Try Change

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Cookies N' Cream

We came across a very interesting story in the November issue of Entrepreneur magazine. The magazine featured a story about Cookies N Cream a mobile retail store that utilizes a old DHL truck as it's storefront. Located in NYC these entrenpenuers could have easily been paying $53,000 a month just for rent. Instead they paid just over $10,000 for the used DHL truck including the artistic vinyl wrap that decorates there vehicle.

Cookies N Cream can be found rolling through the streets of SOHO and other hot NYC spots. At Try Change we feel this is just one of many creative ideas that have sprung up during the recession.

Cookies N Cream sells T-shirts and collectible toys sometimes pulling as much as $1,000 a day. Part of their appeal is the customers perception that they may not be able to find the particular shirt or toy since it is a mobile store. You can learn more about Cookies N' Cream at bakedinny.com

At Try Change we feel we can all make a difference. For us, we donate 10% of all our profits to Volunteers of America which serves the homeless in the DC,VA & MD areas. We also adopt a homeless family during the holiday season, donate clothes as well as hold an annual Charity yard sale for VOA.You can find our shirts at:Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall
Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall
Shadows in the Forestville Centre
SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall
Millennium in Georgetown
Sport Zone- Selected locations
D-Block-Lakeforest Mall,Gaithersburg MD
First Thangs First- Waldorf MD
Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD
Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD
New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA
Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV
Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV
Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA
Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
Fashion World- Hurlock MD
City Wear- Farmville, VA

Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.

Idealist

MyBlogLog

Thank you,

Vince & Chrissie

Sunday, August 29, 2010

San Diego Food Bank

At Try Change we like to showcase individuals and organizations that are making a difference.

Since we have moved to San Diego, I think we should highlight a local charity here in our new hometown! The San Diego Food Bank was established in 1977. They estimate that they distribute over 15 million pounds of food annually and feed 300,00 people per month.

As stated on their website their mission is "To provide food to people in need, advocate for the hungry and educate the public about hunger related issues."

How can you donate food?

Call the San Diego Food Bank toll free, 1-866-350-FOOD (3663), to learn about food programs and services in your area. Someone will be available to assist you Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about the San Diego Food Bank, feel free to contact us directly toll free at 1.866.350.FOOD (3663), locally at 858.527.1419 or at any of of the below departments. 9850 Distribution Avenue San Diego, California 92121

Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall

Shadows in the Forestville Centre

SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall

Millennium in Georgetown

Sport Zone- Selected locations

D-Block-Lakeforest Mall,Gaithersburg MD

First Thangs First- Waldorf MD

Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD

Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD

New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA

Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV

Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV

Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA

Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

Fashion World- Hurlock MD

City Wear- Farmville, VA

Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.
My Space
Razoo
Idealist
Change.org
MyBlogLog
BlogCatalog
Twitter
Thank you,
Vince & Chrissie

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Mama's Kitchen

Greetings from San Diego!
As you may know at Try Change we like to highlight individuals and organizations that are making a difference in their community.

Tonight we bring you Mama’s Kitchen. As noted on their website

“Mama's Kitchen delivers three nutritional meals a day, seven days a week at no charge to men, women and children living with AIDS or cancer. Additionally, Mama's Kitchen provides pantry services (Mama's Pantry) to people affected by AIDS. Through these services, we are able to provide food, compassion and hope to over 1,500 people annually living throughout San Diego County”

Some people may think that AIDS is no longer a threat to our community. Nothing could be further from the truth. There was over 65,000 people living with HIV (not AIDS) or with AIDS at the end of 2007, and reported AIDS case rates in 2007 in California.
How can you help?
At Mama's Kitchen a family of volunteers provides critical support for their mission and all the difference in the lives of their clients, whether they volunteer for a few hours a day, a week or a month. Many of the volunteers have made new friends that last a lifetime!
It’s easy to get started. Your first step is to attend a volunteer orientation.

