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100,000+ NONPROFITS COUNT ON US.
GENEROSITY UNLEASHED: $830 MILLION IN DONATIONS
100,000+ NONPROFITS COUNT ON US.
GENEROSITY UNLEASHED: $830 MILLION IN DONATIONS
SOURCE: Home Depot Foundation
DESCRIPTION:Just last week, The New York Times featured an article on the growing challenges for female veterans as they transition back into civilian life. It was a good reminder of the oftentimes forgotten mental and physical effects of war that remain with female military members long after their service is over.
According to the article, “returning servicewomen are facing a battlefield of a different kind: they are now the fastest growing segment of the homeless population, an often-invisible group bouncing between sofa and air mattress, overnighting in public storage lockers, living in cars and learning to park inconspicuously on the outskirts of shopping centers to avoid the violence of the streets.”
What makes all of this worse: one-third of homeless female veterans live with their minor children, making it difficult to find transitional housing. That’s why we have taken a special interest in this issue.
We are partnering with organizations such as U.S.VETS and Volunteers of America and activating Team Depot, our associate volunteer corps, to provide safe and comfortable homes for these veterans who have sacrificed so much to serve our country.
One project we are particularly excited about is in partnership with U.S.VETS in Long Beach, California. Together we will help renoate a former naval housing site into transitional housing and supportive services for female veterans and their families.
Also, just a couple months ago, Team Depot transformed the home of Tonja Millberry, a veteran, mother of two and cancer survivor. The renovation of her living area, bathroom and flooring not only removed a long-term financial burden, but also increased the family’s overall morale.
As we move forward in our efforts, we know that we all must continue to work together and leverage our resources to improve housing conditions for female veterans and their families. It’s the right thing to do and a challenge we gladly accept.
For more information on The Home Depot Foundation, please visit our website.
Tweet me: Challenge Accepted: @HomeDepotFdn effort to help female #veterans overcome the #housing challenges they face. http://bit.ly/14uhzYu Contact Info:
Catherine Woodling
The Home Depot Foundation
+1 (770) 384-2304
catherine_woodling@homedepot.com
KEYWORDS: Volunteering, The Home Depot Foundation, The Home Depot, corporate philanthropy, csr, Veterans, volunteerism
SOURCE: Ball Corporation
DESCRIPTION:BROOMFIELD, Colo., March 7, 2013 /3BL Media/ PRNewswire/ -- The Ball Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Ball Corporation (NYSE:BLL) headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., has committed $100,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund in 2013. The Foundation's grant will help to ensure the Red Cross is prepared to respond before disaster strikes and assist people in need.
"The Red Cross provides extraordinary assistance to those in need, and Ball has proudly supported its disaster response efforts for many years," said Jennifer Hoover, executive director, The Ball Foundation. "Disaster relief is an important part of the Ball Foundation's focus on advancing sustainable livelihoods for people in our communities by improving self-sufficiency in times of need. Our commitment will help ensure the Red Cross is ready to respond immediately when disaster strikes, and help our communities to prepare for disaster response, recovery and readiness."
According to the Red Cross, for every $1 spent in preparation, $4 to $10 is saved in recovery. Each year, the organization immediately responds to about 70,000 disasters in the U.S., ranging from fires to hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents and explosions.
"Many generous donors recognize the need to give once a community has been devastated by disaster–but this donation by The Ball Foundation recognizes the importance of supporting the Red Cross in all that it must do before disaster strikes, so we can be fully ready to respond at a moment's notice when we are needed most," said Gino Greco, CEO of the American Red Cross Mile High Region. "This sort of proactive support enables us to meet disaster-affected communities' needs more quickly, more efficiently and at a lower cost."
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
About The Ball Foundation
The Ball Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, private foundation. Founded in December 2010, The Ball Foundation's mission is to provide financial support to nonprofit organizations that sustain the communities in which we live and operate by improving and promoting education, recycling and community engagement. For more information about the Ball Foundation, please visit www.ball.com/ball-foundation.
About Ball Corporation
Ball Corporation is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ approximately 15,000 people worldwide and reported 2012 sales of more than $8.7 billion. For the latest Ball Corporation news and for other company information, please visit www.ball.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.
Copyright 2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved
Tweet me: Ball Foundation Commits $100,000 to the American Red Cross http://3bl.me/2cc3my #CSR
KEYWORDS: Ball Corporation, American Red Cross, csr, Donations, American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, sustainability, beverage and food industry
SOURCE: Southwest Airlines
DESCRIPTION:Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) announced today that more than 90 nonprofit hospitals and medical organizations from across the nation were selected for Southwest’s 2013 Medical Transportation Grant Program. By connecting the airline’s service with the hospital’s care, this program alleviates the financial burden of air travel for families who are facing serious illness by providing complimentary, roundtrip airline tickets to nonprofit hospitals and medical organizations. The nonprofit hospitals and medical organizations have the freedom to provide the tickets to patients who must travel to receive needed medical care. For 2013, Southwest will provide more than $2.8 million in free transportation to caregivers and patients seeking medical treatment. Now in its sixth year, Southwest’s Medical Transportation Grant Program has provided more than $10 million to organizations in 24 states. To see a full list of the 2013 recipients, please visit: www.southwest.com/medicalgrant.
“We are proud to partner with world-renowned hospitals across the nation such as The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and new recipient, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and give the gift of flight for patients to get the best medical care available,” said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines Vice President of Communication and Strategic Outreach. “After more than four decades of giving from the heart, our commitment to community is stronger than ever, and we are humbled to help ease the difficulties these patients and families are facing through this unique program.”
In addition to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, new 2013 recipients in the Medical Transportation Grant Program include three medical organizations in Atlanta—Emory University Hospitals, Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, and Shepherd Center. To learn more about the Medical Transportation Grant Program, visit www.swamedia.com to see an infographic illustrating how the program works.
The impact of the Medical Transportation Grant Program has touched the lives of more than 26,000 patients since the program’s inception. Visit the NUTS About Southwest blog to read stories from some of the patients and families who have benefitted from the program.
To learn about qualifications for travel assistance through the designated organizations, please contact the Social Work, Travel/Concierge Service, or Patient Assistance Department directly at each location, as each have unique guidelines for administration of tickets.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 42nd year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest is the nation’s largest carrier in terms of originating passengers boarded, and including wholly-owned subsidiary, AirTran Airways, operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world to serve 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and six near-international countries. Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for its triple bottom line thinking that takes into account the carrier’s performance and productivity, the importance of the People who work there and the communities it serves, and its commitment to efficiency and the Planet. The 2011 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at southwest.com/citizenship.
