Three Wise Monkeys: See Non-Profit. Hear Non-Profit. Speak Non-Profit

Goodbye, Three Wise Monkeys. Hello, Health Nuts.

2009-06-23T17:22:00.001-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, it's been a pleasure :). I will be moving back to "Health Nuts" the healthcare channel so please join me as I continue my journey towards becoming a Registered Dietitian (among all other things I want to be in life!). It has been a pleasure.

(Curtsies. Exits stage.)

DOGOODER! DOGOODER! Watch All About It!

2009-05-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of information out there that I wish I knew...I wish I was exposed to, on a daily basis. I'm very selective when it comes to news just because, there are some things I could care less about and some things I wish they included to share with the rest of the world. Unfortunately, I have no control over what stories are covered on the news or front pages of magazines. But I do have control over this one entry, on this day, on Experience.com.

My life was changed today. Just like any other day, by people I've never met. I got inspired. My spirits have been uplifted, my skies became a little clearer.

It's called dogooder.tv.

I read about it from The NonProfit Times website, "The Leading Business Publication for NonProfit Management." They were announcing the winners of the 3rd Annual DoGooderTV NonProfit Video Awards. There are four winners...I watched them all.

What is it? A place for nonprofit organizations to present new videos and existing media assets to new audiences. It also allows visitors to be inspired, and provides them with the information to donate to the organization, join, volunteer, or simply find out more information.

Definitely an eye-opener and action-trigger(er). Definitely worth checking out.

Photo Courtesy ecoscraps.com

While you're here, here's a preview of what I witnessed on this beautiful Spring evening:

For more information, visit www.childrensdefense.com

Flu Fears

2009-04-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

I first heard about it just yesterday, 5 minutes before the end of my shift, when I walked into the Chief of Nutrition Services' office to check out. "The World Health Organization (WHO) just announced an flu outbreak in Mexico that's already killed 16 people," he exclaimed staring at his monitor. I was speechless. I didn't know what to say.

The minute I got home I looked into it. I felt obliged to know, for my own existence. It's called the swine influenza (swine flu), a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza among pigs. This human infection affects the lungs and the cause of death is respiratory distress and/or illness. According to the WHO, the 16 people who died from the swine flu were healthy and young adults. Which, by far, is the scariest thought. A vaccine is available that reduces the effects of the virus. However, civilians of Mexico City claim that hospitals are running out considering the 1,000 people who have already been infected. More recently there has been cases in California and Texas. Luckily, there has been no deaths in the U.S. For more information, watch video below:

ABC News Tips:

Cover your mouth when you sneeze
Wash your hands frequently
If experiencing any flu-like symptoms, see your doctor

Photo courtesy New York Times

May the Source Be With You

2009-04-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

They call themselves...the Nonprofit Career Network (www.nonprofitcareer.com), a website dedicated to the nonprofit sector of today's business and economic world. I suggest you check it out if you're at all interested in stepping into this world.

"Our mission is to be a complete, one-stop resource center for Nonprofit organizations, Individuals seeking job opportunities in a nonprofit organization, and People who want to volunteer to make a difference in this world."

If you fit into any of the people categories mentioned above, this website is probably for you. Here you are able to search for jobs, post jobs, submit your resume, attain access to a directory of nonprofit organizations and/or professional services, and have access to volunteer services.

"Our focus is on bringing people together - to identify the people who want to participate in the nonprofit sector and the organizations that have a need for those people. Our resources will help to save time and money by taking advantage of the power of the Internet - fast, centralized access to information."

Like I said..."May the source be with you."

Photos courtesy N onprofit Career Network and Entertainment Weekly

Got Muscle?

2009-04-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

I'm about to hit the gym in T minus 60 minutes...and I think there's something you all need to know. I, Monica, like many other people who work out there, have no idea what I'm doing...most of the time. Especially when it comes to the machines. I'll even admit to the fact that I used to have this inexplicable fear of treadmills, mainly because I felt like they were controlling me. I was always the type to run outside, on concrete, where I'm on top of the world and control everything. Things have changed since then. Because I live in Chicago where seasons seem to change in a matter of days and you are forced to start running indoors.

Where was I?

Machines...not knowing what I'm doing. Right! So this morning I did something I should've done about a year ago when I first signed up for Bally Total Fitness...I went on their website, and checked to see what they had to offer besides personal trainers. They offer WORKOUT TOOLS that you can print and take with you! These include: weight loss programs, muscle development plans , and even sports conditioning workout plans for six different sports. Immediately after finding these, I went ahead and printed out "Muscle Development Play - 5 Days" and watched every video that showed what the exercise machines I'm supposed to use look like, and how they work. If those don't do it for you, make your own fitness plan here. Two words: "Duh, Monica." WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF DOING THIS SOONER?!

Ladies and gentlemen, I can now go to the gym and not have to read the directions on every machine and actually know what I'm doing.

Thank you, Bally (and the wonderful world of internet)!

Photo courtesy Bally Total Fitness and Franchise International

Just MOVE! It

2009-03-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

Just signed up for Move! Weight Management Program's 2009 Champions' Challenge. Only half way through my day and I already feel accomplished. Although it's not required for my clinical rotation, I figured, why not? I'm pretty confident that it will help (not harm) my goal to reach a healthy body weight range...and I'm always, always, up for a challenge!

What is it?

Move! is a national weight management program designed by the VA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NCP), a part of the Office of Patient Care Services, to help veterans lose weight, keep it off and improve their health.

NCP and Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) are partnering to sponsor this challenge. This year's challenge is designed to help promote the new US Department of Health and Human Services 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans .

When is it?
March 29, 2009-June 20, 2009

Goal?

To complete 150 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity for 8 out of 12 weeks during the challenge. Online registration is open from March 29, 2009 - April 30, 2009 at www.move.va.gov/challenge.asp

What's in it for me?
On top of all the benefits of daily physical activity, I will be earning milestone prizes along the way! All participants who complete the challenge will be eligible for entry into a national prize drawing sponsored by Veterans Canteen Service!

So what are you waiting for?
BE ACTIVE YOUR WAY VA!...and MOVE!

Photo by:

VA MidSouth Healthcare Network

step-outdoors.com

Sushi! Sake! Sushi! Sake!

2009-03-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

Went out to this local Japanese steakhouse last night with the other interns for my roommate's birthday. Always an amazing feeling when you satisfy a sushi craving! I ordered the Saginaw Roll...because I'm currently living in Saginaw and had to have the roll (sort of like how I felt this need to only drink Michigan wine while I'm out here). We got to talking about sushi etiquette, and how we were all probably doing it all wrong. Out of curiousity, I did a little of research. According to Chicago Tribune reporter Monica Eng, and the chef from a sushi restaurant in Chicago called Itto Sushi, here is the proper way:

Things I picked up from this video:

You could eat sushi with your hands.
When adding wasabi into your soy sauce, use the opposite end of your chopsticks.
When dipping nigiri into your soy sauce, only dip the side with the meat (when you did the rice, it will fall off).
You don't always have to drink sake like a shot!

Ahh, things you learn on youtube. ;)

Tangent: While in Chicago, my friend also told me I absolutely HAD to try the sushi at NoMI which is a restaurant located in the Park Hyatt Hotel off Michigan Ave. Although it will be a lot of damage, she guarantees I won't regret it.

This Man Called "Jack"

2009-03-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I met a man. I shall call him...Jack. Jack changed my life, you see. He made me realize that this thing I've been identifying as fear when it comes to chasing my dreams, was excitement. He inspired me to be the best possible version of myself, and be excited to be her. He taught me that it really is possible to make your dreams come true...and that all you really have to do...is to just go out there and do it.

Jack's real name is Gusmano Cesaretti, an Italian photographer who has spent his life doing the very thing that keeps him alive, and loving every minute of it. Now, any other time I would've just convinced myself that it was a mere coincidence that we ended up in the same room at the same time, eating the same exact meal and sitting right next to each other. But this...for whatever reason, ended up being that person who will change my life...forever. He's inspired me in so many ways I can't even begin to explain myself. It just is. Can't hardly breathe/wait kind. I hope it sticks. I'm going to have to make it.

I've been researching like crazy for volunteer/internship programs all over the world that would suit me perfectly. It's kind of disappointing, however, to find that the time I'm willing to volunteer to help others is going to cost me a lot more than I bargained for. The solution? Try harder. Research more. And just like that, I ran into this: http://www.volunteersouthamerica.net//. There's gotta be more out there. But alas, a website that actually helps you look for opportunities that won't charge you ridiculous costs for helping you find a program that's right for you.

After all, only we know what's right for us, no?

Photo by:
Gusmano Cesaretti

Green Eggs & Boxty

2009-03-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

Do you know what I'd like to do this weekend more than anything? Watch the Chicago River turn green. (RIGHT?!) Picture this. Forty pounds of vegetable food coloring, into the Chicago River...how can you not want to?!

Maybe it's me. Maybe because I spent the entire day baking and icing 576 cookies shaped like Shamrocks. Maybe because I have this inexplicable craving for all things Irish, including a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's, which technically isn't Irish. Or maybe, maybe I'm just all for seeing, tasting, feeling and eating things I've never seen, tasted, felt nor ate. This is what I live for!

Am I scaring you? Stay with me. There's more. I swear.

Top 5 Irish-American Foods I'd Like to Eat This Weekend:
Recipes and photos brought to you by freep.com.

a large potato pancake wrapped around meat
bangers and mash - Irish sausages served on top of mashed potatoes
a fresh boxty or Irish bacon

4. corned beef and cabbage

5. Shepherd's pie

Irish Greeting of the Day:
Mora na maidine dhuit.
Top of the morning to you.
More-uh nah mod-gin-uh g-wit.

Images from:
www.greenchicagoriver.com
www.freep.com

Spring Break 2009: WOOHOO!

2009-03-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again for Mid-westerners like myself. TIME TO GET OUT OF THIS COLD WEATHER! I woke up this morning and it was 8 F degrees. Woulda coulda shoulda warmed up my car. I don't know why I keep telling myself "it's getting warmer out" when it's clearly not! Oh, Michigan. Why must you tease me so?

I spent the entire weekend trying to figure out where I want to go. I don't think you understand how badly I need to go somewhere. This internship is really kicking me in the butt, shins, ankles, you name it! Mainly because my schedule is pretty hectic and random. From having to come to work at 7am, to 11:30am, to 5:30am, etc. Hence my lack of blogging. No stability, here. Lack of sleep, however, is undoubtedly all over here! But that's okay, because it's what I want, and I will do whatever it takes to get what I want. BRING IT.

And, considering the fact that I am no longer in college and no longer celebrate "Spring Break", I refuse to think differently. I, Monica, am a grad student who is considering "Memorial Day Weekend" my very own "SPRING BREAK 2009 WOOHOO?!" In denial, much? I think not! After all, it is the ONE day off I have during this entire 8-month internship and refuse to let anyone tell me different.

And so, ladies and gents, here are my options:

3-day cruise to Baja Mexico
volunteer for Habitat for Humanity New Orleans
weekend getaway to San Diego, CA

It's funny, because, I have no money. But I need this. More than you will ever know.

Operation Getting "There"

2009-02-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

You know that feeling of not being able to breathe, not being able to look up from the ground, the inability to move on? Of feeling stuck, and lost, at the same time. That feeling, I've felt before. We all have. We've all been there. We've also been to a place in our lives when we have to re-establish a breathing pattern, when we have to carry the weight on our shoulders and force ourselves to look back up, when we have to move on. It's just a matter of time and perspective...and the hope that everything will be okay.

I'm there. I'm right there. I'm sprawled all over "there".

Today my heart smiled. It picked up its broken pieces floating about, put itself back together, and smiled.

Why? Because of the Volunteer Adventure Corps. Because of these:

I'm chasing the dream. My dream. End of story.

Images and video from: Volunteer Adventure Corps

Hearts on Sleeves: Network Away

2009-02-11T05:19:00.000-08:00

When it comes to growing up...WE'RE ON OUR OWN. I know, I know, it's stating the obvious but moving to Michigan BY MYSELF not knowing ANYONE really made me realize this. We really are on our own. The other day my grandma asked me how I was getting by...how I was paying my bills (credit card bills, monthly car payments, insurance, rent, groceries...the list goes on and on) without any sort of income. My response? Shrugging, and simply saying "I...don't...know."

Fact is, you learn to get by. I don't go out. I prepare all my food at home. I don't go shopping. I rummage through weekly sales papers for the local grocery store and make a list before shopping. I fight for the best deals, even when they're not offered. I make sure I don't get ripped off...ever. I refuse to leave the house until I've figured out the shortest possible route without wasting an ounce of gas. And I'll admit, it is a lot of work, but it is worth every, single, penny.

You're probably wondering, what keeps me going? I may not be wearing high-end fashion masterpieces. I may not be hitting the bars/clubs every weekend, nor eating out to nice restaurants with awesome food, but I am still doing me and making it. That, alone, is what keeps me going.

Only one month into this dietetic internship and I've already met a handful of people and unnoticably learned a little something from each and every one of them. Because the truth is -- in this little world of ours, "It's who you know." Why do you think I'm working to network like crazy (in person, NOT via Facebook/MySpace/Friendster/Twitter, etc...not that there's anything wrong with that, I just chose not to)? People don't realize how crucial networking is to "making it." And I'm not talking about pretentiously walking around and passing around calling cards without giving anyone a second of your time. I'm talking about meeting people, and really getting to know them, and letting them get to know you. After all, on top of "who you know"... "it's what you love." I chose the world of nutrition because I have genuinely fallen head-over-heels in love with it. And at this point, I would do anything for it...including suppressing my "shy side" (that's right, you hear it first).