All Orientation sessions are held at our main facility, 1875 Second Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101. We are located on the ground floor of the church building at the corner of Second and Fir. Please use the adjacent parking lot and enter at that same level.
As a volunteer-driven, not-for-profit organization, Mama's Kitchen respects the right to privacy of all citizens, but also has a responsibility to make every attempt to provide the safest environment for our clients and volunteers. As a result of this responsibility, staff and volunteers are required to participate in reference checks. Please be prepared to provide us with the email addresses of two people whom we may contact. These should not be relatives, but should be teachers, employers or other community members.

To confirm orientation dates and times or for more information, contact us at 619.233.6262 or by email at bill@mamaskitchen.org

At Try Change we salute Mamas Kitchen!

You can find our shirts at:
Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall

Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall

Shadows in the Forestville Centre

SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall

Millennium in Georgetown

Sport Zone- Selected locations

D-Block-Lakeforest Mall,Gaithersburg MD

First Thangs First- Waldorf MD

Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD

Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD

New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA

Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV

Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV

Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA

Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

Fashion World- Hurlock MD

City Wear- Farmville, VA

Thank you,
Vince & Chrissie

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Ronald McDonald House

With our recent move to California we have not had the chance to blog as much we would have liked to. However were back in saddle and would like to highlight Ronald McDonald House. I was recently given a tour at the local Ronald McDonald house so lets take a look at the Southern California program. I am sure most people have heard about this organization but we still thought it would be great to blog about it.

As stated on their website:

For more than 30 years, the programs of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Southern California (RMHCSC) have been committed to providing comfort, care and support to children and families in Southern California through a variety of wellness and educational programs. Across the Southland, RMHCSC is working to create a community where children and families embrace life and healing with a sense of hope, enthusiasm, courage and joy.

Camp Ronald McDonald House for Good Times is just one program:

Located near the mountain community of Idyllwild in Riverside County, Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times offers children with cancer and their siblings free, medically-supervised weekend and week long sessions filled with a variety of activities including arts and crafts, campfires, sports, swimming, hiking and horseback riding

Want to find out more about Ronald McDonald House?

For more information on the programs of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California, please contact them:

Phone: (626) 744-9449

Fax: (626) 744-9969
765 South Pasadena Avenue Pasadena, CA 91105

You can find our shirts at:

Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall
Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall
Shadows in the Forestville Centre
SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall
Millennium in Georgetown
Sport Zone- Selected locations
D-Block-Lakeforest Mall,
Gaithersburg MD
First Thangs First- Waldorf MD
Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD
Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD
New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA
Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV
Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV
Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA
Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
Fashion World- Hurlock MD
City Wear- Farmville, VA
Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.

Idealist

MyBlogLog

Thank you,

Vince & Chrissie

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Volunteers of America - San Diego

As you know we at Try Change like to highlight individuals that are making a difference in their community. You may also know that we are official partners of Volunteers of America of Chesapeake. We support Volunteers of America through charity yard sales, adopting a homeless family during the holiday season and by donating 10% of our profits from our T-Shirt sales to VOA Chesapeake. What you may not know is that we recently decided to pursue our dream of living on the west coast by moving to San Diego.

So here we are in sunny San Diego and we would like to highlight the great works that is being done by Volunteers of America of Southwest California.

Here's some information from their website:

Founded in 1896, Volunteers of America is a nonprofit health and human services organization that assists less fortunate individuals and families. We provide them with the tools to improve their quality of life. The purpose of our programs is to strengthen the social, spiritual, psychological and physical well-being of those we serve.

The service territory for Volunteers of America of Southwest California encompasses San Diego, Imperial, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Our experience with VOA has shown that it is a great organization. VOA touches the lives of so many people in so many outstanding ways. From substance abuse programs to programs that help families with domestic violence issues.

