Posts tagged jerry
Starting the GIVE: Pay it Forward Day in Elkhart, Indiana
Apr 28th
You all know that foyble, Start the GIVE, and Pay it Forward are synonymous. The folks at foyble HQ are always looking for ways to start and spread the GIVE. When we see others committed to the same philosophy, we like to spread the word. Our web alerts went to DEFCON 1 this morning (acts of kindness ready for launch) when we came across this story from reporter Brandon Lewis from WNDU news out of Elkhart, Indiana:
image via WNDU
The city of Elkhart is encouraging people to help a neighbor this weekend as they declare Saturday “Pay It Forward Day”. The idea is to give back to your community, especially if you’ve received help.
There will be a bed race, a tug-of-war, and much more. The winning team will get to donate a check to their favorite charity.
Meantime thousands of students at Elkhart schools will be involved in assemblies to learn what it means to pay it forward and do good deeds for others. Classrooms will also teach kids that there are a lot of simple ways to make a difference.
“A lot of times things don’t cost money or very little money to do something nice for somebody,” said Debbie Micola from Santa’s Pantry Inc. “So that’s what we really try to get through to the kids that they can do something no matter how old they are.”
Micola introduced us to Art Jones, an Elkhart resident who exemplifies what it means to pay it forward. He’s helping make it easier for others to make a difference. Jones started a web site called “Basic Needs” that allows people to buy items at discount prices, and then he delivers them to local charities. For example, tooth brushes or canned food items. Even though he’s been battling cancer for several years, Jones says the project is good therapy.
“It gives me a good purpose in life.” said Jones. “I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve had a lot of people helping me. And then what I’m doing hopefully will give something back to the community that’s helped me so much.”
Brandon’s original story with related video can be found here.
We love this idea and send out mad foyble love to the city of Elkhart, Debbie Micola, Art Jones, and all the other residents of Elkhart that are participating in Pay it Forward Day this weekend!
Posted by Jerry
Through 10:00 PM tomorrow people are shaving their heads at Notre Dame!
Apr 22nd
Jonn Shaver getting his head shaved in the name of cancer research today. We're all aware of the pun with his last name. So, why don't you go and be "Susie Donor" already?
Note: the Friday foyble of the week (FFOTW) is a once per week post where we single out one of our favorite foybles from the many over at www.foyble.com. We don’t have any criteria for the foybles we pick. Email us at contact@foyble.com to nominate someone for the honor!
My friend, Jonn Shaver, got his head shaved today at a fundraiser for St. Baldrick’s. The hair will donated for wigs for cancer patients and the sponsoring donations go to fund grants for childhood cancer research. We love battling cancer here at foyble and we are encourgaging all of you out in foyble-land to get involved. If you’re in South Bend, go get your head shaved! If you’re not in South Bend or just love your faux-hawk too darn much, sponsor Jonn or another head-shaving-do-gooder by making a donation! They are clipping through tomorrow night at 10:00 EDT, so you have plenty of time to help.
Information on the event can be found here.
Go here to make a donation.
Jonn’s original foyble on getting his head shaved can be found here. If When you donate, be sure to click “this inspired me” and link Jonn’s foyble to your own to continue the giving thread! Donating hair is a great way to foyble. Juli grows her hair out and donates to Wigs for Kids benefiting children that have cancer, burn victims, and other diseases. You can view Juli’s foyble here.
Thanks, Jonn for taking an active role in the battle against cancer this week. An internet high-five to you as our Friday Foyble Of The Week!
-Posted by Jerry
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Thanks for reading the foyble blog and for your continued support of foyble. You can join our movement at www.foyble.com. You can reach the author of this post, Jerry Kaltenbach, via email at JLKALTENBACH@FOYBLE.COM
“‘Pay it forward’ pays off.” The science of the GIVE.
