Toys for Tots is a program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve that collects new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year. The toys get distributed as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

The program began in 1947 in Los Angeles where Marine Reservists collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. Over the past 62 years, Toys for Tots has distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children. Toys for Tots has been named "America's Best Children's Charity" by Reader's Digest and has made Forbes's "Gold Star List" of charities.

Check out ParentDish for more updates and information on charities:

Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Alba Auction Baby Items for Charity

Nicole Richie's Online Charity

Evangeline Lilly Auctions Lingerie for Kid's Charity

Plus, for Seasonal Updates and Your Kids' Wish-List Must-Haves Check out ParentDish's Holdiays Coverage.

School's almost out, which mean's the family road trip is drawing near. If you're traveling with anyone under the age of, oh, 25, you're going to need these tips. -- BabyCenter

Love your teenage daughter's look, but don't want to be that mom? Help is on the way. "Steal This Style" helps moms look trendy while still acting their age. -- Lemondrop

Father's Day is just around the corner, and this year funny dad Ben Stiller is hoping for that classic gift: the tie. ""That's when you feel like you've actually become a dad - when you get that official Father's Day tie," says Stiller. -- Celebrity Baby Blog

Taking care of hair and skin is hard enough when you're a mom, and hot weather just makes it harder. Lighten up your beauty routine with one of these summer-friendly products. -- MomFinds

A breastfeeding mom was asked to stop nursing at a public pool because she was violating the "No Food and Drink" policy. Yes, I'm serious. -- MomLogic

Move over Mommy Wars, there's a new girl in town, and she's your mom. Rumor has it Boomer grandparents are fighting each other for their place as World's Best Grandparent. -- Mommy Track'd

Looking for a little inspiration today? Read about a single mom who saw a problem -- poverty and hunger -- and pitched in to help. You can help, too. Check out her charity Family-to-Family. -- The Motherhood

A dad gets so fed up with his adult son's messy room, he calls the police. Overreaction? Or an appropriate response to twenty eight years of asking someone to clean their room? -- Strollerderby

Evangeline Lilly has a cause so near and dear to her heart that she is willing to sell her underwear to make a difference. Well, maybe not her underwear, but some brand new -- and might I add, quite lovely -- pieces of Brazilian-made lingerie.

The Lost actress has teamed up with Ebay Giving Works to auction off 2,000 hand-picked selections of panties and bras from the R*Favela Lingerie line. Favela is a Brazilian word used to describe a shanty town, common in rural areas of that country. These towns are home to many children who are alone in the world without an adult to care for them. A full 10 percent of the proceeds from this auction will go to Task Brasil, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the lost street children of Brazil by providing them secure housing.

With Valentine's day right around the corner, why not bid on some of these Brazilian-made dainties and make a difference in the life of a child? Winning bids will not only receive the items won, but also an autographed photo and personal thank-you letter from Evangeline Lilly herself.

As Lilly says, this is "a fun and enticing way for you to not only invest in yourself, but in the poor and abandoned children of Brazil."

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When we started giving my 5-year-old daughter an allowance a few months back, we gave her three choices. She could take her five $1 bills and either put them into her piggy bank to save, a special jar to give away, or in her little princess purse to spend.

She mulled over those first five bills for quite a while. Then (making me both proud and a more than a little sheepish) she put $2 in the save can, $2 in her bank, and a dollar in her purse. She's continued dividing her allowance this way every week since.

Now granted, she doesn't need much spending money. But still, giving 40% of your income to charity? I think that deserves a pat on the back.

She's saved up enough money that we're now looking into ways to share it with others, and I thought I'd share what we've found with you.

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, the holiday has officially begun. Whether you're working today, anticipating tomorrow's fun, or you already have a houseful of company, Christmas Eve is the kick-off for what is probably your kids' (and maybe your own) favorite day of the year.

For children, Christmas is all about Santa and toys, toys, toys, but whether they realize it or not, it's also about family togetherness. Make this Christmas especially memorable with one of these five holiday activities.

After teaching for years in low-income areas, I've seen first hand the joy that Toys for Tots can bring to struggling families. The toys were often distributed right from school, relieved parents knowing that they'd have something special under the tree at Christmas time.

But Mother Nature is really dishing out the snow this winter. She's dumped so much on the Seattle area that the charity had to close their warehouse -- thousands of brand new toys inside, others left sitting in locations across the area -- just before Christmas.

Toys for Tots plans to reopen today and will be working hard to get those toys picked up and distributed. If you live in the Seattle area (or any other part of the country hit by this severe winter weather) and have some free time today, I bet there's a volunteer opportunity calling your name.

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My kids have never seen Cool Hand Luke, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, or even The Sting, the fun story of a big con that is my favorite of Paul Newman's movies. They do know and love, however, his Newman's most recent role -- the gruff-but-lovable mayor of Radiator Springs, Doc Hudson, from the Pixar film Cars. Sadly, Doc Hudson has gone on to that great dirt track in the sky. Paul Newman, known to so many for good looks, gorgeous eyes, and fine acting, passed away last Friday at the age of eighty-three.

