Why it’s important to donate any way you can

According to an article The Chronicle of Philanthropy:

“Donations to the nation’s biggest charities dropped 11 percent last year—the worst decline in two decades.”

Among the 10 charities that raised the most money last year, 6 reported significant declines:

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine the reason for the steep decline. The recession has affected people in all walks of life. When people face economic challenges, they tend to tighten their belts…especially when it comes to charitable giving. And though charitable giving is trickling back up as our country’s finances heal, it could take years for America’s charitable-giving profile to return to pre-recession economic levels.

So, Giving Back Maid Service would like to provide you with five modest ideas for contributing without breaking the bank:

  1. Next time you’re at the grocery store register and the cashier asks if you want to donate $1 to charity, say “Yes.” One popular checkout donation opportunity is to Feed the Children.
  2. Apply for credit cards that give back. For example, Bank of America donates a percentage of each purchase to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
  3. Make a little sacrifice that could mean a lot. For one month, save the $2 per day you would ordinarily spend on coffee and turn it into a $60 donation to the charity of your choice.
  4. Text a donation. Many local, national and international charities accept donations of $5 to $10 via text message. Use your cellphone power for good.
  5. Hire Giving Back Maid Service. Giving Back Maid Service is a referral agency that works with the best house cleaners living in local communities around your home. House cleaning is hard work. And it takes a special person to do a great job every day.

Our house cleaners are among the best compensated in the business. Sometimes, even the hardest working people need some extra assistance. That’s why Giving Back Maid Service is committed to donating 5% of the revenue the agency receives from our services to the charity of YOUR choice. Any organization can be supported as long as it is a non-profit organization. If you hire a house cleaner from a referral made by Giving Back Maid Service, you can feel good knowing that every time you have your home cleaned, you too are “Giving Back!”

We proudly clean homes in La Verne, San Dimas, Glendora, Azusa, Covina, West Covina, Walnut, Pomona, Phillips Ranch, Chino Hills, Chino, Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma, North Fontana, and N. Ontario. For more information, visit www.givingbackmaidservice.com or call 909-593-6690.   

Giving Back to the Community During the Holidays

While shopping for gifts or planning an exquisite “ugly sweater” party, it’s important to remember the true spirit of the holidays isn’t about giving and receiving gifts or munching on cookies. Instead, it’s a time to focus on selfless acts to help others.

Making a difference does not require donating huge sums of money. Even people without much money of their own possess something that is incredibly valuable—time. Let’s the pros at Giving Back Maid Service share some hints for how you might donate your time for worthy causes:

  • Consider who you want to help and then find reputable organizations that support that segment of the population.
  • Help distribute meals to the poor or elderly either at a soup kitchen or through a home-delivery service.
  • Join a mentoring or “big brother” type organization and get to know someone who just needs a friendly person to talk to. One-on-one interaction is wonderful for both parties.
  • Use your time wisely. If you spend two hours with fellow volunteers and are not given specific tasks, talk about the situation with the manager or project coordinator. If the whole operation is disorganized, you might consider working with another charity.

Charities that accept belongings often have specific requirements. Here are some tips for making sure you donate the right types of items for each organization:

  • Don’t donate junk. If you want to give a microwave that doesn’t latch all the way and the cord is frayed, you should think again. Instead, dispose of it instead at an e-friendly waste facility instead of unloading it at Goodwill.
  • Choose a locally-based charity that will accept your donations so they won’t need to spend time and money transporting items to another location.
  • Review odd items (especially valuable ones) that don’t necessarily fit any charities’ needs. Instead, consider selling them to a third-party and then donating the proceeds.
  • Think outside the box. You can donate building materials to charities such as Habitat for Humanity, give prom dresses to needy teens through The Glass Slipper Project or even give your old drum set to someone through the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.

Involving your friends and neighbors in charitable giving not only greatly increases the dollar amount of donations, but also builds personal bonds through the positive experience of helping others.

  • Encourage neighbors to donate clothes and toys as a group instead of trying to sell items at a time-consuming garage sale.
  • Reach out to your employer to see if you could bring baskets for a food drive. If your supervisor is hesitant, let him know that the effort can be noted in a press release which would help build their reputation as a socially-responsible organization.