Apr 11th
This diagram illustrates how a single act of kindness can spread between individuals and across time. Cooperative behavior spreads three degrees of separation: if Eleni increases her contribution to the public good, it benefits Lucas (one degree of separation), who gives more when paired with Erika (two degrees of separation) in period 2, who gives more when paired with Jay (three degrees of separation) in period 3, who gives more when paired with Brecken in period 4. The effects also persist over time, so that Lucas gives more when paired with Erika (period 2) and also when paired with Lysander (period 3), Bemy (period 4), Sebastian (period 5), and Nicholas (period 6). The effect also persists at two degrees of separation, as Erika not only gives more when paired with Jay (period 3), but also when paired with Harla (period 4) and James (period 5). All the paths in this illustrative cascade are supported by results in the experiments, and it is important to note that if Eleni decreases her initial contribution then her uncooperative behavior can spread and persist as well. (Image via James Fowler, UC San Diego)
The following article discusses a study by some pretty smart guys at UC San Diego and Harvard providing scientific evidence that acts of kindness are contagious. Now that’s the kind of cold foyble hopes everyone will catch! Read this for a dose of scientific inspiration.
by Inga Kiderra, UC San Diego:
For all those dismayed by scenes of looting in disaster-struck zones, whether Haiti or Chile or elsewhere, take heart: Good acts – acts of kindness, generosity and cooperation – spread just as easily as bad. And it takes only a handful of individuals to really make a difference.
In a study published in the March 8 early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the University of California, San Diego and Harvard provide the first laboratory evidence that cooperative behavior is contagious and that it spreads from person to person to person. When people benefit from kindness they “pay it forward” by helping others who were not originally involved, and this creates a cascade of cooperation that influences dozens more in a social network.
The research was conducted by James Fowler, associate professor at UC San Diego in the Department of Political Science and Calit2’s Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems, and Nicholas Christakis of Harvard, who is professor of sociology in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and professor of medicine and medical sociology at Harvard Medical School. Fowler and Christakis are coauthors of the recently published book “Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives.”
8.8 Richter Scale Earthquake strikes Chile. Time to foyble, once again!
Mar 1st
Devastation and flooding in Chile. -AP Photo
On February 27, 2010, a catastrophic earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter Scale devastated Chile and triggered tsunami warnings throughout the Pacific. This quake has killed over 700 people at the time of this writing and more are being found every hour it seems.
Just because Chile is not as economically and “structurally-challenged” as Haiti, does NOT mean the people of Chile do not need your help. They do!
That in mind, and like our article last month on how to help the people of Haiti, the foyble guys are providing you with some options to lend a hand to Chile. Just REMEMBER: If you’ve donated time, money, or talents to any world disaster relief, be sure to share you story on foyble to inspire others to do the same!
The great folks at Mashable have compiled a list of ways to donate, so we’ll help spread the word:
Text it and know that Verizon, At&T, Sprint and T-mobile have waived messaging fees for these spots:
1. Text the word “CHILE” to 25383 to donate $10 on behalf of the Habitat for Humanity
2. Text the word “CHILE” to 20222 to donate $10 on behalf of World Vision
3. Text the word “CHILE” to 52000 to donate $10 on behalf of the Salvation Army
4. Text the word “CHILE” to 85944 to donate $10 on behalf of International Medical Corp.
1. American Red Cross— the American Red Cross International Response Fund helps victims of crises such as the Chile and Haiti earthquakes. If you wish to designate your funds to a specific crisis, you’ll need to mail in your donation.
2. Americares— funds go exclusively to the Chilean earthquake (and tsunami relief, should further tragedies occur)
3. Google Crisis Response, with channels benefiting UNICEF and DirectRelief International
– use your Google Checkout account to donate instantly to these charities
4. World Vision Disaster Response Fund - your money goes towards relief efforts for global disasters worldwide (not Chile specifically).
Foyble on. Help the World. Start the GIVE.
Posted by Jerry
Massive Earthquake in Haiti. Here’s how you can help.
Jan 13th
Image via AFP.
