I first learned about Time Banks in this Sept/Oct 2009 Ode magazine article. Finally blogging about it:)
From Autumn Rooney, who started the Time Bank in Los Angeles' Echo Park neighborhood:
The goal is to get people to trust each other and to think differently about value. Our current money system encourages competition, hoarding and scarcity. Time banking is different. We'll never run out of time dollars, as long as there are people.
Of course Time Banks was founded by an Ashoka Fellow - Edgar Cahn. To find a Time Bank near you check this out.
Showing posts with label Ashoka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ashoka. Show all posts
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
This Holiday Season, lend $25 to a Student to help them achieve their Higher Ed Dreams.
This video pretty much makes me cry.
Lend a minimum of $25 here on Vittana. 100% of the money you lend through the Vittana website goes to the student, via two intermediaries - Vittana and a partner microfinance institution located in the student's own community. When the student repays the loan, the $25 comes back to you. For further details go here.
I blogged about one of Vittana's co-founders a while ago, here. Tonight I discovered that Vittana's Partnerships Manager, Nick Cane, is a former Kiva Fellow!
Kiva launched its own student loan program on Sept 20. Through the Student Microloans program, Kiva lenders can make a $25 loan to students in Bolivia, Paraguay and Ecuador.
The new program got off to a good start! Just saw this: "Today, Kiva.org posted profiles for 36 students, seeking a total of $19,250.00. We are currently on track to fund all of those loans in full, within 12 hours of being posted on the site," said Kiva president Premal Shah, in an email. "While this pilot is only a small step toward broadening access to student loan funding around the world, we plan to keep a close eye on the program's success in an effort to expand the organization's reach to a number of different countries and a larger group of students in need of funding."
I recently volunteered for one of Kiva's partner organizations located here in San Francisco - Opportunity Fund. Opportunity Fund serves as an intermediary between Kiva (and Kiva's lenders), and the clients. I called Opportunity Fund clients who had graduated from the savings program. Most of these clients had engaged in the savings program to finance higher education opportunities. Calling the clients to congratulate them on achieving their savings goals was a lot of fun!
In addition to Kiva, Opportunity Fund also works with another institution also offering higher education loans to students - Lumni. From the Lumni website: Individuals can invest in local students in a variety of ways including through a tax-deductible donation or by purchasing a low-interest note with a fixed return. In addition to the dual financial and social return of this investment, contributors are helping prove an efficient, sustainable new system for giving students access to college without the burden of a traditional student loan.
Lumni does not allow individuals to make small ($25) loans to students, but since I love what they are doing, I thought I'd mention them:) Also love that two members of the team are linked to Ashoka.
Here's how they work, and the story behind Lumni:
Lumni's business model reminded me of a thought-provoking discussion that took place at a March 3 event that I attended here in San Francisco, about Life Investments. Just something to think about! :)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Youth Social Entrepreneurship Competition & TEDxYSE
SUPER SUPER COOL! Up to two members from each of the eight winning teams will be invited to Washington, D.C. to present at the TEDxYSE event on November 13, 2010.
Details:
* Between the ages of 12 and 24
* Operating a youth-led social venture
* Able to demonstrate impact
Winners will be selected on a rolling basis until all eight spots are filled. (The sooner you enter, the better your chances.)
The first speaker/winner was announced on July 15:
Rebecca Kantar is a founding member of Minga, a youth-run organization building a movement of young leaders dedicated to ending the global child sex trade.
Additional info here. Sponsored by Staples in partnership with Ashoka.
I can't wait for TEDxYSE!! November 13, 2010 in Washington, DC.
Details:
* Between the ages of 12 and 24
* Operating a youth-led social venture
* Able to demonstrate impact
Winners will be selected on a rolling basis until all eight spots are filled. (The sooner you enter, the better your chances.)
The first speaker/winner was announced on July 15:
Rebecca Kantar is a founding member of Minga, a youth-run organization building a movement of young leaders dedicated to ending the global child sex trade.
Additional info here. Sponsored by Staples in partnership with Ashoka.
I can't wait for TEDxYSE!! November 13, 2010 in Washington, DC.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Facing Change Summit for College Students :: Washington, DC. July 22
Ashoka announced this via Facebook today. The below was taken from an Ashoka blog post.
Attention all college students!
If you haven’t already, now is the time to register for the Facing Change Summit. Brought to you by Hillel, Ashoka U, and the Interfaith Youth Core, the Facing Change Summit is equipping college students to act on the issues that are on the forefront of their campuses.