Dana Hagenbuch writes more about networking in her article, "It's Who You Know: Networking for Nonprofit Job Seekers". According to her, in the nonprofit world, 60% of open positions are filled through referrals and networking. That's more than half of...anything!

Her rule is, "MAKE YOURSELF AS VISIBLE AS POSSIBLE. Go to every social or professional gathering you can, such as conferences, career fairs, alumni activities, professional association meetings, and fundraisers. Participate in volunteer opportunities at organizations that interest you. You never know when a hiring manager will be volunteering next to you."

I couldn't agree with her more. So climb every mountain, ask questions, wear your career heart on your sleeve...and take the world by storm (or something to that effect).

Images from: sayleadershipcoaching.com and thewisdomjournal.com

Africa, Oh Africa

2009-02-02T19:16:00.000-08:00

Today, for whatever reason, had 'AFRICA' written all over it. Don't ask me why, I'm just a witness. All I know is that it did, and I can't seem to stop thinking about it.

Africa #1.
I met a fellow intern today who started the program back in September 2008 and finishes in March. Our rotations overlapped and I had no idea it did until I met her. Surprise! We got to talking about what we wanted to do with our lives after the internship. Neither of us know EXACTLY, but what we DO know is that we both want to travel overseas and work with the malnourished, the underdeveloped areas, the ones who could really use our help. Neither of us realized that there were other people just like us out there, right around the corner. I told her I've been wanting to go to Africa for some time now, but have been held back mainly by my mother who thinks I will go there and catch some kind of disease (which is possible, I'll admit, but there are precautions I can and would take!) She told me she had a few friends there who can help me out. YES!

Africa #2.
She then tells me she lived in South Africa for three years.

Africa #3.
A few minutes after this conversation, I decided to walk over to the medical library to work on a few projects. I sign unto my 'gchat' and BAM! A friend puts up an away message that read: "Soooo gooood http://africarally.theadventurists.com/index.php?mode=route."

(looks up at the sky and screams) "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!"

I'm thinking it's a sign. A sign to dream BIG and hold unto that dream, very tightly, until it comes true. And even when people try to tell you to let go of that dream...don't. Even if it's your own mother...make her understand! Or have her call me...I'll see what I can do.

Image above from africarally.theadventurists.com

The Return of the "Global Gag Rule" - Obama ed.

2009-01-29T12:11:00.000-08:00

It's that time of our lives again, when our presidents change along with the world we live in. I had a chance to go through last weekend's issue of The Wall Street Journal during my lunch break today, and this article in particular snatched my attention:

Obama Lifts "Gag Rule" on Family-Planning Groups

Now, what exactly is the "Gag Rule"? I asked myself the same question. Better known as the Global Gag Rule, Mexico City Policy, or the Mexico City Gag Rule, it is "an intermittent United States government policy that required all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive federal funding to refrain from performing or promoting abortion services in other countries" (Wikipedia.org). Politically speaking, Republican administrations adopt it while Democratic administrations rescind it.

President Obama altered the policy by lifting restrictions on international organizations that accept funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development. "In 2007, the agency spent $450 million on family planning and reproductive-health programs in more than 65 countries, such as making contraception more widely available" (Wall Street Journal). Obama did not increase the amount of money spent on family planning, but rather, made it more available by lifting restrictions and hoping to end "this stale and fruitless debate" (Wall Street Journal). Women health advocates, who were restricted from advocating, counseling, referring or offering abortion were pleased because this change will allow them to provide such services. On the other hand, Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, feels that: "He is effectively guaranteeing more abortions by funding groups that promote abortion as a method of population control" (Wall Street Journal).

When I worked for the WIC Program, there were innumerable times when I would provide services for pregnant teenagers and thought: "I wonder if she had access to some kind of birth control." Most of the time, they didn't. I am a firm believer that PREVENTION is key for a lot of things. But I also feel that if you get yourself into trouble, it is your responsibility to take care of it, no matter the consequences. But then again I don't know, I'm not there.

What do YOU think of this policy change?

Image from The Wall Street Journal

Speak and Feed, AMERICA!

2009-01-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

Dear ______,
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich
Lt. Governor Patrick 'Pat' Quinn
Representative Lou Lang
Representative Jan D. Schakowsky
Senator Roland Burris
President Barack Obama
Senator Ira I. Silverstein

As you enter a new legislative year filled with many challenges and opportunities, I urge you to support vital hunger relief programs that serve individuals, families, children, and seniors in need. There has been significant progress toward ending hunger across the nation and in Illinois, yet, there is still much work to be done and many opportunities remain for us to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry.

With the economy facing significant challenges and the cost of food and other basic necessities on the rise, more and more families are struggling to put food on the table. The number of men, women, and children turning to food pantries has increased dramatically in the past year. Working for the WIC Program for a little over a year from 2007-2008, I have personally noticed the gradual increase of the number of clients we provided nutrition services to daily. And to be frank, the majority of them needed more help than I was able to provide. On top of WIC services, I've noticed a number of them received food stamps and jumped at every opportunity to receive donated food. I am very hopeful for the changes that will be made and am very much looking forward to the future ahead of us.

As you make important policy and budget decisions this year, please consider the impact that a weak economy and high food prices is having on families and individuals in our community. In order to meet the rising need for food assistance, we must focus on improving and expanding vital nutrition programs that so many in our community need.

As someone that individuals and families turn to for help, you have a significant role to play in the fight against hunger and I urge you to do your part in the coming year. Thank you for your time and consideration and thank you in advance for your support of hunger relief programs that serve those in need. I look forward to hearing about your work in the fight against hunger in the coming year.

Sincerely,
Monica

Let your voice be heard, click here.

Images from the Chicago Food Depository (http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/)

Me? Leaving? No...

2008-12-06T13:02:00.000-08:00

It's...officially getting really scary.

The fact that I'm leaving, in a month, as of today. To a city where NOBODY but my fellow dietetic interns and Director, knows my name. To a state I know nothing about other than the fact that Eminem is from Detroit and they have really nice camping sites there that I've never been to. And you want to know what the funny part is? I'm in complete, utter, denial about the whole thing. Me? Leaving? No...

Roommate? Check. Apartment applications? Sent. Reality?...reality?!...REALITY?!

As of January 13, I will be starting orientation. On the 18th I start rotations. Everything is all set up. All I have to do is go there, and do what I have to do. I'm putting in my notice at work on Monday. I'm also doing whatever I have to do to take advantage of having benefits...making appointments to see my doctor, eye doctor, dentist, etc. I can't believe I'm leaving. No matter how many times I say I'm leaving. No matter how many times I tell people what I'm going to be up to. I don't believe it. I can't.

Maybe it's because, I've never lived anywhere out side of Illinois for more than three months. Maybe because I've dreamt about this happening for so long, I can't seem to grasp the fact that it's happening, it's going to happen. It's happening. I'm leaving...everything that I've ever known...

Me? Scared? No...

Don't Buy Gift Cards

2008-11-30T09:24:00.001-08:00

F Y I…
Clark Howard, the consumer reporter in the Atlanta area, suggests not giving gift cards at all this year. If the business goes under, the card will not be good and that will just be money down the drain.

Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide. A company spokeswoman said the company hasn't revealed which stores will be shuttered. It will let the stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next month.

Eddie Bauer to close more stores. Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first quarter and plans to close up to two more outlet stores by the end of the year.

Cache closing stores. Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 to 23 stores this year.

Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherine's closing 150 stores nationwide. The owner of retailers Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug , Catherine’s Plus Sizes will close about 150 underperforming stores this year. The company hasn't provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it will offer that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today.

Talbots, J. Jill closing stores. About a month ago, Talbots announced that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the company says it will close another 22 underperforming stores.. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbot’s women's and J. Jill, another chain it owns. The closures will occur this fiscal year, according to a company press release.

Gap Inc. closing 85 stores. In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old Navy and Banana Republic. The company said the closures - all planned for fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward the Gap brand.

Foot Locker to close 140 stores. In the company press release and during its conference call with analysts today, it did not specify where the future store closures--all planned in fiscal 2008--will be. The company could not be immediately reached for comment.

Wickes is going out of business. Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its stores, Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

Goodbye Levitz / BOMBAY - closed already. The furniture retailer, which is going out of business. Levitz first announced it was going out of business and closing all 76 o fits stores in December. The retailer dates back to 1910 when Richard Levitz opened his first furniture store in Lebanon , PA. In the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the furniture industry. The local Levitz closures will follow the shutdown of Bombay .

Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores. The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said it plans to close 82nd stores by July 31. Today, it announced that it is closing another 23underperforming stores. The company said it's not providing a list of specific store closures. Of the 105 locations planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores.

Disney Store: Owner has the right to close 98 stores. The Walt Disney Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries of The Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired will depend on negotiations with landlords. Those subsidiaries of Children's Place filed for bankruptcy protection in late March. Walt Disney in the news release said it has also obtained the right to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. The press release didn't list those stores.

Home Depot store closings (E. Brunswick, Rt 18 just put up their closing sign), Atlanta . Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said there were no plans to cut the number of its core retail stores, The Home Depot Inc.. announced Thursday that it is shuttering 15 of them amid a slumping U.S. economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300 employees. It is the first time the world's largest home improvement store chain has ever closed a flagship store for performance reasons. Its shares rose almost 5 percent. The Atlanta-based company said the underperforming U.S. stores being closed represent less than 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be shuttered within the next two months.

CompUSA (CLOSED) clarifies details on store closings. Any extended warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by a third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks, and rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any time during the final sale. For those who have a gadget currently in for service with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be returned to owners.

Macy's - 9 stores

Movie Gallery - 160 stores as part of reorganization plan to exit bankruptcy. The video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie Gallery
Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the video rental chain closed last fall.

Pacific Sunwear - 153 Demo stores

Pep Boys - 33 stores

Sprint Nextel - 125 retail locations. New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas. Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.

J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are all scaling back...

Ethan Allen Interiors: The company announced plans to close 12 of 300+ stores in an effort to cut costs.

Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores

Pacific Sunwear will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four underperforming Demo stores closed last May.

Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed poorly and also may close.

Bombay Company: (Freehold Mall store closed )The company unveiled plans to close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay Company stores. The company's online storefront has discontinued operations.

KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing around the United States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of store closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press Information.

Dillard's to close more stores. Dillard's, Inc. said it will continue to focus on closing underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving its merchandise in 2008. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II said the company will close another six underperforming stores this year.

Circuit City announced they will be closing over 150 stores starting January
1st 2009........

Starbucks & (Red)

2008-11-30T07:50:00.000-08:00

I "drove-through" Starbucks a few hours ago. Drink of choice? Tall, non-fat, Caramel Macchiato, please. My all-time favorite that I haven't gotten in awhile. I paid $3.48...also better known as "money I shouldn't be spending in the first place." However, tonight was different. I didn't mind spending $3.48 for a cup of coffee because 1. I needed to get out of the house and 2. I really wanted it. But here's the good news, Starbucks is partnering up with (RED) this holiday season! For every (Starbucks) Exclusive Drink you buy, five cents will be donated to help save lives in Africa! Let's just say, that made me feel good about my Caramel Macchiato.

$3.43 to Starbucks, $0.05 to saving lives in Africa.

Manhattan alone has 171 Starbucks. 171 x $0.05 x the number of New Yorkers who buy coffee as exemplified by comedian/filmaker Mark Malkoff in his short film that can be found at www.171starbucks.com ... you do the math.

As my Nutrition professor, Dr. Amy Ozier, would say, "Small changes make BIG differences."

Photo by adweek.com

Cards That Give

2008-11-29T13:36:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again. When we remind each other how much we love and care for each other because it's the holidays, and that's what people do. But instead of sending a holiday greeting via text/email or greeting the entire Facebook world by changing your status...this time, just this once, why not do something different?

Americans purchase nearly 7 billion greeting cards each year, generating nearly $7.5 billion in retail sales. If it were easy for individuals and businesses to buy their greeting cards from non-profit organizations, card sales could generate millions of dollars for worthy causes. -CardsThatGive.org

It's a million dollar idea, really. Charity greeting cards. We greet and donate to our charity-of-choice...at the saaammmeee tiiimmeee. CardsThatGive.org is your main source for charity greeting cards this year. Here are a few of my faves!

Solstice Scene
The Humane Society of the United States

Holiday Scene
Project Bread

Peaceful Village
Roswell Park Cancer Institute

I Will Not Kill What I Love

2008-11-17T06:49:00.000-08:00

I needed to do this. I had to make a turn. I've been going down this paved road towards who-knows-where for some time now and needed a change of scenery, change of direction, change of perspective. About a year ago, I remember talking to a friend about our want and need to get out of this place. To move away, anywhere but here. We agreed on "Phoenix"...it was such a distant thought then...one of those things we plan to do, forget we ever planned it, and go on with our lives.

“Oscar Wilde said: ‘Each man kills the thing he loves.’ And it’s true. The mere possibility of getting what we want fills the soul of the ordinary person with guilt. We look around at all those who have failed to get what they want and feel that we do not deserve to get what we want either. We forget about the obstacles we overcame, all the suffering we endured, all the things we had to give up in order to get this far. I have known a lot of people who, when their personal calling was within their grasp, went on to commit a series of stupid mistakes and never reached their goal—when it was only a step away."
Source: Paulo Coelho, (2002). The Alchemist.