How can you help:

You can donate your time

You can donate online

Donate an item on their wish list

Their are also many other ways you can help to learn more we encourage you to visit contact Volunteers of America -Southwest California

You can find our shirts at:
Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall

Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall

Shadows in the Forestville Centre

SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall

Millennium in Georgetown

Sport Zone- Selected locations

D-Block-Lakeforest Mall,

Gaithersburg MD

First Thangs First- Waldorf MD

Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD

Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD

New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA

Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV

Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV

Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA

Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

Fashion World- Hurlock MD

City Wear- Farmville, VA

Sunday, February 14, 2010

San Diego Center for Children

Recently, I attended an event here in San Diego that benefited the Center for Children. Being new to the area I was unfamiliar with the organization. However, by the end of the night I learned so much about the San Diego Center for Children I thought it would be appropriate to highlight this outstanding organization.

As stated on their website:

'The mission of San Diego Center for Children (SDCC) is to promote the well-being of children, youth, families, and communities by providing an array of proven and effective mental health, educational, and social services. Founded in 1887, SDCC is San Diego’s oldest accredited non-profit organization. Today, SDCC has become a leader in providing mental health services to children and families within our community. We offer a variety of programs for children facing behavioral, emotional, social, and educational challenges.SDCC programs support Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and re-establish the learning process while meeting the specific mental health needs of the children and adolescents we serve '

'San Diego Center for Children provides a variety of therapeutic activities for each youth. They are designed to improve social functioning and self image; understand developmental stage and organizational skills of each youth; meet individualized treatment needs; develop new skills and interests; and to provide a means for appropriate self-expression. Sessions include team sports, non-competitive games, aerobic exercise, bike riding, swimming, and field trips. Other more passive sessions include board games, art, music, writing and word games, study skills and creative play. Sessions are developed by a Certified Recreation Specialist and carried through by the Recreation Therapist and/or the CDC staff.'

To learn more about the San Diego Center for Children visit their website at: http://www.centerforchildren.org/

You can find our shirts at:

Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.

Idealist

MyBlogLog

Thank you,
Vince & Chrissie

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Tavis Smiley Foundation

At Try Change we all can make a difference. We also like highlight individuals and organizations that are making a difference in the lives of others. Today we like to showcase the Tavis Smiley Foundation.

As stated on their website "Our goal is to serve as a powerful positive force in young lives to counter the negatives in media and our society as a whole and provide an infrastructure that allows youth to voice their concerns and actively engage meaningful civic participation"

How does the foundation accomplish this mission?

By providing the following programs:

Talented Tenth High School Tour- The goal of this 10-city tour is to enlighten, encourage and empower young people to develop the skills needed to become powerful leaders in their school, community and the world. Tavis Smiley, founder and president of the Tavis Smiley Foundation (TSF), shares what he has learned about strong leaders and engages students in conversations to discover their priorities and motivate them to action. Teachers and students will receive a Youth to Leaders Toolkit of resources. Click here to learn more.

The Tavis Smiley Foundation Leadership Institute is a national five-day interactive leadership curriculum that trains youth to meet the challenges in their communities. Click here to learn more.

Tavis Smiley Foundation Leadership Institute Tour The Institute Road Tour takes our core group of youth trainers and the Leadership Institute curriculum across the United States to conduct a two-day version of the Institute with other young people. Click here to learn more.

Youth to Leaders (Y2L) Ventures To help youth receive funding for community service projects they develop at the TSF Leadership Institute and the 2003 Youth to Leaders National Summit, the Tavis Smiley Foundation partnered with Youth Ventures, a non profit organization dedicated to promoting youth led social entrepreneurial projects. Click here to learn more.

Salute to Youth Leadership Gala A lavish and exclusive affair, the Salute to Youth Leadership Dinner and Gala celebrates the contributions and accomplishments of young leaders and pioneers in youth development while raising money to support the Tavis Smiley Foundation's leadership development programs for African American youth. The annual five-course dinner for 100 is hosted by a celebrity and presented by an African-American executive chef. Click here to learn more.