On Thursday, July 22nd, from 9am - 4pm, you will have the opportunity to hear from Ashoka CEO, Bill Drayton, Ashoka Fellows Molly Barker, Dave Castro, Mary Gordon, and Eboo Patel as well as Nathaniel Whittemore from change.org and many others on what it takes to be a true leader and mobilizer on your campus!
This event takes place in Washington, DC.
Attendees will be able to participate in three training sessions throughout the day that will develop the skills needed to head back to your campus as a true Changemaker this fall. The day will then wrap up with a congressional reception co-hosted by Congressman Ted Deutch, Congressman Keith Ellison, Congresswoman Sue Myrick, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Congressman Heath Shuler.
Registration is still open and is completely free!
Attention all college students!
If you haven’t already, now is the time to register for the Facing Change Summit. Brought to you by Hillel, Ashoka U, and the Interfaith Youth Core, the Facing Change Summit is equipping college students to act on the issues that are on the forefront of their campuses.
On Thursday, July 22nd, from 9am - 4pm, you will have the opportunity to hear from Ashoka CEO, Bill Drayton, Ashoka Fellows Molly Barker, Dave Castro, Mary Gordon, and Eboo Patel as well as Nathaniel Whittemore from change.org and many others on what it takes to be a true leader and mobilizer on your campus!
This event takes place in Washington, DC.
Attendees will be able to participate in three training sessions throughout the day that will develop the skills needed to head back to your campus as a true Changemaker this fall. The day will then wrap up with a congressional reception co-hosted by Congressman Ted Deutch, Congressman Keith Ellison, Congresswoman Sue Myrick, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Congressman Heath Shuler.
Registration is still open and is completely free!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
It's Time to Learn to Swim!
Having grown up at the beaches and in the coastal waters of Long Island, NY and at the Frost Valley YMCA which has it's own lake and a camp scholarship program, these young social entrepreneurs' stories are really special to me.
I found out about Laura White's venture, Wild and Water Swimming, which she founded at age 16 while reading an Ashoka e-book yesterday.
Laura's story reminded me of Jennifer Gavlin's film that I'd gone to see at the 2010 San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, called Free Swim.
This award-winning documentary chronicles a project to bring Bahamians a sense of empowerment by developing a very special skill: surviving in the ocean that surrounds them. After a boy’s tragic drowning, young Americans help Bahamian kids cope with fears both real and imagined, and minimize the threat that increasing tourism might further alienate them from their coastal identities.
Watch the trailer here.
The film spotlights another venture founded by 2 young American women who also founded their organization, Swim to Empower after hearing that the children of their Bahamas community could not swim.
To find similar volunteer opportunities in your own community check out the Sierra Club's Inner City Outings Program.
The Sierra Club has 50 volunteer-run ICO groups spread throughout the United States. Every year, these groups conduct more than 800 outings that serve approximately 14,000 youth.
I've volunteered with them through the San Francisco Chapter of the Sierra Club - good stuff! Check it out:
I found out about Laura White's venture, Wild and Water Swimming, which she founded at age 16 while reading an Ashoka e-book yesterday.
Laura's story reminded me of Jennifer Gavlin's film that I'd gone to see at the 2010 San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, called Free Swim.
This award-winning documentary chronicles a project to bring Bahamians a sense of empowerment by developing a very special skill: surviving in the ocean that surrounds them. After a boy’s tragic drowning, young Americans help Bahamian kids cope with fears both real and imagined, and minimize the threat that increasing tourism might further alienate them from their coastal identities.
Watch the trailer here.
The film spotlights another venture founded by 2 young American women who also founded their organization, Swim to Empower after hearing that the children of their Bahamas community could not swim.
Swim to Empower from Jayson Jackson on Vimeo.
To find similar volunteer opportunities in your own community check out the Sierra Club's Inner City Outings Program.
The Sierra Club has 50 volunteer-run ICO groups spread throughout the United States. Every year, these groups conduct more than 800 outings that serve approximately 14,000 youth.
I've volunteered with them through the San Francisco Chapter of the Sierra Club - good stuff! Check it out:
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Ashoka Storytelling
Stories of Change is Ashoka’s new electronic book series. Through these publications we will share the stories of the changemakers in the Ashoka community: Fellows, Youth Venturers, staff and partners. People who are producing system change solutions for social problems, inspiring innovation and creating an Everyone A Changemaker™ world. We hope you enjoy and share these stories. But most importantly, we hope these stories will inspire you to continue creating change in your community.
