For my $100 challenge, Evan O’Donnell donated to the Fender Music Foundation, an organization which provides instruments to music education programs across the country, including schools.
This charity is important to Evan because this is where he first learned how to read music and play piano, thanks to his elementary school’s music program. Music has been with him ever since, and he believes strongly that everybody should have that opportunity at some point in their lives.
[By Evan O’Donnell]
There is a homeless shelter in Leslie Morgan’s community where she has made food donations to in the past. Because these pantries are donation-based, the quality of the food these organizations receive tend to be lower and the shelves are stocked with mostly processed food.
For Leslie’s $100 challenge, she arranged for the shelter to receive a large box of organic produce from a company called Door-to- Door Organics. This is a service Leslie uses. She thought it would be great have two orders arrive, one month apart, at the Bucks County Homeless Shelter starting on July 2nd. Deliveries will contain a large mixture of fruits and vegetables and the quality will be great! [By Leslie Morgan]
Susan’s story:
With a nickname like “Lunch International,” our team in Doylestown enjoys visiting all the local restaurants. As townies, Susan and her husband get to go even more often. They have a favorite spot and a special server who always greets them warmly, knows their “favorites” to make them feel at home. Sadly, her hours have been cut and she’s struggling to make ends meet. It was an amazing opportunity for Susan to gift her with 100 bucks and see her reaction!
What a great way to celebrate this new beginning with Corporate Visions and make a difference in one person’s life. [By Susan Supernavage]
As part of an introduction to Corporate Visions, Chief Executive Officer, Joe Terry, introduced the $100 challenge. Cassie Calster, located in Doyle, Pennsylvania, chose to give $100 to the Central Bucks Family YMCA. This YMCA is a great organization that promotes healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility in Doylestown and the surrounding communities.
Cassie walked into the office and advised them that she would be offering $100 to the next person who comes in to inquire about a membership or any program at the Y. The $100 can be used towards their first monthly payment or application fees.
As a yoga instructor at the YMCA, Cassie has seen many benefits yoga provides members and the community. After yoga class on Saturday, she waited in the office for the next lucky person to arrive. A few minutes later, Sam came in to register her kids for summer camp. After registration was completed, Cassie introduced herself and gave Sam a $100 bill to use towards camp fees.
A little shocked and surprised, Sam was very grateful. Attached is a photo of Sam and Cassie.
[By Cassie Calster]
The Seattle Team [Eric Beckman, Kris Axell, Bill Patterson, Meredith Rae, Eileen Suico, Christine Horvath, Nerissa Ong, and James Melillo] were able to make it out yesterday and had the most perfect warm weather to get some urban farming done at Alleycat Acres.
The team volunteered 2 hours of their time at one of the farming site right down the street from the Seattle office. Alleycat exists to (re) connect people, place and produce through building a network of community run farms. Their key is to create healthy communities. It is for people to get involved and volunteer and take home some produce, anything leftover in the week is given to the food banks.
It is a non-profit company that seeks out private landowners who are interested in donating a plot of land to be used for greater community involvement to run a community farm. Each site has a farm manager that hosts work parties every week with volunteers that come and do various projects and farming around the farm.
Yesterday[June 30, 2014], the 8 members went out and did some sheet mulching, weeding and planting under the hot sun. [See photos of the team in action]
For additional information about Alleycat Acres, please visit their website: http://www.alleycat-acres.org/ [By Christine Horvath]
The High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon opened in 1982, brings regional wildlife, culture, art and natural resources together to promote an understanding of natural and cultural heritage of North America’s high desert county. The museum uses indoor and outdoor exhibits, wildlife in natural-like habitats, and living history demonstrations to help people discover and appreciate the high desert environment.
Mission: Though exhibits, wildlife, and living history, the High Desert Museum creates learning experiences to help audiences discover their connection to the past, their role in the present, and their responsibility to the future.
Purpose: To enable a deeper understanding of the region’s arts, culture, history and natural sciences through the presentation and interpretation of visual art exhibits, historical artifacts, living history performances and wildlife encounters.
[Left to right: Jan Michelson, volunteer; Molly Black, Assoc. Director of Development; Amy Merrill, volunteer; Earl A. Chiles, major donor of Spirit of West Hall where exhibit is currently on display]
On Friday night, June 20th, Amy Merrill, CVI Resource Manager who works in Bend, Oregon,volunteered for the opening of the “In the Dark” traveling exhibit from the Cincinnati Museum Center with hands-on experience activities exploring the nocturnal world and the species that are adapted to it.