Southwest Airlines
From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel quantified by the U.S. Department of Transportation as “The Southwest Effect,” a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. On every flight, Southwest offers Customers the first two pieces of checked luggage (weight and size limitations apply) and all ticket changes without additional fees. Southwest’s all Boeing fleet consistently offers leather seating and the comfort of full-size cabins, many of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi connectivity and a new, sustainable cabin interior. With 40 consecutive years of profitability, the People of Southwest operate more than 3,200 flights a day and serve communities around 78 airports in Southwest’s network of domestic destinations. Southwest Airlines’ frequent flights and low fares are available only at southwest.com.
KEYWORDS: Southwest Airlines, medical transportation grant program, nonprofit hospitals, medical organizations, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
SOURCE: PwC LLP
DESCRIPTION:March 7, 2013 /3BL Media/ - As part of PwC's Earn Your Future, The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. today announced the winner of PwC's High School Business Challenge while PwC US announced the winner of its Financial Literacy Award and its continued support of the MIND Research Institute. Through these programs and others, the US firm and the PwC Foundation are working to help strengthen financial literacy among young people and financial training opportunities for teachers.
The winner of the High School Business Challenge, Riverview High School in Riverview, FL, received $40,000 from The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. to enhance financial education within its curricula and programs. The Riverview team developed a comprehensive business plan for a fictitious music label, Cut Above, which was designed by the winning team to improve the world one fan at a time by focusing on promoting upcoming artists who are driven by an agenda of social consciousness and environmental awareness. School of Biotechnology, Health and Public Administration at Olympic Community of Schools in Charlotte, NC, was recognized by the PwC Charitable Foundation as the runner-up for a business plan the school's team developed to promote Korean pop artists in the American music industry.
The winner of PwC’s Financial Literacy Award, Kathy Focht of Wilson High School in West Lawn, PA, received $5,000 for her school as a result of her video submission which showed highlights from a curricula that taught students about home mortgages, interest rates and how to save money on mortgage payments. Honorable-mention recipients Maggie Wohltmann of Teaneck High School in Teaneck, NJ, and Kim Zocco of Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches, FL, each received $2,500 from PwC for their schools for their submissions that focused on teaching students how to analyze a budget and save money, respectively.
"Through programs like these, PwC is making a tangible impact in our nation's classrooms,” said Shannon Schuyler, PwC’s US Corporate Responsibility Leader and Officer on the Board of the PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. “By leveraging the skills of our people, PwC’s Earn Your Future has reached more than 5,800 educators and 393,000 students to date. I'm inspired by the individual stories of learning among teachers and students and honored to recognize those who are making a difference."
About PwC's High School Business Challenge and PwC's Financial Literacy Award
During PwC's High School Business Challenge, PwC mentors worked directly with teachers and students to bring core business concepts to life in the classroom. Student teams used skills introduced in the lesson plans by teachers and mentors—including budgeting, financial planning and market research—to create business plans. More than 71 student teams across 14 high schools participated in the challenge. All participating schools across PwC markets received grants from the PwC Charitable Foundation to grow or enhance their business programs.
PwC’s Financial Literacy Award, formally launched at the inaugural PwC and KWHS Seminar for High School Educators on Business and Financial Responsibility, recognizes the achievements that educators make in preparing students to make responsible financial decisions and contribute to a healthier economy. Teachers were asked to create a video showcasing how they are teaching financial literacy and how their students are using it in the real world. The winning videos can be viewed online.
PwC Announces Continued Support of the MIND Research Institute
PwC US will also expand its work with the MIND Research Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to improving math education and closing the math achievement gap. Schools using MIND’s research-based ST Math visual learning program have, on average, doubled their growth in math proficiency, according to MIND. PwC is continuing its support with a new $300,000 grant, which will fund professional development for more than 950 teachers at 161 elementary schools and support MIND’s innovative, visual math-education programs to six new markets: Baltimore, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, DC. In those areas, the grant will also help provide an additional 73,000 students access to the program during the 2012-2013 school year. PwC partners and staff will continue to volunteer in MIND’s schools as part of the firm’s ongoing support.
“This grant gives thousands of disadvantaged students in low-performing urban schools across the country access to a truly 21st century learning environment,” said Andrew R. Coulson, President of MIND Research Institute’s Education Division. “What students gain in math skills and financial literacy is just the beginning. Their lives can literally change through experiencing academic success, gaining confidence in their abilities, and being prepared to excel in high-demand hi-tech careers.”
Announced in June 2012, PwC's Earn Your Future is a youth education commitment focused on financial literacy comprising $60 million in cash donations and one million service hours that aims to impact more than 2.5 million students and educators over the next five years.
For more information on PwC’s Earn Your Future and the firm’s corporate responsibility commitment, click here, or follow us on Twitter at @Shannon_Sustain.
About PwC US
PwC US helps organizations and individuals create the value they're looking for. We're a member of the PwC network of firms in 158 countries with more than 180,000 people. We're committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at www.pwc.com/US.
Learn more about PwC by following us online: @PwC_LLP, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google +.
© 2013 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the US member firm, and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.
About The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc.
The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc., a section 501(c)(3) organization, makes contributions to the people of PwC in times of financial hardship, and to nonprofit organizations that support and promote education and humanitarianism.
KEYWORDS: PwC, financial literacy, financial education, personal finance, awards, Earn Your Future, Teachers, high school, students
SOURCE: 3BL Media, LLC
DESCRIPTION:By: Jeff Raderstrong
As a teenager, I was obsessed with the 60s. It started with the music—first classic rock like the Beatles and Rolling Stones, but I quickly moved on to the protest songs of the day—Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Crosby Still Nash and Young, Pete Seeger. From there, it was only a small jump to focus my attention to people like Martin Luther King jr. and groups like the Students for a Democratic Society and the Black Panthers.
I think I was so focused on these people because they were a part of something bigger than themselves. They were a part of a movement that would be remembered forever, and I wanted to be a part of something that would be written about in the history books so I could say: “I was there. I remember that.”
But I didn’t see those same things happening among my generation—no Marches on Washington, no sit ins. I was a very liberal teenager, and as this was the early Bush years, I thought there was a lot to protest about. But it just wasn’t happening*.
But then I went to college and studied the work of Muhammad Yunus of the Grameen Bank, read the writings of development economists Jeff Sachs and Bill Easterly, and became involved in various campus groups—from divestment campaigns to environmental justice organizations to a local soup kitchen. I learned that change didn’t have to happen in the form of a big movement. It could be small in scale and small in impact. I then graduated and began work in the nonprofit sector, where I realized there were so many different approaches, programs and even products to help make the world a better place.
I had been thinking about all this stuff in the wrong way. By focusing on comparing my generation to that of the 60s, I missed out on all the different components of change happening around me, around the country, around the world, each day. Because there still is a movement going on.
