Doing Good Archives | Cool Mom Picks

Greta Thunberg and youth climate activism: Editors Best of the Year

by Liz Gumbinner | Doing Good, Editors Best of the Year, Health, Fitness + Wellbeing

When we first started this site in 2006, eco-friendly was one of our most popular tags. Parents were concerned about where their products were made, what ingredients were in them, and how they impacted the planet. Then the recession hit. Suddenly no one wanted to pay...

A brilliantly easy way to donate your kids’ plastic toys to children who will really love them.

by Christina Refford | Doing Good, Toys + Playthings

If the picture up top makes you think, Ack! That’s every room of my house, then you’re going to be so happy to learn about Second Chance Toys, an organization that will help you get those no-longer-wanted toys into the hands of kids who really do want them...

24 gifts that give back beautifully to everyone on your list. Because any day can be #GivingTuesday if you make it.

by Liz Gumbinner | Doing Good, Holiday Picks

Each year, we love putting together some of our favorite gifts that give back in substantial and specific ways — not just some undetermined percentage of your purchase going to “charities.” While we definitely share these kinds of gifts that give...

Nike nurses’ shoes honor everyday heroes working in medicine and healthcare.

by Kate Etue | Doing Good, Fashion

Sometimes the best way to appreciate the work someone does is simply to recognize it. Which is why all of us were so thrilled to come across the new Nike Zoom Pulse. People are calling them “Nike nurses’ shoes,” because it’s their first shoe...

On acting, activism, and taking action: A conversation with Alysia Reiner

by Cool Mom Staff | Doing Good, Podcast

Considering we’re pretty passionate about activism and binge watching, it’s probably no surprise that we’re a big fan of Alysia Reiner, known best for her role as Natalie “Fig” Figueroa in Orange is the New Black, a show that might have...

Adopt a letter to Santa and make a child’s holiday wish come true

by Kristen Chase | Doing Good

Every year, the USPS gets tons of letters to Santa from children from all over the country, many of whom come from low-income families where the holidays present quite a hardship. Well, this year, the USPS is helping to make these kids’ wishes come true with...

11 top-rated veterans organizations offering everything from adaptive housing to service dogs to support exclusively for women

by Liz Gumbinner | Doing Good

I actually moaned when I saw an ad on TV this weekend that said something like, our veterans fought hard for our country, and now we’re fighting hard to bring you these great deals at our annual Veteran’s Day sale… I mean, are you kidding me? I love...

These 8 single-use products are going away in our lifetimes. Here are alternatives that make switching easy.

by Liz Gumbinner | Doing Good, Living

I love that increasingly, so many of us are trying to be more mindful with our product purchases, opting for eco-friendly reusable products instead of wasteful single-use alternatives. It doesn’t just make good earth sense, it makes good budget sense. Besides,...

What is Indigenous People’s Day? Great resources for talking to your kids, because Native American history is American history.

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Kids, Doing Good, Thinking : Parent

Today is the day that’s been traditionally celebrated as “Columbus Day” in the U.S., but knowing now what we know about Christopher Columbus, the holiday is fast transforming into Indigenous People’s Day for many. If you’re wondering what...

New LEGO Replay lets you donate your used bricks to kids in need. And it’s so easy!

by Liz Gumbinner | Doing Good, Toys + Playthings

I think you’re going to be as excited about LEGO Replay as I am. Because if your kids are like mine, they’ve accumulated a whoooole lot of LEGO bricks over the years. And there comes a point where maybe they don’t need them. Or at least all of them....

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, easier, more organized, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.

Trivia: It was called Cool Mom Sh*t for the first two days. (Yeah, we rethought that.)

We had no idea our site would grow to become a major lifestyle network, that we'd end up sharing our finds with the TODAY Show and Martha Stewart, that we'd be able to make a real difference for so many small businesses and women-run companies, or that we'd end up with an incredible community of the coolest readers on the planet. (If we do say so ourselves).