Whether you donate time, money, or bags of clean clothes, supporting charitable organizations is vital during the holidays and all throughout the year. Many merchants and service providers also contribute some of their profits to charities throughout the country.

Giving Back Maid Service is a referral agency for the Inland Empire region which features the most dedicated house cleaners who will leave every surface sparkling. A concerned community business, we donate five percent of revenue to charitable causes of the customer’s choosing. So, if you hire Giving Back, you can feel good knowing that every time you have your home cleaned, you too are also “Giving Back.” Giving Back Maid Service proudly cleans homes in the following areas: La Verne, San Dimas, Glendora, Azusa, Covina, West Covina, Walnut, Pomona, Phillips Ranch, Chino Hills, Chino, Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma, North Fontana, and N. Ontario. For more information, visit www.givingbackmaidservice.com.

Select Charities in the Inland Empire

Don't just clean your house. Contribute to the charity of your choice with Giving Back Maid Service!

The diverse communities of the Inland Empire are home to hundreds of charitable organizations that provide a variety of services. So why would a maid service focus an entire blog post on charities? The answer is in our name. We “give back” five percent of our revenue to a charitable cause designated by the customer because we care about more than clean homes. We care about people. So giving back is our way of being a good corporate citizen and helping others in the Inland Empire.

We are profiling several charities throughout the region to explore both the scope of the need for such groups and to congratulate them for serving the community. In a down economy, charities have been particularly hard-hit as donations slow down and the number of people requiring services expands. Let’s review some notable charities in the region that are working hard to make the Inland Empire a great place to live. As we enter the holiday season, you might even consider contributing to one of these worthwhile groups:

Children’s Fund of San Bernardino County

  • This organization’s mission is to prevent child abuse and better serve at-risk children with adequate food, shelter, and medical care.
  • During the holidays, the Children’s Fund runs a toy drive for children.
  • It also operates a scholarship endowment in conjunction with California State University, San Bernardino.
  • For more information, visit ChildrensFundSBCounty.org.

Claremont Meals on Wheels

  • This charity serves homebound individuals in the city of Claremont. The elderly and disabled younger individuals can receive a warm and nutritious mid-day meal through the charity.
  • Meals are provided at a very nominal cost by a network of volunteers.
  • Visit ClaremontMealsonWheels.org to donate or learn more.

HomeAid Inland Empire

  • HomeAid is a national nonprofit founded by concerned individuals in the building industry. It provides quality housing to individuals who lack housing due to conditions beyond their control including victims of domestic violence, disease or natural disasters.
  • The organization has built multiple facilities and homes, including a $2.4 million project to house and support abandoned teens.
  • To learn how to support the homeless, visit Homeaid.org/Chapters/7/inland-empire.

Shepherd’s Pantry

  • Based in Glendora, the Shepherd’s Pantry provides food, clothing, counseling, and children’s reading programs to the surrounding community. It is designed to give temporary assistance to those experiencing tough times.
  • The food bank posts a recommended food list to guide donations to the items that hungry families need the most.
  • For more information, visit ShepherdsPantry.com.

Richard Myles Johnson Foundation

  • Established in 1958, this charitable organization works with credit unions throughout the state to promote financial literacy for the younger generation.
  • The organization funds several scholarships in conjunction with corporate partners.
  • To learn more about youth financial education, visit RMJFoundation.org.

While many people give donations of food and toys during the holidays, it’s vitally important to support charities throughout the year. Regular housecleaning service through Giving Back Maid Service provides a steady flow of donations to charities throughout the region.

A referral agency for the Inland Empire region, Giving Back Maid Service features the most dedicated house cleaners who will leave every surface sparkling. A concerned community business, Giving Back Maid Service also donates five percent of its revenue to charitable causes of the customer’s choosing. Giving Back Maid Service proudly cleans homes in the following areas: La Verne, San Dimas, Glendora, Azusa, Covina, West Covina, Walnut, Pomona, Phillips Ranch, Chino Hills, Chino, Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma, North Fontana, and N. Ontario. For more information, visit GivingBackMaidService.com.

