Christmas Challenge: help me help others

My sister pointed out that I have not posted at all this week.  I guess that's true, if you don't count Sunday as a part of this week.  I'm having a hard time getting motivated to do much of anything lately.  I haven't even tried to get the kids into a picture for Christmas cards.  If you are expecting a Christmas card this year you might be sorely disappointed.

Since I can't seem to get going, I've decided to make you do the work.  Its Christmas, damnit.  So here's a challenge for you, invisible internet friends.  For each comment on this post, I will donate $1 to Feeding America AND to The Center For Family Services.

Food and families are the two areas I tend to focus my charitable donations on.  Feeding America produces 8 meals with every $1 you donate.  As of 2010, more than 1 million people in New Jersey live in food-insecure households.  Forty-two percent of that number are children 18 and under.  I should make an eloquent plea here, but like I said, I'm all out of ammo lately, so--hungry kids is just not right, and you can help me do something about it.

The Center for Family Services is a great charity in the southern NJ area that helps families get back on their feet, be it through job training, rehab services or foster care. I like the family focus that they have; it doesn't matter how much money you throw at children's services, if the family they live in is unstable and unable to support them, the kids will be at risk.  There are a number of children at their shelters every year at Christmas who do not have family available to buy them gifts, or buy them basic necessities.  The kids who are at the shelter write down their Christmas requests, and their lists are sometimes heartbreaking--last year the overwhelming requests were for underwear and toiletries.  If you are an 11 year old kid and someone is going to buy you a gift, you should be asking for the latest ridiculously overpriced toy, not clean underwear.    

There's 49 of you following this blog, if everyone leaves a comment that's nearly $50 to each charity.  Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, link back if you want to.  There's no "tweet this, be a follower, yadda yadda"...just leave a comment (just one per person). Say hi.  Tell me your favorite kind of cheese, or what state you live in, or how you found my blog, or just say Happy Holidays.

I'll keep comments on this post open for one week, till December 15.  If I hit 100 comments, I'll add another $100 to each charity.

Help!