[By Amy Merrill]
Just over 2 months ago, on Easter Sunday, 2014, a Home at Last Dog Rescue volunteer went to one of the most overcrowded shelters in Philadelphia and pulled a dog that had been brought in as a stray. He was covered in dirt and bugs, had a double ear infection that required surgical cleaning, was emaciated, and was just in all around bad shape. He was also scheduled to be euthanized that day. Despite his really rough road, he was wagging his tail at her from his kennel. She pulled him from the shelter and brought him to a foster home. That dog was Jax.
After a whirlwind week of vet appointments and multiple foster homes, Jax came to live with Jennifer Smith and family. He loves everyone (dogs, kids, cats – you name it). And, he wakes up every morning with such joy and delight at the prospect of facing another day that he helps us put a smile on our faces every morning. Jax is, as we say at Corporate Visions, “all in”.
Jennifer’s family is so grateful that they get to share their lives with this lovely guy, that when she received the $100 challenge, she knew immediately who she wanted to give it to. Jax and Jennifer drove down to Blue Bell, Pennsylvania to a “Home at Last” adoption event and gave them the $100 as a way to say thanks for saving his life and in hopes that they can save many more dogs like Jax. [By Jennifer Smith]
Eric Nitschke’s 13-year-old son, Luke, [photo above] plays for their local youth baseball organization—Plumstead Baseball. Eric has coached this team for many years—and actively helped with the organization’s website and publicity.
He always believed that baseball is a valuable youth activity—not just for the on-field skills—but also for developing a sense of cooperation, teamwork, leadership, and to help set healthy expectations for competition and conflict resolution.
Each year, the organization receives requests for help from less-fortunate families who cannot afford to play baseball. This is not an expensive league, but the fees (which are needed for field maintenance and safety equipment), combined with the personal costs of gear and transportation, can be prohibitive for some families, which often prevents their sons from playing.
Plumstead Baseball has set up a financial aid fund to help these families and ensure all players have access to youth baseball. Local businesses and individuals can also contribute to the fund—either as part of a player’s registration, or as a separate contribution. Financial assistance is managed and distributed by organization’s board.
Eric decided to offer his “$100 challenge” to the Plumstead Baseball financial aid fund to help ensure their community’s youth have access to the great American pastime. (Eric and son are also looking into creating an “equipment exchange” to collect gently-used equipment from players and families, and distribute it to players in need, or conduct a spring equipment sale to support the financial aid fund.)
“Thank you for the opportunity to continue to give back to my community!” [By Eric Nitschke]
Kate Myers, Creative Director at Corporate Visions, thought the $100 Challenge was such a great idea that she decided to get her entire family involved. She talked with her 6 year old daughter about ideas for what they could do and finally decided to carry out their idea at a local farmers’ market.
One Friday afternoon, she, her daughter and 4 year old son, assembled envelopes with a $5 bill, a lollipop and a note that said:
“I hope you like your treats. I was just trying to do something nice for a stranger. If you liked this, please try to think of something you could do nice for a stranger someday to make their day!”
Later that evening, Kate’s husband, the kids and she went for their weekly shopping. While there, the kids handed out the envelopes to random people, mostly chosen by their son. Whereas, their daughter was a little nervous to approach a stranger, but their son was happy to walk up, say, “Excuse me”, to get their attention, and hand them the envelope. As he did, Kate let them know that they were taking some time to pay it forward and do a “random act of kindness”.
They were met with a variety of reactions, mostly disbelief and then gratitude. They received happy hugs from many of the receivers and had an offer to do a free family portrait from someone who happened to be a professional photographer. They were even approached by someone else to give them the very same envelope because someone had passed it on to him and he was continuing to pay it forward. They sent the man on his way to share the kindness with someone new.
It was definitely a unique and rewarding experience for all.
[By Kate Myers]Many thanks from Lisa Campbell to Corporate Visions for providing the opportunity to participate in the $100 Challenge.
When Lisa heard about the challenge, she knew she wanted to do something with her 10-year-old son to reinforce the value of giving back.
Lisa decided to give the $100 to Chubby’s Ice Cream, a family-owned ice cream shop in Plumsteadville, PA, which is part of the Doylestown community. She does not know the owner personally, but is aware that he is a very generous man and donates ice cream to countless organizations in their community.
It was quiet when they arrived, and the girls working in the shop were stunned and very grateful when they were handed a $100 bill and asked them to put it towards any forthcoming orders. Lisa did not have a chance to see any customers after us, the best part was when her son asked, “So who are we going to give the next $100 to?” That is priceless! [By Lisa Campbell]
