universal positive » Philanthropy

PepsiCo Refresh Project 101

Roger Darnell — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 17:43:59 +0000

There’s a lot to love about PepsiCo’s commitment in America to the Pepsi Refresh Project, which is set to give away more than $20 million in 2010 to “refresh the world, one idea at a time.” PepsiCo has vowed to award over $1 million in grants each month to U.S.-based ideas with the most public votes, with up to 1,000 new ideas accepted each month. I was just asked to look into making a submission, and in doing some homework, I’ve gained a lot of admiration for this thoughtful initiative, inviting Americans to plead the case for a real-world need — or even a dream — with seemingly a very real opportunity to win financial support on some level. While hoping this might eventually become more of an international effort, I invite those now eligible to join me every day in visiting the site and using our 10 daily votes to help along our favorite ideas.

As for the ideas themselves, we can fire away, seeking $5k up to $250k for one idea per month, where you can change your monthly submission even after submitting, and if you don’t win this month, you can resubmit next month. There are five categories: Health, Arts and Culture, Food and Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education.

The official website www.refresheverything.com provides this toolkit for developing your idea, along with a wealth of information, including key dates, what to expect and how to follow-up before, during and after submitting, and many other inspiring case studies of ideas submitted to date. You may also be interested in this April story detailing the latest winners, as well as the project’s blog.

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Moving forward: World Water Day 2010

Roger Darnell — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:05:23 +0000

In honor of World Water Day, it’s my pleasure to share this video that takes a hard look at the bottled water industry and proposes some simple and powerful alternative ideas that can greatly impact the Earth, our communities, and our pocketbooks. For more information, please visit http://storyofbottledwater.org.

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Much love to and from The Children’s Playhouse

Roger Darnell — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:39:28 +0000

A creative play space for families, and a powerful force for community goodness in Boone, North Carolina, USA

After helping my wife Beth Darnell, and her sister Ann Kiefert, their comrade Kathy Parham, and many others from our then-new hometown of Boone, North Carolina, open The Children’s Playhouse in November of 2002, I am very proud to see how Kathy has led the venture in countless ways which continue adding precious dimensions to our community. The video featured here was produced by our friend Beth Jacquot in 2003, and much has happened since then. I invite you to visit the official site www.GoPlayhouse.org and explore the Facebook group, and I also wanted to share news from a recent event that reveals a lot about our community, and Kathy.

In 2009, Mrs. Parham launched an event to honor Boone’s “Hometown Heroes,” wherein she invited locals to nominate others for sustained contributions to the well-being of young children and their families in our area. The first winner of the Great Friend to Families Award was Watauga County Children’s Librarian Judith Winecoff, who designated the $500 prize to go to the Hunger and Health Coalition. Sixteen were nominated, including Cynthia Brown-Greer, Laurie Cimino, Lindsay Cobb, Doug Galke, Kaaren Hayes, Karen James, Natalie Lewis, Karee Mackey, Todd Nolt, Sherrie Norris, Jane Penley, Denise Presnell, Jan Rienerth, Robin Triplett, Mary Willis, and Judith. More information’s available here.

The second annual Great Friend to Families Award event just took place, in honor of Julie Bostick, Kim Carter, Ashley McKinney, Laureen Vilas, Matthew Crawford, Angie Dolen, Shirlee Gaines Edwards, Susan Jones, Kaaren Hayes, Dick and Joan Hearn, Virginia MacLeod, Pat Morgan, Tammy Nelson, Carrington Pertalion, Denise Presnell, Susan Weinberg, Delores Wilder, Roberta Yates, and Joan Zimmerman. Kathy lined up sponsors and arranged for world-renowned author and educator Nikki Giovanni to keynote.

These and other events organized through The Children’s Playhouse also have the goal of raising funds to support family resource services, enabling the children’s museum to provide scholarship memberships to low-income families, to offer free parenting classes for community members, and to build its free lending library of parenting books and developmental toys.

For 2010, The Playhouse’s Great Friend to Families Award goes to Pat Morgan, whose bio includes long-term service to the children and families in the Mabel, Bethel, and Cove Creek through reading at the schools, starting the Reading and Rolling program, which brings books to children who can’t get to the public library, taking limited-income children to visit Washington, DC, and other areas, and serving on the school board for 11 years. Taken by surprise with the win, he decided to give the money to the children’s section of the Watauga County library.

These words from one local volunteer and supporter of the Playhouse speak for many of us:

“To me, it is obvious that an event honoring our hometown heroes has been way overdue. I am glad to say that The Playhouse brought it to life!”

Thank you Kathy!

