Videos
ECHOage Featured on CITY NEWS Toronto
April 12, 2013
Watch Ben Lassman discuss his upcoming ECHOage birthday party.
More ECHOage Videos
April 30, 2010
Featured on the segment "Today Goes Green - With Green Technology" with Yahoo! Web Life editor Heather Cabbot.
February 28, 2011
Watch a child make two wishes come true.
February 10, 2009
A profile of the hugely successful ECHOage.com site.
June 15, 2010
ECHOage founder Alison Smith interviewed on Breakfast Television with Dina Pugliese
Print Articles
Sunday April 14, 2013
In honour of Earth Day, ECHOage founder Alison Smith offers four simple steps that can help you go green and give back when celebrating your child’s next birthday
March 19, 2013
Children become more charitable when they believe that their actions have impact. A few small, yet tangible ideas, put into action early on in life, can set the stage for a more charitably spirited and rewarding future.
October 29, 2012
This weekend, my family and I were invited to an ECHOage birthday party. The birthday boy, my friend’s son, was turning two. Typical of a two-year old birthday party, the event was held at an indoor playground. But what was different was the present. In lieu of typical gifts, the parents decided to host an ECHOage party.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
It is birthday season at our house and our eldest will soon turn nine. He has been planning his party for a month, and already knows the theme (Lego) and the menu (pizza), but this birthday he's been begging for something else, too: "Could my friends bring presents this time?"
Thursday, April 8, 2010
When it comes to going green, never underestimate the power of a good idea. These women came up with ways to reduce, reuse and recycle, and they’re spreading the word to their entire community—and beyond.
The idea of Giving Back is what ECHOage is all about. Children are opening their minds and hearts and are saying "My birthday can now become a giving celebration for everyone involved."
Saturday, April 3, 2010
I wanted to introduce you all to this great new company I heard about that is making good happen.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Don’t panic. The kid still gets a present. You simply create the opportunity for your sweet little curtain climber to share the birthday blessings with other children who are less fortunate. It’s a great way to teach a life-altering lesson and make sure you don’t end up with more stuff that doesn’t fit in the closet.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
If you have a kid's bash to plan, head to ECHOage.com where you can pick an online invitation and one of 10 charities. As guests RSVP, they have the option of donating money, half of which goes to the charity and half to you, to buy a gift for your child.
DOWNSIZED PARTIES OFFER SUPERSIZED FUN
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Erica Ehm has a message for parents still throwing lavish children's birthday parties and struggling to keep up with the Joneses: "Stop worrying about what other parents or other children think and downsize proudly."
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Children’s birthdays can get overwhelming with too many gifts – ECHOage is a great alternative to traditional gift giving. It’s is a charity-driven, online birthday party service where children learn the value of giving and receiving while celebrating...
Monday, January 4, 2010
Trying some greener resolutions in 2010? Try an ECHOage party for your little one’s birthday this year. ECHOage’s “one gift, one cause” concept is an innovative way to turn any birthday celebration into a outlet for giving.
A BETTER BIRTHDAY PARTY
Friday, May 15, 2009
What if kids actually gave instead of received at their own birthday? ECHOage is taking the everyday kid’s birthday party and cranking it up one big enlightened notch.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
I derived my big idea from a Web-based company called ECHOage, which two mothers started late last year to stop the madness around children’s birthday parties.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Children's birthday celebrations can be an opportune way to help kids learn about gratitude and giving back. "It was truly borne out of a need that we witnessed as mothers," says co-founder Alison Smith, a mom of two. "There is a way to make this (birthday parties) a meaningful experience and a way we can impart our values to our kids and make the world a better place," she explains.
Friday, November 7, 2008
So get this - no paper wasting invites, no 5 huge trashbags full of giftwrap, no one million cardboard boxes from toys AND your child still gets a great gift from their guests? Its a win-win!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
This is so cool on so many levels - kids learn to give back to a charity of their choice, they get fewer gifts, we Moms don't have to shop or leave our homes to purchase a gift for the b-day boy or girl.
Monday, October 20, 2008
The online party planning service shows youngsters how to value social responsibility and environmental awareness while still having a blast.
CAUSE CELEB
Friday, October 3, 2008
To its credit, Canadian company ECHOage wants to tweak tradition by ushering in a new era of scaled back, environmentally-conscious celebrations.
Monday, September 22, 2008
With their new venture, ECHOage, they're hoping a child's birthday party will be less an excuse for family and friends to show their love by buying gifts, and more an opportunity to celebrate giving and saving the world...
