John has much experience working in the philanthropic world, and takes great interest in charitable goings on today.

Irish Runners Ready for NYC Marathon

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

A marathon is a great time to test your strength and endurance, but it’s also a wonderful time to test your ability to give of yourself. The 2019 TCS New York City Marathon will have four Irish runners who are taking on the challenge while raising money. These four runners from different areas of Ireland are running with Achilles International, a non-profit focused on helping people with disabilities.

Each of them will raise at least $3000 for Achilles as they get their running shoes ready. During the race, Achilles will have 320 athletes with disabilities and their guides running. Achilles has the motto that “All things are possible” and these runners are helping to make this motto into a reality.

Ghostbusters to the Fundraising Rescue

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By JohnPosted In: Charity Activity

Here is a sweet and fun fundraiser. At the Edmonton Expo recently, fans of Ghostbusters got into their Ghostbusters costumes to raise money for the Stollery Children’s Hospital. The group had authentic looking Ghostbuster costumes and raised money by selling merchandise and photos.

The Alberta Ghostbusters group started in 2011 and now has 35 members throughout the province. They are a registered charity and are supporting both the Stollery and the Alberta Children’s Hospital. In the last four years they’ve raised more than $20,000 and have the goal of raising $15,000 this year.

Learn more about their worthy cause and have a giggle here.

Honoring Fallen Heroes with Pizza

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By JohnPosted In: Charity Activity

California Pizza Kitchen recently hosted a fundraiser across California to support a California Highway Patrol officer who was killed recently. Anyone who ate at their stores helped in the cause, as 20% of the profits from that day went to the Fallen Heroes, a nonprofit organization that supports families of officers and firefighters who have died while in the line of duty.

The officer was 34 year old Andrew Moye Jr. who left behind a wife and large family.

Learn more about The Fallen Heroes organization and get involved in the amazing work that they do.

Charitable Giving UP

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

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.

Creative Ways to Help with Suicide Prevention

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

The Georgia Chapter of the AFSP has recently hosted a weekly fundraiser with local entertainer Ruby Redd in order to discuss suicide prevention. The partnership between the two has raised $4500 to address education, funding research, advocacy and to support survivors of suicide loss.

When customers come in to the venue, there is suicide prevention material available and there are people from AFSP available to talk as needed.

The biggest fundraiser of the year for them will be on November 3 in Piedmont Park and is the Out of the Darkness Walk.

Serena Williams Helping Other Moms

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

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.”

Peace to Prosperity

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

Making even small steps in the peace process in the Middle East has never been an easy task.  Israelis and Arabs alike know that very well.  Just talk to anyone who lives in the area – or even who reads the news – and they will tell you the same. For example, Russian immigrant Ella Petrov says:

“Oh boy.  I wouldn’t be the Israeli Prime Minister for a day…even if you paid me a million dollars.!” 

Likewise, third generation photographer Tel Avivian Mozes Victor Konig says:

“Being a photographer means I am often in the center of all sorts of situations.  Israel is a wonderful country with spectacular beauty that makes it such a joy to capture. But within all of that there is so much politics. It’s a complicated place that’s for sure.”

Earlier this month there was a delegation of both Israeli and Palestinian businessmen engaging together in an economics cooperation workshop in Bahrain.  The Peace to Prosperity project had some impressive attendees including Avi Zimmerman, Judea-Samaria (JS) Chamber of Commerce and Industry co-founder and President, another JS Chamber co-founder, Ashraf Jabari, who is also a Palestinian businessman.

While this delegation did encounter some attacks from the public, the subject matters discussed have the potentially to hugely facilitate business opportunities for both populations.

“As far as I can see it’s a no-brainer,” Konig said, when looking at photos of the event online.  “I mean the better off economically people are, the less likely they are to engage in senseless acts of terrorism.  Something like this just has to be a win-win.”

Where there can be cooperation – in business, art, culture, entertainment, etc. – it must be encouraged.  Taking politics out of such a highly-strung matter like this can only be beneficial in the long-term, adding to steps being made toward the ever-long struggle of peace in the middle east.

Running for the Rights of Others

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

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.

Wolverine & Workshops for Warriors

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By JohnPosted In: Charity Activity

To get in the 4th of July spirit – while also giving back – Wolverine has introduced an American-made Limited Edition Ramparts Boot. This is part of its US work boot collection and all proceeds from the online sale of the style from June 28 until July 5 will be donated to Workshops for Warriors.

Workshops for Warriors is a nonprofit that offers hands-on training and education programs to help veterans to find career options in the field of advanced manufacturing.

Successful Fundraising: Wine Auctions

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

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.