Save the Children offers gifts that do good, so check out Save the Children’s new Holiday Catalog.  92% of Save the Children’s resources are spent directly on programs which is an amazingly high percentage — but that is only part of why they are a known and respected nonprofit working both in the U.S. and internationally.

Some years ago, I worked as an evaluation consultant with Save the Children as part of a team from the Aguirre Group, to support their efforts to create an evaluation system and tools for use with their domestic programs to help them identify their real impact with the children and youth they were engaged with.  I worked directly with the Appalachian Region which was an eye opener for me – life for families in parts of rural Kentucky I got to visit was really tough due to the level of poverty!!  The programs Save the Children offered filled such important gaps in services for those children – and we were helping them collect the data to really show that.  I also worked with Save the Children staff in both Haiti and Jordan and so appreciated the work they did with children and their mothers.

“Happiness Is” Film Says Giving Is The Way To Contentment

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

In 2006, documentary filmmaker Andrew Shapter wanted to know what “the pursuit of Happiness” really means in America today. How are people pursuing happiness in their own lives? Is happiness really something, as humans, we can actively pursue? So he and a small crew piled into an RV, and over the course of the next three years, drove across America to find out.

“I asked people, ‘what is it that makes you happy, what is your pursuit of happiness and how do you achieve it?’ I looked for people that are really satisfied with what they are doing in their lives,” Shapter said.  The more I went around and had these soul-searching conversations, I realized the people who were happiest were those who tried to make their community better. Those were the happiest people around…Shapter’s new movie “Happiness Is” documents his journey and the people he found along the way who believe they have found a way to pursue happiness. Shapter also interviews celebrities and leaders — the Dalai Lama and Willie Nelson both make brief appearances in the movie.  But most of the documentary is dedicated to happenstance; recorded moments where the filmmaker and his crew stumble upon scenes where people are celebrating the act of giving back.”

I love this – even “the screening tour is a unconventional: Shapter plans screenings across the country at venues provided by nonprofits in need. Then, he donates all the ticket proceeds to benefit the charity that hosts the screening. Production and tour costs are paid for through the purchase of DVDs and downloads, available at the screenings and on the film’s online store. At the very first screening, “Happiness Is” raised $10,000 for CapCityKids in Austin, Texas.”

Check it out – I really want to see this movie!  Here is the list of currently scheduled screenings.  Or you can download it for $9.95 or order a DVD for $16.95.

Hope you had a great Halloween!  This morning as I removed my Denver Post newspaper from the plastic bag it was delivered in, I noticed that instead of the usual orange bag, today it was white.  As I smoothed out the bag, I saw the Season to Share logo as seen to the left and the website address so I looked closer.

Season to Share is the giving program of the Denver Post and the McCormick Education Fund.   The bad said in bold letters across the top, “Giving more together.  Every dollar donated is matched with 50 cents.  Look for the special Season to Share section in today’s paper or visit www.SeasontoShare.com.”

On the front page of the Denver Post main section, in the prime space above the crease, there was a small block “teaser” article “A Way That You Can Help.”  “Season to Share, The Denver Post’s annual campaign to help children and those who are hungry, homeless or in need of medical care, kicks off today.  Learn more about the program and how to donate in our 12-page special section.”

The Season to Share special section had articles about various nonprofit beneficiaries and the work they do in the community, as well as a list of each of the 74 organizations they supported through Season to Share.  In 2008, the “Denver Post Season to Share distributed a record $3,341,500 to 74 local nonprofit organizations.”  The list included the amount each organization received as well as 1-2 sentences about the primary focus of the nonprofit.  I really liked that they did not just list the names of the organization.  Offering the brief summaries of each organization allows readers to learn about organizations they might not be familiar with – perhaps helping generate additional community support in the future for each organization.  At the bottom of the list it said, “ Learn about Season to Share, find stories about and links to agencies applying for funding, and donate denverpost.com/seasontoshare.”

I appreciate the way the newspaper kicked off this campaign.  By giving it a very high profile in their Sunday edition of the newspaper, the Denver Post accomplished several things simultaneously.  First, they offered their customers a way to join forces with them to jointly make a larger difference and “made the ask” for their support.  Second, while asking for customer support, they are also educating the community at large about their efforts and support of nonprofits, thus strengthening their reputation and cementing reader loyalty. Third, because of how they constructed their special section, they also leveraged their unique business expertise to support the nonprofits they funded last year that could prove to be of even greater long-term value than just the actual dollar amounts awarded — they helped increase the visibility and awareness of the mission/programming of each the 74 nonprofits they selected to fund in the community among their readership – hopefully synergizing a snowball effect of future support of each of the organizations from individuals and other businesses.

