As busy parents, it can sometimes be difficult to find meaningful ways to give back to society without pushing our schedules or pocket books to the limits. But, I think we can all agree to the importance of maintaining some social responsibility within the household. Not only is it fulfilling, but it allows our children to learn benevolence, while reminding the whole family to be grateful for what we do have.

So, at the start of each month, The Average Parent will give you easy tips to give back, volunteer or help the community. This month’s tip was inspired by the Lia Sophia party I recently attended.

It’s no secret that direct sales parties are a lot of fun. The sales consultant does most of the work, a bunch of friends get together for a fun evening and you get to shop from the comfort of home. But, what if you were able to turn that into a donation for a local non-profit? After scoring $400 worth a free jewelry from a recent party, that is exactly what Indianapolis mom and 360Rugs.com owner Tami Nuhfer is doing.

“I realized that $400 could really help a lot of local families who are struggling right now,” she said. “So, I decided to host another party right before Christmas and donate all the rewards.”

In case you’re not familiar with sample home parties…typically they entice customers to host a party by offering plenty of rewards in the form of free and deeply discounted merchandise. So, in this case, Tami is choosing to hand over those rewards (in the form of cash) to others who need it more.

Most direct sales consultants will agree to this set up, and you can do the same thing with very little work. All it takes is a few friends, some snacks and a place to hang. Don’t feel like giving your toy covered family room a scrub down for the event? No problem, you can host a party at the local community center, pizza place or library meeting room. Some people have even had great success hosting a lunchroom party at work.

At the end of the day, it’s fun to party with friends…but it’s even better to party with friends for a good cause.

Some home party companies to check out:
Lia Sophia http://www.liasophia.com/index.html
Premier Designs Jewelry http://www.premierdesigns.com/
Tastefully Simple http://www.tastefullysimple.com
DOVE CHOCOLATE DISCOVERIES http://www.dove-chocolate-discoveries.com
Pampered Chef http://www.pamperedchef.com/

The Giveaway:

As an added bonus for this month’s piece, you have a chance to win a Lia Sophia necklace. This piece is called Maggie and is valued at $120. It is made of Genuine Abalone, Jade, Jasper, Mother-of-Pearl & Tiger’s Eye with Glass & Resin Beads. Its adjustable clasp allows the necklace to be worn at 38-41 inches.

To win, head on over to The Average Parent and simply leave me a comment letting me know what little things your family does to give back to the community.