Our movement doesn’t look like the March on Washington. Our movement is expressed in growing volunteer rates, consumers wanting businesses to give back to society, and a young generation more committed to social impact through their professional careers. No matter the sector, no matter the organization, there is a movement of people working to make a difference. Just because our movement isn’t expressed through picket signs and marches (although those still happen), that doesn’t make our work any less valid.
However, there is still a problem. All these people working on social change don’t talk to each other. Their worked isn’t coordinated or aligned. We have, instead of a mass movement, a fragmented “social change ecosystem,” with duplicated efforts and repeated failures. While there is good work being done, arguably on the same scale of the civil rights movement, our organizations do not share goals and best practices. By working in silos, we sacrifice the potential for great change on a grander scale.
We have discussed the reasons people don’t collaborate here on UnSectored—ego, constrained resources, stereotypes, shortsighted goals—and these barriers need to be overcome. Not only does our generation have its own social change movement, this new movement has the potential to surpass in impact that of those movements of the 60s I revered as a teenager. If we all recognize our work for what it truly is—individual components of a broader ecosystem—we can start to look around for ways to improve what we are doing.
Please join us as we break down those barriers. Add your thoughts on this post, or join us at our next event.
*Actually, it was. It just wasn’t happening on a scale I wanted, and there wasn’t a culture of protest at the same level of the 1960s.
Click here to read more from this author
This post originally appeared on UnSectored. Posted with permission of the author.
KEYWORDS: society, Unsectored, generations, Social Impact, professional careers, Social Engagement, today's social movement, csr, sustainability
SOURCE: GlaxoSmithKline
DESCRIPTION:By Anna Vallye, Philadelphia Museum of Art
GSK recently donated an illustration by N.C. Wyeth to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The picture--one of a series that was long thought lost by the art world--hung in our former Philadelphia offices, barely a mile from the venerable institution that now proudly displays it.
The first painting by N.C. Wyeth to enter the Philadelphia Museum of Art Collection, The Trial of the Bow comes to the Museum accompanied by a delightful story of loss and rediscovery.
A renowned American illustrator, Newell Convers Wyeth thrilled generations of readers in the early twentieth century with his bold visualizations of beloved tales of fantasy and adventure. Wyeth was born on a farm in Needham, Massachusetts and spent most of his life on a sprawling homestead in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, 10 miles north of Wilmington, DE along the Brandywine Creek. Here he raised five children, most notably his son Andrew Wyeth, who would become a great painter of American life. The N.C. Wyeth house and studio is now a part of the Brandywine River Museum, which houses the largest collection of N.C. Wyeth's work in the world.
As a star student in the Wilmington school of renowned illustrator Howard Pyle, Wyeth absorbed Pyle's creed that dictated historical accuracy spiced with maximum dramatic effect, and applied it in his own highly successful illustrations for many popular magazines of the period, such as Harper's Monthly or Ladies' Home Journal, as well as his illustrated editions of literary classics such as Treasure Island (1911), The Last of the Mohicans (1919), Robinson Crusoe (1920), and many others. As was standard practice for that era's illustrators, Wyeth would frequently paint the images intended for reproduction in the books. This was also the case with The Trial of the Bow (1929), reproduced as an illustration in George Herbert Palmer's translation of The Odyssey of Homer (1929). This painting captures the critical moment when Ulysses, hiding in disguise among Penelope's suitors, finally reveals himself by shooting an arrow from his own rigid bow, which had failed to yield to anyone else: "Then Ulysses took the bow in his hand, and ...then he bent it, and strung it, and he twanged the string, and the tone of it was shrill and sweet as the cry of a swallow. After this he took an arrow from the quiver, and laid the notch upon the string, and drew the bow to the full, still sitting in his place. And the arrow went straight to the mark."
The Trial of the Bow is one of sixteen compositions made by Wyeth for the The Odyssey. The entire series was sold by the artist to a private collector in Katonah, NY in 1930, and later scattered. Most of the paintings from the series are considered to be missing today, and just five had known locations--until now.
Recently assessing its art collection as it prepared to move to new quarters, GSK made a surprising discovery: a painting that had been on display at the company's Philadelphia office since the 1980s was in fact one of their most valuable artworks. It was The Trial of the Bow. Having examined the picture, PMA curator Kathleen Foster determined that it was one of the lost Odyssey series canvases. Inscriptions left by various owners on the back of the work reveal further intriguing details. It appears that the painting did not stay in Katonah for long. By 1948, it had already exchanged hands at least twice, and was at one point even sold at a garage sale for just $35!
Rediscovered after more than eighty years missing, the painting has now joined the collection of the PMA through the generosity of GSK. The company is a steadfast corporate supporter of the Museum, providing multi-faceted support for our programs and operations for over thirty years. Some of the well-received special exhibitions supported by GSK in the recent past are Van Gogh Up Close (2011), Picasso and the Avant-Garde (2010), The Art of Nandalal Bose (2008); Renoir Landscapes (2007); and Andrew Wyeth: Memory and Magic (2004). The Museum relies on the support of corporate leaders like GSK to help sustain its operations, collection, and exhibitions program, which does so much to enrich the life of our community time and time again.
Anna Vallye is the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
KEYWORDS: People, Social Action & Community Engagement, NC Wyeth, PMA, the philadelphia museum of art, GSK, Donation, GlaxoSmithKline, Navy Yard, Ulysses, Homer, The Trial of the Bow
SOURCE: Enbridge, Inc.
DESCRIPTION:For the 10th consecutive year, Enbridge is proud to sponsor Alberta Theatre Projects playRites Festival of New Canadian Plays. The Festival, now in its 27th season has been centre stage for Canada’s emerging and most celebrated playwrights to unveil their newest plays.
Opening night of last year's Enbridge playRites Festival shone the spotlight on internationally celebrated playwright Carole Fréchette’s original play, Thinking of Yu (translated by John Murrell) — its English-language world premiere. The powerful play revolves around the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. The story weaves the distant scene of oppressive politics with the personal lives of its three main characters. The French-language production premiered in Paris just days before its Calgary debut and is headed towards international critical acclaim. Calgarian audiences were fortunate to be the first in the world to see it in English.
A brief history of the Enbridge playRites Festival
Appreciative audiences throng to The Enbridge playRites Festival to be entertained, provoked and inspired. And around the country, producers, theatre artists and theatregoers follow the unfolding occasion. The plays often take on a life of their own — as with Thinking of Yu — going on to national and international productions, often in multiple language translations.
Throughout the years, with more than 100 new plays produced, the Enbridge playRites Festival has entered into the lexicon of events that shape our national arts and culture environment.
