Sandwich Generation Month

No, Sandwich Generation Month has nothing to do with your favorite combination of deli meats and condiments. "Sandwich Generation" refers to caregivers who are caught between caring for younger loved ones, typically children, and elderly parents and family members. Members of this generation are generally between the ages of 35 and 55. According to the Pew Research Center, just over 1 of every 8 Americans between the ages of 40 and 60 is both raising a child and caring for a parent, in addition to the 7 to 10 million adults caring for their aging parents from a long distance.

This July you can celebrate the dedication, commitment, and patience of adults who are part of the sandwich generation. Many businesses could benefit from raising awareness of and providing support for members of the sandwich generation because they are very likely to have many employees who make up this group of people. In collaboration with Griswold Special Care, the Sandwich Generation Resource Group is providing a free Sandwich Generation Month Planner's Toolkit to help you organize a thoughtful and successful event. You make your event an even greater hit with a grab bag of promotional planners to help employees organize their schedules more effectively, customized toys for their children, and imprinted pill boxes for their aging parents.

National Culinary Arts Month

Join the celebration of National Culinary Arts Month this July and recognize the professional cooks and chefs who prepare our food. Whether they are world-renowned chefs at five star restaurants or short order cooks at our local diners, we can take this opportunity to show our appreciation for their contributions to new culinary trends and dining excellence.

To celebrate this month to the fullest, don't be afraid to experiment with some delicious homemade recipes. If you're not in the mood to make your own culinary concoctions at home, go out to a nice restaurant and enjoy all of the qualities that make your dining experience great.

While all companies can celebrate this month and reward employees with a corporate luncheon or a company-catered event, this is a great month for giveaways by restaurants and culinary schools to promote themselves. By giving away promotional kitchen appliances, culinary schools can help students begin building their dream kitchen and advertise their school name as recipients prepare delicious meals. Restaurants can even give away imprinted dining and serving utensils to remind their customers of their delicious meals and great service.

Enjoy all of the great food this month!

National Grilling Month

We just finished celebrating the 4th of July, but don't pack up and store that grill just yet. July is National Grilling Month, and with the weather starting to warm out, cookouts and barbecues with friends and family are a great way to make the most of the summer months. Lewis & Clark Trail offer a unique set of grilling recipes that will whet the appetite of any grilling or barbecue enthusiast. Vegetarians can even get in on the meat-intensive festivities with a couple of grilled vegetable kabob recipes.

To help employees get through the arduous summer months, companies like to encourage their staff members to relax and enjoy the summer weather by giving away personalized BBQ aprons and imprinted grilling tools. Some companies also hold corporate picnics to give employees a breather from the office and to build company unity with picnic promotional items, like beach mats and coolers.

Smart Irrigation Month

More water is used in July than any other month in most of ares of the United States, with much of our water consumption going toward keeping lawns and landscaping healthy and green. Therefore, the Irrigation Association named July Smart Irrigation Month. Homeowners across the United States use some sort of irrigation system to enjoy their yards throughout the year, but most tend to overwater their lawn and waste water through inefficient practices. The key to efficient outdoor irrigation is to apply just enough water and only when necessary, which will result in a healthier lawn and landscape. Not only will water-wise practices conserve water, but it will also reduce water bills. Here are a few tips to help you save water in the landscape (via Irrigation Association).

Regardless of your industry, you can use Smart Irrigation Month as an opportunity to draw attention to water-saving practices and products. Promotional gardening tools imprinted with water conservation tips and your company logo can serve as a thoughtful summer gift foremployees and clients. A Cactus in Pot stress ball is also a fun item that can remind homeowners of the importance of water conserving practices.

Air-Conditioning Appreciation Days

From July 3rd until August 15th, the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) recognizes Air-Conditioning Appreciation Days to help homeowners realize that "appreciating" and caring for their air conditioners can save them money by conserving energy and ensure its smooth operation during the hottest and most humid summer days. ARI offers a few tips that can help people stay cool at low costs:

• Run fans to keep air moving, so you feel cooler and can cut back air conditioner use.


• Clean and replace the air conditioner's filter frequently (monthly during heavy use).


• Keep fallen leaves, grass clippings, foliage and other dirt and debris away from your outdoor unit. And keep the conditioner's coils clean, following manufacturers instructions.

Promotional mini fans are an effective way to contribute to your employees' and clients' energy and money saving efforts this summer and to provide them with a reminder of your company's reliable and thoughtful services.

Bioterrorism/Disaster Education & Awareness Month

With so much political tension around the world and natural disasters ready to strike at any moments notice, Bioterrorism/Disaster Education Awareness Month makes a great effort to improve emergency prepardness for any type of emergency or disaster. I have posted on this awareness month before and linked to some useful resources from The Red Cross and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to help you prepare for the worst emergencies.

Custom first aid kits are a very popular corporate giveaway during this month, but you can ensure that your employees are prepared for a number of situations with imprinted safety kits to show that you are concerned for their well beings and that you will be there when they need them most. This month should be more than about raising awareness. To have a real impact, your company should be active and make sure that safety and preparedness are your greatest concerns.

Herbal/Prescription Awareness Month

With herbal and alternative medicines becoming an increasingly popular means of supplementing diets and preventing illnesses among health-conscious consumers, it is important that we recognize the significance of Herbal/Prescription Awareness Month this July.

Although herbal and over-the-counter medicines can offer some health benefits to consumers, consumers are often unaware of the consequences of mixing dietary and herbal supplements with prescription drugs or of the potential side-effects of taking these supplements on their own. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established a regulation in 2003 to ensure that labels accurately reflect the ingredients in dietary supplements, the FDA doesn't review or regulate herbal medicines and supplements before they are marketed to the public (via NurseZone).

As consumers trend towards "all natural" medicines and supplements, it is important that they remain cognizant of the potential repercussions. Promotional medicine dispensers imprinted with your company logo and a message reminding them to be mindful of mixing herbal and prescription drugs can go a long way and show employees that you care.