Smiley ScholarsThe Tavis Smiley Foundation provides scholarships to its program participants who have demonstrated outstanding academic excellence, leadership and service to the community. Past recipients have attended Morehouse College, Yale University and Howard University. Click here to learn more.

Please pay a visit to the Tavis Smiley Foundation website

Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall

Shadows in the Forestville Centre

SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall

Millennium in Georgetown

Sport Zone- Selected locations

D-Block-Lakeforest Mall,

Gaithersburg MD

First Thangs First- Waldorf MD

Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD

Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD

New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA

Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV

Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV

Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA

Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

Fashion World- Hurlock MD

City Wear- Farmville, VA
Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.My Space Razoo IdealistChange.org MyBlogLogBlogCatalog Twitter

Thank you,

Vince

Monday, December 28, 2009

1% of the Planet

As you know at Try Change we like to highlight organization that are making a difference in our community.

We recently came across an very interesting organization called 1% of the Planet. "Since 2002, 1% for the Planet has inspired members of the business community to contribute 1% of sales to environmental groups around the world. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as well."

Why should an organization join 1% of the Planet?

"When we consider the enormity of the environmental crisis it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Obviously, the solution is not as simple as changing an incandescent bulb to a CFL. But 1% for the Planet is enabling businesses to take a lead role in being environmental stewards and to set an example for the rest of the business community. These companies embrace the notion that the sustainability of the natural environment is fundamental to the sustainability of business.
So, altruism aside, why else should a business become a 1% FTP member? Let’s start with opportunities. Membership creates opportunities for companies to network, conduct business and simply associate themselves with over 1,200 companies that have made the same noble commitment. From a consumer standpoint, member companies re-enforce a positive perception of their brand, adding value that can result in greater customer loyalty and an increased customer base, especially among the growing number of people who recognize and appreciate the importance of environmental responsibility."

At Try Change we feel we can all make a difference. For us, we donate 10& of all our profits to Volunteers of America which serves the homeless in the DC,VA & MD areas. We also adopt a homeless family during the holiday season, donate clothes as well as hold an annual Charity yard sale for VOA.You can find our shirts at:Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall
Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall
Shadows in the Forestville Centre
SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall
Millennium in Georgetown
Sport Zone- Selected locations
D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
First Thangs First- Waldorf MD
Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD
Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD
New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA
Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV
Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV
Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA
Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
Fashion World- Hurlock MD
City Wear- Farmville, VA
Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.
My Space
Razoo
Idealist
Change.org
MyBlogLog
BlogCatalog
Twitter

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic

At Try Change we like highlight individuals and organizations that are making a difference in our communities. We feel it's up to each of us to reach out to those who are less fortunate, especially in these tough economic times.

Try Change would like to introduce you to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic. I recently met Ms. Jessica F. Soklow, the Community Relations Manager, at a company event last week. At the meeting Ms. Soklow informed me of all the great things Make-A-Wish does for children with life threatening medical conditions. What impressed me the most were the many fundraising opportunities there are for individuals and companies looking for ways to make a difference in a child's life. From car washes to bingo parties, there's something for everyone!

About Make -A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic

As noted on their website:

"The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that fulfills the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. The Foundation serves children who reside in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia.Founded in 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. has fulfilled the wishes of more than 6,000 children fighting life-threatening medical conditions such as cancer, pediatric AIDS, cystic fibrosis, Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy and heart disease. A wish fulfilled creates a memorable experience for a child fighting a life-threatening medical condition and gives him or her something positive to think about instead of medical treatments and hospital visits. Recent wishes include visiting Walt Disney World® Resort, taking a family vacation, receiving a home computer, having a bedroom redecorated and meeting the Jonas Brothers. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. is affiliated with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America."