FISCAL PRUDENCE CAN BE CHILD'S PLAY
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Money is something children are not exposed to until they're older - how it's earned, raised, managed, given away. But with ECHOage the child can go online and see what it's like to collect money, watch it grow...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
It's not about cutting out the party or celebration, the moms say. It's about "One Gift. One Cause."
GIVE BACK < GET A GIFT AT YOUR NEXT BIRTHDAY
Thursday, August 14, 2008
We love giving back and we love our birthday and now there is an AWESOME way to COMBINE the two!!!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Parents have eagerly embraced the ECHOage.com concept because it provides them with an easy way to teach their children about the value of giving. By simply inviting their friends to celebrate, children are helping both the planet and charities in need of funding.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Really...how many toys does a 2 year old really need? He doesn't play with most of them anyway. And, we live in Southern California...
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Modern birthday parties are all about the experience, which often means a more conscientious event: fewer gifts, less waste, more memories...
Friday, July 11, 2008
"We're not saying children shouldn't celebrate," said Alison Smith, whose company, ECHOage, helps parents organize less wasteful, more philanthropic parties. "It's just about making it more meaningful."
Sunday, July 6, 2008
A company called ECHOage offers to organize a party where guests can limit carbon footprints usually left by buying or wrapping gifts...
Monday, June 9, 2008
You still get one special present and learn about charity in the process...
Saturday, May 3, 2008
All told, the company’s mantra of ‘One Gift, One Cause’ makes a whole lot of sense environmentally, and it seems to be a pretty sharp way of managing the attendant madness of your child’s next birthday as well...
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Are you having a birthday party anytime soon? Even though it’s your special day, there is a way to make it special for others as well.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
"We're not saying children shouldn't celebrate," said Alison Smith, whose company, ECHOage, helps parents organize less wasteful, more philanthropic parties. "It's just about making it more meaningful."
THINGS WE LOVE...
Thursday, April 3, 2008
ECHOage arranges everything, so no need to drive, shop, wrap or even pick up the phone to make a donation...
MEET AN EXPERT - ECHOAGE PARTIES
Monday, March 24, 2008
Hyped up on sugar and good times, the last thing the birthday boy or girl needs is a pile of twenty or more gifts to tear into and get overwhelmed by. To deal with the presents that can get out of control for both the giver and receiver at kids' parties, Alison Smith (right) and Debbie Zinman (left) started ECHOage.com, a new Toronto-based party company with a fresh take on giving.—Kate Foster...
Monday, March 17, 2008
Children's birthdays can be stressful. On one hand you want to create a memory that will last a lifetime for your child, as well as throw a party that's fun for you and your friends. On the other, birthday parties always seem to be too expensive, and create way too much garbage. If you have mixed feelings about such fetes, you aren't the only one. Two moms have come up with a creative way to fight waste and do good, while still having a great time.
Friday, March 14, 2008
ECHOage not only cuts back on the waste associated with most birthday parties, it also teaches kids valuable lessons about giving and quality versus quantity, and saves parents and guests time and money by eliminating the present buying, wrapping (and returning) process.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
What a brilliant concept. ECHOage is an innovative forward-thinking online party planning tool that provides kids and their parents with the opportunity to protect the environment while saving time and money in the birthday planning process.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
For a one year old who most likely doesn’t need anymore toys and who probably has no idea what this birthday hoopla is all about, having a ECHOage party is perfect!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
ECHOage is an interesting service which aims to show kids both the joy of giving even while doing a little receiving, all in a way that's kinder and gentler to the environment.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
ECHOage. Echo: “One small act of giving can echo around the world” plus Age: “Each year I want to make a difference on the planet” Equals: a meaningful twist on birthdays. Not exactly a whack the pinata and dive for the candy ‘gimme mode’ moment or frenzied paper-flying present grab flashback…but certainly an alternate view of what’s fun.
PARTY WITH A PURPOSE
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Once upon a time, children's birthday parties were simple affairs with a few friends and a cake. But lately they've morphed into extravagant events featuring mile-long guest lists, professional performers and a mountain of gifts. That's why the recently launched ECHOage makes so much sense. The brainchild of two Toronto-based moms looking to inject more meaning into their kids' birthday celebrations, the party planning/charitable giving site helps parents organize environmentally and socially responsible fêtes.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
The party planning/charitable giving site helps parents organize environmentally and socially-responsible birthday blasts.
Read More
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Remember computers before that new word Google? No, neither do we. But looking back, how did we live without it? We’re pretty sure you’re going to feel the same way about birthday parties once we tell you about ECHOage (another new word)
Thursday, November 1, 2007
The Toronto moms felt there had to be an eco-friendly way to save parents time while teaching children real life lessons about generosity and gratitude.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
If you have struggled with this or are struggling, a brilliant solution has been born called ECHOage.