An earthquake registering 7.0 on the Richter Scale rocked Port-Au-Prince, Haiti collapsing buildings and killing untold thousands yesterday. You can read more on the earthquake on every news outlet anywhere, so pick your favorite.
What’s important for us, is how you can start committing foybles to help this impoverished nation in the very long road to getting back on their already fragile feet.
foyble co-founder John Frazier supports a missionary in Haiti that builds schools and health clinics. You can find them at www.lifeline.org.
An article from The Huffington Post via Yahoo shares several ways that you, (YES YOU!), can help the people of Haiti. You can make a difference whether you donate $1.00 or $10,000 or more. You can also donate supplies. Here are their ideas and they are all foybles for you:
•The American Red Cross is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake. They expect to provide immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are accepting donations through their International Response Fund.
Google foybles with free holiday wi-fi and asks you to pay it forward.
Nov 10th
Sometimes I catch a story or two on the world wide interweb that just screams “foyble!” Today, it was Google’s announcement that it is providing free wi-fi access to 47 participating airports during the holiday season and on every Virgin America flight. So, from now through January 15, 2010, you won’t be annoyed when firing up your laptop or mobile device during your layover only to find that wi-fi access will cost you $10 for the couple hours you have before you board again. You can find more information on the site Google set up to officially spread the news www.freeholidaywifi.com.
Google is not only doing us all a great service by hooking us up with free holiday wi-fi, but they are doing a foyble at the same time! When you visit freeholidaywifi.com, you will see they are encouraging you to follow Google’s example by making a donation to some worthy non-profits by using Google Checkout. What’s more? Google is going to match all the donations made through participating wifi networks up to $250,000!
Find out more about Google’s Give Back right HERE.
Do you like Google’s free wi-fi program and the Give Back?
Will you be using the free wi-fi over the holiday?
Are you going to participate in Google’s Give Back?
Comments Please! If you do, make sure you share your foyble right here. Also…safe travels to you all from the foyble guys.
Click “continue reading” for a list of the participating airports.
Posted by Jerry
Foyble, Canadian Style.
Sep 26th
I read this story by Chris Parry of the Vancouver Sun on the world wide interweb today and it’s a prime time example of foybles in action! School kids at Cindrich Elementary School in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, were charged with the task of spreading random acts of kindness (that’s what a foyble is, but you knew that!). Teachers inspired the kids and “Quietly, unobtrusively, these children began to weave their magic. ”
Kids passed out homemade cookies, helped kids on the playground, and wrote kind notes for kids’ school bags. Asking only that the goodwill be passed on (foyble-riffic!), the movement became contagious. The small acts like cookies lead to bigger ones like sponsoring Make a Wish Foundation kids. One class created “30 Random Acts of Kindness Cards” that asked recipients to pay it forward.
You should read the rest of the article. It’s uplifting, relevant, and will put a smile on your face and warm your heart. No doubt. I hope those kids, teachers, and the ones they touched find their way to foyble.com and share all of their amazing stories of the GIVE with us here in foyble-land!
Posted by Jerry
Starting the GIVE keeps employees engaged and grows business, Harvard research says.
Sep 24th
Harvard Business Publishing posted this great article about how, on many levels, employees want to “do good” (we call it Start the GIVE) and its makes their employers more successful. That’s all win-win, foyble style. Here’s what they had to say:
“New research shows that high-potential employees are motivated by a desire to give back to their communities, and increasingly seek out employers that allow them to do so on the job. Companies like GE and Pfizer are launching programs that expand their revenue and attract and retain these employees by integrating “doing good” into their business strategies. Don’t limit your company’s socially responsible efforts to donation and volunteering. Explore ways that your company can combine social responsibility and commercial viability by offering lower cost products to emerging markets or developing a new profitable solution to a social problem.”
-This tip was adapted from an article by Sylvia Ann Hewlett that you can read below. Whether you are an employee or an employer, on behalf of yourself or a company, make sure you use foyble and tell us how we can make your experience better not only to Start the GIVE but to continue the GIVE and watch it grow!