Please visit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic's new website. There you can learn about volunteer opportunities as well as the organizations latest news and events.

Jessica, thank you for taking the time to inform us about your great organization!

Thanks for making a difference!

Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall
Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall
Shadows in the Forestville Centre
SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall
Millennium in Georgetown
Sport Zone- Selected locations
D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
First Thangs First- Waldorf MD
Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD
Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD
New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA
Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV
Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV
Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA
Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
Fashion World- Hurlock MD
City Wear- Farmville, VA

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Keen

At Try Change we know how important it is to give back to the community we live in. We also know how challenging itcan be given the high pressure world in which we live. However we found a unique way to give back that can be done on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

How could you give back on any given weekend? How about being a volunteer coach for developmentally disabled children and young adults. You can do so at KEEN Greater DC!

As noted on their website "KEEN is a national, nonprofit volunteer-led organization that provides one-to-one recreational opportunities for children and young adults with developmental and physical disabilities at no cost to their families and caregivers. KEEN's mission is to foster the self-esteem, confidence, skills and talents of its athletes through non-competitive activities, allowing young people facing even the most significant challenges to meet their individual goals"

"All of KEEN's programs are based on a single principle: pair a trained volunteer with an athlete and let them discover together how much they can do. Programs are all open and unstructured, allowing athletes facing significant challenges to have fun and be successful. KEEN Greater DC now operates a dozen programs throughout the national capital area"

Interested in volunteering? You can contact KEEN at:

KEEN Greater DC

P.O.Box 341590

Bethesda, MD 20827-1590

301/770-3200

mailto:20827-1590301/770-3200info@keengreaterdc.org

At Try Change we feel we can all make a difference. For us, we donate 10& of all our profits to Volunteers of America which serves the homeless in the DC,VA & MD areas. We also adopt a homeless family during the holiday season, donate clothes as well as hold an annual Charity yard sale for VOA.You can find our shirts at:
Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall

Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall

Shadows in the Forestville Centre

SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall

Millennium in Georgetown

Sport Zone- Selected locations

D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

First Thangs First- Waldorf MD

Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD

Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD

New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA

Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV

Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV

Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA

Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

Fashion World- Hurlock MD

City Wear- Farmville, VA

Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.

Idealist

MyBlogLog

Saturday, October 31, 2009

All for Good

Tonight we at Try Change brings you a very exciting website for those who are looking for ways to volunteer in their community. All for Good takes volunteer listings from several sites including Craiglist and Meetup and places them under one umbrella.

At All for Good you can:

Find volunteer activities near you

Share volunteer activities with your friends

See what friends are interested in

Track volunteer activities that you care about

Visit http://www.allforgood.org/ to learn how you can also add the site to your blog, website and Facebook.

Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall
Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall
Shadows in the Forestville Centre
SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall
Millennium in Georgetown
Sport Zone- Selected locations
D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
First Thangs First- Waldorf MD
Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD
Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD
New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA
Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV
Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV
Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA
Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
Fashion World- Hurlock MD
City Wear- Farmville, VA
Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.
My Space
Razoo
Idealist
Change.org
MyBlogLog
BlogCatalog
Twitter

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Ashoka

This week at Try Change we would like to introduce you to Ashoka. Never heard of them? Well, if you're a social entrepreneur you need to know about them.

Here's some information pulled from thier website:

"Ashoka is the global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs—men and women with system changing solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems. Since 1981, we have elected over 2,000 leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows, providing them with living stipends, professional support, and access to a global network of peers in more than 60 countries.
With our global community, we develop models for collaboration and design infrastructure needed to advance the field of social entrepreneurship and the citizen sector.
Our Fellows inspire others to adopt and spread their innovations - demonstrating to all citizens that they too have the potential to be powerful changemakers

How do they support social entrepenuers?