Nicely done!

Thanks for visiting Business Nonprofit CONNECTIONS’ website.  We are in the midst of reconstruction of our site to better serve your needs.  So please excuse our “dust” – we should be done next week – so check back!

Thanks!

Sue Hyatt

Business Philanthropy Strategist and Founder

I was wandering through the Cherry Creek Mall in Denver last week and stopped into a new store that I had not seen before called Cali & Mo selling an eclectic mix of antique and new apparel, accessories and home decor.  On a sale rack I found a T-shirt that was really unusual and though I need another T-shirt like I need a hole in the head…I had to try it on.  While in the dressing room, I read the shirt’s tag and then was totally convinced I needed to buy it.  The T-shirt is made by Humanity and it was clear from the tag they are about making a difference.  It actually states that on the front and on the back it reads “We call it random acts of kindness.  But actually there is nothing random about it.  It is purely intentional.  The human soul longs to do good but is at a loss for direction.  Humanity is each and every individual standing united with one single purpose.  That purpose is the dignity, respect, and well-being for all.  Become a part of Humanity.  A percentage of each purchase goes to fund non-profit organizations.  Become a part of Humanity and make a difference.”

From the Humanity website, I learned that “Humanity is a tapestry of art and written text that unfolds the story of individuals, social justice, and the environment. Founded in August 2007 by Helena Cho and Tammy Hotsenpiller , this successful organization aims to raise awareness of various causes around the world through fashion. By designing t-shirts and accessories with positive messages, Humanity is spreading knowledge to people of all ages on issues ranging from humanitarianism to the environment.”

Also, “Humanity is a successful for-profit company, that has joined efforts with non-profit organizations to raise awareness of particular needs and causes.  By designing and manufacturing T-shirts, Humanity is able to save the non-profit organization valuable dollars, while branding their name as well.”

In the women’s T-shirt section, they have shirts designed in honor of Rosa Parks, Hurricane Katrina, Mother Earth, Love, Patience…and more.  They have shirts for men and kids, as well.

Cool company, check them out!

Make A Difference Day is the most encompassing national day of helping others — a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Everyone can participate. Created by USA WEEKEND Magazine, Make A Difference Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. Millions have participated. In 2008, 3 million people cared enough about their communities to volunteer on that day, accomplishing thousands of projects in hundreds of towns.

What are you going to do?

I landed on the BellaOnline site for the first time today during a web search and saw a banner ad for “free rice” and the World Food Program. (BellaOnline provides an encouraging, supportive publishing community for women. They provide free training, support and promotion so writers may reach their personal and business goals.)  I have  a M.S. degree in nutrition with a focus on international development and maternal child health.  While I no longer actively engage in international hunger-related work, things related to combatting hunger still catch my eye!

FreeRice.com is a relatively new site with a great idea. The site is in essence a “vocabulary game” which lets you build up your vocabulary as you play. Everybody can benefit from having a better vocabulary! Each time you do well, the game donates actual, real rice to a starving family. So by playing, you feed people.  I played for about 10 minutes and donated 330 grains of rice.  Today September 23, 2009, 57,758,900 grains of rice have been donated.  That is a HUGE number!!

How this works is that sponsors pay for the banner ads to show up on the site. You don’t even have to click! Some people do click, though, and that helps to ensure that the rice can keep flowing.
Who pays for the donated rice? The rice is paid for by the sponsors whose names you see on the bottom of the screen when you enter a correct answer. These sponsors support both learning (free education for everyone) and reducing hunger (free rice for the hungry). For information about how you or your company can sponsor FreeRice, please email freerice.rep@wfp.org.

Each time you get a word right, you feed someone 20 grains of rice. The grains add up quickly! Just how many grains does it take to feed a person, though? Lisa Shea, owner of BellaOnline stated on her website that she had been “very curious about this and actually sat down with a container of rice and counted them. It took a while . The answer is there were 2,345 grains of Uncle Ben’s rice in the quarter cup of dry rice. That then equals a cup of cooked rice to eat. Looking at various packages of rice, a 1/2 cup of rice is considered a serving. So a serving of rice, in grains, is about 1,100 grains.”  Glad Lisa figured all that out, it saved me a lot of time!

This is an interesting example of cause sponsorship.  FreeRice itself does not make any money from this. FreeRice is a website committed to the cause of ending hunger around the world. It is run entirely for free and at no profit. All money (100%) raised by the site goes to the UN World Food Program to help feed the hungry. Sponsors make all payments to the UN World Food Program directly.