“The Enbridge playRites Festival has made a space for itself,” says Vanessa Porteous, Artistic Director of Alberta Theatre Projects. “It began as an effort to correct what was happening on Canadian stages, which was that mostly already-established playwrights were being produced. Then-artistic director, Michael Dobbin wanted to launch new plays. To this day we remain the only festival in Canada that premiers four new plays at once. The festival is unique and has transformed the dramaturgical landscape in Canada.”
Festival helps develop audiences for plays
Michael (Mikey) Northey and his colleagues at Green Thumb Theatre have experienced first hand the benefits of the Enbridge playRites Festival, in terms of the development of their plays, and with the daunting job of exposure, too.
The Vancouver company is at the Enbridge playRites Festival for the second time. The first play Green Thumb Theatre developed with the festival premiered in 2001. The Shape of a Girl, written by Joan McLeod, has since been translated into at least eight languages, has received significant accolades, and has been produced around the world.
“We’re hoping for that with this one,” Mikey says of Ash Rizin, a hip-hop musical about a graffiti artist. Like The Shape of a Girl, the play appeals to younger audiences, not always the most lucrative market, making it more difficult to get produced.
“The Enbridge playRites Festival is helping to develop new audiences for theatre,” Mikey says. “We really appreciate them coming on board for this show. They’ve gone out on a limb to produce it and that’s what we need.”
Continue reading about Enbridge's investment in theater arts in Canada.
KEYWORDS: People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Community Investment, emerging artists, Community Engagement, festival
SOURCE: PCI Media Impact
DESCRIPTION:NEW YORK, March 6, 2013 /3BL Media/ – PCI-Media Impact premiered a hip co music video, “Song for Hawa,” to help prevent violence against women and girls. The video featuring Takun J, recently awarded Best Hip Co Artist of the Year by the Liberian Entertainment Awards, was shown to over 700 change-makers at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women kickoff event on Sunday.
PCI-Media Impact has partnered with Liberia’s number one hip co star to produce two songs that address and try to reduce the high rates of sexual violence in the country. Takun J is a local icon who communicates directly and powerfully to his fellow Liberians through his music. Hip co, a popular music genre in the country, includes lyrics that are rapped or sung in colloquial English and explicitly address urgent political and social issues.
This project is part of PCI-Media Impact’s Mobilize4Africa media initiative to help prevent violence and abuse towards women in Liberia by amplifying their stories so they are heard on national and international levels.
Takun J’s inspirations for “Song for Hawa” were conversations he had with girls who are survivors of gender-based violence. These girls live at a rehabilitation home run by THINK (Touching Humanity in Need of Kindness).
Takun J is wholly dedicated to bringing an end to the culture of violence in Liberia, “I have to do this because I know it is necessary to do it. I am speaking on the ills, trying to talk positive on things and trying to change our society. These girls could be my sisters. I have to reach out there for them through my music and through my actions.”
In addition to the video and songs, PCI-Media Impact is empowering these girls to use photography to tell their own stories; the result is an eye-opening look at what it means to be a female in this war-ravaged country.
Ranging from ages 13 to 24, half of them already mothers and most below a fourth grade reading level, these girls have heart-wrenching stories to tell. None have ever used a camera before and most have never had a photo taken of themselves. Equipped with cameras and knowledge about how to use them, each becomes a powerful agent of change. As one girls explained, “If other girls are going to change and have different experiences in life, then they will have to learn from our example.”
If you want to become part of this story, please watch the video at PCI-Media Impact, see the girls’ stories on backspaces or support this project with a donation.
Tweet me: Check out this video! Using music to #endVAW! #CSW57 @PCIMediaImpact @TakunJ http://3bl.me/sn8p2x Contact Info:
Abby Wood
PCI-Media Impact
+1 (212) 687-3046
abbywood@mediaimpact.org
@PCIMediaImpact
https://www.facebook.com/PCIMediaImpact
KEYWORDS: violence against women, Liberia, Takun J, Hip Co, PCI-Media Impact, Photovoice, united nations, UN CSW, UN Commission on the Status of Women, anti-rape, gender-based sexual violence
SOURCE: Chrysler Group LLC
DESCRIPTION:AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 6, 2013 /3BL Media /PRNewswire/ -- Chrysler Group LLC announced today that it has begun the delivery of 242 new 2013 Ram 2500 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) pickup trucks to the state of Oklahoma, the Company's largest customer order since production of the unique trucks began in October.
Peter Grady, Vice President of Network Development and Fleet – Chrysler Group LLC, presented the keys to one of the Ram 2500 CNG pickups to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin today at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) in Oklahoma City.
The Ram 2500 CNG is the only OEM-built compressed natural gas-powered pickup truck in North America. ODOT will use the Ram CNG pickups primarily as service trucks on the state's roads and highways.
Gov. Fallin is leading a bipartisan coalition of 22 states seeking to use more CNG vehicles in their state fleets. CNG-powered trucks offer cost and emissions benefits, using an abundant, domestically-sourced fuel, which reduces America's dependence on foreign oil. CNG lessens the environmental impact of greenhouse gas and reduces smog-producing pollutants up to 90 percent.
The governor announced the CNG project at the inaugural Governor's Energy Conference in 2011. Since then, Gov. Fallin has worked with other state officials and governors, met with automobile manufacturers, including Chrysler Group, and issued and received bids for more affordable CNG vehicles for use in state fleets.
"Chrysler Group is delighted that we can deliver these unique Ram pickup trucks today to Gov. Fallin, a steadfast champion in the use of compressed natural gas vehicles in state fleets," Grady said. "Through the governor's tireless efforts to form a coalition of states, 13 Ram Truck dealers have landed contracts with 19 states to supply their fleets with the new Ram 2500 CNG pickup trucks."
The Ram CNG pickups delivered today were purchased by the state of Oklahoma through John Vance Motors, a Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Truck dealership in Guthrie, Okla., north of Oklahoma City.
"Converting the state's fleet to CNG will save taxpayers millions of dollars in fuel costs," Gov. Fallin said. "The use of cleaner-burning CNG fuel is good for the environment and promotes Oklahoma-made natural gas which in turn supports the creation of more Oklahoma jobs. Our multi-state bidding process was aimed at encouraging automakers to provide states with more affordable and more functional CNG vehicles. We are very thankful for the team at Chrysler for their help and leadership throughout that process. The state of Oklahoma is excited to add quality CNG trucks to our state fleets from manufacturers like Chrysler."
The Ram 2500 CNG is actually a bi-fuel vehicle that uses compressed natural gas as its primary fuel source, but automatically switches to gasoline when the CNG tanks are emptied. In use, the Ram CNG transitions from one fuel to the other with little discernible difference in operation or capability.
"These are heavy-duty trucks and we have highway crews in every county in the state who will put them to work immediately," said Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Gary Ridley. "I'm grateful that ODOT has the opportunity to work with Governor Fallin and the auto industry to cut costs and improve our operations."
