Using Crowdsourcing to Discover my Next Endeavor
Its hot, and there are never ending piles of rubble to clear. The goal is to clear off one household foundation at a time so that they can have a solid place for a replacement home/shelter. The families join in to help and to recover personal items that were buried, so it is a very moving experience.
I will be making regular blog updates about the trip to this site http://philip.kiracofe.com. You can also follow Hands On Disaster Response via their website or facebook
Here are some early pictures of the efforts there, along with the site where we will be staying. http://www.flickr.com/photos/hodrorg/sets/72157623145410261/
This trip is in honor of Aunt Helen, whose life and compassion have been an inspiration for me. As she nears the end of her time here, this is a recognition that her legacy continues on, and is reaches far from the covered bridges of her home town.
I was signed up to do this fundraiser with a group of friends this weekend (perfect Sunday morning in NYC, eh?). When I got invited to join HODR in Haiti, Blair generously volunteered to step up (get it) in my place. She has to raise $250 before Sat, please help by clicking here
We know that MS doesn’t slow down when the economy does. People with MS and their families will continue to turn to the National MS Society perhaps now more than ever before and we must do everything we can to prepare to help each one of them address the challenges that they face. The National MS Society will use funds collected from Climb to the Top New York City to not only support research for a cure tomorrow, but also to provide programs which address the needs of people living with MS today.
As preparations continue for my trip to volunteer in Haiti, I want to share updates and pictures from the advance team that is already hard at work. Check out pictures here, including some of the volunteers, workers, and even a glimpse at the accommodations. Much more to come …
In a landscape where many Americans are “self-employed,” a new website, Zoosa, is taking the corporate out of corporate social responsibility (CSR) with the introduction of personal social impact reports. Similar to annual corporate social responsibility reports, Zoosa is now challenging individuals to issue reports on their personal social impact actions in an effort to inspire others to make a difference.
“We really wanted to challenge people to highlight their social impact. Our hope is that by encouraging people to share their activities and measure their impact, it will in turn encourage more people to share their stories and get involved. It’s a new year. Maybe it’s time to issue your first personal social impact report,” says Mike McGlade, Zoosa’s CEO.
See more
I volunteered with HODR in Thailand in 2005 post Tsunami and it is an unrivaled experience. Click thru to sign up.
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Today we are announcing Project Leogane, Haiti 2010. This extraordinary disaster has had a devastating impact on the entire fabric of Haiti, and we are anxious to help.
The country has suffered over 110,000 lives lost; in Leogane, where we will focus our efforts, an estimated 90% of the buildings were destroyed. This will be a serious project, cooperating with other local and international NGOs, to help the community of Leogane recover from this massive event.
We are committed to a minimum period of 6 months, beginning February 15, 2010, when the project will be open to volunteers. As always, we tailor our projects and work on the ground to the unique needs of each community and disaster. Since this event and challenge is so large, serious, and we’ve received unprecedented volunteer interest, we have established specific rules and structure for this HODR deployment:
See Details about Hands On Disaster Response Project Leogane
By Warren Karlenzig
What trends are likely the next ten years? One thing for sure, 2010 through 2019 will be one day looked at as 1) the turning point for addressing climate change by using effective urban management strategies, or it will be remembered as 2) the time when we collectively fumbled the Big Blue Ball.
see the list at Worldchanging: Bright Green: The Next Decade’s Top Sustainability Trends.
Having raised a service dog myself, I can deeply relate to the desire for the dog one is raising to *become* a service dog. Not all dogs are natural at it, and many are released from their programs. Here is a great example of a trainer who found a better solution
Service Surf Dog Ricochet
Ricochet was a puppy prodigy. From the moment she was born, she was training to become a service dog for a person with a disability. As she grew, it was clear her talents were undeniable; but her free, youthful spirit could not be contained – Ricochet would give in to her instincts to run playfully and chase birds and small animals. A definite no-no for a service dog. Rather than push harder to make Ricochet something she was not or give up on her entirely, her trainer had the heart and vision to see that Ricochet’s special talents and energy could be used to help in other ways. Turns out Ricochet’s unique gift is surfing! Watch the story of how Ricochet became a SURFice dog helping charitable foundations and people with disabilities.
Paw-abunga!
See the video on KarmaTube!
Providing opportunities and encouraging employees to volunteer, integrating sustainable and ethical practices into your products supply chain, and running cause promotions and cause marketing campaigns are all great ways of “Cause Integrating” your company. But why put all the effort into doing good when your customers can do it for you?
Enter into the the equation Disney’s brilliant new CSR initiative called Give A Day, Get A Disney Day. Simply put, if you can go out and get your hands dirty volunteering with a local nonprofit organization, Disney wants to reward you with a FREE ticket to Disney World or Disneyland Resort. Awesome? We think so. According to Disney,
We want to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service to a participating organization in their communities. So we’re celebrating these volunteers’ good works by giving each of them a 1-day, 1-theme park ticket to the Disneyland® Resort or Walt Disney World® Resort, free. There’s no better time to make a dream come true for others and let us make a few come true for you.
Why is this so interesting? Here’s how everybody wins:
Philip Kiracofe · Adventure Capitalist 