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	<title>Brandy and Val &#187; Holiday giving</title>
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		<title>In the Holiday Spirit</title>
		<link>http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2010/12/in-the-holiday-spirit/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2010/12/in-the-holiday-spirit/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:56:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ilene</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Good causes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ilene's thoughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Newsletters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Best Friends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BRANDY AND VAL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fortunate Pooches and Lab Rescue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holiday giving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets Alive]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/?p=1657</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[BRANDY AND VAL, REAL DOGS WITH REAL TALES December update Brandy and Val packing away To get the books shipped for Xmas Day If your order&#8217;s not in, do not delay Give us a click &#38; we&#8217;ll ship it today. Consider that a portion of sales from Brandy and Val, LLC are donated to help [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3 style="font-size: 13px; color: #333333; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1661" href="http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2010/12/in-the-holiday-spirit/page_1_2-2/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1661" title="Page_1_2" src="http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Page_1_21-300x211.jpg" alt="Page_1_2" width="300" height="211" /></a></h3>
<h3 style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">BRANDY AND VAL, REAL DOGS WITH REAL TALES</span></h3>
<h3 style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">December update</span></h3>
<h3 style="font-size: 13px; color: #333333; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Brandy and Val packing away<br />
To get the books shipped for Xmas Day<br />
If your order&#8217;s not in, do not delay<br />
Give us a click &amp; we&#8217;ll ship it today.</h3>
<p>Consider that a portion of sales from Brandy and Val, LLC are donated to help animal rescues throughout the country.  100% of the sales from <a href="http://www.BrandyandVal.com/buy.html">BRANDY AND VAL&#8217;S SPECIAL STORY</a> are donated to <a href="http://www.fortunatelabrescue.org/">Fortunate Pooches and Lab Rescue,</a> the shelter Brandy and Val were adopted from in Palatine, IL. <a href="http://www.petsalive.com/">Pet&#8217;s Alive</a> in Middletown, NY, and <a href="http://www.bestfriends.org/">Best Friends</a> in Kenab, UT, are also recipients of funds.   The students in all of Brandy and Val&#8217;s pet therapy classes also received gifts this year of Brandy and Val books and toys.</p>
<p>Without everyone&#8217;s continued support, we would not have been in a position to make this happen.  Thank you!</p>
<p>We hope everyone has a wonderful, healthy and safe Holiday Season and Best Wishes for 2011.</p>
<p>Ilene Fine, Author,</p>
<p>Brandy and Val, the dogs!</p>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Brandy and Val Donate Books and Toys</title>
		<link>http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2009/12/brandy-and-val-donate-books-and-toys/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2009/12/brandy-and-val-donate-books-and-toys/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:37:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ilene</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Good causes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[charitable giving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago toy drive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holiday giving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toy drive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toys for Tots]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/?p=623</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We are pleased to announce that yesterday, Brandy and Val, LLC, donated 100 of our books and 100 of our mini-toys to the TOYS FOR TOTS Holiday toy drive campaign.  Recent news broadcasts in the Chicago area foretold a bleak outlook for toy contributions this year and we were happy to lend a helping hand [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-624" href="http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2009/12/brandy-and-val-donate-books-and-toys/imgp0001-2/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-624 alignright" title="dropping of at Toys for Tots" src="http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/IMGP0001-300x225.jpg" alt="dropping of at Toys for Tots" width="300" height="225" /></a>We are pleased to announce that yesterday, Brandy and Val, LLC, donated 100 of our books and 100 of our mini-toys to the <a title="Toys for Tots" href="http://www.toysfortots.org/">TOYS FOR TOTS</a> Holiday toy drive campaign.  Recent news broadcasts in the Chicago area foretold a bleak outlook for toy contributions this year and we were happy to lend a helping hand along with our books and toys!</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-625" href="http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2009/12/brandy-and-val-donate-books-and-toys/imgp0002-2/"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-625" title="Toys for Tots" src="http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/IMGP0002-300x280.jpg" alt="Toys for Tots" width="300" height="280" /></a></p>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Animal Shelters and Welfare Groups Set Up Food Banks to Help Pets in Need</title>
		<link>http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2009/12/animal-shelters-and-welfare-groups-set-up-food-banks-to-help-pets-in-need/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2009/12/animal-shelters-and-welfare-groups-set-up-food-banks-to-help-pets-in-need/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:49:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ilene</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Good causes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ilene's thoughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Animal Board]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[animal news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dog food bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food Bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GIVING section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holiday giving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Houston food bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New York food bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New York Times Giving Section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oregon food bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pet food assistance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[philanthropy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[psychological effect of pet ownership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rescue Bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[save our pets foodbank]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/?p=328</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Holiday Season has always been a time of giving and good cheer.  This year, with such uncertain economic times and with so many out of work, it makes it even more important for those who are able to chip in a little more  to do so and help others who are in need.  Family [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-540" href="http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/2009/12/animal-shelters-and-welfare-groups-set-up-food-banks-to-help-pets-in-need/screen-shot-2009-12-08-at-10-29-03-pm/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-540" title="Food Bank for Pets" src="http://www.brandyandval.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Screen-shot-2009-12-08-at-10.29.03-PM-300x257.png" alt="Food Bank for Pets" width="300" height="257" /></a>The Holiday Season has always been a time of giving and good cheer.  This year, with such uncertain economic times and with so many out of work, it makes it even more important for those who are able to chip in a little more  to do so and help others who are in need.  Family pets are often given up when money is tight since the added expense for feeding and caring for a pet&#8217;s health becomes too burdensome.  But, since having a pet has been shown to contribute to our own sound emotional health and well-being, it makes perfect sense to make every effort to keep these animals as part of the family, especially in times of great stress.</p>
<p>As a result, animal shelters, animal welfare agencies, the pet-store mega-chain, Petco, church groups and others are are establishing pet food banks to assist such families and individuals confronting this situation.  And, they are are stepping up to the plate big time!   In Berlin, Germany, a soup kitchen called <a title="Animal Board" href="http://www.nowpublic.com/strange/soup-kitchen-opens-dogs-berlin">Animal Board</a> has even been established to cater to the dogs of the homeless and unemployed.</p>
<p>In the United States, the agencies getting on board are growing rapidly by the day.   At present, there is no national network coordinating pet food assistance programs.  However, many cities and towns are now offering pet food assistance programs and volunteers are always welcome!   For those in need or for those wishing to lend a hand, <a title="SaveOurPetsFoodbank" href="http://www.saveourpetsfoodbank.org/national-locations.php">SaveOurPetsFoodbank.org </a>lists several locations and organizations in about 2 dozen states that offer pet food assistance programs.  The <a title="Article about Rescue Bank Food Bank" href="http://urbanpawsmagazine.com/archives/335">Rescue BankSM</a> in Houston is that city&#8217;s first food bank for dogs and for some reason(!) the blog <a title="Family Works Seattle" href="http://familyworksseattle.wordpress.com">FamilyWorks Seattle</a> includes pet food bank info for New York and Oregon.  A special &#8220;GIVING&#8221; section in the November 12 edition of the New York Times devoted an article to this issue, titled: &#8220;<a title="NYT times article on Food Pet Assistance" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/giving/12PETS.html">A Patchwork of Food Assistance for Pets.&#8221;</a> Individuals and pet-food distributors alike are contributing to help make things happen.  Happy people, Happy Pets, Happy Holidays!</p>
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