In vehicles, CNG achieves nearly identical mileage figures as unleaded regular gasoline – with a retail cost more than 50 percent lower than the average price of a gallon of gasoline. The Ram 2500 CNG system was fully engineered and tested by Chrysler Group and assembled at the company's Heavy Duty truck plant in Saltillo, Mexico. Production of the Ram 2500 CNG began in late October in the Saltillo plant.
For more information, please visit the Chrysler media site at http://www.media.chrysler.com.
Copyright 2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved
Tweet me: #Chrysler begins delivery of 242 new 2013 Ram 2500 CNG trucks http://3bl.me/nwbxkf to Oklahoma
KEYWORDS: Chrysler, 2013 ram 2500 cng trucks, Oklahoma, csr, sustainability, Compressed Natural Gas, environment, Emissions
SOURCE: ING U.S.
DESCRIPTION:New York , March 6, 2013 /3BL Media/– At its quarterly Board of Directors meeting held earlier today, Junior Achievement USA® (JA) presented ING U.S. with a 2011-2012 Bronze U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award for providing the organization with significant volunteer resources during the year. ING U.S. provided Junior Achievement with more than 5,000 volunteer hours.
President George W. Bush established the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation (the Council) in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers make in communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President's Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. In 2006, Junior Achievement became an official certifying organization for this award, which also recognizes corporations with a U.S. presence that provide volunteers to teach JA programs anywhere in the world.
“ING U.S. is pleased to receive this recognition from Junior Achievement USA. It is a tribute to the hard work of dozens of our employees throughout the U.S.” said Rhonda Mims, president of the ING Foundation and senior vice president of the Office of Corporate Responsibility at ING U.S. “ING and Junior Achievement have a common interest in teaching financial skills to young people. Working with Junior Achievement, our employees share their knowledge and real-world experience of the financial world with local youth.”
ING U.S. is one of only 33 JA corporate partners to be honored with a President’s Volunteer Service Award this year. View the entire list of recipients (PDF).
“Junior Achievement volunteers play a key role in bringing Junior Achievement to life. By sharing their personal and professional experiences and skills with students in their communities, volunteers help young people to make a connection between what they are learning in school and what they will need to succeed in work and life. In so doing, they support students, their local communities and America's economic competitiveness,” said Jack E. Kosakowski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement USA. “The U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award is an outstanding way to acknowledge ING U.S. and its employee-volunteers, who demonstrate a commitment to their communities and encourage others to make volunteering a priority.”
Larry A. Leva, global vice chairman of Quality and Risk Management for KPMG International and chairman of Junior Achievement USA, added, “By recognizing and honoring volunteers, we shine a spotlight on everyday heroes who are working to address pressing social challenges. We are also setting a standard for service and fostering civic participation.”
About Junior Achievement USA® (JA)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches 4.2 million students per year in more than 120 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.8 million students served by operations in 120 other countries worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.
About ING U.S.
ING U.S. constitutes the U.S.-based retirement, investment and insurance businesses of Netherlands-based ING Groep N.V. (NYSE: ING). Through the ING U.S. family of companies, we serve the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers with a comprehensive array of products and services, including retirement plans, IRA rollovers and transfers, stable value, institutional investment management, mutual funds, alternative investments, life insurance, employee benefits, fixed and indexed annuities and financial planning. Our dedicated workforce of more than 7,000 employees is focused on ING U.S.’s mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family and one institution at a time. For more information, visit http://ing.us.
Tweet me: Junior Achievement USA presents ING U.S. Bronze U.S. President's #Volunteer Service Award. http://3bl.me/bqcvpw @ING_US_PR @JA_USA Contact Info:
Stephanie Bell
Junior Achievement USA®
+1 (719) 540-6171
sbell@ja.org
@JA_USA
Phil Margolis
ING U.S.
+1 (860) 580-2676
phil.margolis@us.ing.com
@ING_US_PR
KEYWORDS: ING, junior achievement, volunteer, community service
SOURCE: Ecolab Inc.
DESCRIPTION:ST. PAUL, Minn., March 6, 2013 /3BL Media/ - For the seventh consecutive year, Ecolab Inc. (ECL) has been named one of the world's most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Since 2007, the Ethisphere Institute has awarded the annual designation to companies throughout the world that demonstrate the highest ethical standards.
"Every day Ecolab's 41,000 associates strive to make the world cleaner, safer and healthier," said
Douglas M. Baker, Jr., Ecolab chairman and chief executive officer. "This purpose guides us to manage our global operations with integrity and care for the health, safety and prosperity of our associates, customers, communities and the environment."
The Ethisphere Institute is a leading international organization dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, governance, anti-corruption and sustainability. Ethisphere reviewed a record number of nominations from companies representing 36 industries and more than 100 countries.
"We are seeing more companies like Ecolab be proactive and create new initiatives that expand ethics programs and cultures across entire industry activities," said
Alex Brigham, executive director, Ethisphere. "We are excited to see the 2013 World's Most Ethical Companies take these leadership positions, and embrace the correlation between ethical behavior and improved financial performance."
The methodology for the ranking includes reviewing codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; and studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers. For more information, visit www.ethisphere.com/wme.
About Ecolab
A trusted partner at more than one million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With 2012 sales of $12 billion and 41,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to ensure safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.
Follow us on Twitter @ecolab or Facebook at facebook.com/ecolab.
(ECL-C)
Ecolab Inc.
Roman Blahoski, 651-293-4385
MediaRelations@Ecolab.com
Source: Ecolab Inc.
KEYWORDS: Environment, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Reporting, Ratings & Rankings, Ecolab, Ethisphere, ethical, business ethics, sustainability, csr, Corporate Social Responsibility
SOURCE: Subaru of America
SUMMARY:CHERRY HILL, N.J., March 5, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Subaru of America, Inc. today announced a partnership with the Center for Pet Safety, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit research and advocacy organization dedicated to companion animal and consumer safety, to fund testing of pet car safety restraints.
Currently, there are no performance standards or test protocols in the U.S. for pet travel products. Although many manufacturers claim to test their products, without test standards, these claims cannot be substantiated. Together, Subaru and the Center for Pet Safety will create standards for testing restraints, while announcing those that perform best.
“The Center for Pet Safety conducted a pilot study which showed that the majority of pet safety restraints currently on the market do not provide acceptable protection in a crash situation,” said Michael McHale, Subaru's director of corporate communications. “As many of our owners have dogs, we feel it’s our responsibility to help them keep their pets as safe as possible when they journey with us.”
