I posted this Hip2Give topic yesterday on Hip2Save and was saddened and disappointed when I read all of the negative comments that ensued. The point of these Hip2Give posts is to provide inspiration, hope, kindness, empathy etc. I am re-posting this today (with all the comments removed from yesterday) with the hopes that you will only leave a comment if you have something positive or uplifting to share with other readers. Let’s all follow the saying “If you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” Thanks for your cooperation.

Over the last few months, I have received many emails from readers nominating wonderful charities and organizations to be highlighted on an upcoming Hip2Give post. Although it’s always difficult to decide what organization to highlight next; I was so moved by an email and video sent by reader, Sarah, that I knew I had to highlight Sarah’s story today…(you may want to grab a box of Kleenex before watching the video)

Our baby girl was born after 2 miscarriages and is the absolute joy of our lives. When she was 3 weeks old, we got the call that she had Cystic Fibrosis. This is a devastating, life shortening disease. Below is a video that I have made of her story.

**If you can’t see the video, then go here to watch it.

What Is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have enabled many people with the disease to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.

Cystic Fibrosis Facts

* About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year.
* More than 70% of patients are diagnosed by age two.
* More than 45% of the CF patient population is age 18 or older.
* The predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is more than 37 years.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Since 1955, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has been the driving force behind the pursuit of a cure. The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a nonprofit donor-supported organization, is to assure the development of the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis and to improve the quality of life for those with the disease. It has received a four-star rating for sound fiscal management from Charity Navigator, the largest independent charity evaluator in the United States and is an accredited charity of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.

How Can You Help?

* Volunteer with the Foundation and help add more tomorrows to the lives of those living with cystic fibrosis.
* Donate to the Foundation and support efforts to enhance and extend the lives of cystic fibrosis patients and ultimately to find a cure.
* Participate in one or more of the 1,200 fundraising events across the country throughout the year
* Raise awareness about cystic fibrosis and encourage others to join the fight.
* Learn more about these and other opportunities at www.cff.org, or call (800) FIGHT CF.

(Thanks so much to Sarah, Virgina Blue, and the rest of the family for sharing their story of courage, determination and love with us…let’s all raise lots of awareness and money for CF!)

Did you know that today, June 14th, is World Blood Donor Day?!

Did you know that every 2 seconds someone needs a blood donation?!

Did you know that 1 person’s donation can save up to 3 lives?!

Did you know that less than 10% of Americans donate blood each year, but if just 1% more donated, the national blood shortages would disappear for the foreseeable future?!

In honor of this day, America’s Blood Centers (ABC) and Nexcare Bandages are partnering to encourage members of every community to donate blood through GIVE in order to spread awareness about the need for blood donation. Blood donation centers across the country will be joining in this celebration and distributing limited edition Nexcare GIVE bandages (pictured above) to those who donate blood from June 14th-June 20th. You can even snag a sample of 2 FREE limited edition 2010 Nexcare Give bandages by clicking here.

*To find a blood center near you, click here or call 1-888-USBLOOD

So what do you think…are you planning to donate blood today or in the near future?

We’ve received many emails from Hip2Save readers nominating various animal protection organizations to be featured on Hip2Give. For this reason, we have chosen to highlight the following organizations for this Hip2Give segment…

* The Humane Society of the United States:
The nation’s largest animal protection organization backed by 11 million Americans and seeks a humane and sustainable world for all animals

* The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA):
The ASPCA works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with shelters nationwide.

* American Humane:
Focuses on preventing cruelty, neglect and exploitation of animals and assuring that their interests and well-being are fully, effectively and humanely guaranteed by an aware and caring society.

(If you would like to highlight other animal organizations, please mention them in the comment section below.)

In addition to donating money, many of these organizations will gladly accept unopened pet food and other pet-related products (call your local organizations to find out what sort of donations they are accepting at this time). How many of you have stacks of pet coupons that go unused…well, how about taking those coupons to your local food/drug stores where you should be able to find some great deals on pet-related items. Also, be sure to watch the Follow You Monday video found here (filmed in October 2009) which shows how I was able to put my pet coupons to use and check out this email below from Hip2Save reader, Amber…

My name is Amber S. and I live in Maine…I am writing to you because I wanted to share a project I have been working on for a few weeks now. In one of your entries you posted a sweet deal on Tidy Cats non-clumping litter. I do not use this kind of litter but it was such a good deal I thought “why not donate it?” So I went to my local humane society’s website to check if they took donations. Little did I know that they have a whole page just called their “wish list” with everything from dog foods and blankets to office supplies and toys. So I decided to start my own donation box and kept religiously reading your site for any deals. A lot of your deals were for dogs (which I do not have) but the B1G1 coupons were such a steal I got quite a bit of dog food and treats and tons of cat litter. I have attached a picture of what I will be donating today and here is a detailed list of what I purchased:

Tidy Cats Non-Clumping Litter 3 at $1.77 Each = $5.31
-3 $1/1 Tidy Cats Litter from the 5/2 SS

Pedigree Plus Dog Food 4 at $0.87 Each = $3.48
-2 B1G1 Free Pedigree Plus

Purina Whiska Lickens Soft Cat Treats 2 at $0.89 each = $1.78
-1 $1/1 Purina Cat treat from the 5/2 SS (took off $0.89)

Chef Michael Dog Food 2 at .80 each = $1.60
(I just found my B1G1 coupon from the 5/16 RP that they forgot to take off…but I’m not going to worry about it too much)

Pedigree Breath Buster at $3.25 and Pedigree Denta Stix at $3.19 = $6.44
- $2/1 Denta Stix from the 4/25 RP
- $3.25 (Buy one Denta Stix Get Pedigree Breath Buster Free from the 5/23 RP)

Whiskas Wet Cat food 2 at .52 each = $1.04
-1 B1G1 Whiskas Cat Food from the 4/25 RP

Total Before Coupons = $19.65
Total After Coupons = $8.25
Total Savings = $11.40 or 59% savings

I know this isn’t a very big order but this is just an example of how much money you can save just by using coupons and I know that the Human Society will appreciate the donation. I would encourage others to donate items that they either get for free or very cheap. A lot of these items I cannot use myself but because the coupons brought the items down so much, why not spend a little to give a lot?