ECHOage Reviews
My daughter Shelby was just invited to an ECHOage Party.
Together we looked at the invitation and navigated our way through your site.
We both felt so good about doing it.
And she loved the award she received after we gave our donation.
My daughter can hardly wait to use ECHOage for her next party in November!!
Thanks for giving us this opportunity!!!
- Jodi
We received the funds from ECHOage. Thank you for getting it to us so efficiently.
My son Mason has been so proud about his decision to give to a charity and he loves the idea of responsibility to choose his own gift.
- Sandi
I think the concept of your site is fantastic and the ease of your site is amazing too. What a great idea and a wonderful lesson for our very fortunate children. We request no gifts each year for our kids parties.
Most years we still get gifts and the number of donations seems to dwindle each year.
This concept makes it easy, one stop for gift and RSVP. Love it! Congrats on a great concept that is well executed.
- Robyn
As a parent who gets to witness the gluttony that has become children's birthday parties, I admire you both so much for not only having this great idea, but for finding a way to take the stigma out of encouraging people to donate instead of buying more clutter. Well done indeed. I am sure you get this kind of reaction all the time.
- John
We just received the check from our party and I just wanted to tell you how fantastic of an idea I think ECHOage is. I have referred your concept/website on to many friends and I know 2 have already booked their upcoming parties with you and many others are planning on it. It's wonderful to teach such positive messages to our children < I applaud you for coming up with the idea. I hope things are going well for you and I will continue to refer ECHOage to many.
I wish you much success!
- Kristin
Thank you so much for creating something that I have been thinking about for years! I have just brought my daughter into this world and I want her to grow up appreciating the world and not "things". This will help so much!
If I can help you in any way, please let me know!!!
- Corrine
To compliment the ECHOage concept, we decided to have yoga theme party. Our ECHOage party was a huge success!!! Having returned home without more than I left with was such a relief. The feedback we heard from the parents who received our invitations, also appreciated the intentions and the convenience of us having an ECHOage party.
We thank you!
- Alison
Finally a way to have a party and not have heaps of trash outside my house on garbage day. It always made us feel badly for celebrating. We used ECHOage this year and my daughter now has a gift she can use and appreciate. We are so happy that we went this route. Brilliant!!! Thank You!!!
- Alia
I just used ECHOage for my daughter's birthday and it was such an easy process. I loved how it kept track of who was coming and any comments the parents had about the special needs of the child coming ie. food allergies. My daughter ended up raising a large amount for her charity. I received a big check for a special gift for my daughter. She got her gift and then purchased extra books for her class with the extra money. All around it was such a pleasant experience.
Thanks ECHOage!
- Tiffaney
I would like to offer ECHOage.com as one of the greatest green birthday party ideas to come on the scene in a long time. For my sons' combined first and third birthday party I used ECHOage to send out paperless invitations, manage my RSVP's and ease the gift buying headache for parents -- the site enables parents/guests to donate money towards ONE special (and wrapping-free!) gift for a child along with a sizeable donation to a charity of my or my child's choice. In using ECHOage we not only avoided the mountain of garbage that is produced in unnecessary wrapping of multiple toys/gifts, but we avoided the mountain of small, plastic (sometimes toxic), and generally meaningless toys for our children. My children chose one special gift for themselves and the balance (half) of the money was donated to a fabulous charity. Not only did we do something great for the environment, but we changed people's lives as well.
- Mia
What a PLEASURE not to have to deal with a ton of inane and useless gifts that end up in the landfill, and not to have to deal with heaps of wrapping paper, as well as all the garbage from the ridiculous packaging in which the gifts come. How liberating! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
- Tova
I just found your website and I think it is brilliant. I am grandmother age and would like to congratulate you on great idea, great values and great role modeling. I have worked in the not for profit sector all my life and it warms my heart to see and read your website. I wish you the best of everything with your children, your families and your program.
- Marsha
I think your website and the whole concept is an excellent idea and we have been, and will, spread the word. Well done!!!
- Andy
This website (and idea) is absolutely fantastic!!! The colours and simplicity of design are fresh and clean and to navigate the site was a breeze (no pun intended)!
I cannot rave enough!!!
- Marta
I think ECHOage is a great concept, on many levels, and should mention that you present the heart of ECHOage's mission passionately and convincingly. I think it will do very well - and it should as its purpose is quite admirable.
All the BEST wishes to you!
- Becky
I thought ECHOage was great. Great job - thanks so much for making it so easy, love the groovy graphics and I will tell my friends.