The Center for Pet Safety conducted rigorous crash testing on commonly available pet safety restraints using realistic, specially designed, crash test dogs, not live animals. A 55-pound crash dummy dog was used to see how the seat belts would hold up in a collision at 30 miles per hour, patterning the same motor vehicle safety standards used to test child seats. Of the four popular dog car harness brands, none held up in the tests. All of them demonstrated that they either could lead to plausibly serious or fatal injuries for not only the canine but driver, too.
“We are thrilled to have the support of Subaru as its love for pets is as deep as ours,” said Lindsey Wolko, Center for Pet safety’s founder and CEO. “We have received requests from all over the world from manufacturers who want guidance on developing a safer harness and, through this partnership, we can finally conduct additional testing to help develop a suitable standard, provide the needed knowledge-base to manufacturers, as well as determine the top performers.”
The Center for Pet Safety is not affiliated with the pet product industry. The organization uses scientific testing and references Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to study pet products and establish criteria and test protocols to measure whether pet safety products provide the protection claimed by advocates and intended by the manufacturer.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.
About the Center for Pet Safety
The Center for Pet Safety (CPS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and advocacy organization dedicated to consumer and companion animal safety. Based in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, the Center for Pet Safety’s mission is to have an enduring, positive impact on the survivability, health, safety and well-being of companion animals and the consumer through scientific research and product testing. For additional information visit www.CenterforPetSafety.org
###
Tweet me: #Subaru and the Center for Pet Safety to Test Pet Car Safety Restraints http://3bl.me/hgk367 Contact Info:
Sheriece Matias, Manager, Corporate Communications
Subaru of America, Inc.
+1 (856) 488-5093
smat@subaru.com
KEYWORDS: Subaru of America, Center for Pet Safety, pet safety, New Jersey, csr, sustainability, community
SOURCE: Carroll School of Management Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College
DESCRIPTION:Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship Director’s Blog
Corporate citizenship professionals must approach their work with a vision for tomorrow. The theme of our 2013 International Corporate Citizenship Conference – Designing Opportunity – recognizes that corporate citizenship has the potential to improve company performance and create value. Linking citizenship activities to core business strategy can lead to a more engaged workforce, improved reputation, superior risk management and, ultimately a stronger financial performance.
Realizing the potential of citizenship programs requires an enterprise-wide approach.
In a recent article for Fast Company magazine, “To change a company, you need intrapreneurs”, Jennifer Silberman, vice president of Corporate Responsibility at member company Hilton Worldwide, wrote about how employees across multiple departments can advance citizenship and business objectives. She observed that these “intrapreneurs” work inside a company with a mindset that “helps drive innovation and uncover opportunities within the challenges of operating in a changing world.”
Click here to read more from this blog post: Internal partners play key role in bringing corporate citizenship vision to life
KEYWORDS: People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Corporate Citizenship, csr, Corporate Social Responsibility
SOURCE: Chrysler Group LLC
DESCRIPTION:AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 4, 2013 /3BL Media /PRNewswire/ - Chrysler Group LLC announced today that its unique fundraising initiative for United Way for Southeastern Michigan was so successful in December that the Company and its Detroit metro dealerships will repeat it again this month.
Chrysler Group and its 42 Detroit metro dealers raised $514,300 for United Way by donating $100 for every Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram and FIAT vehicle sold during the month of December.
This time Chrysler Group and its dealerships will set aside $100 per vehicle sold during the month of March with the ultimate goal of reaching a combined December and March donation of $1 million.
"Chrysler Group and our Detroit area dealers are proud of the accomplishment we achieved in December, but neither of us wanted to stop there," said Scott Garberding, Chrysler Group LLC Campaign Co-Chair and Senior Vice President of Manufacturing/World Class Manufacturing. "We are eager to collectively help others in the community by raising additional funds for United Way. March typically is a strong month for Chrysler Group sales, so we are confident that this extended fundraiser will hit the new mark that we have set."
This sales promotion is part of the Company's efforts to support United Way's annual community giving campaign. Chrysler Group Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne, who also serves as United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Campaign Chair, kicked-off the campaign in September with a symbolic torch lighting ceremony on Detroit's Hart Plaza to announce a $35 million fundraising goal for the organization.
About Chrysler Group LLC
Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Mopar, SRT and Fiat vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler Group's culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat's complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.
Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., Chrysler Group's product lineup features some of the world's most recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300 and Town Country, Jeep Wrangler, all-new Dodge Dart, Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and Fiat 500. Fiat contributes world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars, allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles.
About United Way for Southeastern Michigan
United Way for Southeastern Michigan mobilizes the caring power of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties to improve lives in measurable and lasting ways throughout the region. The organization is led by a diverse group of volunteers from business, labor, government, human services, education and the community. United Way provides opportunities to invest in the metropolitan Detroit community through its annual Campaign and is a leader in convening partners to impact local residents each year by increasing economic self-sufficiency, protecting children and youth at risk, strengthening families, empowering neighborhoods and communities, and promoting health and wellness. Additional information is available at www.LiveUnitedSEM.org.
Copyright 2013 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.
KEYWORDS: Chrysler Group LLC, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Corporate Social Responsibility, philanthropy, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram, Fiat, Detroit, Fundraising
SOURCE: Capital One
DESCRIPTION:Washington, D.C., March 4, 2013 /3BL Media/ – The Aspen Institute and Capital One today announced the fellows of the ELM², Emerging Leaders in Microbusiness Squared Program. ELM² is a new program aimed at exponentially increasing the quality of talent focused on catalyzing opportunity for aspiring and disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Eleven emerging leaders who demonstrate potential for executive leadership and creating real change in the microbusiness field have been selected to participate as fellows in the program. ELM² is made possible through a $165,000 contribution from the Capital One Foundation.
“Capital One is committed to supporting the next generation of community leaders and investing in programs such as ELM² that help emerging microbusiness leaders develop management skills, build their knowledge and peer networks,” said Daniel Delehanty, senior director, Community Development Banking, Capital One. “Capital One is honored to welcome all of the ELM² fellows, and we are committed to empowering them with access to tailored training, mentoring and the support needed to help their leadership skills and organizations thrive.”
According to the Aspen Institute, there are 20 million microenterprises in the United States, and these small firms are playing a pivotal role in reviving job creation and communities across the country. Microbusiness programs are critical in supporting entrepreneurs who are creating much-needed jobs and fueling economic growth. Capital One’s investment in ELM² is aligned with the company’s focus on helping small businesses grow and local economies thrive.
“We’re so excited to introduce the ELM² fellows, and look forward to helping these emerging leaders build the professional skills they need to make a positive impact within their organizations,” said Joyce Klein, director of the FIELD program at the Aspen Institute. “Like many other types of nonprofits, microbusiness programs suffer from scarce resources that make it difficult to invest in staff and leadership development. This partnership with Capital One builds on the Aspen Institute’s expertise in fostering leadership to provide the microbusiness field with a much-needed means of building its future leaders.”