Check it out!  What does your company do that you could tie to a cause, give back, AND build awareness and sales for your brand?

My 9 year old Australian cattle dog, Kiwi, is getting bit bit gimpy so I figured she needed some glucosamine.  I bought her Zuke’s HipAction with Glucosamine and Chondroitin – peanut butter formula with fresh blueberries, apples, carrots, flax seed and whole grains.  Sounds so good, I want to eat them myself!

Anyway, Zukes is based in Durango, Colorado.  The front of the treat bag states that “Zuke’s donates a portion of profits to the Dog & Cat Cancer Fund.”  Reading more on the back, it states “I loved my dog, Zuke, so much I named my company for him…Every yeary in memory of Zuke, we donate to the Dog & Cat Cancer Fund.  So join us on our journey to Fuel the Love – feed Zuke’s and donate to the DCCF. Signed Patrick Meiering, Founder & Zuke’s Best Friend”"

On the Zuke’s website, the DCCF logo is prominently displayed in the lower left corner.  The logo also displays that Zuke’s is a Platinum Donor to the Fund.  Clicking on it takes you straight the the DCCF site.  On their page about the Zuke’s Difference, they state “We take our commitment to animal nutrition very seriously, but always make time for our animals and give back to them whenever we can. That’s why we donate a portion of our profits each year to the Dog and Cat Cancer Fund. So feed Zuke’s and Fuel the Love™”

Great way this company has put their values on the table to create a bond with its customers through their pets.  Check them out!

I cruised through the Spirit Halloween store that recently opened in Denver’s Cherry Creek in the old Andrison Morton’s women’s clothing store location.  I was trying to get a head start on my Halloween costume and found a sword that will be perfect.  When I went to buy it, the cashier asked if I would like to donate $2 to the “Spirit of Children” to benefit seriously ill children at Children’s Hospital.  I said sure and was given a treat bag with the Spirit logo and the opportunity to fill out a pumpkin flyer with my name indicating that I had made a donation.  They even rang a bell to “announce” my donation.  On my way out, I noticed there were two large posters behind the cash registers on the wall about the company’s support of kids for Halloween.

When I got home, I checked out their website to see if I could learn more.  The mission statement is “At the heart of Spirit Halloween is the Spirit of Children program, which is devoted to bringing the fun and fantasy of Halloween to children everywhere. The goal is to bring the outside world in to the pediatric patients at hospitals and rehabilitation centers across the nation.”  In 2008, Spirit celebrations were hosted in 50 hospitals in communities across the nation. Over $700,000 in cash and merchandise was donated to this worthy cause.  The goal for 2009 is $825,000 in donations and merchandise for 54 hospitals.

“100% of the money collected and items purchased for the events were donated to the child life departments within the hospitals participating in the Spirit of Children program. Child life departments seek to improve the experience for patients in pediatric centers. Items ranging from flat screen TV’s, DVD players, DVDs, video games, CDs, computers, entertainment centers, baby seats, games and more were purchased with the money raised by Spirit of Children.”  The website also gives links to newspaper articles, TV clips and thank you notes received for this three year old program.

I was impressed with what this seasonal store chain does to support children.  This is a great example of a company asking its customers to joint forces with them to support a cause by making a small financial contribution.  Great job Spirit Halloween!!  You brightened my day hearing about this and undoubtably you brighten the day of many children in your 50+ hospitals around the country.

Every month or so, I get a value pack of advertising postcards in the mail from local businesses. In the last batch, there was the card from Stanley Steemer you see here offering a special on cleaning and committing 5% of the net proceeds as a donation to the Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure using code Pink54149.

The back of the card also indicates that if the special cleaning was not of interest, they would also donate 5% of the proceeds from any other of their cleaning services when providing the coupon code of PinkRSVP.

So, a nice win-win promotion by Stanley Steemer with the tie in to the massive business support during October’s focus on breast cancer.  Customers may be moved to action to hire them to do fall cleaning and Susan G. Komen benefits by getting additional dollars, as well.  Customers get to feel good that something they would have done anyway is helping make a difference.

Another time though…Stanley Steemer needs to do a better job proofreading – the name of the organization is spelled K-O-M-E-N  not K-O-M-A-N.  Also, when I went to Stanley Steemer’s website, I could find no mention of this promotion which I think is a missed opportunity for the company.  The Denver Susan G. Komen site does mention Stanley Steemer International as one of their Silver Sponsors, however.  So good job there!

So make sure your company connects all the dots on your cause marketing promotions, OK?!!