Aside from his acting, Newman was also known for his gourmet-for-the-rest-of-us foods (I especially like his salad dressings and marinades). What we probably didn't think too much about when we're picking up a package of Fig Newmans or Newman-O's is that the profits from the Newman's Own line of foods goes to charity, including one of Paul Newman's favorites, the Hole in the Wall camps. These camps provide a joyous experience for and build self-esteem in children who suffer from serious illnesses. The organization was started by Newman and the organization calls him "heart and soul of Hole in the Wall Camps."

Whether you are a fan of his acting, enjoy his natural and organic foods, or admire his generosity and compassion for others, he will surely be missed.

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When I was a teenager, I spent a lot of time listening to music, and perhaps even more money on t-shirts from the concerts I attended. I've kept them faithfully over the years. In fact, they've traveled from Kentucky to New York several times and have still remained intact, tucked away somewhere safe for all this time. My husband also have quite a collection of his own that he brought to our marriage. Many of his are tucked away too.

I occasionally wear mine every once in a while, and some of his (his are cooler). For the most part, though, they sit in storage waiting for us to do something with them. Perhaps we hold on to them for nostalgic purposes. Perhaps we keep them in hopes of turning them over to our children one day--at least that's what I told myself upon recent purchases of concert t-shirts from both Police and Springsteen concerts. Maybe then my kids will think I was cool.

But, other than storing and waiting, what is to be done with all those t-shirts? Some have suggested cutting off the fronts and backs and using them to make a giant quilt. That would be very cool. I countered that notion with, hey, why stop at a quilt--you could do throw pillows, the whole nine yards. Others say to sell on e-bay or donate to charity or just use them as rags like the rest of the old t-shirts. Some say, better yet, don't buy them--they're too expensive and just sit in the closet. And that kids won't think you're any cooler for having them (and having kept them all these years).

What did you do with all your old concert t-shirts? Are they still sitting in a pile somewhere or did you come up with a clever alternative to dumping them?

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Just last month, eldest Hanson brother Isaac and his wife Nikki had their second child, a son named James Monroe. That brought the total number Hanson babies to six, but not for long. Middle Hanson Taylor, 25, and his wife Natalie, 24, have announced that they are expecting their fourth child this winter. "Each of our kids has made life richer and more exciting," say Taylor and Natalie. "We can't wait for this guy to join the party."

The Hanson brothers aren't just hanging around making babies with their lovely wives, they are also gearing up for their Walk Around the World Tour, which begins next month. The guys aren't actually walking around the world, but they want to encourage their fans to do some walking of their own. With the goal of reaching a total of 24,902 miles (the equivalent of once around the globe), the Walk Around the World campaign is working to fight AIDS and poverty in Africa one mile at a time. To learn more about hosting a walk in your town or joining Hanson on their walk, check out Takethewalk.net.

Who ever could have imagined that those cute boys who sang MMMbop would turn out to be such great family men and philanthropists?

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Who knew that former party girl Nicole Richie was such a giving and charitable person? I think that the way she has turned her life around and started giving back to those less fortunate is wonderful and I applaud her efforts. And apparently she has only just begun helping children - here and around the world.

Through the Richie-Madden Children's Foundation, Nicole is launching an online gift registry that will help needy mothers and their children. Families in need can sign up through local social service agencies and submit a list of the things they need for their children. Asked-for items could include cribs, blankets and other essentials. Donors could then look at the registry and choose what they want to contribute. Initially, the registry will benefit families in New York and Los Angeles, but the hope is to take it nationally and then internationally.

I think this is fantastic idea and love the idea of being able to choose a family to give to and personally pick out what they receive. Way to go Nicole!

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It guess it sounded like a good idea on paper: a national campaign to collect clothing donations for homeless youth featuring non-homeless, fully-clothed youth. Except for the part where the clothed youth are supposed to take their clothes off. Sponsored by cell-phone company Virgin Mobile and National Network For Youth (NN4Y), the Strip2Clothe campaign asks young people to make a video of themselves stripping and post it online. Clothing companies then donate new clothes based on the number of times the video is viewed.

This strip-tease idea doesn't sit well with some of the organizations the campaign is intended to benefit. Catholic Charities, among other groups, has complained saying the effort is inappropriate and that it exploits young people. Rebecca Lentz, a spokeswoman for Catholic Charities, is especially horrified because she says that it isn't uncommon for kids who find themselves on the streets to be sexually exploited within days of becoming homeless.

Victoria Wagner, chief executive of NN4Y, says the program is now being re-evaluated. "It's unfortunate it's become so explosive," she said. Unfortunate, indeed, since many of those who are complaining are members of NN4Y and were not informed of the campaign before it kicked off.