Participants in ELM² were chosen through an application process, in which they proposed a leadership project that they will engage in throughout the duration of the fellowship. The 11 fellows participating in the program are:
ELM², which focuses on the themes of Leadership, Strategy, Organizational Culture and Sustainability, will bring the fellows together over a nine-month period for joint learning and analysis on important issues related to microbusiness development and leadership. Participants also have the opportunity to have a 360 degree evaluation completed with analysis provided by Capital One associates. In-person meetings as well as virtual and networking events will enable participants to deepen their understanding of the four program themes. Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in events and meetings with Capital One executives, thought leaders, funders, investors and CEOs, giving them invaluable insight and perspective on new business models and strategies.
ELM² is a project of the Aspen Institute’s FIELD program (Microenterprise Fund for Innovation, Effectiveness, Learning and Dissemination). FIELD has been a leader in conducting research and funding aimed at driving innovation in the U.S. microenterprise field since 1998.
Additional information about the pilot and the participating organizations is available on FIELD’s Web site: http://www.fieldus.org/Projects/Elm2.html.
More information about Capital One’s community development work can be found at www.capitalone.com/investingforgood.
About the Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.
About Capital One
Capital One Financial Corporation, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, is a Fortune 500 company with more than 900 branch locations primarily in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Its subsidiaries, Capital One, N.A. and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A. offer a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. We apply the same principles of innovation, collaboration and empowerment in our commitment to our communities across the country that we do in our business. We recognize that helping to build strong and healthy communities - good places to work, good places to do business and good places to raise families - benefits us all and we are proud to support this and other community initiatives.
KEYWORDS: The Aspen Institute, capital one, ELM², fellowship program, leaders, entrepreneurs, csr, sustainability
SOURCE: American Cancer Society
DESCRIPTION:ATLANTA, March 4, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Today the American Cancer Society officially launched its 100th birthday campaign to finish the fight against cancer with new ads featuring award-winning artists Josh Groban and Mary J. Blige (click on celebrity name to view ad).
In television ads which will start airing today on networks including ABC, CBS, NBC and USA, Groban is shown at a bustling train station where he interrupts travelers’ usual commute with an electric amplifier, calling for a moment against silence because “silence won’t finish the fight, action will.” In a similar theme of making noise against cancer, Blige interrupts the typical library silence with a call to get loud and finish the fight against the disease. The ads are part of the Society’s larger efforts to leverage its 100th birthday to rally people everywhere to help make this cancer’s last century.
In a complementary print ad campaign starting in May, Academy Award-winning actor and cancer survivor Michael Douglas will appear in magazines such as Good Housekeeping, O, House Beautiful and Redbook. The ad focuses on the actor’s “life list” that includes finding a cure for throat cancer; and encourages readers to take action by visiting cancer.org/fight – the official website for the Society’s 100th birthday – for ways to get involved. Other celebrities/media personalities including Hoda Kotb, co-host of the Today Show and a breast cancer survivor, will also be featured in the print advertising; and starting in April, supporters will have a chance to create their own print ad to finish the fight.
“During the past 100 years, the American Cancer Society has refused to be silent about ending cancer, and our efforts have helped change the course of the disease in the U.S. and across the world,” said Andrew S. Goldsmith, vice president of brand and creative strategy at the American Cancer Society. “This campaign is designed to celebrate the progress we’ve made, but recognize that there is still more work to be done. A century ago, the Society began the fight of a lifetime, now it’s time to join together and finish the fight.”
The American Cancer Society is using its 100th birthday on May 22nd to encourage people to join together, make noise and take action to finish the fight against cancer. The Society urges everyone to make some noise by donating at cancer.org/fight, participating in a local Relay For Life or Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in their community and/or enrolling in its groundbreaking Cancer Prevention Study-3 to find better ways to prevent cancer.
Today, two out of three people diagnosed with cancer are surviving the disease (for at least five years). More than 400 people a day in the U.S. are celebrating birthdays that would have otherwise been lost to cancer. As the Official Sponsor of Birthdays™, The American Cancer Society will continue to make noise by amplifying its efforts to ensure lifesaving cancer research gets funded; by making sure people facing cancer have the help they need, such as a free place to stay during treatment or a ride to get there; and by fighting for equal access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, and clean air.
More about the American Cancer Society.
KEYWORDS: Health and Wellness, Marketing, Media & Communications, American Cancer Society, 100th birthday, Finish the Fight, Josh Groban, Mary J. Blige, Michael Douglas, celebrity
SOURCE: Chrysler Group LLC
DESCRIPTION:AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 4, 2013 /3BL Media/ PRNewswire/ -- The Ram Truck brand continued its successful "Road to the Ram® Jam" all-star country music series with the auction of Zac Brown's 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn.
Starting at 7 p.m. EST Tuesday, March 5, fans can bid for Brown's truck with all the proceeds from the auction benefiting Camp Southern Ground, a state-of-the-art facility that will provide cutting-edge programs for children of diverse abilities and backgrounds, including those affected by neurobehavioral disorders and learning difficulties. Billy Currington's Ram truck was auctioned off last week and raised $34,578 for Team Rubicon. To get more information on the charity auction hosted on eBay Giving Works and to bid on Brown's truck, visit www.ebay.com/roadtoramjam.
As part of the Road to the Ram Jam series all five participating artists—Kellie Pickler, Brantley Gilbert, Billy Currington, Zac Brown Band and Easton Corbin—received a one-year lease on a 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn truck. Pickler's truck was auctioned off at the end of January raising $36,200 for the USO Warrior and Family Care program and Gilbert's truck was auctioned off in early February raising $34,552 for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Easton Corbin's truck will be the last truck to be auctioned off beginning March 18 with proceeds benefitting the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund.
"Camp Southern Ground will bring together children of diverse abilities and backgrounds, including those affected by developmental disorders and learning difficulties, in a state-of-the-art summer camp and research facility," Brown said. "The proceeds from this truck go to help us make a difference in the lives of many children and their families. Thanks to Ram for all of the charitable donations that they make."
The Road to the Ram Jam series was the ultimate fan experience. It helped bring country music fans closer to some of their favorite artists with exclusive video content, the opportunity to win prizes, free music downloads, as well as a chance to enter to win trips for two to the exclusive Ram Jam concert.
The invitation-only 2012 Ram Jam concert event held on Dec. 29 in Nashville, Tenn., was a huge success with a performance by all five participating artists. For those that missed the live stream of the concert event on Ram Country on Yahoo! Music go to http://music.yahoo.com/programs/ram-country/ and check out some of the highlights from the night.
