Working to Give: Philanthropies & Philanthropic Work

Most of us just complain or worry when things aren’t going the way we would like them to – Dan Zimerman decided to take things into his own hands..or his own legs as it were. The political climate in the US was bothering Zimerman, and he started the Liberty 100. This is a 100-mile run from Ellis Island Bridge to Constitution Hall in Philadelphia.

He wants the run to represent the fact that the country was founded by immigrants and that we all have constitutional rights. Zimerman will start his run on August 9, his 54th birthday. He’ll complete the run by himself, but others plan to join in for parts of the course and to offer water along the way.

He expects the run to take about 24 hours and has set up a donation page on the American Civil Liberties Union website with funds intended to help humanitarian efforts at the border.

It’s always a delicate balance to find the right type of fundraising event and to figure out how to use your time and money in the best way possible for a charity. Wine auctions appears to have found that balance. In 2018, America’s top charity wine auctions raised over $42 million in live bids. That’s a lot of money! Now, some of these auctions included heavy hitters like the Naples Winter Wine Festival, the Auction Napa Valley and the Festival Napa Valley.

Nonetheless, it’s worth looking at what these wine auctions are doing right and how they are pulling in the big bucks for charity. As Shelley Tomberg, the former Auction of Washington Wines executive director told Wine Spectator magazine, “We find that experiences around wine bring us the most revenue and also cement the relationships between winemakers and the winners.”

Read the full article and learn more about what these charitable events are doing right.

This fascinating article shows where Americans are putting their charitable givings – and where they aren’t. It’s certainly interesting to see how the political landscape and economic times influence givers – and to see where and when they give.

Certainly, the latest news from Robert F. Smith has created a giving buzz. Smith, a billionaire tech investor, pledge this week to get rid of all of the debt held by the entire graduating class of Morehouse College this year.

The Kansas Humane Society will be the beneficiary this year of the NFL players this year. NFL draft prospect Ben Powers is planning to wear custom-made cleats in the NFL season’s 13th week to raise awareness about the KHS. The cleats will also be auctioned off to raise money for the cause.

While visiting the KHS recently, Powers said, “KHS is a great organization and they do a lot of good for our community.”

Read the whole story here:
https://www.kwch.com/content/news/Ben-Powers-chooses-KS-Humane-Society-to-benefit-from-NFL-charity-effort-508721101.html

The American Heart Association held a fundraiser to celebrate their 20^th anniversary. Called The Heart’s Delight Charity Wine Auction, the event happened in Washington D.C. on March 6-9 and raised $1.3 million for the AHA. Since the auction was started in 1999, it has raised $19 million in total.

One portion of the event included a grand tasting and live auction. The auction alone brought in more than $400,000. Other events included the Congress Has Heart reception, dinners hosted by embassy members and winemakers, a Bordeaux master class and more.

Learn more about the American Heart Association and the important work they do.