I got in. As of January 2009, I will be starting my dietetic internship at Central Michigan University. I will be leaving everything that I know, moving to my "Phoenix", and will know absolutely no one. A new chapter, if you will, chasing my dreams. I didn't want to kill what I love. I didn't want to let it go. I refused to forget about it. And I fought for it until I got it.

The question is, why aren't I as ecstatic about it as I thought I'd be? Just the idea, of wanting something so bad, and then getting it? That scares me. Because it proves that anything really is possible.

And so, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present to you, my new home as of January 2009:

Wightman Hall

Plateaus, Sweaty Hands and Irregular Heartbeats

2008-11-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I spoke of hitting rock bottom. Today, I tell you a little bit about the town of plateaus. You're going to have to excuse my back-to-back-to-back entries about me, myself, and I and all things affecting me. Sometimes, things just are, and they freakin' hurt...the question to focus on is: What exactly are you going to do about it? That, my friend, is where you come in. That's the part where all I ask, is for you to listen.

I find out about whether or not I got into a dietetic internship program and/or grad school in less than a week. 12:01 a.m. Monday, November 17, 2008 to be exact. The day when it all changes. The day I've been waiting for the past 7.5 weeks (9 months if you count the first time I applied and didn't get in, 1.5 years if you start counting from my graduation date when I decided I needed to apply). Without further exaggeration, it's been a long time coming. Why can't I seem to wait six more days? Because it's all I think about every minute of every day. Because everything that I accomplish in a day exemplify my feeble attempts trying not to think about it, or plotting out my great escape if (knock on wood) the unthinkable happens and...I don't get in.

What I have been trying to focus on is...this is the best part. The anticipation, the apprehension, the not knowing. It's like the moment before the first kiss, the look on a groom's face the second his wife-to-be is in his sight, the sweat that makes hands sticky right before a first date, the silence that takes over a table of great conversationalists when the waiter comes out with their food. It's like that, it feels like that. Because once it happens, the excitement is all gone, and the circle of this seemingly routine life starts all over again. This is the best part. I, Monica, am fully capable of waiting six more days. Because once I know...well, then I'll just know. And what kind of excitement is there when you just know?

My life, is currently a town of plateaus because...I don't know what's ahead of me, I don't know what to do from here on out. This year has been emotionally draining and never have I ever felt so lost...yet found (contradicting, I know). They say that life is what you make it, that you'll get what you want as long as you keep fighting for it. But what happens when you lose grasp of that thing you want, subsequently destroying every ounce of hope that you've been holding onto for as long as you can remember? You try again...and again...and again...(notice the ellipsis).

Ever tried.
Ever failed.
No matter.
Try again.
Fail again.
Fail better.
-Samuel Beckett

And so, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a non-related-non-profit entry that I hope will be of benefit to you. Be it what it may.

Image by science.nationalgeographic.com

YouTube Does Good

2008-11-02T17:53:00.001-08:00

YouTube...we all go on it. It's a secret obsession, an addiction. Something we probably shouldn't be bragging about. It's become a part of our life, our vocabulary.

"I spent my entire weekend 'YouTubing' the most random videos." Fact.

What exactly did I "YouTube"? I'll admit that I watched a bunch of Beyonce videos, and looked into Rihanna and Chris Brown. What can I say? I was bored. But don't be fooled, there's more to YouTube than movie stars and music videos. Believe it or not, YouTube actually has a nonprofit program. Check it out:

"Does your organization have a compelling story to tell? Do you want to connect with your supporters, volunteers, and donors but don't have the funds to launch expensive outreach campaigns?

YouTube can help.

Video is a powerful way to show your organization's impact and needs, and with a designated "Nonprofit" channel on YouTube, you can deliver your message to the world's largest online video community."

You know YouTube is making a difference when...

WELCOME to Middle of Nowhere

2008-10-22T19:57:00.000-07:00

A wise woman from a 1954 movie entitled "Sabrina" once said: "I found myself in Paris." I, on the other hand, found myself by getting really, really lost. I've never been much of a..."know-where-I-am" or "know-where-I'm-going" type of person anyway, so it's no surprise. But I'm sure a lot of you can relate. It's like junior year of high school, when you had no idea what the heck you were going to do with your life. It's like today, right now, way after high school, either in or out of college, exactly where you left off. No sense of direction. No map telling you where to go. No one forcing you to go anywhere. And so you just stand there, literally in the middle of nowhere, waiting for some kind of sign...anyone?...ANYONE?!

A funny thing happened on my way home from work today. I usually give my boss a ride to the train station, and we usually have pretty interesting conversations during the ride. Every day since I applied for dietetic internships last September, she's been asking me if I've heard anything. Today she confessed that she has a gut feeling that I'm getting in, and that I should plan accordingly. Plan is, once I find out (which is in less than a month), I'm putting in my 2-week notice so I can "relax" before going back into full-time school mode come January. It's funny how that glimmer of hope, coming from my boss, gave me a sense of direction. Made me believe in myself again and know that I can conquer the world...well, at least my own.

The minute I get home, I get a call from one of my old roommates telling me to apply for jobs out-of-state with her "just in case we don't get in." I definitely didn't say "no."

All I'm saying is that standing still isn't half bad. That something WILL happen to you that WILL change your life and give you that sense of direction you've been waiting for. You just have to be patient, and hope for the best, even if you get hit by something unexpected.

"Getting Busy" Does Wonders

2008-10-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since we last spoke.

Yesterday I graduated as a Breastfeeding Support Counselor from the CEDA (Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County, Inc.) Training Program. I can't even begin to explain to you the look on my grandma's face when I showed her my diploma. Still in bed, she offers me her hand, shakes it enthusiastically, while looking at me straight in the eyes and repeatedly saying: "Congratulations" with a huge smile on her face. I can't even begin to explain to you how that made me feel. How such a small gesture instantly made my heart smile. How I felt someone else patting me on the back, for all my hard work. It really made me feel good about what I've accomplished.

CEDA BSC Class of October 2008 - Photo by: M. Dominguez

On top of working full-time, training to become a Breastfeeding Support Counselor, I have also been taking a grad course at Benedictine University for their online MPH (Master of Public Health) program. Without question, it's been kicking me in the shins. Every chance I got at work and at home, I would either be studying for a quiz, writing a paper, or doing massive amounts of reading. Yesterday also marked the last day of that 8-week course. Truth be told, I don't know how I did it. It's some sort of a disease, I'm telling you, to want to stay this busy...all the time.

Maybe because it's all I know...to "do me" that is. Maybe it's because it's all I've ever done, or rather, all I've been fighting to do. I've lost count of how many times I've let other people influence the decisions I've made, and for the first time in my life, I really feel like I'm doing what I want to do. And that right there?...is a huge accomplishment. Gigantic.

So, in continuation to last week's blog... like I said, GETTING BUSY really does wonders after hitting rock bottom. ;)

People and/or Little Things that have inspired me this week (because I'm sure other people can relate):

watching Jordan Sparks' "One Step at a Time" music video
listening to Danity Kane both to and from work
conference calls with my highly-motivated health professional classmates
support from friends/family/coworkers at my BSC Graduation

"It's the little things...and the joy they bring." -india.arie

Rock Bottom #10385934

2008-10-11T23:56:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, we merge unto a bumpy road...run into a brick wall. And as much as we try to avoid it, it's inevitable. You can't eat, you can't sleep, you can't seem to get your mind off of certain things. We've all been here, it happens to the best of us. The question is, after you have hit rock bottom (or at least, what feels like it), how do you get back up?

Answer? I have none. In fact, I'm still trying to figure it all out myself. But I do know one thing: GET BUSY. Sure you can write about what you feel, and lock yourself up in your room for days, but it's only after you've taken a hold of the present, will you get over your past. We all know dwelling in the past doesn't ever do you any good, and neither does beating yourself up over something that you have absolutely no control over.

Take the summer of 2004, for example. The summer after my grandfather passed away from pancreatic cancer. Maybe I was in denial, maybe I really didn't know how else to handle it. I worked, full-time, and booked every free day with things I've always wanted to do. I surrounded myself around positive people. My friend even commented saying that I was handling it all really well. Little did he know, I was crying inside, and I still am. But we've got to take control of our lives, it's the only way.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Rock Bottom #10385934, Monica Edition. I don't even have to tell you exactly what happened, because it's all relative, and we've all been here. But I will tell you that, there is hope. And if I can say that right here, right now, it must be out there.

First step? Visit chicagononprofit.org. Find something to invest some of my time in. Find an opportunity to inspire others. Find myself, all over again.

I've never been so excited in my life.

The Presidential Debate: Behind the Scenes

2008-10-02T00:16:00.000-07:00

The Presidential Debate. We all know it was on. We all heard what they had to say. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. After all, to be completely honest with you, I do not know much about politics. I'm gradually educating myself, but don't know enough to hold a firm opinion about anything. So, for now, I'll be mutual.

There is one thing I'd like to know. How exactly did Obama and McCain end up at the same place at the same time, on television anyway? Let's go behind the scenes, shall we?

The answer?:
The Commission on Presidential Debates aka: CPD.

Their mission?:

To ensure that debates, as a permanent part of every general election, provide the best possible information to viewers and listeners.
To sponsor and produce debates for the United States presidential and vice presidential candidates.
To undertake research and educational activities relating to the debates.

Established in 1987, the organization, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) corporation, sponsored all the presidential debates in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004.

Now I know...now you know...
Non-profit...is...everywhere. You don't have to be working in a rural area of a third world country to be considered "non-profit."

For those who missed it...

Previous debates that have helped define elections...

Photo by debates.org

Destination: Brazil?

2008-09-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

I, Monica, am in a turning point in my life, yet again. Today marks the deadline for Dietetic Internship applications. The same internship I applied to last February, but didn't get in. The same internship I've been getting ready for since I graduated last May 2007. And I know what you're thinking. "You already have a B.S. in Nutrition, why do you need that internship for?" It's so I can be eligible to take the board exam to become a Registered Dietitian. So that I can do my job well, and gain as much knowledge and experience as my little brain can handle. Try and try again, right?

In other news, because it's "turning point in my life" time again, I am left with endless possibilities. I don't find out if I get accepted or not until mid-November, and I have already decided to flee from this country whether or not I get in by the end of this year. Crazy thoughts, I know, but I really am just doing it for my sanity. I want to get away, but not to run away, merely to get away from this society and get lost in foreign ones...help them out while I'm at it.

Step #1? www.idealist.org
If you caught my entry last week, you read about the adventures of Mr. Nishimoto. Well, in fact, Mr. Nishimoto is the same man that told me about this website.

What is it?
Idealist is a project of Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with offices in the United States and Argentina. Idealist is an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives.

Sure, it's another one of those websites that ask you to register and will email you occasionally, but only if you want them to. My thought is that if you're here reading my blog, you might as well sign up for it. It's...for lack of a better word...AWESOME. It gives me what I want when I want it, and I love how they break down the opportunities into their designated categories such as jobs, internships, volunteer, etc. Love, love, love.

So, if you're at all interested in what I'm interested in...

R. Nishimoto - Changing the World One Teen at a Time

2008-09-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

Take a ride with me.

Thinking caps...ON.

Think, anchorwoman, just for today, just because I want to pretend like I am one just for this one entry. Please?

Monica: (looks straight into the camera) Thank you, Kate.

In the Nonprofit Industry, Ryan Nishimoto, 24-year-old Chicagoan and dear friend of mine, is making a difference as a Crossroads4Kids Program Corps for C5 New England out in Boston. C5 Youth Foundation's mission is "to change the odds for high-potential youth from risk-filled environments, inspiring them to pursue personal success, and preparing them for leadership roles in college, work and their communities."

Check out this video Nishimoto made himself, to paint yourself a picture of what C5 New England is all about:

During an exclusive interview with Nishimoto (or, rather, an AIM conversation, one fine Friday evening), I quote:

"It's just...I mean, what other job do you get stressed about the most ridiculous things? Sure you get stressed as an accountant because your debits don't balance with your credits...or as a stock broker because the economy isn't giving you enough to pay off the rest of your jet skis. But this summer I got to stress about having enough food to last us a final day with 7 miles of hiking, or stressing and having myself at full def con 7 level because of a 13 person food poisoning in the middle of Nowhere, Wyoming, while I talk to parents, doctors, nurses, patients aka my teens and tell them not to worry or have the doctors tell me what to worry about...there aren't many places where you get the privilege of stressing about the important things (biiig inhale). And I love the teens, I get a text from a different one each day just saying 'Hello" or telling me something weird that happened to them that day. It's nice to be needed and it's nice to know that you have made an impact and it's really good to see their change and to see them know that all the time it was in them. And I don't think I could speak about a marketing firm or an accounting firm. And maybe that's selfish, but I'm okay with having a selfish need to help people."

Monica reporting to you live from Experience.com, NPC (Nonprofit Channel). Back to you, _______.

Pictured above: Nishimoto, while hiking in Paintrock, Wyoming (Summer '08)

Goodbye, It's All Good!

2008-09-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

Please don't cry: I'm leaving It's All Good. For good. It's been a great (almost) two years, and I thank all of you for following my less-than-graceful adventures in the nonprofit world. And everything else.

You're tearing up, right? Well don't fear. I'm not going far. Since I'm embarking on a new journey--getting a joint master's in public health and health journalism--I'm moving on over to the health care blog next week, so come visit!

