Halloween’s all about fun, frights and free candy, right? Well, it can also be a great chance to do some good while going door-to-door.

Last year, a group of high school students (still costumed, of course) showed up at my door. But they weren’t interested in candy bars or peanut butter cups – they were collecting for the local food pantry. Canned goods, pastas and other non-perishables.

It caught me by surprise, but naturally I was happy to help. Who can turn down Batman asking you to help your fellow citizens? While dropping in a couple cans of soup, I also noticed that a few people had donated cash.

What a great idea.

If you plan on trick or treating with your family this year, consider mixing up the tradition a little. Let the kids score some of the sweet stuff, while you carry your own bag for food or even cash donations. Donate items to area food pantries, churches or other organizations who could use them to do good.

You’ll be helping local people in need. Plus, you’ll be making a positive impression on your children – instilling that all-important spirit of giving at an early age. Maybe they’ll start by sharing some of that candy with you.

We’re proud to announce that you can now find Greater Than Goods cause apparel on store shelves! Introducing Sigler on Main, a new clothing store in downtown Ames, Iowa (our hometown).

Sigler on Main sells cause shirts, as well as collegiate team apparel. They currently stock some of your favorite Greater Than Goods designs, including Pets are People Too, Motherhood is Not for Sissies and the Every Drop T-shirt which benefits the Gulf Coast oil spill clean-up efforts. As our line expands, new designs will become available.

If you live in or are visiting Iowa, we invite you to stop in and check out the selection of Greater Than Goods apparel in person. And most importantly, each purchase at the store will continue to support your favorite causes!

Wondering where the store is at? See Sigler on Main on a map and get directions. You can also “like” Sigler on Main on Facebook!

Every day, our partner Friends in Action of the Eastern Panhandle works hard to bring about positive changes in the lives of motivated low-income families in their West Virginia community.

In the past 5 years alone, FIAEP has recruited and trained more than 185 volunteers, logging nearly 5,550 volunteer hours. These hours have been used to provide training in life skill areas that we might take for granted, such as job hunting, household budgeting, parenting and preparing cost-effective meals.

Friends in Action really makes a difference in the lives of the people they work so hard to help. Check out this inspiring story from FIAEP about one of their families:

“One of our mentor teams has been working with an intergenerational family who was living in a trailer park when they first entered the program. Today this family is buying a home in a nice subdivision complete with a yard for the little girl, ample room for privacy for the mom and closer to work for the grandfather. When the team first started working with this family, the mother was seriously depressed. Through the support and encouragement of her team, her depression is well maintained on medications and she is enrolled in college part-time, eager to work after being unemployed for more than a year. The team assisted her in enrolling in a course of study, obtaining financial aid and provided tutoring which resulted in a “B” average. Recently, the team was able to find resources for her to continue receiving the medications which have helped stabilize her depression. She is also taking a yoga class for the first time which will help her feel better physically and mentally. The next goal is to orient her to internet usage which will assist her in continuing her training program and aid her job search.”

If you’d like to support Friends in Action of the Eastern Panhandle, our “Teach a Person to Fish” shirt is available by clicking here. For every shirt purchased, $5 will go directly to FIAEP. And you can do even more by visiting www.fiaep.org to make a donation or find other ways to help.

A shirt can just be a shirt, but as we know, it can also be a way to raise money, raise awareness and raise thought.

"Giving Knows No Boundaries" Haiti Relief T-shirt

The Giving Knows No Boundaries shirt is a simple design with a powerful message. The blue and green colors, taken directly from a map, should remind us that we all live on the same earth. And when our neighbor is in trouble, we should help.

This message also not only challenges us to give, but reminds us to give beyond our own backyard – maybe even beyond our own comfort level. And from what we’ve seen, a few dollars from a lot of people adds up to a tremendous amount.

For this shirt, we’ve chosen to donate to the American Red Cross. They have been providing volunteers, first aid and supplies such as drinking water, tents and tools. They are also comforting children and providing support to those who have suffered emotional trauma.

But although we’d love for you all to purchase one of OUR shirts, we just simply encourage you to give in any way, to any reputable charity, to help provide some sort of relief to our neighbors whose world has been turned upside down.

In November, we found a pleasant surprise in our inbox. It was a message sent via our contact form from Bert Jacobs, Chief Executive Optimist of Life is Good. Yes, that Life is Good – the worldwide feel-good apparel company!

Apparently a co-worker turned him onto our site and he wanted to reach out. Here’s what he said:

“I just wanted to say hello and give you praise for your concept. Business and social work are considered different disciplines in most cultures. We have never believed that at LIG. It is clear to see that you don’t believe that either.”

We’ll be honest – at first we thought it might be a hoax or spam. But after a little more correspondence, we realized we were talking to the real thing!

We don’t do what we do for those who are watching – we do it for those who are needing. But sometimes it’s nice to know people are taking notice! It makes everything all the more worthwhile. : )