causenation

You must take five minutes this weekend to watch this inspiring short film created by 16 year-old David Were about his realities living in the largest slum in Kenya.  I have been working on the Adobe Youth Voices program since its inception four years ago, and I am continuously inspired.

This and ten other youth produced films are being celebrated this week at Lincoln Center in New York City as part of the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival.  Over a hundred additional films are uploaded at the Adobe Youth Voices Gallery.  In the past week the New York Times, Wall Street Journal,  WABC TV and other news outlets have shared these films with millions. 

Every few weeks I hope to highlight a few Adobe Youth Voices films in a causenation blog.  Adobe Youth Voices is the company’s global signature philanthropic program empowering youth to create media for social change.   (more…)

Congratulations to our client the Boston Beer Company for receiving the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy’s (CECP) prestigious Founder’s Award for Excellence in Corporate Philanthropy.  This award recognizes the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream® program for its demonstrated CEO leadership, dedication to measurement, successful partnerships, and innovation.

We are proud to be a part of the Samuel Adams team and honored to work on this exciting program that supports low and moderate income micro-entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry.

Each year CECP honors three companies. In 2010, Boston Beer won in the smaller company category (under $2bn in annual revenues) and shared the stage with Intel’s Teach Initiative and General Mill’s African Women and Children’s Hunger Program.

To learn more visit:  Center Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, CECP Press Release, Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream, CNN feature, Boston Globe OpEd, Jim Koch on CNBC, Cause Consulting Case Study

For the past four years I have been working with Adobe on its Adobe Youth Voices  program, a signature initiative that empowers young people from underserved communities around the globe to share their voices. I could not be more thrilled that the Black Eyed Peas have continued to add their voices to support and raise awareness of the power of young people.

I am completely inspired by these kids and it has become a personal passion of mine to expose people in my networks to their creations.

One young filmmaker I really admire is Maria Centeno from East Palo Alto, CA. Part hip-hop artist, part journalist, part poet, part graphic artist, her film What Has This World Come To? is a commentary about paying attention to what is going on around you, seen through Maria’s eyes. More than 25,000 people have viewed Maria’s work! Take a few minutes to watch it.  I hope you agree it is really powerful.  Pass it along to people you know. 

Last week participants and supporters from all over the world came together to celebrate a series of milestones – the first Adobe Youth Voices Global Summit followed by Adobe Youth Voices Live! (more…)

At causenation, the corporate philanthropy programs we like best are the ones that get us up off the couch with a fist-pumping cheer for the people that cause initiatives help. So today we give a big “You Go Girl!” to Lucy Valena of Voltage Coffee who was featured yesterday on CNN’s American Morning.

I love hanging out with Lucy and drinking her lattes. Her story has inspired me, as I hope it will inspire you. Lucy is just one of the microentrepreneurs who have received a microloan and business coaching through the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program, in partnership with nonprofit microlender ACCION USA.

Lucy is an example of the amazing spirit of small business heroes who put it all on the line every day in dedication to their craft. She is representative of the many independent, small business owners who are the faces of Main Street America. Her business and her life are so inextricably intertwined – the success of one is synonymous with the stability of the other.

During a recent speech, Lucy described her business journey to other passionate entreprenuers. With her permission, I am happy to share it here with you….   “Voltage Coffee is an espresso catering service that strives to (more…)

Mark Feldman pumping water while visiting development projects in Zambia

Today is World Water Day. I’ve been working on clean drinking water issues for years and was inspired to check in.

Unfortunately, the world water crisis is as dire as ever: 

• Nearly one billion people lack access to safe drinking water.
• Almost 4,500 children die each day to water related diseases.

There are no simple solutions.  Water issues are complicated by geographies, politics, cultures, and poverty.  Not only is water essential for life,  but access to safe drinking water is directly correlated to improvements in personal health, educational achievement, and worker productivity. 

Over the past several years, corporate interest in water issues has moved from being cold, to warm, to now being “hot.”  We’ve been watching three positive trends: (more…)