And I am leaving you in the wonderfully capable hands of Monica, who used to blog about health care (see the little switcheroo here) and has an awesome job at a nutrition-focused nonprofit in Chicago.

Welcome, Monica! And goodbye, everyone!

Wind power for the world

2008-08-28T22:02:00.001-07:00

You may have noticed that It's All Good is on an end-of-the-summer, everyone-pull-their-lives-together, get-back-into-the-groove hiatus -- but this is too cool to ignore. (I promise I'll be brief.)

Think we need to leave the world-changing up to the people with the money and the power? Sure, that helps, but check out this grad student, who made a complete wind turbine, mostly from scraps, for 37 bucks. And then think about the difference this simple product could make for the developing (and developed) world. Wow.

Kickin' micro-lending with Kiva

2008-08-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

Community development, especially internationally, is a huge interest of mine, and I absolutely love Kiva for letting me participate. From my couch. In my PJs.

It's a global micro-lending program, run solely through the web, that allows people to set up accounts and give loans to entrepreneurs around the world. Some are small projects, some are bigger, and all of them aim to help communities and families.

The entrepreneur (individual or group) asks for a specific amount of money, say $1000, and multiple Kiva donors lend any amount toward that goal until it's reached. The recipient then has a set term, often one year, to repay the loan - and once they've repaid it, it goes back into the various lenders' accounts so they can either loan that money to another entrepreneur or withdraw it. Some of the recipients even journal about their progress.

There are thousands of people in many sectors all around the globe looking for loans, which are distributed by local partner organizations, and you can search to your heart's content.

For example, I'm a health person. I studied in Uganda. I think women entrepreneurs rock. So I searched for all of those things and currently support a group in Uganda led by 34-year-old Rose, a mother of four, who owns and operates a drug store to raise money for her dream project: a clinic with special maternity section. Rose's group's total loan was $2000; they got their loan in February and have already paid half of it back.

Want to hear about Kiva successes from a different perspective? Check out Kiva Stories from the Field - it's a blog written by the Kiva Fellows around the world, who I won't go into, but if any of you ever become one I will be oh-so-jealous.

Young Social Entrepreneurs

2008-08-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

I'm really stuck on social entrepreneurship--from posting about social entrepreneurial courses and institutes at business schools, to the reading list I gave you last week, I'm realizing more and more that there is something really special and unique about the combination of business and social awareness.
This week, take a look at these young people who are changing their world with whatever resources they have available.
Another inspiring story: these women started an upscale club/boutique/craft shop after being inspired during a course in business school!
Providing a service to others based on skills you already have or a hobby you already love is simple and satisfying--how about a local meals-on-wheels or creating a healthful food cookbook if you love to be in the kitchen, starting or participating in a Big Brothers Big Sisters program or gathering the names of reputable babysitters and caregivers, if children are your passion?
What experience have you had participating in, or building, a program for the community?

The Interview: Sink or Swim?

2008-08-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

I'll admit they're a little dorky, but check out these YouTube videos about what to do - and, of course, what not to do - in job interviews.

Denham Resources, a random staffing company in Fresno, Calif., puts out a new video each month, and as silly as they are, I think it can be a heckuva lot more helpful (to watch someone else struggle through things...) than a list of do-this-don't-do-this interview tips.

For more tips and advice on how to advance your career in the nonprofit world click HERE

Social Entrepreneurship in East Africa

2008-08-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

This week, I've been in the Library of Congress trying to understand the opportunities in East Africa for social entrepreneurship. I have culled my rather extensive list to a few must-reads about social entrepreneurship & changing the world a little more generally (but if you're totally intrigued by the specific programs enacted by the British government between 1840 and 1974, I'd be glad to provide some resources...).

The Power of Unreasonable People
by John Elkington
Sprinkled with amusing but timely quotations from the likes of Charles Bernard Shaw, The Power of Unreasonable People outlines the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.

Difference Makers
by Susan Long
Pithy and inspiring 3-6 page columns about people like Charles Schlutz and a woman who has adopted 21 children in NYC.

Creating a World Without Poverty
by Muhammad Yunus
Authored by the founder of Grameen Bank, through case studies & personal experience, Creating a World Without Poverty highlights the keys to success in social entrepreneurship.

Rolling in the dough...or not

2008-08-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

In economic times that leave a lot to be desired (to say the least), it's nice to know that, though they're not shooting through the roof, the salaries of people in nonprofit leadership roles are going up. Granted the year's increase was only 2.55 percent, but up is up!

Want to know what you have to look forward to? The average annual salary for a "nonprofit leader" is $148, 972.

Recent controversy over National Night Out executive salary of $300,000 has -- rightfully -- drawn attention to discussion of how much is too much for nonprofit leaders to make, particularly when much of salaries can come from fundraising.

But with the predicted nonprofit leadership crisis that we've talked about here on its way, nonprofit employees are demanding compensation (closer to) on par with their for-profit counterparts. Often they're doing similar jobs that require similar education and skills.

What do you think? How much is too much for nonprofit execs? Should their lower salaries be a personal donation to their causes? Or should they be paid the same amount as a corporate exec doing more or less the same job?

Photo by cmpalmer

Olympic News for Everyone

2008-08-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

The Friday-morning interview with Michael Phelps kicked off the Olympic games (for me). Friday night, the drums and dancing of the opening ceremonies left me awestruck.

But what about people who can't see the tight choreography of 2008 men moving to the music or perceive the growing and lagging distances between competitors in the pools in Beijing?

A non-profit in Beijing, which usually uses a movie theater to narrate popular films, has been broadcasting and narrating the Olympics this weekend instead!

This way, everyone gets a little taste of the Olympic spirit.

Book Reviews

2008-08-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

You'd think these were easy problems to fix: children are starving in Africa--give them food. People are dying from malaria--give them mosquito nets to protect themselves from bites while they're sleeping. So why are there STILL children starving and STILL people dying from Malaria?

William Easterly asks this exact question in his book, The White Man's Burden.

His answer? There are too many "planners" in charge of the resources and not enough "searchers." He uses the release of the fifth Harry Potter book as an example. The crux of his argument: if the world-wide release of this high-demand commodity can be synchronized to the day, surely providing food to children in Africa is doable. It's just that the right people are working on the problem.
"Planners," the ones with the money heading up the foundations, are busy planning to solve the "big" problems, they're tackling poverty, hunger, dirty water, joblessness and disease all at once, and not accomplishing anything. "Searchers," of which there are few in non-profit situations (at least world-wide), instead look for a piecemeal way to solve ONE problem.
The malaria nets, when given out for free, are used as decorations or storage, or as toys--not as a covering for one's sleeping area. But in Malawi, a different tactic was used: everyone is charged for mosquito nets through a particular program. The poor are charged about 50 cents, the rich are charged five dollars. Since the nets each cost a dollar to produce, the program pays for itself by selling to both rich and poor people. And this way, because people are putting a VALUE on the item, they are much more likely to use the malaria nets for shelter, not for recreation (pgs. 13-14).

B-I-N-G-O

2008-08-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

OK, so it may not involve a dobber. Sorry in advance.

But if you're sick of all the buzzwords ("buzzword" being a culprit itself, at least in my organization) in the nonprofit world like I am, a game of Nonprofit Buzzword Bingo might be just what you need.

And don't feel bad: It was developed by a nonprofiteer who was sick of the lingo and wanted to spice up some staff meetings.

Need a distraction? Want in? Get your own card, courtesy of NonprofitMarketing Guide.com.

Photo by ann-dabney

Bingo card by NonprofitMarketingGuide.com

The way forward is through...the stomach?

2008-08-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

The other day my groggy boyfriend stumbled into Fresh Grounds Coffee (photo, left, from freshgrounds coffee.com) for a little pick-me-up on his way to work. In his caffeine-deprived state, it took him a few minutes to realize that it wasn't your average coffee shop. It looks like a regular coffee shop. It smells like a regular coffee shop. And for all practical purposes, it is.

But Fresh Grounds is also a nonprofit job training program for young adults who live in a supported housing project in the same building as the shop. The social venture gives young people job skills and employment experience and of course brings the community an ever-appreciated coffee buzz -- with a lot more character than Starbucks.

Now I admit I'm a fan of the occasional frappuccino, but in my world, the more sugar, the better. So Cookie Cart (photo, left, from cookiecart.org) gets bonus points for me. A similar model, the nonprofit is an employment training program that gives young people professional experience. With jobs in a bakery with a retail front, Cookie Cart aims to put that ever-important first job on the resumes of low-income youth, which they can back up with job, leadership and life skills.

And I must say they make a mean cookie. :)

Gas Prices + non-profits

2008-07-28T14:03:00.001-07:00

Volunteers in Richmond, Virginia are struggling to cover their transportation costs (isn't everyone?). A local businessman, Peter Kaufman, decided to help: he challenged "every ad agency, public relations firm, Web developer and freelancer in Virginia to donate $100 to a nonprofit needing help."
coverage of the success can be found at www.hooplegroup.com/blog

Minnesota nice -- it's official

2008-07-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Minneapolis-St. Paul!

For the second year in a row, my place of residence (how long do I have to live here before it's my hometown?) ranked No. 1 in the country for its rate of volunteerism--39.3 percent! In the annual report from the Corporation for National and Community Service, Minnesota won the No. 3 state spot, and the Midwest topped the region contest.

OK, enough bragging. Here are some other highlights:

6o.8 million people (26.2 percent of people over age 16) volunteered
8.1 billion hours of service
Worth $158 billion
35.6 percent of volunteers gave more than 100 hours last year
The highest volunteer rate goes to...working mothers!

Though the national volunteer rate fell slightly, to just over a quarter of Americans, it's still pretty impressive.

What do you do to give back?

Photo: Minneapolis, by Shiny Things

no butts

2008-07-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

Big news in the non-profit world: two of the richest men in the US are teaming up to fight nicotine.

I haven't been able to find many details yet, but it was all over the morning news. Here is a snippet I found online.

During lunch, I ran out to find some butts on campus in order to provide you all with a little photo fun. Even on a property that went completely smoke-free on July 4, I found four butts in about three minutes of walking--around the Duke Chapel!

Proof that philanthropy is alive and well--and committed to making others stay alive and well!

Yet another smart and simple nonprofit

2008-07-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately kids witness a lot of scary stuff -- but fortunately, the right tools of distraction might make a bad situation a little more positive.

That's the thought behind With Wings and A Halo, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit that puts packages of children's books in the back of police squad cars so kids have something to do if their family is dealing with tough stuff.

The program has been a hit; all 72 Wisconsin counties and 12 police departments in Illinois have stocked their squad cars with books.

Photo by kennymatic.

Power to the pooches

2008-07-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

Meet Waldo!

My new little addition has obviously put the wellbeing of dogs on my mind--and unfortunately many aren't as lucky as my little man here (waaay too many toys and treats, too much attention).

People aren't the only victims of a crappy economy: When people need to make cuts, pets can often an obvious choice. As the rate of foreclosures climbs, so does the number of dogs and other furry friends being abandoned by their owners.

This obviously overwhelms already busy animal shelters and humane societies, where supplying animals with adequate food is always a challenge.

Good thing Mimi, a young Oregon girl who started volunteering at her local humane society at age 9, is doing something about it. Thinking about the ever-popular FreeRice.com, Mimi launched FreeKibble.com, a site that, with the help of a corporate dog food sponsor, donates 20 pieces of kibble a day to dogs in need. And of course, there's some canine trivia involved.

Online Giving

2008-07-16T07:34:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, The Non-Profit Times published the findings of their study concerning charitable giving.

According to their research, when a person is solicited for a donation to an organization through an email, the rate of respondents who sought out more info online has more than doubled in the last three years! (from 35% to 79%) Most of the respondents searched the organization's website (37%), but some respondents even looked through blogs for more information (8%)

I'm impressed both that emails are being used so effectively in advertising non-profits AND that so many people are looking to blogs like this one for answers!

wearing many hats

2008-07-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

As is typical of the non-profit world, I will be adding another set of skills to my resume this week: working the front desk of an Institute. The strength (and weakness) of non-profits is that as an employee, you have the opportunity to try a lot of different jobs without actually applying for them--that way, when you eventually *do* move on (like Kate!) you have much more experience in a wider variety of occupations than your for-profit counterparts! Of course, this means that even if you were trained in French literature, you may be called upon to write up an advertisement (or review! of) for Latin dance classes at the community center.
I'm eager to share with you the in's and out's of running a front desk, wish me luck!

Finding a Job

2008-07-12T09:33:00.001-07:00

In trying to find a job, I was taught how important networking is. Lots of people are hesitant to "network" because for some reason, it has the mistaken impression of just "using" people. The difference is this: "networking" is to the advantage of both people involved. The pair may not benefit from the relationship in the exact same way, but they both get something they want and need out of the interaction--if I babysit for a professor, they get to go out and not worry about their children, and I get personal currency to trade in for an academic favor later. Of course, one should not enter into such a relationship solely for personal benefit (I happen to love babysitting), but eventually, the networking gods will come back and smile on you.

I was startled by the statistic, as a first-semester senior, that only 30% of jobs are advertised. The other 70%, the large majority, were come upon by who you knew and who you asked, not through eRecruiting or a college career center (this is where internships can come in handy). My boyfriend's job was one of the 30%; I kept telling myself that it would pan out for me too, that I would get one of those 30% jobs, I wouldn't have to pull strings or--as I saw it--"cheat" by massaging my network and working my way into a position by the grace of the network-gods.
And yet, here I am, in a job that was practically created for me, given to me by one of my powerful networkers--the dean of the school for which I work.

