Search for "Family"
Holidays & Celebrations
Topics | June 26, 2017
How to Ask for the Gifts You Really Want This Holiday Season
Blog | by Edna Rienzi | November 23, 2015
Do you feel overwhelmed with your family's holiday gift-giving traditions? Check out three ideas for a more meaningful celebration. Here's to more fun and less stuff!
The Atlantic: The Joy of No-Gift Christmas
Blog | by Joe Pinsker | December 13, 2018
Raagini Appadurai, a 26-year-old educator and social-justice advocate living in Toronto, told me that her family—her two sisters, her parents, and herself—made a no-gifts pact this year. “When we remove material purchasing and consumption from the table, we are forced to question what we are bringing to [the holiday] instead—individually and collectively,” she said.
Living the Dream: Part-timer Sarah Lakeman
Blog | by Edna Rienzi | October 9, 2017
By cutting back her work hours, Sarah was able to make more time for her family and community—and to live true to her values.
Want a Garden? Easy Ways to Start for Non-Gardeners
Blog | by Terra Wellington | April 15, 2014
Ready to put your green thumb to work? Check out these tips from actress and lifestyle expert Terra Wellington.
Real Celebration: Emet’s Meaningful Coming of Age Story
Blog | by Edna Rienzi | February 3, 2016
In the Real Celebrations series, SoKind asks registry users to share a bit about their celebrations. Read about how one family used SoKind to provide long-distance family and friends the opportunity to not only participate in their son's Bar Mitzvah, but to also express themselves through their gifts.
Pop Goes the Community
Blog | by Rebecca Sanborn Stone | June 23, 2014
How a temporary "pop-up" university helped bring a small Vermont town back to life.
Embracing Letting Go: Unintentional and Intentional Simplifying
Blog | by Lisa Luken | December 28, 2015
Lisa Lukin realized that her unfulfilling life was only going to change if she intentionally created a new path. Here's her story.
Skip the Goody Bags and Embrace Creativity Instead
Blog | by Rinny Yourman | December 13, 2017
New Dreamer Rinny Yourman describes how her family ditched goody bags in favor of giving guests at her daughter's birthday and Bat Mitzvah parties a more meaningful experience.
Dishing the Love, Potluck Style
Blog | by Holly Minch | April 15, 2015
In this post, Holly Minch describes her experience as a wedding guest at a potluck wedding and her new-found appreciation for this catering option as an opportunity for friends and family to actively participate in the celebration. Read on for more details about this "extended family dinner" wedding as well as for practical tips on pulling off a potluck wedding with ease.
Danielle and Michael’s Baby Boy’s Brit Milah
Blog | by Edna Rienzi | April 1, 2015
In the Real Celebrations series, SoKind asks registry users to share a bit about their celebrations. Read about how Danielle and Michael encouraged their friends and family to provide them with the gifts they really needed and wanted for their baby boy, Avi.
Living an Unwasteful Life Podcast: Episode 2 – Reducing Waste in Gift-Giving with Edna Rienzi
Blog | November 24, 2017
Interview with Edna Rienzi, Program Director for New Dream who runs SoKind, an online gift registry service for people who value meaningful experiences, time with family and friends, and offerings of service and support for events and causes that matter the most.
Environment
Topics | June 26, 2017
Off the Pedestal: Creating a New Vision of Economic Growth
Blog | by James Gustave Speth | June 3, 2011
A longtime environmental leader argues it’s time for the U.S. to reinvent its economy into one that focuses on sustaining communities, family life, and the natural world.
The Benefits—and Joy—of "Making Do" With What You Have
Blog | by Bea Echeverria | December 14, 2017
After moving to the U.S. from Spain, New Dreamer Bea Echevarria realized that "making do" wasn’t a coveted value for everyone. But there are many good reasons it should be.