Raising Awareness with Moms+SocialGood

Yesterday marked the 5th anniversary of Moms+SocialGood, presented by the United Nations Foundation and Johnson & Johnson. It's an event I always try to attend, as I know it's bound to be informative, inspiring and best of all, a reminder that blogging and social media can be a force for good in the world.

With moms and their families at the center of the conversation, the day was broken down into panels with experts and advocates, eager to share their ideas, inspire action and tackle some of the world's most critical challenges facing families around the world.

Here's a few of the key takeaways from my day (unfortunately I had to miss the last 2 panels as it was school pick up time... mom duty calls!):

Save the Children has a great new giving program which aims to fight child hunger in East Africa, where nearly 20 million lives are currently at risk. By skipping lunch & photographing your empty plate with #LUNCHLESS, you're spreading the word about this horrific issue. Then, text LUNCHLESS to 20222 and donate $10 (your lunch money) to help those in need through Save the Children. Finally, tag your friends and family in your photo to join in!

Another panel that really got to me was on the "unseen enemy" known as the flu. Yes, the flu. I don't think I'll ever take it lightly again after hearing the stories of two mothers who lost their daughters, one a teenager and the other, a toddler, right here in the US. A need for more research, awareness and the case for immunizations was discussed. The moderator, Janet Tobias, just directed a documentary of the same name, Unseen Enemy, which will air on CNN Films soon. I'll be checking it out.

Want to get involved from the comfort of you very own phone? From May 3- June 16, you can participate in the Global Moms Relay, a digital campaign with Johnson & Johnson. Use the Donate A Photo app and J&J will donate $1 (up to $500,000) when you upload of photo to a variety of causes highlighted by Moms+SocialGood, including GirlUp, empowering girls around the world, and Nothing But Nets, which provides nets to malaria-prevalent areas in Africa. I downloaded and selected an app in about 1 minute-- seriously!

Blogging and social media can sometimes be a frivolous, silly business, honestly. So happy to be able to use it to amplify the work of some amazing individuals and organizations that are doing their part to give back around the globe, as well as here at home. Check out Moms+SocialGood & the Global Moms Relay to find out more.