Working to Give: Philanthropies & Philanthropic Work

It’s not every day that you see 20 women in hot pink shirts pulling a plane. But that’s what happened recently when these women, who usually direct planes, were busy pulling the plane 15 feet in 8.76 seconds. Why?

The Fly Girls (as they’ve called themselves) were one of 35 teams who competed in the Jet Pull contest that American Airlines puts on each year. The goal with the contest is to see which team can pull a jet 15 feet – and which can do it the fastest.

While the competition is certainly fun – it’s also quite meaningful. The contest is organized by the airline’s Abilities Employee Business Group and each team pays $200 to be registered in the competition. Proceeds benefit The Arc of Arizona, an organization that protects the human rights of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Sustainable architecture has a lot to offer in so many realms.   First, it can actually impact the way individuals and societies see the environment since architecture has, historically, been responsible for shifting the cultural norm.  For example, an architect can choose to make the building green or not but just be certain to make it as attractive as possible.  That way, people will be excited by it.

Tokyo-based architecture professor and well-respected architect Kengo Kuma is all about sustainability in his design of low-rise buildings.  Through his firm Kengo Kuma & Associates, he builds structures with locally-sourced and sustainable materials including bamboo and wood.  He also believes that architecture can “touch [our] hearts,” and that architects have the power to “inspire people.”

Retired architect Moshe Victor Keinig agrees:

“Throughout my career I sought to be more than just a cog in the wheel,” the retired architect explained.  “In every position I had I wanted to make sure I was working within the rules but with as much of a leaning toward sustainability as possible.  I’ve always admired the work that Kuma has and continues to do in this field, in particular with his focus on the use of local materials to provide a sense of ‘healing and ease,’ to those who ultimately use them.  it doesn’t hurt that his eye for design is incredibly aesthetically pleasing!”

A fascinating recent report called the Charitable Giving in the USA 2019 report sheds some light on Americans and their giving patterns. According to the report, 62% of American surveyed gave money in the last 12 months. This is up from 55% the year before. They also found that people are giving more of their time and energy (not just their money) as more than 35% of people volunteered last year (while 31% did in 2017).

The mean amount that was donated last year was $461, which was a rise from the previous amount of $382. Learn more about the findings and how people are giving today.

This is really a story of putting your money where your mouth is. Serena Williams spoke out about her complicated delivery when her daughter was born in 2017. The U.S. actually has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed countries – and women of color are three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes according to the CDC.

Williams is hoping to help these issues to change. Through Serena Ventures, and a group of fellow investors, she has announced a $3 million investment in Mahmee. This is a black-owned startup that is focused on improving perinatal and postpartum care for moms and babies. It was co-founded by CEO and entrepreneur Melissa Hanna and CTO Sunny Walia.

In a press release Williams wrote: “Given the bleak data surrounding maternal death and injury rates, I believe that it is absolutely critical right now to invest in solutions that help protect the lives of moms and babies. Mahmee’s data-driven approach is the right solution to one of the most significant problems in the system: that of fragmented care.”