- Ann
What a PLEASURE not to have to deal with a ton of inane and useless gifts that end up in the landfill, and not to have to deal with heaps of wrapping paper, as well as all the garbage from the ridiculous packaging in which the gifts come. How liberating! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
- Tova
ECHOage is great idea and a "win-win-win" for the birthday child, the parent and the guest. The child has the opportunity of giving and feeling great about it. The parent models the importance of thinking of others and doesn't have to focus on buying and mailing invitations and then receiving so many gifts their children just don't need. As for invited guests, there is no need to take so much time to run around and think about the "perfect present", not to mention the environmental savings on gift wrapping, gas,
etc. It's a wonderfully creative idea and it teaches our children that it feels not only good to get, but great to give.
I love it!
- Janet
I invited a ton of kids to my son's ECHOage party from his hockey team and all the parents love the idea. One mother who is a cancer survivor said her sister is a counsellor at a cancer camp and her niece goes there so it was very personal and touching for them. Another parent works for the Department of Forestry and loved the idea of saving trees and being paperless.
I love this idea and will continue to use it, promote it and support it widely!!!
- Kim
Wow - I am so touched by what you have done/created. My son is 20 months now and we have been blessed with so much. I honestly didn't want any birthday presents for his 1st Birthday. But didn't know HOW to go about it.... now I do. Thank You!
- Neeta
Hi! I just wanted to pass on the positive energy that was received from my son's ECHOage party! Many of the guests were so supportive and are planning to ECHOage their parties as well! Thanks for all you do! Less IS more!
- Brandi
I am a dad who has witnessed the excess that birthday parties bring. Finally a way to stop those plastic gifts from filling our house each time we want to celebrate a birthday. You did it!!! I commend you. We used ECHOage and our child had his first opportunity to give to a charity by himself! You should be very proud of your creation.
- John
I love the birthday party and the online charitable giving all in one for kids and charities! You are beautiful to introduce such a brilliant concept to our world! Thank you for what you do! So excited to learn more!
- Tonya
Wow, thanks! I love your idea. We grew up with very little with five kids in my family... and my parents have always been models of philanthropy when they could. Because of my lifestyle, I'm very keen on owning very few material things. Your philosophy resonates deeply with mine. I only hope the word spreads and more parents embrace the path of altruistic philanthropy.
- Hani
Hi! I just wanted to pass on the positive energy that was received from my son's ECHOage party! Many of the guests were so supportive and are planning to ECHOage their parties as well! Thanks for all you do! Less IS more!
- Brandi
ECHOage is now our first choice in party planning! I'll be back this November to plan another party. I hope it's going well for you!
- Kim
I am a New York resident and I love ECHOage!! I am using it now and having a great experience. I have tried other things in the past - writing "no gifts expected", asking people to spend no more than $10, etc., and never had any compliance from partygoers. So, ECHOage was like a dream for me. I gave my son a choice - a very small party with gifts, or a large party with ECHOage. I think it was a very fair way to present it to him. He really wanted kids from his class, so this works out great. I have had a couple of people make comments to me - usually implying that I must have forced him to do it. However, right on the invite I wrote "Miles is very excited about the joint gift - he has chosen Harry Potter Legos". And lets be honest, once he found out that his one gift could be the Hogwarts Lego set, he was ready to do it!!!
- Janet
Overall, we loved ECHOage. The new additions to the website are great. My son was so excited about the whole process that he definitely did a great job advertising for you! He told so many people how
it was so cool to be able to both give to a charity AND to receive money with which he could purchase a gift that he actually has been dreaming of getting for a while. I loved the convenience of having invitations/response/details from those attending online. Thank You!
- Hyla
I just wanted to let ECHOage know what a great experience my son and I had having an ECHOage party. Being that he was just turning 5, we had a lot of discussions about the charities he could choose from. What a great built in "teaching" moment for us. Having a summer birthday and not seeing his friends often, he really enjoyed checking the site everyday to read the notes his friends left with their RSVP. We are so happy, he has a the toy of his dreams and I don't have waste and clutter. The best part is now he thinks about charities before himself. The other day we had a lemonade stand and he said he wanted to donate the money to the local animal shelter. I was so proud! I had a glimpse of the type of man I hope to raise, one that is caring and compassionate. Thank you ECHOage!
- Cathryn
I can't tell you how many people have complimented my kids on what they did for their birthdays. It has made them feel so good and we are ECHOagers for life!
- Debbie
We loved how easy you made it for us! We were excited to read all of our birthday messages as our guests replied and we especially loved knowing we were giving back. What a wonderful way for all of us to learn the importance of compassion and community.
- Erin