 

Choosing the Greener Cleaner Option

You can give back to the environment by using green housecleaning products.

Since you care about others and want to protect the environment, you are probably trying to lead a green lifestyle. You have a hybrid car and are looking into solar power. But when it comes to cleaning your home, are you still stuck in the Dark Ages, using harsh chemicals? Many cleaners in use today contain harmful substances that are not good for our bodies or the environment. Thankfully, there are many green options now available for cleaning your home.

Make your Own Cleaners:

  • Baking soda and water is a classic cleaning combination that really works. Some people even toss in some kosher salt to act as a gentle abrasive for scratch-resistant surfaces. Baking soda is also a natural deodorizer—perfect for cleaning trash cans and other odorous areas.
  • Vinegar and lemon juice are also great choices for cleaning since they are equally effective for combating greasy stains.
  • Liquid soap can be mixed with tea tree oil for an environmentally-friendly disinfectant.

How to Capture Dust:

  • A traditional feather duster simply pushes dust into the air, where it falls on another surface, or settles to the floor, where foot traffic will kick it back up into the air!
  • For many surfaces, a damp reusable cloth does the trick to effectively trap thick dust.
  • Avoid using chemical-based cleaners for dusting. The most popular furniture polishes contain harsh chemicals that can adversely affect wood and other surfaces over time.
  • Consider using a microfiber dusting mitt. The weave of the mitt’s fabric is able to trap dust and dirt particles. The material also generates static electricity which causes dust to attract and stick.
  • Lambs’ wool dusters are another quality choice because they trap dust and are machine washable.

Green Options for Flooring:

  • For wood floors, use a damp mop. If you see any puddles, then you need to wring out your mop.
  • Buff floors by attaching a clean towel to the mop. Don’t let any liquid remain on wood.
  • Floors that are oil or wax coated should be cleaned with a natural citrus-based solvent cleaner.
  • Use a green detergent with a low pH on marble floors for a quality shine without any discoloration.
  • Corn starch can be used to clean carpets without the risk of staining.

Some exceptions to green-cleaning practices:

  • If someone in your home is ill with a serious communicable disease, it might be time to break out antibacterial cleaners and diluted bleach solutions to tackle germs. Although green cleaners are able to reduce germs, for maximum germ-fighting effectiveness, you might need to turn to heavy-duty chemical cleaners.
  • If you handle and cook a lot of meat products in the kitchen, you will need some disinfecting cleaners to be sure to kill food-borne bacteria.

A referral agency for the Inland Empire region, Giving Back Maid Service features the most dedicated house cleaners working along the 210 corridor in Southern California. We’ll leave every surface sparkling. A concerned community business, Giving Back Maid Service donates five percent of revenue to the charitable cause of your choice. So you can feel good knowing that every time you have your home cleaned, you are “Giving Back!”

We proudly cleans homes in La Verne, San Dimas, Glendora, Azusa, Covina, West Covina, Walnut, Pomona, Phillips Ranch, Chino Hills, Chino, Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma, North Fontana, and N. Ontario…to name a few. For more information or to call for free estimate, visit www.givingbackmaidservice.com or call (909) 962-5003.

Green Cleaning Products You Can Make Yourself

Green Cleeaning Maid Service - Montclair, CAIf you are thinking about hiring a cleaning service, but concerned about the cleaning products they will use, you can always provide your own homemade green cleaning products. In fact, some home cleaning companies will give you a discount if you provide your own products, and by providing green products that you make at home, you will be saving money and helping to save the environment, too.

There are a number of green cleaning products that are easily made at home – in fact, your grandmother probably used them, and she never even heard of the term, “green! ”

1 – If you are in need of some serious scrubbing power, you don’t need to turn to harsh cleansers that may scratch your surfaces and create odors. By using simple baking soda and water, you will create a compound that is as effective as any store-bought cleanser.

2 – A maid service may arrive with a bucket full of liquid cleaners: one for the windows, one for countertops, one for mirrors, but there is one homemade product that will do it all – and without the toxic effect on the environment: vinegar. Mixed with water, vinegar and some old newspaper are about as effective a glass and mirror cleaner that you will ever find.