Support Social Entrepreneurs
-->
Ashoka invests in people. We search the world for leading social entrepreneurs and at the launch stage, provide these entrepreneurs—Ashoka Fellows—a living stipend for an average of three years, allowing them to focus full-time on building their institutions and spreading their ideas. We also provide our Fellows with a global support network of their peers and partnerships with professional consultants. Once elected to the Ashoka Fellowship, Fellows benefit from this community for life.

Venture
Venture is the mechanism through which Ashoka finds and supports the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. Ashoka was founded on the Venture model 25 years ago, and Venture remains the heart of Ashoka—the work upon which all of our efforts depend.We believe that the growth of a global citizen sector begins with the work of individual social entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs drive the sector forward, responding to new challenges and changing needs. They are rooted in local communities but think and act globally. They are the ultimate role models and the pillars of Ashoka’s vision of Everyone a Changemaker™. "

You can find our shirts at:

Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall

Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall

Shadows in the Forestville Centre

SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall

Millennium in Georgetown

Sport Zone- Selected locations

D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

First Thangs First- Waldorf MD

Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD

Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD

New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA

Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV

Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV

Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA

Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

Fashion World- Hurlock MD

City Wear- Farmville, VA

Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Walk for the Homeless

At Try Change we like to recognize organizations that are making a difference in their communities. Volunteers of America Chesapeake is one such organization. We feel especially proud of VOA Chesapeake since we are official partners of their organization.

On Saturday November 7, you can go to the Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Center and join them for their walk and litter patrol along the Route 1 corridor otherwise known as Jefferson David Highway.

Registration forms are at the center and are $25 for adults and $15 for youth up to age 25. Register by October 25 to have your walk shirt assured on November 7 for the walk. Shirt distribution and Center tours begin at 11am. The Walk begins at noon. Teams will walk for a half-hour in any direction and come back a slightly different route to pick up additional litter.

The Center is especially the kids that live there or have lived there, make regular efforts to improve the appearance of the Route 1 corridor.

All registrations are tax deductible And monetary donations to the Center are tax deductible. Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Center operated by Volunteers of America Chesapeake, serves singles and families. 50% of our homeless residents are children. The average age of their children was six years of age in 2008. The national average is nine.

At Try Change we feel we can all make a difference. For us, we donate 10& of all our profits to Volunteers of America which serves the homeless in the DC,VA & MD areas. We also adopt a homeless family during the holiday season, donate clothes as well as hold an annual Charity yard sale for VOA.You can find our shirts at:Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall
Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall
Shadows in the Forestville Centre
SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall
Millennium in Georgetown
Sport Zone- Selected locations
D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
First Thangs First- Waldorf MD
Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD
Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD
New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA
Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV
Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV
Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA
Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
Fashion World- Hurlock MD
City Wear- Farmville, VA

Sunday, September 27, 2009

The Crumley House

At Try Change we like to recognized individuals and organizations that are making a difference in our communities. One such organization is the Crumley House located in Limestone Tennessee. I recently had the pleasure to tour this facility during a trip to Jonesborough Tennessee.

The Crumley House specializes in the rehabilitation of individuals who have suffered brain injuries.

They offer over 20 programs including:

Vocational & Pre-Vocational Training
Independent Living Skills
Behavior Modification
Competitive Employment Placement
Community Re-entry
Job Coaching
Daily Living Skills
College Tutoring

With 14 rooms and plenty of land Crumley House offers it's residents not only some of the programs listed above but also exercise programs, fishing and swimming and an Equestrian program as well. The Equestrian program is a special source of pride for Crumley House since this allows some of the wheelchair residents to actually ride horses.