About Zac Brown
Zac Brown is the front man of the multi-platinum, three-time Grammy award winning group Zac Brown Band. The band's three albums, including 2012's "Uncaged" (Atlantic/Southern Ground) have earned the group a historic series of ten No. 1 hit singles and more than 70 Grammy, ACM, AMA, CMA and CMT award nominations. Brown is also the founder of the Southern Ground Artists, Inc. record label, which encompasses an entire coalition of subsidiaries deeply dedicated to southern tradition. Under its umbrella are brands including: Southern Hide, which creates handcrafted leather items and leather fine art; Southern Grind, a full production metal shop that fashions knives, belt buckles, keychains, and hunting accessories from recycled steel material; Lucy Justice Goods, which provides the Southern Ground artists with a variety merchandise and fan gear, as well as the Baby Goo branch of Southern Ground which produces Brown's famous Southern Ground Grub GA Clay Spice Rub and Brown Sauce, in addition to publishing the Southern Ground Cookbook, a collection of recipes developed by Brown and executive chef Rusty Hamlin.
About Camp Southern Ground
Nestled on nearly 500 acres in the farmlands of Georgia, Camp Southern Ground is the passion project of Grammy award winning artist Zac Brown. Inspired by his own experiences as a camp counselor, Brown's vision is to create a state-of-the-art facility whose programs will serve all children ages 7 to 17. The camp will have activities to challenge, educate and inspire children with diverse abilities and from all socioeconomic backgrounds, races and religions. Among the many traditional camp activities that will foster youth development and create teachable moments for campers, plans are in place to align certain elements of the facility with the latest innovative therapies and technology for those children affected by neurobehavioral disorders. Brown has long recognized the necessity for every child to have access to the best resources to be able to grow and succeed, and accordingly, Camp Southern Ground will be a place for children and their families to learn healthy life skills through an advanced program involving superior nutrition, physical exercise and the latest practices in therapy—all administered by a knowledgeable staff. For more information on Camp Southern Ground go to http://www.campsouthernground.org/.
About Ram Truck Brand
The Ram Truck brand continues to establish its own identity and clearly define its customer since its launch as a standalone vehicle brand. Creating a distinct brand for Ram trucks has allowed the brand to concentrate on how core customers use their trucks and what new features they'd like to see. Whether focusing on a family that uses its half-ton truck day in and day out, a hard-working Ram Heavy Duty owner or a business that depends on its commercial vehicles every day, Ram has the truck market covered.
The Ram Truck brand has the most innovative lineup of full-size trucks on the market. Ram Truck has emerged as a full-size truck leader by investing substantially in new products, infusing them with great looks, refined interiors, durable engines and features that further enhance their capabilities. Truck customers, from half-ton to commercial, have a demanding range of needs and require their vehicles to provide high levels of capability. Ram trucks are designed to deliver a total package.
For more information, please visit the Chrysler media site at http://www.media.chrysler.com.
Copyright 2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved
KEYWORDS: Chrysler, Ram Truck, road to ram jam, all-star country music, zac brown, csr, community
SOURCE: 3BL Media, LLC
DESCRIPTION:Coca-Cola Enterprises is one of the first companies to be awarded the new Carbon Trust Water Standard, an international award for water reduction. The Water Standard award recognizes CCE’s leadership in measuring, managing and reducing water use. The company achieved its lowest ever water use ratio of 1.4 liters to make 1 liter of product in 2012 – a reduction of 14.6% since 2007. The Carbon Trust helps businesses, governments, and the public sector to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy.
Domtar has added a fourth update to its Paper Trail web site. The updates include a site history, photo gallery, and stories from the company’s Kingsport, Tennessee mill, and three additional products from its EarthChoice range of environmentally and socially responsible papers. The Paper Trail Web site has been named a Top Innovative Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of 2012 by Brave One Agency, joining the likes of Unilever and The North Face in promoting transparency in business.
For more information on these and other stories, go to 3blmedia.com
Video Source: Coca-Cola Enterprises Wins First Carbon Trust Water Standard Award; Domtar Expands Paper Trail Web Site
KEYWORDS: Coca Cola Enterprises, Carbon Trust water Standard Award, Paper Trail Website, Domtar, Unilever, The North Face, 3bl Media, csr, CSR Minute, EarthChoice, enviornment, water
SOURCE: Cone Communications
DESCRIPTION:Ever wondered if a foundation is the right move for your organization? Building off a recent exposé on athete-run foundations, Cone's own Social Impact expert, Erica Kendall, weighs in on why foundations fail and why they may not always be the best fit.
Recently, the Boston Globe critiqued the impact of many nonprofits run by professional athletes. Nearly half of the 50 professional athlete-operated nonprofits reviewed by the Globe spent less than 65% of revenues on charitable programs and donations. According to Charity Navigator, a leading independent charity evaluator, nonprofits spending less than a third of their budgets on program expenses are simply not living up to their missions.
To read more on Cone's Prove Your Purpose blog, please click here.
Tweet me: Giving away money is hard - and a foundation may not be the right move. @Cone http://3bl.me/sc243c
KEYWORDS: Marketing, Media & Communications, foundation, corporate giving, Social Impact, Cause, Cone, Prove Your Purpose
SOURCE: FSG
DESCRIPTION:March 4, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Complex social problems cannot be solved by a single organization, predetermined solution, or simple recipe. In a new Stanford Social Innovation Review article Embracing Emergence: How Collective Impact Addresses Complexity, FSG explores how collective impact (originally introduced my Mark Kramer and John Kania in 2011) creates the conditions for change to happen differently, when new or unanticipated opportunities emerge from the work being done.
FSG has found that the power of adopting the five conditions of collective impact lies in the heightened vigilance that comes from multiple organizations looking for resources and innovations through the same lens, the rapid learning that comes from continuous feedback loops, and the immediacy of action that comes from a unified and simultaneous response among all participants. And because of these new interactions, we have consistently seen unexpected solutions emerge – previously unnoticed solutions and resources from inside or outside the community are identified and adopted, and existing organizations find new ways of working together that produce better outcomes.
The conditions that govern collective impact lead to changes in individual and organizational behavior that create an ongoing progression of alignment, discovery, learning, emergence and, ultimately, a greater ability to solve our social problems.
Read the full article here.
For more information on Collective Impact, check out our approach page.
About FSG
FSG is a nonprofit consulting firm specializing in research, strategy, and evaluation, founded in 2000 as Foundation Strategy Group. Today, FSG works across all sectors in every region of the globe – partnering with corporations, nonprofits, foundations, and governments – to develop more effective solutions to the world's most challenging issues. FSG helps organizations, individually and collectively, improve society and business by discovering better ways to solve social problems.
KEYWORDS: People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Collective Impact, FSG, SSIR, Mark Kramer, John Kania
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