It started innocently enough--I went to him to talk about where I could look for jobs. I knew his network was much larger than mine, and would probably know of more resources. He had met me 6 years before when I came to the school for a summer program as a junior in high school. I had run in to him a few times while needing permission papers signed for classes and delivering speeches over the years. He was eager to meet with me and share his resources. Eventually, he decided that perhaps my skills would be well-used at the divinity school. And here I am! I never expected him to offer me a job, my motives for meeting were pure, but once you allow yourself to be open to the opportunities around you, things start falling from the sky (maybe not until after you graduate--like me), but eventually, they do. All because of being desperate enough to call upon my network!

The new nonprofit news

2008-07-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

I work (for eight more days!) in nonprofit public relations/communications, so trust me, I know how hard it is to get a newspaper or TV station or radio show or news website to pick up a story about your organization. Really, really hard.

The media has constraints of its own, so it's hard to blame them. But some people are taking matters into their own hands--and opening their own wallets--to ensure that the issues that are important to them get coverage.

We're not talking little nonprofits here; we're talking foundations dedicated to specific topics: health, education, the environment. This article from the American Journalism Review gives some great examples, such as the Kaiser Family Foundation (one of the oldies) which gives a good chunk of change toward quality health reporting and other programs sprouting up to provide reporting on specific topics.

Conflict of interest? Maybe. But these foundations are trying for good, "objective" reporting on the issues that brings them to the forefront of people's minds. Best case scenario, as the article says:

Done right, the journalism-funder relationship benefits both parties as well as
the public they aim to serve. It supplies important news resources, and it
satisfies a grantmaker's mission — maybe even bringing a touch of prestige.

what to do when there's nothing to do:

2008-07-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

Kate's post made me laugh, because I'm sitting here in my office with absolutely NOTHING to do. My boss has been gone on vacation for a week, and while she brought her blackberry with her (more than I would do in her situation), it's not as if she's approving my reports & giving me permission to move on without her while she's on the other side of the country.

I finished my boss-invented "to do" list last week and spent Thursday & Monday making documents *extra* pretty and thinking up ways to get ahead of the game (and maybe win a few brownie points--like starting a new grant proposal). But it's not even noon, and here I am blogging instead of trying to focus on anything work-related. I can't even force myself to edit the excel mailing lists.

While this won't help Kate, it might help me, and others who find themselves without enough tasks to fill their inboxes:

(1) Make a list of mindless tasks that aren't urgent and might never get done unless there's downtime--when you find yourself 2 weeks from your last day or boss-less, attack the list. I always feel a significant sense of accomplishment when I complete menial tasks with a visual pay off (stamping 500 letters).

(2) Read. I have 3 books on my desk that I'm supposed to absorb (by osmosis?), and one can never have too much of current world events. Double points if you take notes/write up a report (for yourself) while reading. You could even create a reading list of books, authors and articles that helped you get where you are--not a bad thing to pass on to your successor.

(3) Look around your office--are there filing cabinets that could stand to be organized? Maybe the printer needs more paper. You could deliver the mail. Do your coworkers need help putting together packets or proofreading? Your time can help the work get done faster & help you gain some currency with your coworkers--you never know when one will be called upon to report on your work to a new employer!

Winding down...in style?

2008-07-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

The first year out of college was great for that feeling-your-way-into-the-professional-world thing where you have no idea what's appropriate and what's not in a workplace and/or career -- so you base all your professional (or not-so-professional) moves on a) what you observe, b) advice you hear or c) total and complete guesses.

I have two more weeks left in my job (before focusing solely on relaxing and a part-time research assistantship until grad school starts in the fall), and options A-C aren't helping me figure out how to gracefully exit.

I'm not going to start anything new in the bottom of the ninth here. I have to wrap some stuff up, compile stuff that will be helpful for my successor (poor soul) and pack up my belongings. Fortunately or unfortunately, I'm well on my way on most of that. So here's my question:

What do I do for the next two weeks? I don't want to look like I've mentally checked out, but let's face it, recycling papers and taking down tacked-up things aren't exactly thrilling tasks. And I can only do so much of that. But can't really do anything new. And can't quite start online shoe shopping in broad daylight.

Any suggestions? Personal experiences? Anyone want to write The Goodbye Email to my coworkers for me? (I'm really dreading that one...)

Social Entrepreneurship

2008-07-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

My boss, a Harvard MBA who has worked @ AOL & USA Today, recently changed her end game. For years, she worked in the for-profit world, spending her days with people whose highest value was the bottom line. Now, as she describes it, working for the div school, the end game is "save the world."
You've probably heard that non-profits can be as profitable as for-profits (though that's not commonly the case).
Recently, business schools have been picking up on the value of letting their graduate students use their skills for "save the world" values instead of "more money" values...

Duke's Fuqua School of Business has CASE--the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship,

The Kennedy School of Government @ Harvard has a "rapidly developing" Social Entrepreneurship Initiative, and

the Stanford-wide cooperative, Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program.

My viewpoint might be biased, as I've come of age in this turning-eco-friendly world, but it seems as if the socially-acceptable end game is changing as well; there is little pride or respect invested in big corporations or illustrious law firms--the "cool" thing to do these days is worrying about the environment & the "little guy." Non-profits are really coming in to their own--let's ride the wave!

A sea slug named Kate?

2008-06-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

[Photo: Christian Science Monitor/Scripps Institution of Oceanography]

It's rough out there for nonprofits -- we need money, and it's getting trickier and trickier to come by. So some people are getting creative.

And by creative, I mean that you can name a sea slug for $15,000.

Apparently it's cool for scientific nonprofits to "sell" naming rights of newly discovered species to raise funds for their programs and research. Naming a species of monkey ran one company $650,000, and a naming auction for sea creatures raked in $2 million. But by far, my personal favorite...

Famous people get their share of names too. For example, a pair of US
entomologists named three slime-mold beetle species after George W. Bush, Dick
Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld, former secretary of defense. It wasn’t a joke: Mr.
Bush called to thank one of the entomologists, who said he wished to honor the
three men.

I will refrain from making any political comments here, but trust me, I'm biting my tongue. Really hard. :)

Shameless (-ful?) plug

2008-06-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

If it were totally unrelated to the nonprofit world, I might not shove my other (new!) blogging endeavor into your faces -- but I think there's a good chance the nonprofit crowd and the love-the-earth crowd might overlap a little bit.

So check out the relatively new Experience Green for all kinds of info about turning the earth-lovin' into a career. And yes, there are blogs. And yes, I just might contribute to one of them.

Check out my first post on how the environment and public health are inescapably tied, and No. 2, about my trip to Design for the Other 90% -- very cool exhibit, very relevant to doing good for people and the planet.

Because we love refugees -- and, of course, Angelina

2008-06-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

Happy World Refugee Day! Take a second to read about what's going on around the world to celebrate and raise awareness about the world's record 11.4 million refugees.

Tiny tidbit

2008-06-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

In case you're ever less-than-enthralled with It's All Good... ;)

Check out Give & Take -- "a roundup of blogs about the nonprofit world," if you will, from the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Make sure you check out the blogroll on the right side of the page for a bunch of blogs into philanthropy (duh), fundraising, charities and technology.

The Power of a Sugar Low

2008-06-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

Kate's got a good point--it's difficult to get used to a non-summer kind of summer, but I have a feeling that she and I, as well as most of you, will be experiencing a LOT of those kinds of summers in the next few (or many) years.

I apologize for my sugar low this morning that resulted in such an unhelpful post about the woes of traveling. I know a lot of us in the non-profit world travel and thankfully, now that I have more of a sugar coma going on, hopefully I can add a little help to combating both travel difficulties AND adjusting to a sit-in-your-office-all-day lifestyle (contrasted with our all-too-quickly-over college lifestyle).

A few tips I use to help keep production up and exhaustion down during the dog days of summer at work:

-a handful of raw almonds (I bought a box @ Target for $7)

-tea (hot or cold). Lots of offices have single-serve teas and coffees, if yours doesn't, bring some tea bags, usually tap water can get hot enough to brew a cup (then add a few ice cubes if you're in a hot climate like mine!)

-walk down to your supervisor's office instead of emailing or calling. Movement always helps keep your blood moving!

-take a break from the spreadsheets and read some news--my friend and I are addicted to the Samuel Israel story (hedge fund embezzler on the loose!). You can even read happy news And since this IS a non-profit blog, have you ever checked out The Non-Profit News?

Good luck keeping your cool during the hot months!

Back to the books (for a week)

2008-06-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hey, isn't it supposed to be summer? Lazy, relaxing summer? Apparently that's not happening for Emily or me -- and probably not for any of you who are job-searching or job-starting. I totally wish I had an answer to the what's-your-pick-me-up question, but as a non-soda- and non-hot-beverage-drinker, I'm afraid I've got nothin' (and, as an always hungry person, not about to try out the new no-eating-to-reset-your-sleep-clock plan...even though I could use a good reset).

So my best bet, I think, is to focus on one thing at a time because when I really think about my overwhelming to-do list, I actually like everything on it!

The Stressor of the Week last week was definitely the courseload I took at the University of Minnesota's Summer Public Health Institute. It was awesome -- as a (quasi) public health professional, I got a sweet scholarship that covered the full cost of two courses, and I'll get to start out grad school in the fall with a 1.5-credit head start. Not bad.

Oh, and I loved the classes:

Risk Communication for Underserved and Limited English Populations - I think it can be a little unimaginable to a native English speaker of the so-called "dominant culture" that a tornado could strike, a hurricane could approach or a bridge could collapse and you wouldn't immediately know what's going on and what you're supposed to do (whether or not you're willing and able to do it is another story). This class was centered around a made-up scenario involving a possible outbreak of bird flu and how to communicate important information across cultures and languages. It was team-taught by four people: the director of Emergency Community Health Outreach (ECHO), a media relations person from the Minnesota Department of Health, an intercultural communication expert and a public health faculty member -- and it was AWESOME.

Culturally Based Community Health Immersion: Focus on African American Communities - Although there was a short lecture, this class revolved around "field trips" to two fantastic organizations that focus on health, heavy on the wellness aspect. The Phillips-Powderhorn Cultural Wellness Center focuses on community togetherness and support to revive cultural health practices, and its staff who led our class discussion were phenomenal. NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center, though a medical clinic, is a holistic health campus, where patients can also get dental and optical care and behavioral health services, enroll in the WIC program or access a food shelf and participate in many innovative community programs. I left feeling re-energized about the fact that I'm usually frustrated because I want to do everything at the same time -- because trust me, these people are doing it.

The courses were good for me professionally and also academically -- something I didn't realize (until now!) I missed for the past year. They'll help me in the little time I have left of my job and definitely in grad school in the fall. And maybe even just as a person.

i need help.

2008-06-17T06:09:00.000-07:00

And judging from Kate's post, she might need help too...

I just got back from a fabulously refreshing long weekend in Seattle with my college roommate and best friend. We stayed with my aunt & uncle who showed us around the town, took us on a friend's sailboat around the Puget Sound and cooked gourmet meals for us.

The downside of this adventure (aside from the obvious fact that i had to leave Seattle and come back to work) is that I live in North Carolina. This means that while it might be 10:40am according to my watch, my body insists that it is only 7:40am. I have never suffered from jet lag this severe! (even though i spent 3 mos in the UK last summer)

My attempts to combat this issue have been mass amounts of now mediocre-tasting coffee, since i did come from the java mecca, and lots of water. Any other remedies to offer? Even non-jetlag-centric answers are welcome--in a world of high production and high expectations, how do *you* keep your energy up?

Excitement (and other things) overload

2008-06-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

Unrelated note: I'm loving Emily's new passion for Excel -- we've gotten pretty tight since graduating from college, too, but nothing compared to what I assume will be the depth of our relationship after my first year of grad school (read: biostatistics). Woohoo! If you really want to learn (the friend who sent this to me said if you make it through these tutorials you'll "know more about Excel than 99 percent of the population"), check out this link in addition to Emily's: http://www.biostat.umn.edu/~susant/FALL07PH6414DESC.html (scroll down a ways; you'll see it)

Frazzled note: I apologize for a lack of coherence here, but if you take anything away from my post, let it be to never, in one week:

Have a 9-to-5 job
Be in charge of marketing for a large-scale event that's a week and a half away
Supervise a 35-hours-a-week intern
Take 1.5 graduate credits. In 26 classroom hours. With readings. And papers.
Train in for a research assistant position (that you'll be starting next week, when you'll still have your other fulltime job and upcoming event)
Drive six hours for a wedding/to introduce The Boyfriend to The Extended Family for the first time

AND, perhaps most importantly...

Don't try to blog about it while it's happening!

Wow, is it only Wednesday? But really, it's all super-exciting, and I promise to recap next week -- after a nice, long nap (yeah right). Happy Hump Day! For those of you who are counting...

Keeping Track of Profits at a Non-Profit...

2008-06-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

Last week, the ancient-Greek-translating Religion major from rural Ohio learned a big lesson:

How to use a spreadsheet.

No wonder I had always switched to my familiar and comfortable Word and inserted a table instead of trying to finagle my way around Excel. No one had ever explained to me all the awesome things Excel can do! No wonder people use this program for budgets! It's brilliant! You can add and subtract, multiply and divide (and i'm sure you can do a lot of other really complicated things that my liberal arts brain would rather not comprehend).

