Ace Hardware Stores in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Washington, and Virginia (and more!) are collecting bad holiday lights for recycling to benefit Lights for Life.   This year, Ace Hardware stores will also accept extension cords for recycling.  Lights for Life, a nonprofit organization aids kids with cancer and their families by recycling the copper and other usable materials in light strands.

From their website, “Last year, Ace Hardware customers across the three states donated more than 30,000 pounds of holiday lights to the campaign, raising $14,000 for families of children diagnosed with cancer and bringing the total amount of lights donated by local Ace customers since 2008 to more than 77,000 pounds. Local stores hope to increase this year’s donation by 50 percent and have set a goal of collecting 45,000 pounds of holiday lights and extension cords during the 2011 holiday season.”

“Each year, more than 200 million strings of incandescent lights are sold in the U.S., and most of them end up in the landfill,” said Linda Worthington, marketing director Lights For Life. “Just the small act of dropping your broken or old lights or extension cords in a collection bin at an Ace Hardware can make a big difference in the lives of the families of kids with cancer.”

Holiday lights and extension cords can be dropped off at participating Ace Hardware stores between November 15 and February 15. The holiday light recycling program adds to the growing list recycling programs offered by area Ace Hardware stores. Many Ace Hardware stores also accept used compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), mercury-containing thermostats, used cell phones and rechargeable batteries for recycling.”

Great idea!  I always feel bad putting my strands of dead icicle lights in the trash…I have a box to go to Ace today!  How about you?

I met Jaki Bent from the U.K. at the Experts Industry Association Meeting.  She is the founder of If Everyone Cares, a new nonprofit based in the U.K.  I was impressed with her vision and enthusiasm for this exciting new endeavor.  Check it out!

Here is what she had to say about If Everyone Cares:

From their website:

“Many people in life are frustrated with all of the things that they think they are unable to do.

If Everyone Cares wants to turn the tide and help people to focus on all of the things that they can do to help others and of all the great things that are going on in the world.

Some of our initial aims and goals are:

• To provide a way to unite those who need help with those who wantto help
• Create a Global Database of every Project and Volunteer Opportunity
• To have every Non-Profit, Charity, Community Project or similar organization pinpointed on Google Earth (or similar) – This way we can:
  • Support those people/communities who need help
  • Know where to go if help is needed
  • See what works and gain inspiration to set up similar projects in our own communities
• Create a simple yet comprehensive resource pack for anyone who wishes to start their own community-based project
• Highlight some of the amazing projects that go on all over the world thereby making them visible to those who are able to help or may need help”
• and more…

To learn more and to find out how you can support this effort, go to If Everyone Cares or “Like” them on Facebook.

City Year Denver will have an Open House on Tuesday, November 1^st from 4pm to 7pm to recruit new Corps Members for the 2012-2013 year. If you know young people ages 17-24 who want to make a difference in their community while gaining valuable leadership skills that will accelerate their career, please encourage them to attend.

Some benefits of being a City Year Corps Member include:

• Living Stipend
• $5,550 AmeriCorps Education Award
• Federal Student Loan Forbearance
• Health Insurance
• and more!

Please encourage them to RSVP to the City Year Denver Open House by sending an email to Harold Sanchez at hsanchez@cityyear.org. Thanks so much!

City Year Denver
789 Sherman Street – Suite 400
Denver, CO 80203
www.cityyear.org

MYTH #4: A company’s community involvement should be motivated solely by altruism.

FACT: Community involvement based on all-win partnerships is more successful, effective, and sustainable than the charity model of giving.

“There is no one out there giving things away just to give them away—that’s the reality. It can be tricky to understand business goals when you are the on cause-marketing side and to understand the cause side if you’re in the finance department.” —Chelsea Simons, National Cause and Event Marketing Manager, Annie’s Homegrown, Napa, California

Some companies are in fact motivated by altruism and a sincere desire to help communities. As a result, they generally make contributions anonymously to support the issues and organizations that matter to them. However, these companies are in the minority. Most companies expect their community contribution will have a business upside for them…if they are truly honest with themselves.

