Art with Heart August 20, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Commentary.Tags: corporate donations, business giving, Art with Heart, Akron, Ohio, Cheryl Powell, art gallery, children with cancer
add a comment
Yesterday I was interviewed by Cheryl Powell, Medical Writer for the Akron Beacon Journal. She is writing an article on Art with Heart, an Akron art gallery that has pledged 10% of their proceeds to the local Children’s Hospital as well as giving free art lessons to children touched by cancer. Cheryl found me online and wanted to hear more about the business benefits of philanthropy as well as current trends in small business giving. I look forward to reading her article and I was intrigued about the local business the story will be about.
I was intrigued by what Art with Heart is doing so tried to find out more information about them. I found the following description from a Google search. “A NEW Fine Art Galleria of Enrichment, to teach and benefit the oncology children of Akron Children’s Hospital. We offer original framed art, greeting cards, quilts & more at reasonable prices.”
So…I kept digging and found their own website which stated: “Buy gifts for any occassion for the ”Gift that keeps on Giving,” and 10% or more of the net proceeds from each purchase will benefit Akron Children’s Hospital cancer programs. If you wish you may make a non tax deductible donation to help increase our donations and provide no cost art lessons to support these special children.”
Art with Heart is an art gallery that opened in 2007 with the mission” to enrich the quality of life of our children, our customers, our artists and our communities ……” They pride themselves on being a business with a heart and100% customer satisfaction. “Our business ethics and values are second to none.”
On their home page, after displaying photographs of the gallery and selected art pieces, the website page ends with the hospital logo and the statement, “You can help support and enhance the life of the oncology children at Akron Children’s Hospital every time you shop, register or order from ART WITH HEART. Just visit our galleria, e-mail, or call for the “Gift that Keeps on Giving,” and a portion of the proceeds will go directly to Children’s.”
Interesting model of giving and one which I am sure draws customers to their store!
Skydive for Charity?? G.A.P. Adventures Does! August 18, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Commentary.Tags: corporate philanthropy, G.A.P. Adventures, Skydive for Charity, customer d, adventure travelonations
add a comment
OK…so I am all about supporting nonprofits and actively seek to learn about the innovative strategies companies use to do that. G.A.P Adventures’ Skydive for Charity is certainly creative but not one I will personally get involved with anytime soon!
On July 22, 2008, G.A.P Adventures held its 5th annual Skydive for Charity event in Toronto and Calgary, raising a whopping $18,545. Their website says, “What better way to raise money for a great cause than by jumping out of a perfectly good airplane?” “More than 30 skydivers participated and selected either an Instructor Assisted Deployment skydive, jumping solo from 3500 feet, or a Tandem skydive, where the skydiver and Jumpmaster freefall together for 35 seconds from 10,500 feet at over 120mph!
G.A.P Adventures covered 50% of the jump fees for all participants and in return, skydivers raised funds for Planeterra - G.A.P Adventures’ non-profit foundation which is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of people and communities around the world.” So if the adrenaline rush is what you are seeking, get this on your calendar for next year!
G.A.P Adventures was launched in 1990 by Bruce Poon Tip with the belief that other travellers would share his desire to experience authentic adventures in a responsible and sustainable manner. They’ve grown from a one-man show to a company of over 500, and from a handful of trips in Latin America to hundreds of adventures spanning the globe… and beyond! Over 70,000 travellers experience the real world with them every year. Their passion is ”making sure you get behind the scenes to experience the real world in an authentic and sustainable manner.”
I have travelled with G.A.P. twice - once to Southern Spain and last year to Northern India. Both trips were great and G.A.P. did an excellent job balancing group activities and free time to do as we like. So I like the company because I have good experiences with them. I know they do service projects in some of the countries where they take trips through their Planterra Foundation, which is great.
Habitat for Humanity and Wells Fargo August 17, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Commentary.Tags: David Hatch, HabiCorps, Habitat for Humanity, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Wells Fargo Bank
add a comment
I was in Indiana last week collecting data collection for a statewide evaluation I have been contracted to do by the State of Indiana on their AmeriCorps portfolio. Indiana has a state level Habitat for Humanity organization which administers a grant from Indiana’s Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives to fund HabiCorps. HabiCorps places AmeriCorps members at various Habitat for Humanity Affiliates around the state to help with volunteer recruitment and management, construction, partner family support, and other projects.
I interviewed David Hatch, Director of the St. Joseph County Habitat Affiliate in South Bend about his experience with AmeriCorps. When we were done, we started talking about business support of the Affiliate in general. David was very clear that the businesses that choose to support Habitat also receive business value from their giving, in addition to offering critical resources to help his organization with its mission. As an example, he mentioned their partnership with Wells Fargo Bank. Wells Fargo has expressed to him that they don’t want to “just give a check”, they want to be engaged with the Affiliate on multiple levels. Right now they are using a three-pronged giving approach. (1) Regional Wells Fargo has given a cash grant to the Affiliate to help with expenses. (2) Employee volunteers from the local bank help Habitat build houses. (3) Wells Fargo employees also provide financial education for partner families.