In the world of non-profit, generally (though not always) funds are tight, and keeping track of each and every penny is a necessary evil. Knowing your way around a spreadsheet makes accounting (in non-profit, you also often wear several hats--like events planner, accountant, payroll administrator and spokesperson) a lot easier.

Emily! Hello! ----------------------->

2008-06-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

I was waiting for her little photo and bio to pop over there next to mine, and now that it has, I want to extend a warm, fuzzy It's-All-Good welcome to Emily (formerly of the education blog)! We'll be team-blogging about all kinds of nonprofit stuff throughout the summer and possibly beyond.

Welcome aboard!

Profit vs. the lack thereof

2008-06-03T14:56:00.001-07:00

OK, I'll be the first to admit I've never heard of Everett, WA -- but that doesn't stop me from reading about their nonprofits in their newspaper (nerdy, I know).

Check out this piece which is as it sounds: Sound business strategies also work for nonprofits. Shocker, right? Well, it might be for some people that nonprofits and for-profits can be very similar in their day-to-day operations -- and that setting up a business is setting up a business, no matter whether the profits are going back into the pot or into someone's pocket.

This piece talks with three local nonprofiteers (who started their own organizations) about the business basics.

Money Makes the World Go Round

2008-06-01T05:33:00.001-07:00

How does one *raise* the money to put on an amazing event like the one Kate describes below?

I just started my first post-college job last week. We're working toward an event in May 2009 (which i'll tell you about more in future posts), dreaming conceptualizing, planning, executing... Right now, we need to figure out from where the money will come.

Our development department is helpful, but my boss and i are the ones who are actually doing the research and writing the grants... the development people get the big signatures for us at the end. One resource we've found that is helpful is foundationcenter.org

In our discussions about where to ask for money, we've kept at the front of our minds the concern that no one donor would donate enough to affect the way we run the program; we cannot allow money to change our mission. It's better for both the philanthropy *and* the group receiving money to make sure that it's a good fit for the program--there won't be a "perfect fit" for every program, but some times a philanthropy might be looking to expand its service to other applications or sectors, it's always okay to ask!

There is plenty of money out there, it's just a matter of finding the right match for your mission.

The joys of event planning

2008-05-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

Seriously!

OK, I admit there have been a few less-than-joyful moments of the insanity that has been planning Twin Cities World Refugee Day 2008. Maybe more than a few. But after spending a few months on the event's planning committee -- and in the crunch time before June 20 -- I've developed a definite appreciation not only for the amount of work involved, but also for the phenomenal experience it's forced on me.

As chair of the marketing committee, I've been all over the place, frantically pulling together production of posters and t-shirts, cranking out press releases, recruiting a photographer, advertising advertising advertising and spending entirely too much time in Excel, cross-eyed, staring at the budget and grumbling. I've also (unofficially) adopted the education exhibit for the public, including a university-local media partnership.

And I'm taking some classes the week before the event at the University of Minnesota's Summer Public Health Institute (yay scholarship!) -- so yes, I might keel over at some point before or immediately following June 20, but the experience is totally worth it.

There's something to be said for the not-seeing-the-sausage-being-made thing, but I HIGHLY recommend getting involved with event planning at your college, in your job or even on a volunteer basis (tons of orgs need one-time volunteers for special events) because:

You can use your skills! Whoever said you won't use what you learned in the classroom after you graduate clearly did not plan a large-scale event. My colleagues are shocked that I know the protocol for distributing press releases, the laws about photographing people in a public space and how to visually portray the refugee resettlement process (and to be perfectly honest, so am I). Events have hundreds of facets -- find the one you know about, and go for it!
You can learn new skills! Even though my niche is getting the word out, serving as a committee chair means I'm always meeting with the other committee chairs: fundraising, entertainment, logistics, food and vendors, etc. By default, we trade ideas and opinions and plans, and I've learned an incredible amount about everything from mapping out how many tables fit in a space to obtaining city permits to sell food outdoors to sweet-talking organizations into being involved. Even if you might never be the person who orders the rain tents, it's always good to have a general idea of other people's jobs and how they all fit together.
You network without trying! Planning an event requires people working together, no matter what. In my case, World Refugee Day is planned by a committee of staff from refugee-serving and other social service organizations in the Twin Cities = automatic 30-40 extra contacts in my Outlook in the course of a meeting. And these aren't just got-your-business-card-at-a-workshop contacts. These are people in my field, engaged in the same issues and communities who know my working style and capabilities. And you better believe I'll be in touch in the future.
You have FUN! Planning this event has been a blast. It's something different from my everyday job, I get to work with a ton of different people and, best of all, I get to see it all come together in less than a month. I'm all for the ongoing project, but there's definitely something to be said for having a finished product you can be proud of. Unless it rains.

Resumes, PR & Tax ID #s...oh, my!

2008-05-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

Last week was national AmeriCorps week (woohoo), and I was at the Minnesota All-VISTA Conference. Lots of sessions, lots of choices, the usual hit-or-miss stuff. But lots and lots of practical info.

And all online so if you're not a Minnesota VISTA (ha), you can join in on the fun. :)

Media & PR was a little too remedial for someone with a degree in journalism, and a little too on-the-corporate side for my taste, but the presenter definitely knew her stuff and gave a good overview of what PR is and what it's supposed to do.

Paying for Grad School was crazy -- the presenter got a whole handful of degrees for free and had some good tips (check out Rotary's international ambassadorial scholarship programs!).

And I got totally overwhelmed with the amount of (good) information in Starting a Nonprofit.

The highlight session was, surprisingly, Resumes! Yeah, I've had lots of resume-tweaking training in the past, but this workshop was a great refresher after a year out of the resume world and offered a ton of little tricks to make your resume stand out of the pile. The Big One: Focus in on the "wow" in everything you write. Make sure every line and every bullet says the most about you and what you've accomplished. It's amazing how a little wording change can make a huge difference -- we made a woman who owned a mushroom farm into an agricultural entrepreneur who managed the largest provider of gourmet mushrooms in the Midwest in about 30 seconds. The presenter was phenomenal, and lucky you! All of her (and the University of Minnesota's) career services workshops are online. Check them out. It's resume season!

It's All Good Guest: Eric Larsen

2008-05-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

Last month, we talked about the ridiculous lack of formal education available to prepare students for the nonprofit sector -- and I, of course, discovered that some students right here at the University of Minnesota made a huge change in the right direction. After reading more about the process these students went through and the ultimate creation of an undergrad public/nonprofit management program, I figured I couldn't do this discussion justice. Enter, Eric, one of the dedicated students who made it happen. Welcome to It's All Good!

About
My name is Eric Larsen, and I am happily approaching the uncertainty of post-college life as of a few days ago. :) My passions are serving others, traveling, building relationships, and experiencing different cultures. I hope to be continually challenged and never stop learning. My life is about discovery, which I periodically blog about here. Please contact me at ericplarsen@gmail.com if you want to continue the conversation. A big thank you to Kate for inviting me to her blog!

---

Our society is built around systems. These systems allow us to ‘govern’ our citizens, ‘care’ for our sick, and ‘educate’ our youth. While they have far-reaching capabilities to bring about societal-wide impact, bringing about real change within these systems has proven nearly impossible and/or unbelievably slow. We are all aware of how special interest groups and corporations are replacing the voice of change of citizens, how HMO’s and insurance companies have a grip on our health care system, and how the bureaucratic politics of school districts and universities compromise the attention that students deserve.

Over the last few years, I have dedicated much of what I will call my ‘informal education’ to two main areas of focus: the effectiveness of our education systems and the efficiency of our nonprofit sector. Through internships, volunteering, reading articles, research-action road trips, and other methods of experiential learning outside of the classroom, I am developing a beginner’s expertise in these fields. But what if I wanted to study these at a more professional and in-depth level as an undergraduate? While the graduate school level offers programs such as a Masters in Education or a Masters in Public Policy, there are simply no undergraduate level program equivalents available in these fields of education and nonprofit administration. Our education system is continually requiring more and more layers of degrees to enter interesting professions of public service; therefore reducing the actual time that talented people spend making a difference. If we could find more efficient ways to prepare students as undergraduates for these fields of work, wouldn’t that be a good thing?

This is exactly the thought I was having as a sophomore at the University of Minnesota while studying Finance at the Carlson School of Management. I was starting to engage in nonprofit sector work though a youth leadership and service organization called Students Today Leaders Forever (STLF), and my desire to learn about this sector was not being fulfilled by my formal education. A fellow Finance major Brian Peterson, also involved in STLF, was having similar thoughts so we decided to take action. We wanted to bring an undergraduate nonprofit major to the Carlson School, and in doing so we challenged the bureaucracy and politics we had no idea existed at the university level.

The crazy thing about these bureaucracies is that even when idea is justifiable and all the resources are in place, implementation can face great resistance. This is what we encountered with our idea to bring a formal nonprofit major to one of the Midwest’s premiere business schools. The idea was justifiable for reasons we would continually cite: the nationwide and statewide nonprofit sectors are healthy and effective in addressing society’s social issues and in contributing to the economy (they employ 10% of Minnesota’s workforce); the nonprofit sector is in need of future leaders (Over the next decade nonprofits will need to find some 640,000 new executives, nearly two and a half times the number currently employed according to The Bridgespan Group); and the University of Minnesota is attempting to be known for its service and business innovation according to new strategic positioning outlined by President Bob Bruininks. We knew the resources, teachers, and classes were already in place because both Brian & I were self-designing majors in nonprofit management by combining classes from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs with entrepreneurial-focused classes through Carlson. To us the solution was simple; all it would take to create an official major for undergraduates was some formal collaboration among these two schools.

After a four-month process of writing a proposal, soliciting the input of faculty, and gathering nonprofit community support as outlined by this recent MinnPost article, Brian & I successfully organized an initiative that led to the implementation of the Public/Nonprofit Management major last Fall. Many faculty members commented that push for the major had to come from students because of the complex political structures among the upper-ranks of school leadership. To this day, few outside the initiative actually know that students drove the proposal, and that’s the way Brian & I like it.

That’s because the idea of a nonprofit major has more to do with the potential impact on the local nonprofit sector than personal legacy at our alma mater. If current trends continue, the importance of nonprofit organizations will only grow as they replace social services cut by governments and create new and innovative strategies to address social issues. In many respects, the future wellbeing of our society requires that nonprofits are managed effectively and efficiently. While studies have found that nonprofit leaders are more effective than their corporate counterparts, there is no doubt that the systems of accountability do not yet exist within the sector to prevent wastefulness of valuable resources. Unlike in the for-profit sector, where these inefficiencies merely lead to reduced shareholder value, the impacts on nonprofits can be devastating. Nonprofits reported that people they served would “become or remain homeless, go hungry, lose power or heat in their homes, or even face injury or death due to abuse or unmet health and mental health needs” if their programs underwent increased inefficiencies.

However, the outlook for the future is still bright. Within its first year, twenty to thirty students are already pursuing the major, with more to come as the major gains recognition and credibility. More importantly, Carlson is pioneering the major in the hopes that other local and nationally renowned business schools will follow their leadership. The major is just one piece in the overarching goal of engaging more young leaders in the pressing social issues of our society.

There are many intimidating systems within our society in which change is needed, and doing so can seem like a daunting task. But as Brian & I quickly learned, with passion, initiative, and support, systematic change is possible. So as we all make our way into the public service sector and pursue a career in making a difference, we cannot be afraid to take the action that we know is necessary in ensuring a better society for all.

Race for the Cure

2008-05-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

I spent Mother's Day morning with my coworkers, my mom and about 50,000 other people in the Susan G. Komen Twin Cities Race for the Cure to benefit breast cancer research and support.
There we are! Great event, great cause.

By the world, for the world: Pangea Day

2008-05-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

Is it going to be a movie kind of weekend for anyone else? I've had a busy/stressful/altogether rough week, most of the trusty 10-day forecast has big rain clouds and I'd kill to be in some sweat pants right about now.

So save the $5 you'd shell out to Blockbuster, snuggle up on your couch and watch a series of inspiring films, musicians and speakers -- that are being watched all over the world at the very same time.

Happy Pangea Day! Its mission is to bring people around the world together through film, despite their differences and is a great experiment in proving the notion of a global village. Check out the website for tons of great information.

Sold? See how to tune in.

Dating 101

2008-05-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

I know, probably not the best headline -- dating often is about as fun as the job hunt. But there's definitely some overlap, and I know I sometimes lose sight of that.

A job interview, like a date, is a two-way street. Yes, the economy sucks and the Jobs section of the paper isn't exactly overflowing with glowing opportunities; it's tempting to beg and butt-kiss and take whatever you can get. But when you're sitting there in your interview suit trying not to sweat or fidget or fumble, remember that your interviewer is on the spot just as much as you are.

As the US News piece discusses, you don't want a job that's not a good fit, and it's up to you in your interview to ask questions that will help you figure that out:

Is the work well aligned with your strengths—your real ones, not the ones you puffed up in your cover letter? Is the environment one you'll thrive in or one that will drive you over the edge? Is the manager someone you'd want to work with? Or is she flaky and disorganized? An unreasonable tyrant? A wimp who can't get things done?

Blunt? Maybe. But true? Absolutely.

Back up the bus

2008-05-01T19:26:00.001-07:00

Because you're graduating from college in a few weeks, you know exactly what you want to do with your life and have it all mapped out, right? HA! I graduated almost a year ago, and I still don't have a clue. Heck, my DAD graduated, well, several decades ago and he still doesn't have a clue. (Sorry, Dad.)