Book 1: Fellows & Their Journeys - can be read here.
Book 2: Youth Making a Difference - can be read here.
Book 3: 20/20 Vision - Predictions for the Decade - can be read here.
Also check out their recently-released 2010 Impact Study. It's a study of how Ashoka Fellows are impacting society. 172 Fellows from 32 countries participated in the study, which measured 5 types of systemic change ranging from market dynamics, to public policy.
With the help of a robust global nominator network, consisting of partner organizations, businesses, and community leaders Ashoka Fellows are elected and provided with financial support to be able to pursue his or her vision full-time. Candidates must present a new idea that has the potential to transform a whole field, rather than an isolated charitable project.
Tuition-Free Global Online University
Hey! This was one of my ideas - someone I've never met was reading my mind:)
Shai Reshef is one of Ashoka's seventeen 2010 fellows.
Shai is the founder and president of the University of the People, the worlds first tuition-free global online university specifically created to serve poor, remote, and disadvantaged populations. As a pioneer in the emerging field of free online education, Shai hopes to give people solutions to transform society by combining entrepreneurship, education, and political activism. UoPeople currently serves students from 49 countries. With operations currently housed in Tel Aviv, Shai envisions global offices in California, India and Africa.
How it works:
Shai Reshef is one of Ashoka's seventeen 2010 fellows.
Shai is the founder and president of the University of the People, the worlds first tuition-free global online university specifically created to serve poor, remote, and disadvantaged populations. As a pioneer in the emerging field of free online education, Shai hopes to give people solutions to transform society by combining entrepreneurship, education, and political activism. UoPeople currently serves students from 49 countries. With operations currently housed in Tel Aviv, Shai envisions global offices in California, India and Africa.
How it works:
Monday, June 21, 2010
Making Medical Care more Accessible in India
Love this.
In October 2009 Ashoka launched a new privately-funded social enterprise, Healthpoint Services, as part of its strategy to launch transformative hybrid models to help billions of the world's poor reach full economic citizenship.
In October 2009 Ashoka launched a new privately-funded social enterprise, Healthpoint Services, as part of its strategy to launch transformative hybrid models to help billions of the world's poor reach full economic citizenship.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
UMD Smith School's Global Challenge Competition
This competition is open to MBA and graduate school students ... but registration has closed. Sorry! Yet it's still interesting ...
The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business and USAID's Business Growth Initiative are pleased to announce the launch of the inaugural Global Challenge: Creating Alliances for Economic Prosperity.
Teams of graduate students from across the country are invited to participate in this unique competition format, which is neither a case competition nor a business plan competition. Instead, teams will devise an entirely new public-private alliance--one that will allow a private enterprise to contribute to international development initiatives in a specified region. The challenge requires equal parts creativity, research skills, business acumen and passion for seeking solutions that advance growth and reduce poverty.
Prizes include cash ($5,000 for the winning team, plus $2,500 and $1,000 for second and third places, respectively) and the opportunities to connect with leading experts in the international development and business communities, receive guidance and build invaluable relationships with other students.
The final round is an oral competition at USAID's headquarters in Washington, D.C., on April 23.
The Challenge is sponsored in part by the Smith School's Center for Social Value Creation. The Center recently held an event that happened in part thanks to the support of the Ashoka U UMD Changemaker team. Learn more about them here. Follow the Center for Social Value Creation on Facebook here - lots of interesting resources on their wall!
The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business and USAID's Business Growth Initiative are pleased to announce the launch of the inaugural Global Challenge: Creating Alliances for Economic Prosperity.
Teams of graduate students from across the country are invited to participate in this unique competition format, which is neither a case competition nor a business plan competition. Instead, teams will devise an entirely new public-private alliance--one that will allow a private enterprise to contribute to international development initiatives in a specified region. The challenge requires equal parts creativity, research skills, business acumen and passion for seeking solutions that advance growth and reduce poverty.
Prizes include cash ($5,000 for the winning team, plus $2,500 and $1,000 for second and third places, respectively) and the opportunities to connect with leading experts in the international development and business communities, receive guidance and build invaluable relationships with other students.
The final round is an oral competition at USAID's headquarters in Washington, D.C., on April 23.
The Challenge is sponsored in part by the Smith School's Center for Social Value Creation. The Center recently held an event that happened in part thanks to the support of the Ashoka U UMD Changemaker team. Learn more about them here. Follow the Center for Social Value Creation on Facebook here - lots of interesting resources on their wall!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Reflecting Back. my "AH HA" moment.
