One of the most earth-friendly things you can do is to encourage all your friends to participate in hand-me-downs for babies and kids. I was sipping tea with a very pregnant girlfriend yesterday who was agonizing over which very expensive stroller to buy. I stopped her in her tracks, remembering how the bells-and-whistles stroller I had been gifted at my baby shower, got scuffed, frayed (even lost a wheel), after only a couple of months. I directed her to the most brilliant website – Hand Me Downs, where I even managed to find a FREE bicycle for my daughter last month. On Hand Me Downs you can buy, sell, or giveaway gently used items in your area. Every month they hold a celebrity auction. This month it is Melissa Joan Hart who is giving away a bunch of stuff and all the proceeds go to the charity of her choice.
When handmedowns.com approached Melissa to participate in their 3rd celebrity auction, she
immediately signed up and has graciously donated a range of items from her two sons Mason (3
yrs) and Braydon (14 mo). All of the proceeds from the auction will go to Friends of the Family,
an organization which provides respectful and responsive family support services in the greater
Los Angeles area.
Norah Weinstein and Jane Buckingham, the creators of handmedowns.com, had a chance to
sit down with Melissa and talk about her favorite hand-me-downs, who she swaps toys with and
her recent yard sale.
Handmedowns.com: What items are you donating?
Melissa: I am donating my Orbit stroller system along with two moses baskets. One that was
mine when I was a baby and the other one I used for both my sons. I was too afraid they would
ruin my childhood moses basket so I got them a new one. The Orbit system is incredible. It’s not
only sleek looking, but it is the most functional system out there. I love all the interchanging
parts and the way you can swivel the baby around in the car seat and on the stroller base. This
comes in very handy in tight restaurants when the baby is asleep and you don’t want to take
them out. We also have a ton of toys and stuffed animals. My boys are very blessed and spoiled
and I thought it was time to pass them on.