Considering that's reality and that it's perfectly OK, I'm thinking we should take a little trip backward for a sec and review some of the basics of working in the nonprofit world -- and what you might have in your head that's not necessarily true.

Take a break from studying and read this (short, I promise!) piece, The Truth About Nonprofit Careers, from good ol' Monster. They've got some myths worth busting: For example, try "Nonprofit Jobs Are Easy to Get." If you've even peeked out into the job market, you know that's not true.

Check out the article -- you should know what you are, aren't or might be getting into.

Big bird to the rescue?

2008-04-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

Check out this story in today's Washington Post about a nonprofit bringing much-needed fun to kids with military parents who have been deployed:

Having given generations of shy kids someone to identify with (think Snuffleupagus) and cranky kids a way to laugh at themselves (Oscar the Grouch), Sesame Workshop is now tackling a new challenge: helping children of military families adjust to having a parent deployed at war. Read more of Sesame Street and the home front...

How to get attention (no, not that kind)

2008-04-25T02:56:00.000-07:00

I know I have a bit of a communications bias because of my background. And job. And love of chatting. But marketing sneaks its way into everything, I promise.

So, behold...

GETTING ATTENTION! (An awesome blog with super-doable nonprofit marketing tips that I've been meaning to mention for awhile...sorry! And happy weekend reading.)

Cover letters from...H-E-double-hockey-sticks

2008-04-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

...or does that only make sense because I grew up in a hockey town?

Anyway, these Cover Letters from H*ll will brighten your Hump Day. And hey, you might even learn something about what to do/not to do as you're a cover-letter-writing machine in the next few months.

Good luck!

Big day

2008-04-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's Earth Day. I could rant about the state of our environment and what we're not doing to fix it or try to get you to spend the day picking trash out of ditches. Hey, if you're so inclined, great -- but I think it's more realistic to challenge you to make one tiny change today. Make a Target run for some squiggly lightbulbs. Reuse your plastic fork. Find a place to dump your old electronics. Me? I'm bringing the 22490528049 plastic grocery bags under my sink to the big recycling bin at the store.

What's your plan?

Also, the Pennsylvania primary is today, and things in the Democratic race could get interesting. Get out of the politics groove the last few weeks? This will explain what the heck is happening in PA today.

Happy planet and politics day!

Decision! Really this time...

2008-04-21T15:02:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, you don't believe me after my half-a**** decision a couple months ago -- but I really decided this time!

I'll spare you from the details of my decision-making process (trust me, it's messy), but I enrolled in the master of public health program at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health for fall '08.

An interesting twist: I also decided to apply for the M.A. program in health journalism, which is being totally revamped for this year and looks fantastic. If I get in (crossing fingers!), I'll do a joint MPH/MA degree and knock out two master's degrees by age 25. Not bad, huh?

The Real World -- YEEHAW!

2008-04-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

Starting to get a little freaked out about The Future? You're not alone, and I can prove it.

More and more, people are blogging about their job hunt, job decision and real job stuff -- and of course it's much more interesting when they're cramming all of their belongings into their car the day after college graduation and moving to somewhere they've never even visited. For the blogger, it's a great way to sorta keep in touch with people you know you're not going to call every day, and for readers, it can totally be helpful to people about to enter the whole process.

Check out Alyssa's new blog, Jersey Girl in Texas (you see where this is going...), for an example!

Youth for a Change -- highlights!

2008-04-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

Highlights of the National Service-Learning Conference: Youth for a Change:

Desmond Tutu -- Didn't say anything massively groundbreaking, but just being in a room with such a person was an honor. And really, the guy is hilarious (totally wasn't expecting Mary/Jesus knock-knock jokes). My favorite was his adorable opening making-fun-of-his-age story: A school in the Netherlands named itself after Tutu, and he attended their 400-year anniversary celebration. A little girl came up to him and asked, "Were you here when the school started?" (They have since renamed the school, haha.)

Urban educator and NYU professor Pedro Noguera -- I read a lot of his stuff in an education class in college, but I think he easily won over even those who weren't already fans. Very much a proponent of an "it's not problem kids, it's problem schools" idea, he had some fantastic stories and passionate solutions.

Hanging out with the directors of the Peace Corps, Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps lives there) and USA Freedom Corps -- With all due respect, they didn't say a whole lot of anything with substance. But it was still cool to sit 10 feet away from them in a small session and chat. Brought up some interesting ideas to me about national service and how it should be used.

Change the World. It just takes cents. and other youth projects -- Probably the most inspiring part of the conference was seeing all the elementary-, middle- and high-school students doing awesome service-learning projects, such as the one above. Made me feel proud, hopeful and incredibly lazy, and it was great.

Spoken word artist Julia Sewell whose performance opened and closed with the infamous Nelson Mandela genius that, I think, echoed the tone of the whole conference:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure...We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

Tidbits

2008-04-10T17:12:00.000-07:00

I wanted to be cool and do the blogging-from-a-relevant-conference thing, but boo for no free wireless. Yesterday and today, I was at the National Service-Learning Conference (and, because it's the Longest Conference Ever, I'll be there Friday and Saturday, too), an enormous event that brings together students of all ages, professionals from all fields and the fattest conference program I have ever seen. I'll recap when it's over and I'm semi-rested.

Here's some totally unrelated stuff to keep you busy while I'm wandering between workshops with my snazzy conference lanyard and tote bag (you all know the look)...

I lied! There is in fact an undergrad nonprofit management program, and of course it's right under my nose at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. [Thanks for the tip, Reb!] It's a BSB (bachelor of science in business) degree that focuses on public and nonprofit sectors. And the story of the program's development is awesome -- it was created by students who saw a need and went for it. (Also check out this course at the U of Wisconsin - River Falls.)

Read this: What Makes People Give? in the New York Times Magazine -- pretty interesting.

Do this: If you're looking for a job or suspect you will be anytime relatively soon, join LinkedIn. If you're like me, you've heard about it and haven't done it. Well, I caved and I'm glad I did -- it's just like grown-up Facebook.

Crap, I overslept for nonprofit class!

2008-04-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

There's a class for just about everything else -- why not nonprofit stuff? Sure, lots of standard courses are somewhat relevant, but why claw your way through corporate case studies when you know you're headed down a different path?

I know there are some master's-level programs out there (i.e. nonprofit administration), but I haven't heard of a bachelor's program in nonprofit anything. And my college certainly didn't have nonprofit-focused courses.

Did you take a nonprofit course in college? Were they offered? What -- of the courses you did take (and didn't sleep through) -- is most relevant to the nonprofit sector and what you want to do there?

Another fork stuck in the road

2008-04-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

[Photo by booleansplit]

I'm so sick of the fork-in-the-road metaphor I could puke -- and I'm sure a lot of you soon-to-be-grads are in the same boat.

Of course it's annoying because it's perfect. And because sometimes it feels as if no matter what move you make, it'll put you back at square one.

I can sit and stare at my fork for approximately five more days. Then I have to send a little card back to my grad school of choice and seal my fate: heading back to the books and PowerPoints and all-nighters, or back to the oh-so-fun job hunt I just did a year ago. Neither sound particularly appealing, yet they both do at the same time.

Anyone else out there lost in Lollipop Woods? If you have any words of wisdom, need to vent, have created the mother of all pro-con charts or would like to flip a coin for me, please comment.

I'll be sitting, staring at my fork, waiting, for as long as possible. (Which can't be very long.)

Job search pet peeves

2008-04-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

I HATE when organizations/companies have jobs posted on their website that DISAPPEAR IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU SEND THEM YOUR APPLICATION.

I'm sorry, but I suggest that if you are not organized enough to take positions off of your website right when the are filled (or when you know you won't be considering any more applicants), at least admit to the applicant who now feels like crap, "We're very sorry, but this position has already been filled and was not removed from our website. Thank you for your application; we will keep your information on file...blah, blah, blah..."

Don't just skulk off, take the posting down and never respond to me. Writing cover letters sucks. Please don't waste my time if your job opening no longer exists.

Right?

Have you developed any pet peeves in the job search process?

Intern, schmintern

2008-04-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

So, you're back from spring break. You might still have some remnants of a tan. But if you're anything like I was a year ago right now, you're also starting to really spaz about the home-stretch-of-college thing and, of course, the omg-I'm-about-to-enter-the-Real-World thing.

Now to Monica Lewinsky (yes, that's Monica Lewinsky). Clearly related, right? OK, OK, not at all. But the intern part is.

When I was approaching college graduation, I wanted a job. Like, a real job. I already had five internships on my resume, and I didn't want the awful i-word behind my name ever again. Nevertheless, I threw some internships into the post-grad-possibilities mix, applied, and was offered a couple.

But I was stubborn. I held out for the real jobs. I was sick of moving every few months and sick of leaving places when I just started getting into my groove. So even though I had some pretty sweet internship offers, I said no way. (I did end up meeting myself in the middle and went with a yearlong AmeriCorps VISTA position.)

Now I wish I hadn't dismissed them so quickly. I'm still not sure what I'm doing with my life, and nearly nine months into my job, I'm antsy for that fast-changing college thing. Internships are a way to explore, get a bunch of different experiences and keep yourself on your toes. And, I think, soften that sharp transition from college life to the working world.

OK, coming down from the soapbox now. Just promise me you won't say no to the intern thing right off the bat. I should totally get paid for the number of times I mention them, but the folks at Idealist know how to do this stuff -- check out their internship and volunteer opportunities.

And places, especially nonprofits, LOVE interns, so even if your dream org doesn't have intern positions listed, contact them and pitch yourself. They might not be able to say no.

The occasional downer

2008-04-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry, gotta do it every so often. We all know the nonprofit field isn't a bunch of roses anyway. Unfortunately.

When we think of bad guys embezzling loads of $$$, we think Enron-esque companies, right? But it's a problem in nonprofits, too -- fraud in the "good-guy" sector amounts to $40 billion a year. That's 13 percent of philanthropic giving! (No, unfortunately I'm not April fooling you.)

This certainly can't inspire a ton of confidence in donors, when many are already skeptical of the ways nonprofits spend their money.

They probably won't admit to any shady business here, but one step toward giving with confidence is free services that evaluate nonprofits on a whole bunch of criteria, including the efficiency of which they use their donations (i.e. how much goes to programming vs. buying pens for the office).

Check out Charity Navigator, the biggie, or look for similar services in your state -- here in Minnesota, we have the Charities Review Council. It's not perfect, but it's a start!

Just a name

2008-03-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

I hope you don't miss my voice too much, but I can't articulate this any better than the Central Penn Business Journal can (don't even ask how I came across them)...

Nonprofit name game
By Christina Olenchek
3/28/2008 - 8:51:24 AM

The nonprofit sector is looking for a new name for itself.

When you consider the literal meaning of what it means to be a nonprofit – to not make profits – it doesn’t accurately describe human-service groups, charities, cultural organizations and the like, said Michael Sand of Sand Associates, a Harrisburg-based firm that provides consulting services to nonprofits.

There are no restrictions on nonprofits making profits, but these groups must plough the money back into their organizations instead of paying it out to shareholders, Sand said.

“It’s just an inappropriate term,” he said. “Clearly, nonprofits can make profits.”

Sand said most nonprofit executives recognize that the term “nonprofit” is a misnomer, but they can’t come up with a better name. Suggestions such as “community-based organizations” accurately describe some groups, but not others.

Do you have any ideas? It’s not everyday that you get the chance to rename an entire sector of the economy.

What does everyone think?
Are we in need of a new name?
What should it be?!

“We Want Change Now”

2008-03-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

[I've been blabbing lately about the nonprofit leadership crisis/how young people in nonprofits are getting fed up/etc., so I was excited to see this press release and new report -- Thanks, Jenna!]

Nonprofit Jobseekers Say to Employers: “We Want Change Now”

Study reveals the demands of today’s nonprofit talent, and what employers can do to address them

Boston, MA (March 25, 2008) – A recent survey of 1,750 nonprofit jobseekers reveals a talent pool of people who are determined to build long-term careers in the social sector. However, these jobseekers believe that nonprofit employers are not doing enough to address the obstacles that they face.

The survey report, The Voice of Nonprofit Talent in 2008, was produced by Commongood Careers, a nonprofit search firm that has built a national talent network of over 15,000 jobseekers through targeted outreach, career advising, workshops, and web-based resources. In the first of what will become an annual offering, this survey was designed to explore nonprofit jobseekers’ motivations for wanting to work in the sector, their plans for overall career trajectories, and their concerns about sustaining nonprofit careers. Of the respondents, 82% self-identified as active jobseekers.

Key findings of the survey include:

Mission and cultural fit are the most important factors to nonprofit jobseekers, with 84% of respondents indicating that “work is part of my identity, not just a way to make a living.”
63% of respondents plan to stay in the sector for at least ten years and 82% say they want to hold an executive-level position in the sector. However, respondents believe that the relative absence of career ladders, mentors and professional development might limit their ability to remain in the sector.
Concerns over salary levels and work-life balance also drive jobseekers’ hesitations about building long-term careers in the social sector.
Over 75% of respondents believe that nonprofits have to immediately change their recruitment, employment and professional development practices.

To help organizations respond, the survey report includes a discussion of strategic recommendations around recruitment, salaries, professional development, and career ladders.

The context for this survey is a national discussion about an increasingly complex nonprofit labor market. Factors driving this trend are unprecedented sector growth, for-profit competition, and generational leadership change.