On January 7, 2008 I somehow stumbled upon this New York Times Op-Ed "The Age of Ambition" by Nicholas Kristof.
Here are three excerpts:
... With the [2008] American presidential campaign in full swing, the obvious way to change the world might seem to be through politics.
But growing numbers of young people are leaping into the fray and doing the job themselves. These are the social entrepreneurs, the 21st-century answer to the student protesters of the 1960s, and they are some of the most interesting people here at the World Economic Forum (not only because they’re half the age of everyone else).
... Today the most remarkable young people are the social entrepreneurs, those who see a problem in society and roll up their sleeves to address it in new ways. Bill Drayton, the chief executive of an organization called Ashoka that supports social entrepreneurs, likes to say that such people neither hand out fish nor teach people to fish; their aim is to revolutionize the fishing industry.
... So as we follow the [2008] presidential campaign, let’s not forget that the winner isn’t the only one who will shape the world. Only one person can become president of the United States, but there’s no limit to the number of social entrepreneurs who can make this planet a better place.
Here are three excerpts:
... With the [2008] American presidential campaign in full swing, the obvious way to change the world might seem to be through politics.
But growing numbers of young people are leaping into the fray and doing the job themselves. These are the social entrepreneurs, the 21st-century answer to the student protesters of the 1960s, and they are some of the most interesting people here at the World Economic Forum (not only because they’re half the age of everyone else).
... Today the most remarkable young people are the social entrepreneurs, those who see a problem in society and roll up their sleeves to address it in new ways. Bill Drayton, the chief executive of an organization called Ashoka that supports social entrepreneurs, likes to say that such people neither hand out fish nor teach people to fish; their aim is to revolutionize the fishing industry.
... So as we follow the [2008] presidential campaign, let’s not forget that the winner isn’t the only one who will shape the world. Only one person can become president of the United States, but there’s no limit to the number of social entrepreneurs who can make this planet a better place.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Ashoka Youth Venture Community Panel :: Berkeley, CA, Sat March 6
I'm coordinating HeadCount's outreach table at the Saturday night March 6 Galactic show at San Francisco's Fillmore. But my day will start off with this event - SUPER psyched for it!
Ashoka Youth Venture Community Panel
Brower Center - Goldman Theatre
2150 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
10am - 3pm
Youth teams will present their social ventures to a panel of local community members who will decide if they are ready to both receive up to $1,000 in seed funding and join the global Youth Venture Community.
The youth teams are incubating projects addressing a wide-range of issues: improving relations between youth and police in Oakland, CA; increasing access to fresh produce in West Oakland, CA; using hip hop to spread anti-violence messages; and adopting rural schools in the developing world.
photo: Youth Venture Team competing for the prize in Southern Indiana
At this event, attendees will also learn about a new partnership between The Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative and Ashoka Youth Venture. The partnership will kick off this fall.
The New Leaders Initiative cultivates and supports bold environmental youth leadership and houses the Brower Youth Awards. Ashoka Youth Venture inspires and invests in teams of young people (aged 12-20) as they start and lead their own sustainable social ventures, connecting them into a powerful global network.
For more info about the Brower Youth Awards check out my previous posts about the Awards here. For more info about Ashoka check out these previous posts.
To RSVP for this free March 9 event go here.
Ashoka Youth Venture Community Panel
Brower Center - Goldman Theatre
2150 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
10am - 3pm
Youth teams will present their social ventures to a panel of local community members who will decide if they are ready to both receive up to $1,000 in seed funding and join the global Youth Venture Community.
The youth teams are incubating projects addressing a wide-range of issues: improving relations between youth and police in Oakland, CA; increasing access to fresh produce in West Oakland, CA; using hip hop to spread anti-violence messages; and adopting rural schools in the developing world.
photo: Youth Venture Team competing for the prize in Southern Indiana
At this event, attendees will also learn about a new partnership between The Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative and Ashoka Youth Venture. The partnership will kick off this fall.
The New Leaders Initiative cultivates and supports bold environmental youth leadership and houses the Brower Youth Awards. Ashoka Youth Venture inspires and invests in teams of young people (aged 12-20) as they start and lead their own sustainable social ventures, connecting them into a powerful global network.
For more info about the Brower Youth Awards check out my previous posts about the Awards here. For more info about Ashoka check out these previous posts.
