charities + causes

We know many so many families who love online gaming for its temporary escape into cool unique realms and the connection with others who love to play as much as we do. But sometimes real-world problems can follow us into our online games…

I'm among millions of parents all over the country concerned about widespread efforts to ban "controversial" books in our public libraries. Especially when the lists include some of our favorite books , and plenty of them are not "contro…

With all of the heavy news right now , sometimes we really need someone in our corner telling us "You can do it! Keep trying! Don't give up!". This is the actual pep talk I got this morning from a chorus of joyful Kindergartners when I d…

This week, a wonderfully human, poignant video from husband-wife team Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody went viral. Perhaps you've seen it? They used the platform to respond to a Princess Bride fan named Amanda Webb (@Alaska_Webb), a youn…

Welcome to May, the month in which top brands lets everyone in the press in on all their new products supporting and celebrating June's Pride Month. Some of these products...well, it feels like pandering TBH, but in the case of Apple, th…

When we first discovered Daymaker , we fell instantly in love with the organization's use of tech to easily allow good samaritans -- as in, you and your kids -- to anonymously fulfill the holiday gift wish lists of kids in need . Now the…

We are loving what Karlie Kloss has done to support girls in technology, with her popular Kode with Klossy coding camp and scholarship program. Well now, she's launched a luggage collection with the female-run company Away , to help get …

We've been long time supporters of Project (RED), featuring lots of their awesome collaborations here on Cool Mom Tech (and Cool Mom Picks ). So it's no surprise that we're very excited about the new Project (RED) iPhone 8 and 8 plus , t…

We love finding wonderful ways that we can give back and help kids who need it most, especially during the holiday season, which is why we were happy to discover Daymaker . By connecting foster children with people like us via their gift…

My family has been looking for some ways to fill these long summer days by giving back to our community. We were shocked to find out that more than 20% of families are food insecure in the USA, which means you very likely know someone pe…

There's a new option in the online fundraising world that's going to make giving so convenient because it's right in your Facebook feed. Yes, it's true! Facebook has added the capability for any user to start a personal fundraiser on Fac…

Do you remember The Mother of All Celebrity Selfies? You know, the one Ellen DeGeneres took at the 2014 Academy Awards surrounded by A-list nominees? Well, Richie Sambora remembers it too, especially that the photo ran all over social me…

It's amazing to see just how quickly some fantastic app developers have created political apps to help more people get involved in the political process, connect to your elected representatives, and make a difference, one voter at a time…

As my family is circulating our menu plans and meal prep responsibilities, I can't help but think about families who are going without over the holidays. When I discovered the Share the Meal app (iOS and Android ), I knew that this would…

Did June 19 sneak up on you this year? We hear you! If you're looking for a cool, thoughtful last-minute Father's Day gift that requires little more than your computer or mobile device and an internet connection, we've got you covered. N…

With military wives, past and present, among our staff, some of us have experienced the outstanding and essential benefits of military charities firsthand. So while Memorial Day is specifically about honoring our fallen soldiers, we thin…

With only a few days until Christmas, we want to make it really easy for you to finish up your holiday tech gift shopping with some last minute holiday gift ideas. In other words, no need to drive yourself crazy -- or drive yourself to 1…

As we watched the events in Paris unfold on the news last night, we were shocked and horrified, and immediately wondering what we could do. We're feeling especially thankful for technology and social media today, which has made us feel a…

Leave it to NPR and Internet technology to create something as simple and wonderful as Playgrounds for Everyone , a community edited guide helping kids who require handicapped-accessible facilities find them easily. Turns out there actua…

Our young children may not entirely understand why mom's Facebook avatar is covered in rainbows or what all those happy tears on Friday were for, but quite simply, kids can understand the basic premise that all of us here share, that lov…

While my NYC school kids are home today in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I know that sadly, it's still not recognized nationally the way we recognize, say, the mythology of Columbus Day. (I'll refrain from going off on that one.) …

If 2014 was the year that we really started seeing widespread efforts to get more girls engaged in STEM interests, 2015 could be the year that it becomes so common, we can take it for granted. But...not yet. So we continue to be excited …

I think a subscription to TripIt Pro is a fantastic last-minute gift for any frequent traveler. In fact, an alert from them recently helped me score a $300 refund (!) when an airfare I had purchased dropped significantly. So yeah. That s…

Many of us may soon find ourselves with shiny new laptops, but unsure of what to do with the old model. While there are some great options out there for recycling or reselling your old tech, we're really excited about Globetops laptop do…