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Haiti Now

Roger Darnell — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:00:44 +0000

Our thoughts and prayers remain with all those affected by this catastrophe. Donations can still be sent via text message:

Red Cross: Text HAITI to 90999 ($10 donation)
Yéle Haiti: Text YELE to 501501 ($5 donation)

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Love clicks, in the true spirit of the season….

Roger Darnell — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:25:00 +0000

We’ve reached the time of year when I invite you to join me in sending daily clicks to www.hungersite.com, where our simple mouseclicks can benefit a number of vital causes each day. Big thanks to Travis the Elf for picking The Hunger Site as his Project for Awesome entry at this time last year, and for posting this video. Together with my family, I am sending my warmest thoughts to many friends and colleagues worldwide, and feeling a lot of gratitude. I’m especially thankful to the individuals behind my client companies ATTIK, a52, Elastic, Brand New School, Rock Paper Scissors, Shilo and We Are Plus for helping to support the following organizations over the past several years.

As the education, advocacy, and fundraising arm of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), the world’s premier pediatric cancer research collaborative, the mission of CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation (www.curesearch.org) is to secure needed resources to enable the COG to conduct research and clinical trials in pediatric cancer, to find a cure.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (www.ChristopherReeve.org) is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury – and improving the quality of the lives of people living with paralysis.

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (www.pedaids.org) is currently waging an aggressive campaign to accelerate the response of the United States to children living with AIDS around the world.

With their mission of ending hunger and poverty, and caring for the earth, over the past 60 years, Heifer International (www.heifer.org) has transformed the lives of millions of families by providing gifts of cows, goats and other livestock. Along with the animals, families receive extensive training in animal care and learn environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Each gift of livestock starts a chain reaction of self-reliance that spreads throughout the communities, as each family who receives an animal agrees to “pass on the gift” by sharing their animal’s offspring with others in need.

The Hole in the Wall Gang Fund (www.holeinthewallgang.org) was established by Paul Newman in 1988 as a nonprofit residential summer camp and year-round center designed to serve children and families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses and conditions. Each summer, more than 1,000 children between the ages of 7 and 15 from the U.S. and abroad attend The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp free of charge. Programs are also offered in the off-season for campers, their families, and healthcare professionals… and in support of associated camps throughout the world.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation (www.LiveStrong.org) unites people to fight cancer, providing the resources survivors need to live life on their own terms.

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Coalition (www.lahsc.org) and the San Francisco Homeless Services Coalition (www.sfhsc.org) have raised millions of dollars to support shelters across California, specifically benefiting homeless women, children, and families. Along with linking residents and their resources with area shelters needing donations, these groups also educate their communities about the causes of homelessness to raise awareness and understanding, and to enlist them in aiding homeless individuals in need.

The mission of the National Coalition for the Homeless (www.nationalhomeless.org) is to end homelessness in the United States. Among many other noteworthy initiatives over the past several years, NCH launched the Bringing America Home Act, taking to Congress the belief that people need affordable housing, livable incomes, health care, protection of civil rights and access to education.

In New York City, the Partnership for the Homeless (www.partnershipforthehomeless.org), which began in 1982 with a single emergency shelter for men in the basement of a Greenwich Village church, has developed numerous programs to meet the changing needs of homeless people who live on the streets or in the city’s public spaces and shelters, families with children, the frail and elderly, those living with HIV/AIDS, veterans, victims of domestic violence, older unemployed workers, and unskilled workers who cannot afford housing outside the city’s shelter system. The Partnership strives to provide decent and affordable housing, community-based social services, stabilizing aftercare, and effective job training that translates into self-sufficiency and independence.

The V Foundation (www.JimmyV.org) is dedicated to saving lives by helping to find a cure for cancer.

World Hunger Year (www.worldhungeryear.org) is a non-profit that fosters numerous programs and activities to effectively advance long-term solutions to hunger and poverty by supporting community-based organizations that empower individuals and build self-reliance.

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Tommy Ewasko, Imagemaker Extraordinaire…

Roger Darnell — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:00:27 +0000

This Friday and Saturday nights, and by private appointments thereafter, The Wine Cave in Montrose, California, will proudly host Artist’s Receptions and Charitable Fine Art Sales honoring master Getty Images imagemaker Tommy Ewasko and his work, and benefiting Amazing Grace Children’s Foundation. On display and available to collectors on a first-come, first-served basis are numerous Art and Gallery Prints from Tommy’s exclusive America’s Moments and Hot Color Icons collections. Please join us for wonderful wine tasting experiences, while getting to know one of America’s great imagemakers and his one-of-a-kind works.

