and their cultures represented in the media.  The long-running Maya & Miguel TV series, airing on PBS KIDS (check local listings), chronicles the exuberant exploits of the dynamic duo, Maya and Miguel, along with their relatives and friends, set against the backdrop of a culturally-rich neighborhood. Showcasing a positive portrayal of Latino family life, language and cultures, the series aims to promote the value of a diverse society while supporting English language learning.

In addition to iTunes, episodes of Maya & Miguel are available for digital download in the LeapFrog App Center.

I received a free episode of Maya & Miguel on iTunes and a special Maya & Miguel package! I loved the episode and recommend it highly for children ages 4+.  I loved the package which includes a Spanish First Words book, 2 Maya & Miguel reading books and TaT-2’s (kids temporary tattoos). I like that Maya & Miguel are very positive role models for children.

We have teamed up for a Giveaway! One winner will also win the same package that I received (Books and Temporary tattoos). To enter leave a message below telling us why you would like to win! Deadline to enter is October 14th, 2014 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected from all entries via Random.org.

Self Disclosure: I did receive a prize package and free itunes download to facilitate this feature.