3 – A little lemon goes a long way in cleaning a house. You can add fresh lemon juice to your liquid cleaners, grind up an old lemon or orange in your garbage disposer to freshen it up, or put lemon rind at the bottom of your garbage can to eliminate odors. Adding a little lemon to some salt and ice will also remove water and coffee stains from an old coffee pot.

Talk to your maid or cleaning service for more “green” ideas in cleaning. Most likely, they are as eager as you are to be environmentally-friendly, and if you can save them money, too, they will love you!

Ideas to Get your Friends & Family Involved in Supporting Local Charities

At one time or another, someone in your life has tried to get you involved in a charity. Whether it is in support of a kids’ program, or to help find a cure for disease, there is no doubt you have either contributed your time or your money to some kind of charity.

However, it may seem to you that when it comes time to supporting a charity that is important to you, your friends and family are nowhere to be found. Without them, your fundraising efforts may be futile. So, it is important to find some fun ways to get your friends and family involved in the fundraising, too. And, if you can do it while having a great time, getting some exercise, or making new friends, it’s even better!

  1. Some of the most popular events for charities are walks, runs, and bicycle “races.” By joining one of these charity events, you can get some exercise and spend some quality time with your friends. It may cost you a few bucks to take part, but it will be a worthwhile cause and you will have a great day and good reason for a big meal at the end of it!
  2. Getting people to make a donation in exchange for just a receipt is a hard thing to do. So, if you can find a charity event whereby people are exchanging a donation for a tangible good – cookies, popcorn, candy, a raffle ticket – you will have more luck. People will often help you out if they feel like they are getting  a little something in return.
  3. Another way to get your friends and family involved in supporting a charity is by hosting an event yourself. By using a website such as Evite.com, you can send out invitations to a party and, in exchange for a donation at the door, put on a Super Bowl party, an Easter egg coloring party for the kids, or a Fourth of July barbecue. Make sure all funds go to your charity and you will look like a hero!

My Cleaning Lady is a proud supporter of The Let It Be Foundation.

Reliable, Trustworthy Housekeeping Services

My Cleaning Lady is celebrating its 11th year in business providing local maid services for regular maid service, one-time cleanings and emergency services (like your mother-in-law coming into town.)

Our housecleaning services were formerly a franchised maid service. As of November 2010, My Cleaning Lady became an independent company. We are excited about this new chapter in the life of our company and look forward to serving our customers under the new My Cleaning Lady name!

We serve the foothill cities of La Verne, Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma and Fontana. And since people need house cleaning in Chino Hills, Phillips Ranch, Pomona and Covina, we service those areas too!  Contact us for more information about our House Cleaning Service.

Researching your Housecleaning Service Online

There are few instances when you would let a stranger come into your home with no questions asked, but some people will do this with house cleaning services.

Just because they have a mop and pail in hand, however, does not mean that they are safe, trustworthy, or even competent. In other words, you should research your maid service or cleaning service just as you would any other company that you work with.

In the Rancho Cucamonga area alone, there are over 100 house cleaning services advertising online. Add to that the countless numbers of individuals operating as maid services and you have your work cut out for you. Obviously, you can’t pick at random, so here are some ideas on how to do research to find the best cleaning service for your needs.

  1. The most important aspect of any cleaning service is now how good or fast they work, how cheap their price is, or how highly they are recommended. The most important piece of information you can find out about them is whether or not they are insured and bonded. If they aren’t – don’t work with them. You should be able to find out this fact from their website. If they can’t provide you with proof, you are putting your home, its contents, and your family in jeopardy.
  2. The best way to find a house cleaning service is, of course, by hearing about their good work from a trusted friend. But, if you need a trusted friend online, that friend would be the Better Business Bureau or the local Chamber of Commerce.
  3. Check online business directories to see what comments and feedback other consumers have left about the company. If you find more than one negative feedback online, beware!
  4. Many neighborhoods, small towns, and cities have local “online bulletin boards” where you can converse with your neighbors. For instance, if you live in Chino, search for “Chino bulletin board” on Yahoo or Google and you will find several bulletin boards where you can ask for feedback on a company as well as read what others have written.
For a cleaning service you can trust see our credentials here.