I personally first met Tommy in about 1978, when I was a pre-teen and he was studying photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Over the years since that time, we have collaborated on many projects, and finally in 2008, I had the opportunity to commission him to do some personal portraiture. Even with my knowledge of his masterful artistic talents, his professionalism blew me away. Whereas I had asked for a few snaps for posterity’s sake, he approached the project with the diligent craftsmanship which has cemented his long-standing relationships with many top entrepreneurs, celebrities and creatives. From pre-scouting the locations in LA where we shot to his uncompromising determination on shoot-day to get me numerous iconic images for every use I might imagine, he surpassed my expectations by quantum leaps and bounds, and if I do say so myself, made me look better even than I’ve felt in years.

I recommend Tommy Ewasko without reservation for the creation of extraordinary imagery.

Veteran imagemaker Tommy Ewasko is a world-class artist dedicated to producing unique, exacting and exciting creative photographic imagery. Quickly finding success in New York City following his graduation from the Rochester Institute of Technology, by 1988, Tommy’s impressive imagery had already landed him on the exclusive roster of Kodak’s Image Bank – which is now Getty Images, the world’s leading stock image agency. Tommy then expanded into Houston, Texas, where he joined forces with some of the world’s best developers, marketers and graphic designers to produce award-winning imagery for an elite list of corporate and agency clientele, while drawing rave reviews in boutique and gallery exhibitions across the United States. Currently based in Los Angeles and enjoying collaborations with a new field of creatives, Tommy also continues pursuing award-winning partnerships with the finest designers and creative directors from Houston to New York, and beyond. Meanwhile, Tommy’s works, including those seen in his Getty Images and Framespan galleries, continue to expand through his travels, his unique perspective, his craftsmanship, and E Studio, his professional imaging bureau.

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Joining iParticipate.org in honoring Veterans today and tomorrow…

Roger Darnell — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:05:35 +0000

In my humble opinion, iParticipate.org has been doing an outstanding job of promoting its very important mission and inciting us all to consider volunteering to support members of the military who have done so much for us all through their military commitments. The above public service announcement (PSA) was released back in September, and I wanted to share it, and also include its transcript.

Every day, our brave troops and their families stand up for us.

For years, we’ve asked so much of so few.

Now we have a chance to serve these heroes.

To give time, offer comfort, or lend a hand.

To ease the burden on a military family.

Let’s honor their service by volunteering ours.

The underlying supporter of iParticipate.org, the Entertainment Industry Foundation, has mobilized the entertainment community around this groundbreaking initiative, which is designed to inspire a new era of service and volunteerism. The multi-year iParticipate campaign aims to make service a part of who we are as Americans, and show what we can achieve when we all pull together.

As a centerpiece for this initiative, EIF has enlisted major broadcast networks including, ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, for an unprecedented, week-long television event beginning Monday, October 19. Beginning on that date, viewers are invited to tune into seven days and nights of television and watch how your favorite TV shows and personalities shine a light on the power of community service.

As shown above, EIF also continues producing and releasing new PSAs to reinforce the importance of volunteerism. Through these PSAs, EIF will also recognize and encourage support for five key areas of service: Education & Children, Health & Well Being, Economic Development, Environmental Conservation, and Support for Military Families.

This past Monday, iParticipate posted a wonderful story to its blog, offering some great, actionable ideas for ways to give back on Veterans Day. Whenever you’re reading this, if you’re in a giving mood today, I invite you to visit the site and consider jumping into one of their suggested activities, or maybe just doing something positive you come up with completely on your own. I’m very sure it will be appreciated.

iParticipate.org offers numerous ways to connect with their initiatives. Please visit their website to connect with their Facebook group, their Twitter feeds, to watch more of their PSAs, or to learn more.

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Positivity, on the subject of climate change

Roger Darnell — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:45:49 +0000

Blog Action Day is an annual event every October 15th that unites the world’s bloggers in writing about the same issue on the same day, with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. Nearly 10,000 people from 150 countries are participating in Blog Action Day 2009 and focusing on the theme of Climate Change. I have many friends and colleagues around the planet, and although I wish we could all agree on what’s important, I’ve come to realize the impossibility of that goal. Still, I do hope that everyone can agree that the current focus in our country on “Green Jobs” represents a lot of phenomenal opportunities that everyone has a chance to participate in.