How can your business focus multiple resources which you have to support a cause you care about?
Denver and the New Starbucks Gold Card August 16, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Commentary.Tags: corporate philanthropy, Denver, nonprofit donations, Starbucks Gold Card, Youth Venture
1 comment so far
Living in Denver has some perks…and it’s not just the view of the mountains! Starbucks decided to pilot its new Gold card program here starting last month. Since I live in Denver and use their refillable gift cards (it’s much easier to carry on a dog walk than cash!), I was invited via email to join last month. On the website www.starbucks.com/gold it says, “If you enjoy espresso beverages, you’re in fine company. On average, Starbucks lovers in Denver drink more espresso beverages than the rest of the country, especially Caffe Lattes flavored with vanilla syrup or customized with soy milk.” Who knew…
When I signed up to participate, I learned Starbucks would give a 2% dividend on all purchases made using the card. What I really liked about this was that I could choose to have the 2% returned as a credit on my card for my own use. Or…better yet, I could choose one of two nonprofits they had preselected and have my 2% be a donation to that organization. Cool, eh? I buy my triple grande nonfat dry cappuccinos anyway but now my morning addiction has an upside!
Specifically on the website the options I had were:
| Youth Venture: Creating positive impact in communities around the world, Starbucks and Youth Venture teamed up to catalyze a movement of young social entrepreneurs. |
|
| African Wildlife Foundation: Since 2004, Starbucks has partnered with AWF in conserving wildlife, protecting land and empowering people in Kenya. |
|
| My Gold Card: Please load my dividend back on to my Gold Card |
I have chosen Youth Ventures to receive my dividend since my company, Business Nonprofit Connections, Inc. supports microbusiness development and social entrepreneurism as one of our giving foci.
Keep your eyes open, if it works here, this may be headed your way, as well. And…you get a snazzy white card with your name in gold on it. Oh, I guess I should mention there are other benefits but I am all about the cute card and my 2% back!
- A personalized Starbucks Gold Card signifying your Gold status
- A Gold Card dividend – 2% of what you spend on your Gold Card comes back to you, or is donated to a non-profit organization each month
- Coffeehouse rewards – like special discounts on Family & Friends days
- Surprise indulgences – like something special on your birthday
- A members-only website to manage your account
Plus, you’ll receive all the perks currently offered with Starbucks Card Rewards . Enjoy milk and syrup options for your beverage on the house, brewed coffee refills and a complimentary Tall beverage with your whole bean purchases.
HW Home and the Humane Society July 17, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Commentary.Tags: corporate philanthropy, Humane Society, HW Home
add a comment
There was an ad in the 2/9/2008 Rocky Mountain News announcing a the annual Warehouse Sale at HW Home. It mentioned that the Humane Society of Boulder Valley would have a booth at the sale with pets in need of adoption.
Nice to share a little parking lot space and promote a local nonprofit. It’s a way to get Humane Society supporters into the store as well as let the general public know HW Home supports a great local organization. Plus some deserving pets get new homes. Win-win-win!
Trend Micro Offers Free Service and Requests Donations June 23, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Commentary.Tags: cause marketing, corporate philanthropy, customer donations, HouseCall, Trend Micro, Online Schools
add a comment
My computer is not behaving well again today. It hasn’t been the same since Best Buy replaced the motherboard. I decided to do what I can do to see what is going on and went to Trend Micro to run their HouseCall program to detect virus and malware etc that might be on my computer. “HouseCall™ is a FREE Web-based tool designed to scan your PC for a wide range of Internet security threats including viruses, worms, Trojans, and spyware.”
On the page for HouseCall, I noticed the following statement:”After scanning for viruses and spyware, why not spend an extra two minutes to express your appreciation for HouseCall by a charitable donation to Schools Online! “
Of course, that got my attention. When I clicked through, I found the following:
Pleased with HouseCall?
Why not express your appreciation with a charity contribution!
Trend Micro will contribute any amount that you volunteer to pay (minus transaction fee) to Schools Online, a division of Relief International , to help students gain access and use the Internet for learning and cross-cultural dialogue.
Since 1996, over 6,100 under-served schools in the US and 35 other countries have received equipment and support necessary to get online through Schools Online.
 |
Yes! I’d like to make a voluntary payment and have Trend Micro contribute it to Schools Online |
|
||
| Note: All transactions are in US dollars. The minimum donation amount is $US 5.00 . |
I liked that they give their customers the opportunity to express thanks for a free service by making a contribution. They also give some data on the level of support they have given Online Schools in the past - another best practice in my opinion.