“This may be the most crucial time in the history of the nonprofit sector to address talent-related issues,” said James Weinberg, Founder and CEO of Commongood Careers. “To be competitive in recruiting and retaining the next generation of great nonprofit talent, organizations need to listen to jobseekers and pursue creative solutions. This survey report is one effort to provide them with the information that they need.”

The complete 7-page survey report can be found at: http://www.cgcareers.org/downloads/CGC_2008TalentSurveyReport.pdf

About Commongood Careers
Commongood Careers is an innovative nonprofit search firm dedicated to supporting social entrepreneurs with their recruitment and hiring needs at every level of the organizational chart. In addition, Commongood Careers is focused on addressing talent-related issues throughout the sector and supporting socially-driven jobseekers in their pursuit of nonprofit careers. For more information, please visit http://www.cgcareers.org/.

Rock on.

2008-03-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves feeling good -- and looking good never hurt either.

Check out Wear Your Music: Throw on a bracelet or two (less than 10 bucks a pop), made from real guitar strings, and a portion of the proceeds will go to to MusiCares.

If you're interested in the big leagues (and have a few more bucks to spare), check out the RELIXband Artist Program. You won't have just any guitar string around your wrist -- it'll come straight from Ani DeFranco, Ben Harper or someone else famous. It'll cost you (about $150), but all of the profits go directly to a variety of charities.

Happy (?) Easter!

2008-03-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

Let's play house

2008-03-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

Nonprofits need money. It's a fact. And fundraising is a pain in the butt. Also a fact. But when it's creative and relevant to an organization's mission, asking for money can be a lot more fun.

Minneapolis-based CommonBond Communities, an organization that works to provide affordable housing, generally works with real houses -- but they're switching to playhouses for a second to make some cash.

For just over a week, the six designer playhouses -- created by local corporations, builders, architects and volunteers -- will be on display at the Mall of America. And on the last day, they'll be auctioned and raffled off, and of course the money will go to support CommonBond's programs.

(I'm a journalism nerd -- I want Studio A.)

#1 or #2?

2008-03-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

As you know, I'm moving. And as you could probably guess (from my age and income level), I've spent a lot of time at Ikea lately.

[Warning: Yes, this is going to be totally off-topic.]

Maybe we're way behind the times in the good ol' Midwest -- and we definitely are in the U.S. -- but imagine my surprise when I went to the bathroom at Ikea, and the toilet asked me to specify what type of waste I had deposited.

There was a nice placard to explain that in an effort to save water, please press the flush button with one water drop for "liquid waste" and three water drops for "solid waste."

Now I thought that was just weird, but with a little research, I found that:

The solid button swirls around 6 liters (1.6 gallons) of water, while liquid uses only 3 liters (.8 gallons).
The system can reduce water usage by 67 percent -- and save a family of four 6,000 gallons a year over your average toilet.
Europeans and others around the world have been doing this forever; we're just slow.

Wow, and I thought I was just buying a bookshelf.

Turnin' on the 'Tube

2008-03-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

OK, I admit I was totally in the dark on this one. It's obvious that a gazillion nonprofits use YouTube for various things, but I didn't realize there was a formal process. I have no idea how I missed the YouTube Nonprofit Program.

But! Better late than never, right? (Still, I apologize for slacking. Big time.)

Check it out -- orgs get some good tips and perks:

Change the world -- or at least explore it.

2008-03-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

[Photo: "Little People, Little Shadows" by Sarah Schewe, Uganda]

Flirting with the idea of heading abroad for your First (or Second) Job? Lots of people love the no-kids, no-spouse, no-ties timing of doing international work in their 20s.

I've thought a lot about it myself -- but I always find myself drooling over the job descriptions and photos and daydreams and wondering what exactly staff of international NGOs do on a day-to-day basis.

Enter blogs! They're meant for organizations' supporters and donors to get a personal account of international projects, but you can use them for career advice. And check out the websites of your dream-job orgs: "From the Field" blogs are popping up all over the place.

To get you started...

Malawi: A Travel Log
Follow the first hand account of two World Relief staff members traveling in Malawi on the World Relief blog.

Minnesota International Health Volunteers
Follow international volunteers in East Africa -- currently blogging is a fourth-year medical student working on a child survival project in Tanzania.
**I'll admit the bias on this one...

Peace Corps Journals
A worldwide directory of 4,000+ Peace Corps volunteers' blogs. Search by region and country.
**HIGHLY recommend this if you've ever thought about doing the PC thing

This will be me, all weekend.

2008-03-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

I recently had to list every address I've lived at in the past seven years (yep, background check, you know the drill).

From birth to age 18, I lived in the same house -- and the list was still two pages long. With few exceptions, I moved approximately every three or four months during/immediately following college.

Now I've been in the same apartment for almost nine months, and of course I'm all antsy and ready to pack everything up and move across town. YEAH RIGHT.

Actually, this wasn't the plan at all. But a whole bunch of things lined up and once the dominoes starting falling I had no choice but to start wrapping my glasses in newspaper and prepare for the four-mile move.

And this time, I'm settling in for awhile. For real. I promise.

The Big O

2008-03-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

OK, think your heart + Oprah's wallet -- sounds like things would have to turn out well, right?

But because it's TV, I'm assuming Oprah's Big Give is gonna have some drama, too...

Has anyone seen the show? What do you think? I haven't watched yet, so I need the scoop!

The next episode is Sunday 9/8c on ABC - but if you need a recap of episodes one and two first, here ya go.

At least I didn't need this...

2008-03-11T21:28:00.001-07:00

I would call my quick jaunt to Cozumel this past weekend amazing. Everyone else I know would call it a nightmare.

But I absolutely admit to being annoyingly optimistic and am beyond thrilled that 1) it was waaay warmer than Minnesota, 2) I didn't think about work for a fraction of a second and 3) for the first time in my life, I came back from a beachy vacation without a beet-red face/body part/everything.

That being said, I suppose I should mention the fact that despite feeling perfect all week before leaving and even when my alarm went off at 4am on D-day, I starting sneezing continuously upon arrival at the airport and stopped only when sneezes were replaced by a hacking cough for days two and three. And then day four, sneezing joined coughing for the journey home.

Oh, and it wasn't sunny. Or warm. And the water was super-rough and we couldn't even swim. AND the hotel pools weren't heated and were totally freezing (I did, however, make $15 off of a you-wouldn't-dare-jump-in-and-be-the-only-one-at-the-resort-in-the-pool bet).

But still, getting away from the cold and snow and chaos of the working world made it completely worth it. It's so easy to get sucked into the work machine/life routine that you forget to take a break, but I really did come back somewhat rested and refreshed - and totally clogged up, and totally white, but who's counting?

A little more leadership

2008-03-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

OK, I promise I'll lay off the young-people, leadership-drought thing. After this.

US News & World Report jumped on board with a Q&A with the founder and CEO of nonprofit Share our Strength, who gives his perspective on why young superstars are veering away from the nonprofit road.

It's pretty interesting, as is Share our Strength - an organization striving to eliminate childhood hunger across the country through a whole bunch of cool partnerships and angles.

Check out the article and the organization!

I'm off to Cozumel for a nice, long, sunny weekend...so I'll come back all recharged and ready to dig up all kinds of nonprofit stuff for you! (Either that or I won't come back at all.)

Happy spring break if you've got the early-bird week off!

The big 'crunch'

2008-03-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

We talked last month about the looming leadership crisis in the nonprofit sector: Young people aren't digging the organizational structure, big-wig roles and interaction with their baby-booming coworkers and are turned off to the thought of leading organizations.

The Washington Post hit on the same phenomenon in a story yesterday that says nonprofits "stand to lose ambitious young employees who feel underpaid, overwhelmed by long hours and demanding responsibilities, and frustrated by a lack of career progression."

The story cites a study, released today, by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Meyer Foundation and Idealist.org, called Ready to Lead? Next Generation Leaders Speak Out.

It sums up the what - "the nonprofit sector...has been successful at recruiting recent college graduates but not always at keeping them" - and the why: "Many leave for jobs at private companies and in the federal government that often offer better pay and more comfortable lifestyles."

My favorite quote from the Post story, from a co-author of the report, gets at what (I think) it's all about: "Next-generation leaders are finding ways to get involved in social change and do good work...but they're finding ways to do that outside of the sector."

So how do we fix it? The study authors recommend that nonprofits:

Provide mentors to young employees

Facilitate networking among leadership in similar organizations

Offer better salaries and benefits

Give young staff more responsibility

Have an obvious career track and model of progression

What do you think? Would that solve the problem? Is there a problem in the first place?

Will you go to Prom with me?

2008-03-01T12:06:00.001-08:00

A warm/fuzzy story for your weekend:

Not your traditional nonprofit, the Priceless Gown Project gives prom dresses to high-school girls who could not otherwise afford them.

They hold gown events in a variety of cities and don't just throw you in a room full of tulle: In Baltimore this weekend, for example, 75 volunteers will staff the event and help 500 girls find The Dress.

Still have some old prom dresses crammed in the back your closet at the 'rents' place? Box 'em up and send 'em in.

Aww, don't you miss high school?

Houston, we have...

2008-02-27T11:12:00.000-08:00

A decision! Well, kind of.

If one were being logical, she would first decide whether she wants to go to grad school and then decide where to do it.

I'm not logical.

For a gazillion reasons, I decided to take B before A and make the place decision first - and despite the sub-zero frozen tundra-ness of it all, I'm staying put in Minneapolis. For at least two years. School or no school

I'm doing an official visit to the University of Minnesota School of Public Health next week, and I'm hoping that will clear some stuff up for me. But if it doesn't, hey, I've already knocked four schools out of the running and only have a yes-no question (Am I going to grad school in the fall or what?) left. I think I can handle it

I forgot how good it feels to make a decision, no matter what it is.

It's almost (alternative) spring break season

2008-02-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yeah, we all want to squeeze into a teeny bikini (or Speedo?) in a few weeks here. Even me - I couldn't quite give up the spring-break part of college and thought to ease myself into the Real World, I'd jet off to Cozumel for a few days in March.

I plan to sit on the beach sipping something out of a coconut. Preferably with a little umbrella.

But I haven't always done that for spring break, and I'm glad.

"Alternative spring breaks" - meaning volunteering instead of lazing - are becoming more and more popular and are an awesome option for getting out of town for awhile and coming back feeling all warm and fuzzy (and not from drinking out of coconuts).

I spent my first spring break of college teaching English at an alternative education center in Brazil and a winter break teaching kids and adults in Thailand, and I didn't miss the Girls-Gone-Wild feel at all. I still came back with stories and sunburn, but I felt way more satisfied.

Thinking about taking a different type of vacation? Check out:

Nonprofits that specialize in planning short-term volunteer projects all over the world. Prices vary, but you end up paying for your flight, accomodations and volunteer placement. Can get spendy, but I've had good experiences with i-to-i and Global Crossroad when I haven't had the time and ambition to work out all the details on my own. Search a bunch of opportunities at once at Volunteer Abroad.
Your college's spring break programs. Most colleges arrange alternative spring break trips - mine did hurricane cleanup, working with youth, environment, etc. in the South. Also check out your chapter of Habitat for Humanity - they always have spring break builds in warm places and hold a fun Collegiate Challenge.
Home, with a twist. Planning to head home and lounge in Dad's recliner for the week? Think about heading back to the fam's place but doing something else with your days. Create a DIY alternative spring break by contacting community organizations to see whether you can volunteer for a week. You might end up organizing donations or stuffing envelopes, but it's a great way to spend some time in the nonprofit world, make some connections and do something nice.

Wanna do it but don't have the cash? Check out this great hook-up from our friends at Experience: Submit a video diary from your alternative break trip, and you could win $500 to help you pay!

I'm still going to go sit on my butt in Cozumel. But I keep telling myself that because I am essentially a fulltime volunteer, this is my alternative spring break...right?

"I don't know, check Facebook"

2008-02-21T12:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not even going to try to count the number of times I've uttered that phrase to a friend in a quest to find a long-lost email address, identify a forgotten birthday, make sure an ex is still single, the list goes on.

And I know you probably spend so much time reading It's All Good that you hardly have time for Facebook, but I bet you occasionally squeeze it in...

So I'm hoping you caught the Causes Giving Challenge - sponsored by our friends at Facebook and the Case Foundation - which gave some big bucks to nonprofits.

From Dec. 13 to Jan. 31, they gave a thousand bucks to the organization on Facebook that received the greatest number of donors each day. That revved up 2,5000 nonprofits big and small to collect 33,238 donations - and $628,072!

At the end of the challenge, the organization with the most donors over the course of the program - Love Without Boundaries - walked away with $50,000. Second and third places, getting $25,000 each, went to Students for a Free Tibet and Nourish International. And 10 more organizations each got $10,000. Not bad, huh?

To coincide with the Facebook challenge, the Case Foundation partnered with Parade magazine to hold America's Giving Challenge, which raised another $1.2 million.

To me, the numbers make my eyes turn to dollar signs so fast I don't even get to the end of the figures, but compared to other types of giving, electronic donations don't raise that much money - only between 1 and 5 percent of most organizations' total contributions. But it's moving up: In 2006, online giving to large nonprofits increased by 36 percent.

I'm guessing that number will keep climbing, and climbing fast. With more young people engaged in important issues - and sucked into Facebook-esque websites - the internet-giving trend is only going to grow.

(And, good news! Now you have an excuse for all of the Facebook time.)