From my new home town in Boone, North Carolina, the Energy Center at Appalachian State University is providing valuable research and guidance to educators, policymakers and businesses associated with energy technologies and conservation. Earlier this year, the Energy Center published its third volume of the North Carolina Economic Developer’s Guide to the Renewable Energy Industries. Positioning the green economy as today’s growth economy, the guide’s forward explains how the state’s unemployment has soared above 15% in some counties, but also points out that over 2,200 new jobs have been announced within the green energy sector, and rallies readers around this mandate:

Green energy technologies such as renewable energy and energy efficiency are crucial growth opportunities for economic recovery.

The guide can be downloaded at the Energy Center’s site at http://energy.appstate.edu, which is also an amazing resource for learning about other important local, national and international initiatives underway.

The organizers of Blog Action Day 2009 have also posted their own amazing resource, a list of actionable ideas that makes it as easy as possible to participate in important activities addressing climate change. With all of us working together, I’m excited to think about all the lives and the natural resources we can positively impact.

Finally, each day, I encourage you to please visit http://www.thehungersite.com and its related sites supporting Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy, Rainforests and Animal Rescues. There, our simple clicks can make huge differences.

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Editors from “Stand Up to Cancer” broadcast earn Creative Arts Primetime Emmy

Roger Darnell — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:23:06 +0000

Last September, “Stand Up to Cancer” (www.standup2cancer.org) was broadcast live and commercial-free simultaneously on ABC, CBS and NBC, and was seen in over 170 countries. During the broadcast, which was produced by Laura Ziskin Productions and Seligman Entertainment, and hosted by Halle Berry, Jessica Alba, Sheryl Crow, Charles Barkley and Melissa Etheridge, the event raised more than $100 million in an unprecedented effort to end cancer’s reign as a leading cause of death. Meanwhile, last Sat., Sept. 12, 2009, editors David Brodie and Andy Grieve teamed-up to bring home the historic “Stand Up 2 Cancer” event’s only Primetime Emmy Nomination, by winning the 2009 Creative Arts Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Picture Editing for the short film they edited for the broadcast entitled “Survivors,” which was directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Errol Morris and appears above. Following the festivities, David Brodie, who is a staff editor at Santa Monica-based editorial company Rock Paper Scissors, shared these comments:

“SU2C is such an amazing undertaking, and I’m so grateful that Laura Ziskin gave us a chance to contribute to it. We all felt obligated to create a piece with as emotional an impact as possible, hopefully compelling folks to donate, while still being careful couriers of the life stories entrusted to us. It was a project for which two editors were logistically necessary, though that sometimes creates more problems than it solves. I was relieved that Andy and I gelled as well as we did. I’d like to think we reacted unselfishly to each other’s ideas and lent our sanity when it was in short supply. And what a great editor to work with. I was constantly floored by his ability to instantly detect which moment would encapsulate the story and emotion of a 40 minute interview. Errol is one of the world’s most unique directors, and I thank my stars for each time I’ve been able to work for him. I always come away come away from his projects a better, and better-educated, editor. He won’t stand for easy solutions. And I love how he aims for the guts every time.”

Emmys in 28 other categories will be presented at the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards telecast on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, at 8:00 p.m. ET and PT over the CBS Television Network at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live.

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Earth Island Institute asks tomorrow’s leaders, “What would Dave do?”

Roger Darnell — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:47:27 +0000

Earth Island Institute established the Brower Youth Awards in 2000 to honor their founder and legendary environmental activist, David R. Brower and to call forth a new generation of leaders. This award manifests the Earth Island Institute’s abiding commitment to growing environmental leadership. The annual Brower Youth Awards honor six young people for their outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of environmental and social justice advocacy. Each winner is awarded $3,000 and brought to San Francisco for the award week and a backcountry camping trip. The Brower Youth Awards not only promote the accomplishments of these young leaders, but also invest in their continued success by providing ongoing access to resources, mentors, and opportunities to develop their leadership skills through Earth Island Institute’s New Leaders Initiative.

Dave was a pioneering leader in the evolution of the 20th century environmental movement. Time after time in a career that evolved over more than 60 years, until his death in 2000, he saw the need for expanding what people thought of as environmental, to meet the needs of an evolving, fair, sustainable society. A key part of Brower’s vision for action was his mentorship of younger emerging leaders. Earth Island Institute founded its Brower Youth Awards program to celebrate the spirit of Brower’s mentoring, and it has expanded its New Leaders Initiative to provide other opportunities for young people finding their way in working for the planet’s agenda.

In his sixty-plus years of activism, nothing gave David Brower greater joy than see the success of the many young leaders he mentored, among them Dave Foreman, Amory Lovins and Julia Butterfly Hill.

“My secret,” Dave said, “is to surround myself with bright, young people, stand back, then wallow in their accomplishments.”

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