As discussed on their website:

"The Crumley House opened it's doors in the summer of 1992. Although from a far this may have looked like the beginning, the dream that became a reality was born in 1981. On a September afternoon, the lives of then 14 year old Lori Beth Ford and her family were dramatically and forever changed. Following a tragic automobile accident, this beautiful and vibrant teenager became a brain injury survivor.
After several weeks in a coma, Lori Beth awakened with a frontal lobe injury to her brain. She was unable to walk, speak, or eat. The accident ended years of ballet, horseback riding, cheerleading, and many other outstanding endeavors. However, it did not end her life The goals changed but the drive and support of her family did not. Ms. Barrett, who knew very little on the subject of traumatic brain injury, did not hesitate. She immersed herself in Lori's hands-on rehabilitation and recovery. She discovered throughout the process that there was a crucial missing link in the rehabilitation cycle. There was no place to support the transition between acute rehabilitation, community reentry, and independent living skills. From this idea grew what is now The Crumley House."

During my tour, I witnessed many moving experiences but if there was one thing that stayed with me it's this----

Anyone one of us , at any time can suffer a brain injury.

Don't think so? Here are some sobering statistics:

Every 21 seconds someone receives a brain injury in the US
Every 5 minutes one of these people will die
Of those who do survive (70,000 to 90,000) will have a lifelong loss of function
Traumatic Brain Injury is the leading killer and cause of disability in teenagers and young adults

The team at Crumley House is doing a fantastic job by helping victims of Traumatic Brain Injury re-enter society. Please help Try Change spread the word about The Crumley House. The Crumley House Brain Injury Foundations has been set up to accept donations to assist with a planned expansion and continuation of the much needed services they provide.

You can learn more about Crumley House at:

http://www.crumleyhouse.com/

Phone 423-257-3644

Toll Free 866-892-7246

Email- staff@crumleyhouse.com

Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall

Shadows in the Forestville Centre

SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall

Millennium in Georgetown

Sport Zone- Selected locations

D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

First Thangs First- Waldorf MD

Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD

Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD

New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA

Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV

Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV

Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA

Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

Fashion World- Hurlock MD

City Wear- Farmville, VA

Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.

Monday, September 07, 2009

Yard Sale Success!

Sorry it took us so long to post but the Try Change Charity Yard Sale was a big success! We raised over $300 for Volunteers of America Chesapeake and donated two loads of household items and clothes to the shelter! We were afraid that no one would show up because of the threat of rain but people were actually there before we had even finished unloading. Thank you to everyone that had a word with their connections about the rain issue :-)

Thank you to our friends, family, co-workers and neighbors for supporting our efforts! It was just amazing the amount of donations we received. Special thanks to Rose & David for all of the help! We never could have done it without you.

Just a reminder that all of this was in support of Volunteers of America Chesapeake. We encourage all of our readers to visit their website and learn about what VOA Chesapeake is doing in our area and what VOA as a whole is doing across the country. We have chosen to support this charity for many reasons but one of which is their many programs and direct involvement in the communities they support. With the recession and the deep decline in the housing market effecting every one, there is even more reason to support VOA and their programs. Homelessness and drug abuse effects the entire community not just individuals. Each of us truly can make a difference!

Thank you again to every one for the support!

Chrissie & Vince

You can find our shirts at:

Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall
Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall
Shadows in the Forestville Centre
SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall
Millennium in Georgetown
Sport Zone- Selected locations
D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
First Thangs First- Waldorf MD
Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD
Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD
New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA
Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV
Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV
Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA
Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
Fashion World- Hurlock MD
City Wear- Farmville, VA

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

3rd Annual Try Change Charity Yard Sale!

3rd Annual Try Change
Charity Yard Sale!

Saturday, August 29th
8am to Noon
100% of all proceeds go to Volunteers of America Chesapeake!

There will be Clothing, Jewelry, Antiques,
Holiday Decor, Coca-Cola collectables and much more!

We'll be in the Beau Ridge Neighborhood in Woodbridge
Directions From Springfield:
Take 95 South to the Rippon Landing Exit
Take a Right onto Rt. 1 South
Make a Right onto Cardinal Drive
Then a Left onto Beau Ridge Drive
We'll be in the lot on your left under the power lines.