Some business leaders confess they are hesitant to consciously align their company’s give-back actions with business goals. They worry this looks self-serving and will harm their reputation in the community. The practice of what I call “goodwashing” (also called “smokescreening” or “greenwashing”)—giving solely for the sake of positive public relations—is the exact opposite of their intention.

Sincere companies that give back to their communities need not worry. A clear difference exists between self-serving behavior and enlightened self-interest with an “all-win” mentality. You can spot the difference, can’t you? Trust that people in your community can, too.

A strong business community improves the local economy. A strong local economy enhances the quality of life and access to services for all members of the community, including employees of the company. To effectively improve local conditions, government, community organizations, and business must partner to make it happen. Business is an essential and powerful component, without which change is hampered.

In the spirit of true partnership, both the business and the community partner organization should benefit from their collaboration. Ensuring that the relationship is mutually beneficial helps guarantee that it can deepen and endure over time. Both sides need to feel there are benefits from their perspective or the relationship will be short-lived—a missed opportunity for all.

This past weekend was the Cherry Creek Arts Festival – one of my favorite annual events.  This year I was a little surprised among the paintings, pottery, and handcrafted jewelers to see an Almond Accents booth.  So I had to check it out. They had a sign that said cycle 1/10th of a mile and they would donate $1.00 to Meals on Wheels.  How fun!  Then people got to sample their product and also be entered into a drawing to win a prize.  Great way to create a buzz and emphasize healthy eating habits while interacting with current and potential consumers to do something fun and donate to a worthy program.  Consumer engagement as a way to “earn” the money to donate is a great way to build business benefit that creates more business good than if they had just made the same donation “Off line.”

Great creative approach!  I liked it!

Almond Accents had the event on their website‘s events calendar as well:  ”Visit the Almond Accents booth to spin for your salad and help donate money to charity and enter for a chance to win in our summer sweepstakes.”

About the Cherry Creek Arts Festival:

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival (CCAF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to educating and exposing Coloradoans to the arts. The arts festival weekend event is a world-class and award-winning celebration of the visual, culinary and performing arts, and enjoys an attendance of 350,000 visitors over the 3-day event.

Are you into the trade not aid approach to international development and social justice?  Looking to volunteer your time by helping businesses in developing countries?  This could be a great addition to your business giving strategy!  Check out E-Mentor Corps!

“At the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington, D.C., on April 27, 2010, Secretary Clinton provided a Call to Action for established business leaders and entrepreneurs in the U.S. and overseas to serve as E-Mentors and to join the E-Mentors Corps.

E-Mentors provide guidance, advice, support and encouragement to aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs globally and locally. The E-Mentor Corps will help to build ties between entrepreneurs and will help to advance entrepreneurship and economic opportunity around the world.”

For more on the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, visit
http://www.entrepreneurship.gov/summit/
http://www.america.gov/entrepreneurship_summit.html

Sunday, May 15th is the annual Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon.  I am volunteering again this year and looking forward to it!  They expect 8,000 runners and over a thousand of them are running to support their favorite nonprofits.

DaVita Charity Partners Program

“Run for charity with our highly successful DaVita Charity Partners Program for 2011! It’s simple: non-profit organizations from across Colorado agree to register runners/walkers (and/or provide volunteers) for the marathon, half marathon or relay and then build a fund-raising campaign around those highly visible participants. With 73 charities participating, we’re the 4th largest program in the country!

The nonprofit keeps 100% of the pledges raised. In 2010, 41 charity partners raised close to $250,000.

When you register through Active.com, there is an option to select the Charity Partner you wish to join.  That Charity Partner will email you directly with instructions on how to start your fundraising.  Already registered? No problem. Email info@runcolfax.org and we’ll get you all set up.”

Great way to support local nonprofits by giving them the opportunity to offer a fun fundraiser as a way to involve supporters and strengthen their sustainability while giving DaVita great visibility for their strategic business giving.

About DaVita:

DaVita Inc., a FORTUNE 500® company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services and education to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease.

