The following Illinois families have requested assistance for the holiday season. If you are searching for a family to help in Illinois, consider these families in need. If you are interested in helping one of these families, just leave a note below – it will not be made public but will be sent to my email. I will contact you and then the family if you choose to offer them assistance (do not send money). With permission from both parties, I will exchange your emails. From that point on, I …

We are now approaching Christmas which means the stress is building even more for families in need who have a low income. The question that keeps repeating itself is, How am I going to provide gifts and a holiday meal for my children so they don’t feel left out? It is difficult for children to understand why Santa visits their friends and classmates on Christmas Eve but not for them. Most of these children would be thrilled just to receive a simple toy or game, new school clothes and shoes, or a winter …

Recycle Your Christmas Tree: Donate
It’s never too early to start planning for Christmas, especially when a free Christmas tree offer comes your way. Last year several families in need of Christmas help were able to be matched on NanaFinds.com with other familes who wanted to recycle their Christmas tree by donating it. I can’t think of a better way to recycle Christmas trees…can you?
Free Christmas Tree Offer
I currently have a reader who wants to recycle her 7 1/2 ft Christmas tree and lights by donating it to a single mom …

Meals On Wheels and Gallo® Family Vineyards team up to help end hunger among senior women in honor of Mother’s Day

ALEXANDRIA, VA (April 18, 2011) – The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) is launching its second annual Meals for Moms campaign to raise awareness of homebound senior moms facing the threat of hunger this Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 8th). Individuals can visit www.MealsForMoms.org to send a message of hope to a lonely and homebound senior mom or send an e-card to a special woman in their life.

With the …

Santa Needs Your Help More Than Ever!
I’ve received over 200 requests for help from parents who have lost their jobs. Their priority spending is for the rent or mortgage, food, utilities, insurance, medical bills, and the needs of their children. This is understandably necessary. Most of the parents tell me that they are behind in their payments and are worried about providing Christmas gifts for their children on Christmas morning. Some of the families are already homeless, living with friends or relatives.
I hurt for the parents. They watch as their …

Please Adopt a Family this Christmas
I wish I could help all the families who have reached out to me from all over the United States, but I am not able to do so. My intent when I posted articles for families in need was to hopefully lead them to organizations that could help them. The outcome of those posts has been an overwhelming number of requests for Christmas help for their children.
I have just spent two hours reading and “approving”  over 1oo comments submitted in October to NanaFinds.com on posts …

November is American Diabetes Month
I have students who have Type I diabetes. Just last week, one of my students was finding it difficult to focus. At first I thought it was because it was last period and sometimes it’s easy to drift off.  But, I’ve never seen this one student do that before. I made him focus on me and asked him if he needed to be taken to the nurse. He told me, “I think I’m having a diabetes problem.”  I called the nurse to tell her we were …