You can also click on the map below:

View Larger Map

or enter "Beau Ridge Drive, Woodbridge VA 22193" in Mapquest or Google Maps
or you can always call us at 703-261-7099 or email us at trychange@aol.com

We hope to see you there!! Remember all proceeds from this yard sale go to Volunteers of America Chesapeake! You can help our community and find some new treasures too!!

Thanks for your support!

Vince & Chrissie

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Charlottesville Women's 4 Miler

Tonight we are offering our support for a friend of ours who is running the Charlottesville Women's 4 Miler. The funds raised will benefit the University of Virginia Cancer Center Breast Care Program. The funds that Jillian raises will support patient and community education programs and services for individuals diagnosed with cancer. Last year they raised $321,000! This year they'd like to take it even further and raise $400,000. We are bringing this cause to the attention of our reader to help make that a reality!

If you would like to make a donation or learn more about volunteering for the event please visit their website at:

http://www.womens4miler.com/

If you'd like to make a donation directly you can send it to:

Women's Four Miler

PO BOX 800773

Charlottesville VA 22908

Please mention that you are sponsoring Jillian Pe. when sending in your donation or you can donate directly online at the website above.

We really appreciate everyone's support!

Vince & Chrissie

Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall

Shadows in the Forestville Centre

SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall

Millennium in Georgetown

Sport Zone- Selected locations

D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

First Thangs First- Waldorf MD

Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD

Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD

New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA

Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV

Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV

Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA

Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

Fashion World- Hurlock MD

City Wear- Farmville, VA

Help us pass along the Try Change message by joining one of our blog communities and asking your blog community members to visit our blog.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Try Change has been featured on Complex Fashion!

Complex Fashion is "a new multi-faceted fashion company here to create a next generation online fashion community". Check out their blog to read the feature about us and check out other cool designers and fashions!

Thank you Anthony and Complex Fashion!

Vince

__________________________________________________________________

Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall
Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall
Shadows in the Forestville Centre
SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall
Millennium in Georgetown
Sport Zone- Selected locations
D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
First Thangs First- Waldorf MD
Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD
Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD
New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA
Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV
Hot Stepper -Martinsburg WV
Urban Flavor- Old Town, Manassas, VA
Heartbeat- Lake Forest Mall, Gaithersburg MD
Fashion World- Hurlock MD
City Wear- Farmville, VA

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Terry Prince

As we mentioned in last week’s blog, we met several interesting people while on vacation out in California. We were staying in San Diego but we decided to take a day trip up to Santa Monica. That’s where we met Terry Prince. Terry is a singer song writer with a commitment to inspiring others. His music is about love, inspiration and self-determination. And in what seems to have been the theme of our trip, Terry Prince’s music and passion is also about living your dream. He took the leap several years ago and has been living his music ever since. Terry also believes in supporting his community and helping others. He wrote the theme song “To Belong” for Camp to Belong which is a camp that helps to reunite foster children with their siblings and he also released a single to raise money for Habitat for Humanity in Las Vegas.

Currently Terry Prince is performing at the far end of the Santa Monica Pier. Stop by to watch and listen if you are in the area. His performance will touch you. The Pier is a free venue (food, rides, games and parking come at a reasonable cost but the entertainment is free). You can also pick up a copy of Terry’s CD while you are there.
If you have a chance to see Terry, tell him Vince and Chrissie from Try Change say hi and keep on inspiring!

Fashion Mechanics in the Springfield and Manassas Mall

Evado in the Fair Oaks Mall

Shadows in the Forestville Centre

SWANK in the Pentagon City Mall

Millennium in Georgetown

Sport Zone- Selected locations

D-Block-Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg MD

First Thangs First- Waldorf MD

Next Level Clothing- Ellicott City MD

Turning Point- Laurel Centre Mall, Laurel MD

New York Fashions- Charlottesville VA

Fashion Kings- Bridgeport WV