This Sunday, May 15th, is Denver’s annual Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon.  It will be the third year that I have volunteered for the marathon.  Should be fun!  Today I got an email from my volunteer team captain with the following information:

” Calling all Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon volunteers! To thank you for your efforts, Bellco Credit Union will randomly select 5 volunteers to receive a $100 gift certificate to Runner’s Roost. Simply take a picture of yourself race weeked at the Expo, along the race routes, or at City Park in your volunteer t-shirt and then share it with Bellco on their Facebook page.  http://www.facebook.com/BellcoCreditUnion

Celebrating 75 years in Colorado, Bellco Credit Union is proud to support the 2011 Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon and all the volunteers who make race day possible. Life is a marathon, not a sprint – Bellco helps its more than 
193,000 members to face this challenge with the right set of services to meet their financial needs. Stop by one of its 15 branch locations or check out  www.Bellco.org.”

What a great idea!  Fabulous way for Bellco to get great visibility with the over 2,000 volunteers helping make the event happen and stand out from all the other non-title sponsors of the event.  Having volunteers compete for $100 by posting photos on Facebook means many new people will go to their Facebook page and as they are looking at the posted photos, they will also learn a bit about Bellco and what they do.  Also, all the friends of those that post will also be able to see Bellco is involved in their newsfeeds.  Existing Bellco customers and employees will also see that Bellco is supporting local volunteers – I am sure that will build even greater loyalty among those folks, as well.

For a small investment, this will definitely get Bellco a lot of exposure at the same time they are honoring the volunteers that are giving of their time to make the marathon happen.  It is strategic and a great way to demonstrate their commitment to business giving and the community.   I like it!

From the press release:

“About the Colfax Marathon

The sixth annual 2011 Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon takes place May 14-15, 2011 and includes the full marathon, half-marathon and marathon relay, as well as the new Colfax 5K and kid’s race.  Established by the cities of Aurora, Denver and Lakewood to encourage Coloradans to be healthier, the marathon has established itself as an iconic race for the mile-high city. We support local charities and nonprofits by providing one of the country’s biggest fund-raising platforms through the DaVitaCharity Partner Program. We are proud to partner with corporate sponsors who make our race a success, including: Kaiser Permanente, DaVita, 9News, The Denver Post, Comcast, 104.3 The Fan, The DenverAthletic Club, Primrose Schools, Jim ‘n Nick’s BBQ, and more. To learn more, visit www.runcolfax.org or follow us on twitter @runcolfax or facebook.com/runcolfax.

About Kaiser Permanente Colorado

Kaiser Permanente Colorado is the state’s largest nonprofit health plan, proudly working to improve the lives and health of Denver, Boulder, and southern Colorado area residents for 40 years. Kaiser Permanente Colorado provides comprehensive health care services to more than 535,000 members through 21 medical offices and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The health plan was named “Highest in Member Satisfaction” among Commercial Health Plans by J.D. Power and Associates for the third straight year. Kaiser Permanente was also recognized by the National Committee for QualityAssurance (NCQA) as the top-ranked private health plan in Colorado, No. 9 in the nation and one of the top 5 Medicare plans in the U.S. for the second year in a row. In 2009, Kaiser Permanente proudly directed more than $82 million to community benefit programs to improve the health of all Coloradans. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit kp.org/newscenter or follow us on twitter @kpcolorado orfacebook.com/kpcolorado.”

It is almost time! I am on the Nonprofit Coach with Ted Hart Radio Show (May 10th) 12pm ET TODAY.  Join us!!  http://fb.me/HM6iaurR

The Nonprofit Coach with Ted Hart

• http://www.tedhart.com
• http://www.twitter.com/tedhart
• http://www.facebook.com/tedhart

Ted Hart lectures around the world but through this radio show is available to all nonprofit leaders. From the latest in charitynews, technology, fundraising and social networking, Ted Hart and his guests help you maneuver to greater levels of efficiency and fundraising success.giving strategies.

Susan Hyatt is Founder and CEO of Business Nonprofit Connections Inc a private consulting company  that provides companies with ideas and tools for actively managing their social responsibility, community impacts and giving strategies.Leveraging 20 years of experience in corporate social responsibility, business philanthropy, organizational development, and nonprofit resource development and partnerships, Susan Hyatt helps clients transform their good intentions into real impact in their communities and on their bottom line.  She is the author of Strategy for Good)