Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

During the past two decades philanthropy has become a subject of increasing interest — addressing human challenges and strengthening ties between global communites.  A powerful thought movement has led individuals and organizations to take action and improve the social and economic quality of living worldwide. When the bigger picture is in view, the inspired may seek to immediately change the world, or at least the lives of those across it.  Serving the global community is a noble and worthwhile mission but don’t forget those in need right in your own neighborhood.

The proverb “Charity begins at home,” doesn’t end with family and friends. Rather than (or in addition to) participating in global efforts, consider the individuals and groups in your own community who can benefit from your support “right here, right now.”

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The precedent-setting commitment of Bill Gates, Target, Starbucks and other socially conscious corporations has brought responsible business to the forefront. In a down economy where profits are low and the need for charity is high, philanthropy can lead the way to not only support those most in need, but also create a trusted company reputation and a long-term increase in sales

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to operating business in a manner that is actively aware of the social and environmental impact created by the business. Where CSR may have originally focused on charity as a vehicle to improve company image, now it reflects a broader commitment to improve the lives of all from employees to global communities through ethical day-to-day business practices and social responsibility in all areas of operation.

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With Thanksgiving nearly here and Christmas right around the corner, it’s time to harness the spirit of the season in your nonprofit marketing.

Yet many nonprofits are recognizing that, with the current economy, fundraising in 2009 might not measure up to that of previous years. While this is not the time for charities to panic, it is time for a more realistic and actionable approach to overcoming the financial lull. A well-thought out and strategic marketing plan can help nonprofits boost their donations this holiday season despite the recession. Here are some tips to maximize your efforts:

Acknowledge all supporters
A one-on-one thank-you message may have more impact than a blanket e-mail. However if there are just too many recipients, send a general message and reserve personalized communications for your major stakeholders, sponsors, and contributors. Consider including sponsor logos and company or individual names on your website or in e-mail marketing. For top-tier members, include their logo and a link to their website to provide them with premium exposure to your membership base.

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Whether you are running a non-profit or receive communications from one, you’ve seen it before. “95% of our proceeds go to fight world hunger! 85% of your donation is used to support local communities in need!” So where does that other percentage go? If you’re running ANY type of business, you know the answer.

Overhead, also called indirect expenses, is essentially the cost of running a business. Without some overhead expenditure, businesses would not be able to function; yet overhead does not contribute directly to the generation of profits. The materials used to bring in money– such as products or brochures to increase donations to your non-profit– are direct expenses. Overhead, on the other hand, includes, for example, the cost of the rental space your company uses to do business. The desk you sit it while you work. Your utility bills and travel expenses.

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In the past year I have gradually gone from eating very little red meat, to no red meat. I have gone from a fair amount of chicken, turkey and fish, to only fish. I thought this journey would be hard but the truth of the matter is – it wasn’t, sort of… well… ok maybe it is.

When not eating meat was a semiconscious/part time decision it wasn’t hard, at all. Then, we saw Food Inc. (a most see for every person on the planet), coupled with a yoga retreat where we had a vegan/vegetarian chef cook for us all weekend (if I only had a personal chef) and well –it went from semi to, “I will no longer eat four legged creatures.” I know, the poor fish….oh, well. I love the Ahai what can I say.

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It is that time of year when we dig into, what new products and lifestyle changes we have incorporated into our lives, that work and that we like.

The hope is to give you some fun and useful tips as we go into a new year. Remember to start small and simply replace your current products, one at a time, as you run out. Adoption of a sustainable lifestyle is possible one baby step at a time.

“Almost Zero” Waste Lunch:
We have started taking cotton napkins to work to use with our lunches instead of picking up a paper napkin at work or taking a paper towel from home.  It has remarkably cut our consumption of paper towels by a 1/3 of a roll each month. We also switched to Sigg bottles and got rid of all plastic water bottles. We use glass containers for our food instead of the toxic plastic containers (that should never be microwaved). We use a cute/ washable LL Bean canvas lunch tote instead of a paper bag. Finally we use reusable utensils (regular flat ware) or corn based degradable utensils….try it, these are all easy to incorporate. Be the one who talks about it at work and pass the environmentally friendly practice on.

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Recently, I was interviewed for a Social Responsibility panel I was speaking on. The questions they asked were timely and relevant to many conversations I had over the holidays.  I had some very interesting conversations with teachers, the owner of a printing company, commercial realtors, lawyers, mothers, my family and potential investors in our company, who, for the first time ever, all collectively, not only understood what we are trying to accomplish with our little company, but the global imperative for its existence.

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I spent part of the other day doing something that I tend to repeat on a year basis at this time of year. We all expect to spend a huge amount of time visiting all of the local malls and stores to buy the presents that our loved ones will find under their Christmas tree or handed out on the first night of Hanukkah. Next to that, the next part of the holiday season that we all take part in is buying all kinds of related products, like wrapping paper, cards, and all manner and style of decorations.

It seems like every year that this is a step that we all wind up having to go through. There might be a couple cards left in the box but, other than that, it’s left up to purchasing. But what would happen if a person plans ahead and saves just a little bit from the year before? To me, it would look like a very easier time of year without a lot of the hassles added onto the gift buying process.

One of the most obvious starting points of this idea of holiday recycling is the wrapping paper that surrounds our presents. Unless you have children that just tear through the paper with wanton abandon, the paper tends to be removed in ways that make it possible to reuse. Depending on the size of the original present that it comes off of, you could trim it down into a couple pieces to cover multiple presents. This cuts down on the need to buy new wrapping paper and cuts down on the waste in the local landfills.

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As a member of one of the largest and the seemingly easily mocked social groups on the Internet, I have always had a problem with the stigma attached to being a fan of video games. Be it console or PC gaming, the jokes and ill feelings tend to be the same for a group of people that mostly do not deserve this kind of attention. Enter: Child’s Play.

Child’s Play was initially started as a charity to aid a local children’s hospital in the originators’ home town of Seattle that was badly in need of things to help the kids feel better while they were stuck in the hospital. These are kids with serious life-threatening ailments.

From that seemingly small start in 2003, the charity quickly grew year after year into one of the biggest holiday events in the video game community. When I first heard about the idea, I thought that it was interesting but it wasn’t until I took a look at their official website that the real power struck me. When I initially pulled up the site, the first things I saw were maps of the United States and Canada with links to local children’s hospitals. It amazed me to see the amount of hospitals that I could personally help by just clicking a link to their Amazon wish list and buying a book or game or even something as simple as batteries for the toys. If you go there today, you’ll find links to even more children’s hospitals, including ones in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Egypt.

We all feel helpless when we see footage of children in their hospital beds as they receive their much needed treatment. While we can’t heal these children, we can at least make their time being treated a little easier  by giving them simple things like books and games.

What Can You Do?

- Find a hospital to help today! www.childsplaycharity.org

One of the first things that come to mind when we think of summer is a trip to the beach or lake for a day spent in the cool water. I grew up within an hour’s drive from the Pacific Ocean and have so many wonderful memories of paddling around in the ocean and playing on the beach. I have taken more trips to the local beach in Santa Cruz, CA than I can count and it wouldn’t seem like a summer without it.

One of the most troubling parts of many recent summers is beach closures. My own home state of California has some of the best water quality testing programs of the coastal states but also has by far the most beach closures and advisories of those same states. If a state with the best testing has this kind of difficulty, just imagine what it must be like in the other coastal states.

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