Last week I moved into my new place. One of the hardest things for me to do was overcome my apprehension to ask for help.

How did I do it? Well, 1) I didn’t have many options: I would’ve either had to shell out a whole lot of money to hire movers or ask my friends for help, and 2) I was so stretched and stressed as it was, I was at the tipping point. I came to terms with reality and realized I didn’t have the money to afford movers, and I let go of the thought that I would be burdening my friends. I mean, that’s what friends are for, right? To be there for you in times of need?

I think this was a real breakthrough for me. From here on out, whenever I’m overwhelmed or in need of help, I won’t be afraid to ask. Have any of you had similar experiences to share? If so, please share in the comments box below!

The tragedy that occurred in Haiti on Tuesday really puts into perspective our petty little issues like being frustrated about the traffic driving to work this morning, or cleaning up after your kids, or your computer crashing…

It makes me count my blessings and look at what I have and where I am in life. The people there, they started out with so little and now they basically have nothing.

We’re all feeling a bit horrified and helpless as the extent of the devastation becomes evident, but there are ways in which we can help. Here are but a few:

1. The American Red Cross sees “immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support” in Haiti. The easiest way to donate is by using a phone. People can text “Haiti” to 90999 and $10 will be charged to their phone bill.
2. UNICEF: “Despite heavy damages to its own offices in Port-au-Prince, UNICEF is ready to provide immediate support to the victims of the unfolding humanitarian crisis.” That’s a statement from UNICEF’s Web site. Get details and donate here or call (800) For Kids or (800) 367-5437.
3. Mercy Corps is accepting donations here or by phone at (888) 256-1900.
4. Musician Wyclef Jean, who was born in Haiti, is accepting donations through his Yele Haiti Foundation. He also said people can donate by texting “Yele” to 501501. Doing so will send $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund. (The charge will appear on your cell phone bill.)
5. “Think globally, give locally,” tweets Tom Rowe from Visit Baltimore, who alerted his followers of three Baltimore organizations that are collecting money for earthquake relief — World Relief, Catholic Relief Services and Lutheran World Relief.

And that’s just for starters. CBS News offers a terrific list of charitable organizations that are offering help to the people of Haiti.

If you know of other ways in which readers can help, let us know by leaving a comment below.

This time of year, the “spirit of giving” starts to make its way into our lives. With a little advance planning, you can extend that spirit of giving beyond your close circle of loved ones to a broader community. It’s one of the best times of year to introduce your family to the importance of community service.

Opportunities abound for people to get involved with different causes, be it collecting toys, working in a soup kitchen, helping out at a senior center, or volunteering at an animal shelter. Organizations are always looking for help during the holiday season, and most are happy to get kids involved. By getting involved with any kind of community service, children end up learning valuable lessons and are introduced to people and ideas that they might otherwise have been sheltered from. Hopefully, these lessons and ideas will stay with them for a long time, making their lives, and the lives of the ones they help, that much better.

Alicia on “Giving Them Choices”

“To a child (and especially to a teenager), volunteering can seem like a pretty stupid thing to spend your time doing, and getting them to go along can be an exercise in negotiating. Instead of just forcing them to take part in an activity of your choosing, talk with your kids and try to discover what they causes interest them, and what activities they may like to do. If they love playing in the outdoors, there are plenty of opportunities provided by local Parks Departments. If they enjoy reading, many senior centers have needs for volunteers to read to residents. Animal lovers can spend time at a shelter taking care of pets in need of adoption. Don’t scare off your children to the idea of volunteerism with a intimidating or unhappy first experience. There are opportunities to fit everyone’s tastes.”

Sarah on “Going Light On The Guilt”

“We all have different reasons for volunteering for our different causes. But what we all share is a sense of satisfaction about giving your time and effort to something we care about. Kids don’t necessarily have that history to base their volunteering on, and, as parents, it’s easy to fall back on using a sense of guilt to encourage kids to engage in community service. As you may guess, guilt doesn’t go very far, especially when you’re dealing with younger children. It’s important to go into a volunteering project with kids emphasizing what you can give, instead of highlighting what the people you are helping don’t have. With the right mindset, kids end up coming away from these experiences with the knowledge that they are important enough to make a real difference in someone’s life, and that’s a feeling they’ll want to relive over and over again.”

Alright everyone. Let’s turn off the TV and put away the video games. Here are some simple steps to introduce your kids to the world of community service.

#1: One Toy In, One Toy Out

Before anyone opens up any presents this holiday season, talk with your kids about setting up a “One Toy In, One Toy Out” rule. It’s a tough conversation at first, as, no matter how long it’s been since they played with a certain toy, giving it away seems like a tragedy. But let them know that, while they’re enjoying their new toys, they would be making the holiday season extra special by making one of their old toys the favorite present of someone who doesn’t have any toys at all.

#2: Family Community Service Hour

A great way to showcase all the different ways of volunteering to your kids is to make an hour out of every week into Family Community Service Hour. Each week your family can participate in a different activity, from cleaning up a local park, to helping at the local animal shelter, to planting flowers or trees, to renovating low income housing. The possibilities are endless, and you’ll no doubt find a family volunteering activity that becomes a favorite.

#3: Soup Kitchen Tradition

Everyone has family holiday traditions. Well, it’s never too late to add one. Whether its around Thanksgiving, or closer to Christmas and Hanukah, volunteering at a soup kitchen for a meal is an amazing way to come together as a family and get into the holiday spirit of giving. It will easily fall into one of the special traditions you share that will give everyone a unique appreciation of the things they have, while being able to give something of themselves at the same time.