Great non-profits – Charity Matters

Causes October 18, 2017

Grades of Green

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

John Muir

You may remember a few years back I interviewed the founders of Grades of Green, a nonprofit that was founded in 2008, by a few passionate mothers, who wanted to educate and inform children about their choices and the impact on their environment. After receiving an award from the EPA, the founders created a non-profit so that other schools would have free and easy access to the tools and information needed to empower and inspire students to care for the environment.

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with this incredible organization and chat with Emily Stewart, Program Coordinator for Grades of Green.

Charity Matters: What was the moment you knew you needed to act and participate in a non-profit?

I was raised with environmental values and completed a degree in environmental policy, so I always knew that I would be involved in the nonprofit world. When I found out about the work that Grades of Green was doing across the globe to inspire children to start their own grassroots sustainability movements, I knew that I needed to be part of it.

Charity Matters: What fuels you to keep doing this work?

Grades of Green: Climate change poses very real threats to the future of our planet. I believe that if enough students become involved in the environmental movement, they can tip the scale and create a safer and more sustainable world.

Charity Matters: When do you know you have made a difference?

Grades of Green: When students that you have mentored take the initiative to innovate their own solutions to environmental issues in their community, you know that you have made a lasting difference by encouraging the next generation to become environmental advocates. For example, a Grades of Green Youth Corps student named Antonio’s work to champion cleaner air through No Idle Zones inspired the passing of ACR 160, a statewide resolution in California.

Charity Matters: Tell us what success you have had? What has your impact been? Number of people impacted, funds raised…..any and all

Grades of Green is a very exciting and rewarding place to work because its impact in terms of benefits to the environment is measurable, and yet the environmental values and leadership skills that children gain from participating last a lifetime. 568 schools across 43 states and 17 countries are involved in our green programs, and the number of schools and students involved grows every week! Their actions to protect the environment translates to thousands of tons of waste diverted from landfills, gallons of water saved, tons of CO2 emissions reduced, and toxins removed from the environment.

Four moms set out to educate their children and others on how to care for our world and one another. Almost ten years later their message has spread across the country and the globe. To circle back week with John Muir’s words,“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

Charity Matters

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Holidays and Holiday Giving November 25, 2013

The opposite of full

The week of Thanksgiving seems to be a week about food and eating. What is the opposite of eating? Not eating or hunger. So it seems only natural that Thanksgiving and feeding the hungry always go hand in hand. The fact is that 1 in 6 people in this country are suffering from hunger.

I have to confess, I have fed the homeless, on more than a few occasions, but never on Thanksgiving. I applaud those that do. I can only imagine how much more grateful you are, for what you are lucky enough to have, after you have witnessed someone without.

I think the most beautiful part of the tradition that many families have, is showing children compassion and gratitude. Any time you give of yourself for another, it is a gift. When you teach and show compassion and kindness it is much, much more.

As you begin to plan for this Thursday’s meal, the arrival of relatives, hustling to the market, think about ways your family can impact another. Here are a few simple ways to get started and make sure to include your kids in the process:

1. Go to Great Non-Profits website, type in your zip code, “feeding the homeless” and find local organizations in your community that you can help.

2. Consider donating a few dollars to a local food bank, ours here in LA, can make $1.00 buy 4 Thanksgiving meals. Here is the web for LA Regional Food Bank.

3. Think big and get involved in a big or little way with Feed America.Org, an organization designed to support the network of food banks across the country.

One last tip, Thanksgiving is more than a day but rather a spirit, that lasts much longer. Consider putting some of these thoughts into action, the day after Thanksgiving on Black Friday, to show your family that giving is more than seasonal. Showing your children the reality that being full is just not just about our stomachs is a Thanksgiving legacy.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

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Raising Philanthropic Children June 21, 2013

And the survey says….

The other day I read an amazing article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy by Holly Hall. Her article broke down the results from a recent survey done by U.S. Bank, that interviewed seven hundred millionaires and billionaires. The results were shocking and wonderful.

The big shocker was that giving money away to good causes is the most satisfying part of life, for at least half of America’s millionaires and billionaires. It seems that philanthropy ranked as more important than possessions and lifestyle. Wait, this gets even better, the youngest in this category (18-32) ranked philanthropy as the number one thing they most enjoyed. More than half of these young donors said that they learned the value of giving from their families.

The reasons these wealthy donors give does not appear to be any different from any other donor.

About 80 percent cited “creating a positive impact on issues or causes while still alive.”
About 76 percent said “supporting charities has a positive impact on society.”
About 54 percent listed “setting an example for family members.”
About 25 percent cited “the ability to define their legacy.”

The reason I loved this survey so much is that it goes against what the media continues to portray about wealth to our youth. Our teenagers watch the Kardashians and NBA players driving Bentleys and want to be like these stars. When the reality is these young donors are getting more pleasure from sharing than from anything else. Who knew?

It seems that sharing and giving makes us all feel good, rich or poor.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

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Education June 5, 2013

Girls Write Now

The echo of Steve Job’s graduation speech is still in my ears, “connect the dots of your life.” Somedays, I stare at the blank page before me and simply do not see the dots. Today is not one of those days. The dots begin to connect.

My head swirls with the multiple graduation ceremonies I will attend this week, some for friends, others for schools I am involved with. These thoughts of graduation bring so many dots to the forefront. How did these young men and women get from freshman year to this moment of graduation? How did they connect their dots?

Chances are they had mentor to guide them. A teacher, parents, a counselor or perhaps even a volunteer who showed them the way.

As I stared at my blank page looking for a story to share, the dots began to come together when I came upon the story of Girls Write Now. A non-profit that does just that, mentors inner city girls by connecting them with television writers, Pulitzer prize winners, school principals and other women writers. These connections provide the singular purpose to guide these girls through the four years of high school, to find their voice and to get into college.

In 1998, Maya Nussbaum set out to create an organization where girls could have ” A real live role model.” Her mission was to provide guidance, support, and opportunities for at-risk and underserved girls from New York City’s public high schools to develop their creative, independent voices, explore careers in professional writing, and learn how to make healthy school, career and life choices.

Today, fifteen years later, Maya has done that and so much more. Girls Write Now has served over 4,500 girls and 100% have gone onto college. Which brings it all back to graduation and the dots. As a woman, a writer, a non-profit founder and someone who believes that education changes lives, this spoke to me. My dots came together today on this page for you, just as I will proudly sit and watch all those dots come together in that singular moment for all those graduates this week.

Steve Jobs was write 🙂 …… Connect the dots of your life.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

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