RTV #17 Unite Families with a Group Garage Sale

Mothers United Community Garage Sale

A Year of Raising the Village: Week #17.  Baby gear for sale!


Recycling baby stuff is good for our environment. Recycling ideas is great for building community!

A mother from a local parent 'n' tot group attended a "Mothers United"Garage Sale in a much larger, neighbouring community. It was an event filled with great bargains for new parents and a way to pass along perfectly good, but no longer necessary, baby "gear" to those who needed it. It also was an opportunity steeped in sharing, connecting, supporting and celebrating parenthood.

This mom returned to town thinking that - if they can do it, we can do it too! Committed to sharing the experience with her local friends, she recruited vendors (parents with stuff to sell) and worked with the local Community School to arrange space with tables and chairs. The first year was a HUGE success - so much so that the Community School saw the garage sale as an effective vehicle to support local families and build community. It is now an event that is held twice a year.

Cathy Cross, the Community School coordinator says, "I am amazed by the number of pregnant women and women with young babies that I see. Young parents with young families; grandparents shopping for and with grandchildren; it's a promise for the future of our community. It is community building in a literal sense of the word. But there is also community building in the sense that a mom is a mom is a mom: no matter what the circumstance. Everyone in the room has a common starting point. Children and babies bring out the best in us and we work from there. I hear people exchanging information on programs, people, where to find this or that. We are not only recycling baby clothes (and money) but we are sharing information. Most exciting is the buzz in the room as everyone is talking and sharing."

Is there baby gear that could be recycled in your community? Are there some great community building ideas that can be recycled too?

Village Raising Tip: Here are a few tips from Cathy to help your version of a Mothers United Garage Sale work well:

• Be clear and confirm with vendors who are interested in setting up a table
• Always have a waiting list because there are always people who end up cancelling (life happens)
• Advertise, advertise, advertise - and enlist the vendors to spread the word (and posters) among their friends and connections

RTV #15 Blitz a family friendly business crusade!

• A Year of Raising the Village. Week #15. What makes a business child & family friendly?




• When do you know that you’ve stepped into a child and family friendly business? What signs do you look for? Is it the children’s clothing displayed around the room or toy area in the corner? (Maybe) Is it the age appropriate products or services? (Perhaps) Or do you look deeper?




• What makes a child and family friendly business?

How about a business that maintains employee benefits and human resource policies that truly support a growing family: Check out Naples Alliance for Children http://www.napleschild.org/family_friendly.php This resource includes small and large business criteria. “The importance of family policies and benefits in the workplace is becoming crucial to men and women when they evaluate employment opportunities and also to employers who compete for working parents in the labor market. Employers are now called upon to create a work environment that meets the expanding and challenging role of the working parent. Family Friendly workplace programs payoff in dividends by attracting and retaining the best employees, increasing productivity, increasing employee morale, reducing turnover, absenteeism and tardiness, and reducing health costs related to stress.”

How about a business that evaluates their practices: The Family and Parenting Institute in UK http://www.familyandparenting.org/reportCard2010 has an excellent review of the multiple issues related to family friendly business practices including work/life balance, cost of raising a child, maternity and paternity benefits, transportation and housing costs, neighbourhoods and green spaces….. How does your community score? They also have a survey on family friendly services http://www.familyandparenting.org/familyFriendlyServices

How about a business that upholds ethical commerce & safety: Ethical commerce commits to the well being of children and families and considers design, manufacturing and sales (among a host of other important criteria). They follow the UN Convention of the Rights!

Ethical marketing: See: http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/

Businesses Safety of children: This link celebrates business for installing seat belts on shopping carts: http://www.welcometowilliamslake.ca/index.php/business-profiles/2647-local-businesses-thanked-for-family-friendly-practices.html

Ethical Commerce is part of the foundational work that the Centre for Child Honouring upholds http://childhonouring.org/covenantprinciples.html or http://childhonouring.org/blog.html?item=108

So come on people, engage with business...start a family friendly business crusade! Talk about what attitudes, practices, policies and atmospheres affect you and send the message that children and families matter! Village Raising Question: What messages do your local businesses send to children and families?