Trend Micro HouseCall
If you happened to miss that preliminary sentence when first on the HouseCall page, while the program itself is running, Trend Micro shows the above graphic with a map of the world and the caption, “Express your appreciation for HouseCall with a donation to charity.” So you get another chance. Since the program takes a while to scan your machine, the offer is front and center for a while.
I liked it!
Qwest Donates Shoes June 23, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Best Practices, Food for Thought.Tags: corporate donations, corporate philanthropy, Denver, press releases, Qwest employees, Qwest Women, shoes, telling the story, Warren Village
add a comment
There was an article from Joan Hill, Communications Manager for Denver’s Warren Village, in Thursday June 19, 2008’s The Hub Section of the Denver Post about a recent philanthropy activity of Qwest, the telephone company. Warren Village helps motivated low-income, single parents move from public assistance to self-sufficiency through subsidized housing, on-site childcare, counseling, and education or job training.
For the second year in a row, Qwest Women and employees provided every child at Warren Village a brand new pair of shoes. “Seeing the joy on their faces was priceless,” according to Bridgette O’Toole who managed the shoe donation project for the company. The article also mentioned that members of the women’s organization “asked everyone they knew to buy a pair of shoes to donate” which to me means they leveraged their personal networks not only to increase the amount they were able to contribute but, at the same time, they let others know about their community involvement, helping to improve the company’s image. There were quotes from both Bridgette and Naomi Taggart, resources director for Warren Village in the article.
A couple things I liked about this little article: One, it was submitted to the paper by the nonprofit, not the company which gives it higher credibility in many readers’ minds. Two, it included quotes from both organizations on the benefit they received from engaging in the activity. Third, the article gave the contact info for the nonprofit so readers could go to the website and read more about the organization.
However, I have a tip for all nonprofits. It is great to submit a press release to the local newspaper to announce and indirectly thank a company for their support of your organization. However, be sure to then post it on your website ASAP. When I went to Warren Village’s website, they do have a press release page on their site but the most recent release posted there was a month old. The Qwest release was not yet posted. Sure nonprofits are often stretched and busy…but excellent donor care is essential! Submit the release to the press and your webmaster at the same time!!
“Warren Village exists so that low-income, single parent families achieve sustainable personal and economic self-sufficiency. People who are homeless have not only lost their home, they have also lost their connection to the community. Safe and secure housing, combined with self-help services gives stranded families the opportunity to regroup and become valuable members of society.”
2007 Values for Employee Volunteer Time June 19, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Commentary.Tags: dollar value of volunteering, Independent Sector
1 comment so far
According to research done by the Independent Sector, the value of volunteer time increased in 2007. The estimated dollar value is now $19.51 per hour. Your company and the nonprofit organizations where your employees volunteer can use this estimate to quantify the enormous value your volunteers provide. This dollar figure is appropriately used for service projects and other general volunteer assignments - not for calculating the value of specialized services offered pro bono.
Learn more about these figures, including how they are calculated and how to use them, go to the Independent Sector website.
Cervical Cancer Survivor Uses Her Business to Support Research June 18, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Best Practices.Tags: 2 Red Hens, baby products, cervical cancer research, handbags, leveraging business for good, Lori Burley, small business philanthropy
add a comment
Lori Burley, “Mama Hen” of 2 Red Hens, creators of fine baby bags and accessories handmade in Denver, Colorado was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1991. Because of her experiences, Lori set up a goal that her company would a make a donation to fund cervical cancer research for each bag sold.
Cervical Cancer affects millions of women annually. On their website, 2 Red Hens also gives educational information on cervical cancer as an added service.
For more information, go to: http://www.2redhens.com/helping.html.
As a business person, are there causes which are near and dear to your heart? Is there a way you can leverage your company reputation, brand and sales to raise both awareness and dollars to support that cause in bigger ways than you can as an individual? Have you done this? I’d love to hear and share your story - please submit a comment or email me at sue@BNConnections.com!
We’re Moving! August 31, 2008
Posted by Susan Hyatt in Commentary.add a comment
We are pleased to announce that Susan Hyatt’s Business Philanthropy Coach Blog is upgrading and moving to www.BusinessGivingStrategies.com! However, you can continue to access the blog and all the great stories and tips I offer via the old url, www.businessphilanthropycoach.com, if you choose.
One of the offerings on my new site is a free 5 lesson eCourse, “Do Good AND Do Well” - The Four Business Benefits of Strategic Giving. Be sure to sign up and learn more about the benefits your business can tap into. Click here to sign up!
Thanks for reading my blog and I look forward to “seeing” you on the new site!