To be fair, the rules for video submission stipulate that there is to be no full nudity and the videos I viewed were in no way risque. Like it or not, the campaign appears to be going quite well - the site reports close to 150,000 donations so far.

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Nicole Kidman may be debuting pics of her new baby soon, but if she does so, it won't be for cash. The Oscar winner and her country music star husband, Keith Urban, recently welcomed Sunday Rose into the world. According to reports, they've been debating about whether to share their joy in picture format.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, if they do release pics, it won't be for a lot of money. In fact, the Australian paper is reporting, if pictures are released it will be for free.

As we all know, the Jolie-Pitt twins pictures will be worth between $15 and $20 million. The money has reportedly been earmarked for charity. Hollywood stars have had a long tradition of selling pictures of their children to publications like People and OK Magazine for hefty sums. Nice to see the Kidman Urban tribe isn't willing to share their joy only if there's payment involved.

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Celebrities, by their very nature, crave attention. Some of them can't seem to get enough of it and go to great lengths to make sure they stay in the public eye (see Britney Spears). But some famous people keep their private lives private and quietly go about being wonderful people without drawing attention to themselves. One such celebrity is actor Kirk Douglas.

For eleven years, the 91-year-old Douglas and his wife Anne have been giving their time and money to make sure that school kids in Los Angeles have a fun and safe place to play. Through the Anne and Kirk Douglas Playground Award, the Hollywood old-timer and his wife have supported the creation of 401 public school playgrounds. For each dedication, Douglas takes a trip down the brand new slide. "What nobody acknowledges is that every dedication I risk my life," he jokes. "I'm getting too old for this."

Douglas says the inspiration for their philanthropic work came from his German wife's desire to give back to her adopted country. "When we got married, she was very anxious to become a citizen. And when she became a citizen she felt: 'I had to do something for my new country.' "

The Douglas' have given back in many other ways - through the Douglas Foundation, they built a homeless shelter for women and created the Anne Douglas Center for Women - but Kirk says that the playgrounds have been his most important work. "Let's face it: The world is in a mess and young people are going to inherit that mess. So we should do all we can to help them," he says.

The Douglas' are now stepping down from the Playground Award but hope others will continue the work. "The program could benefit the entire country," Douglas says. "I think every individual should take a more personal action about their surroundings."

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Do you give? When are were you taught to do so as a child? Do your children? But, how exactly do we create a culture of giving in the home?

It doesn't start the way I think about it--that scene from Mommy Dearest where Mommy makes Christina give all her presents from her birthday to the needy children, except for one. After a struggle she is allowed to keep two presents, but not without building in resentment. So how does one do it, the right way?

Well, the tips provided by MSN Lifestyle's Home Sweet Home are a good start. Kid getting a new toy? How about encouraging him or her to part with an older one (still in good condition, only gently loved or used). Do the same with clothes. Also mentioned is to demonstrate giving by buying a few extra canned goods for a food drive when doing the regular grocery shopping. Giving, like anything else, it says, is a habit--something that is formed over time with repetition.

Another suggestion is to take cash--from presents or allowance--and split it into savings, charity and personal spending money. Now there's a way to teach kids about money! If only my parents had employed that. I did have a piggy bank, but this is totally different. They did always give to charity and to our church though. An addendum to that tip is to match the gift that your child makes. Now that would be something!

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After all the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations, the day has finally arrived. The living room is awash in wrapping paper and holiday music is playing on the stereo. The turkey is in the oven and the smells of my mother's good cooking fill the house. I am warm and happy surrounded by those I love so much and I hope you are, too.

In the spirit of the holiday, I've combed the Parent Dish archives for examples of average children doing exceptional things in the name of giving. In no particular order, here are my favorites.

• To honor her grandfather's memory, this ten-year-old girl spent the first 25 days of December living as her grandfather did, making a difference by giving selflessly of herself and inspiring others to do the same.

• Another ten-year-old, this time a boy named Zach Bonner, walked 280 miles to raise awareness and money for homeless children.

• These five seniors from Lake Fenton High School in Michigan declined the honor of being nominated for homecoming king so that another student could. That other student was Eli Florence, a sophomore in the late stages of leukemia.

• This group of students at the Cathedral School in Portland, Maine raised over $1000 during the course of a year to pay for their annual class trip. But after being inspired by a visit from Sister Lisa Velntini, the kids decided to give up their trip and instead donate the money to aid poor families in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

• And finally, I had to include this one because it's my own Ellie doing something wonderfully selfless. For her birthday this year, instead of gifts, she asked party guests to bring donations for our local animal shelter. She not only collected much-needed supplies for homeless animals, she also inspired several of her friends to do something similar at their birthday parties.

With their hearts so firmly planted in the right place, these children have inspired me and given me hope for the future of the world that our children will inherit. May your heart be filled with the spirit of giving as well. Merry Christmas!