Shine On Now with American Girl Dolls!

Every now and then, big companies do things that make parents want to stand up and cheer.  American Girl Doll is one of those companies, and Shine On Now is the reason to cheer.

American Girl has created parent partners across the globe in an effort to raise money for four important charities benefiting children.  Books on the House for Kids and Teens is one of those parent partners.

The program — Shine On Now — wants to foster a spirit of goodwill and make the world a brighter place . Okay, so what does that mean? We have until July 31st to do our part in helping American Girl Dolls donate $1,000,000 to one of four charities.  Let's break it down:

American Girl’s Mission:

Empower girls and show them that  THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!Collectively, girls everywhere can impact lives.

The plan:

Shine On Now provides girls with an opportunity to help the American Girl Doll company donate $1,000,000 in clothes, books, dolls, and money to one of the following charities:

• Kids in Distressed Situations
• Save the Children U.S.A.
• National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions
• National Wildlife Federation

The Nitty Gritty:

Here's how it works: girls visit  shineonnow.com to contribute a  free ˜star ™  to the effort. The company's goal is to collect one million stars by July 31, 2010. For every star a girl contributes (she can donate up to 100 each day  AND IT ™S FREE!), her name will automatically be entered in a daily drawing to win a new My American Girlâ„¢  doll.  On top of that, Books on the House for kids  and teens is running a separate contest thanks to American Girl.  We get to give away another American Girl Doll to one deserving girl! But wait, there's more!  American Girl Doll has also created  Innerstar Universityâ„¢ ” a fun, safe online world where girls learn to be their best through a variety of games, quizzes, and other enriching activities that help boost their confidence and strength . So, what can you do?  Go to  SHINE ON NOW to contribute a free star, for starters!  And then go to Books on the House for Kids and Teens and leave a comment telling us about one deserving girl in your community.  That girl will be entered into the Books on the House contest to receive her very own American Girl Doll! Don't wait!

Tell us about a girl in your community who is deserving of an American Girl Doll. Tell us her story.  Help spread the love.