To RSVP for this free March 9 event go here.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Are you a Changemaker in the Northeast? :: Contest entries due April 21
Also saw this in today's Net Squared e-newsletter:
Believing that real change starts at home, Green Mountain Coffee and Ashoka's Changemakers have come together to find and help fund the most innovative ideas to inspire community action in the Northeastern US.
The competition is open to all types of individuals and organizations that are operating in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island or New York. Individuals or organizations not from the region must have local operations or partners on the ground in these states.
Go here to share your creative solutions for motivating local citizens to strengthen communities across New England and New York.
Entries must demonstrate groundbreaking solutions that inspire others to help make their community a better place to live. They must also indicate growth beyond the stage of idea, concept, or research. At a minimum, entries should be at the demonstration stage and indicate success. While we support new ideas at every stage and encourage their entry, the judges are better able to evaluate programs that are beyond the conceptual stage, and have demonstrated a proof of impact, even at small scale.
The best innovations will be awarded prizes totaling USD $50,000.
Deadline is April 21, 2010.
Assessment Criteria
The winners of this Changemakers collaborative competition will be those entries that best meet the following criteria:
Innovation: This is the knock-out test. The entrant must describe a groundbreaking innovation in community action. The innovation should be a unique model of change, demonstrating a substantial difference from other initiatives in the field with the possibility for large-scale expansion.
Social Impact: It is important that the innovative idea provides a system-changing solution toward engaging and revitalizing communities. Some innovations will have proven success at a small level, while others will have potential to grow, engaging millions of people. Still others will achieve their impact quickly, while some will seed change for the long term. We look for breadth and depth, numbers and stories that make a substantive difference in local communities. Judges will consider the solution's potential for scale and replication, in addition to the entrant's ability to formulate a clear "road map" to reaching larger goals.
Sustainability: For a solution to be truly effective it must have a long-term plan for securing financial backing and community support. Entries should describe not only how they are currently financing their work, but also how they plan to finance their work in the future. The most successful entrants go beyond discussing whether or not they will charge for services and describe a business plan. They should also demonstrate that they have strong partnerships and support networks to address an ongoing need, and to aid in scalability and the maintenance of a clear financial strategy.
Believing that real change starts at home, Green Mountain Coffee and Ashoka's Changemakers have come together to find and help fund the most innovative ideas to inspire community action in the Northeastern US.
The competition is open to all types of individuals and organizations that are operating in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island or New York. Individuals or organizations not from the region must have local operations or partners on the ground in these states.
Go here to share your creative solutions for motivating local citizens to strengthen communities across New England and New York.
Entries must demonstrate groundbreaking solutions that inspire others to help make their community a better place to live. They must also indicate growth beyond the stage of idea, concept, or research. At a minimum, entries should be at the demonstration stage and indicate success. While we support new ideas at every stage and encourage their entry, the judges are better able to evaluate programs that are beyond the conceptual stage, and have demonstrated a proof of impact, even at small scale.
The best innovations will be awarded prizes totaling USD $50,000.
Deadline is April 21, 2010.
Assessment Criteria
The winners of this Changemakers collaborative competition will be those entries that best meet the following criteria:
Innovation: This is the knock-out test. The entrant must describe a groundbreaking innovation in community action. The innovation should be a unique model of change, demonstrating a substantial difference from other initiatives in the field with the possibility for large-scale expansion.
Social Impact: It is important that the innovative idea provides a system-changing solution toward engaging and revitalizing communities. Some innovations will have proven success at a small level, while others will have potential to grow, engaging millions of people. Still others will achieve their impact quickly, while some will seed change for the long term. We look for breadth and depth, numbers and stories that make a substantive difference in local communities. Judges will consider the solution's potential for scale and replication, in addition to the entrant's ability to formulate a clear "road map" to reaching larger goals.
Sustainability: For a solution to be truly effective it must have a long-term plan for securing financial backing and community support. Entries should describe not only how they are currently financing their work, but also how they plan to finance their work in the future. The most successful entrants go beyond discussing whether or not they will charge for services and describe a business plan. They should also demonstrate that they have strong partnerships and support networks to address an ongoing need, and to aid in scalability and the maintenance of a clear financial strategy.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Youth Venture Summit :: July 15 - July 18
Grab your calendars and make sure to reserve Thursday, July 15th - Sunday, July 18th for the 2010 Youth Venture Summit!
Details on the location of this year's YV Summit will be announced soon, so stay tuned for more details.
Youth Venture is an international community of young people who are powerful now, changemakers now. Youth Venture inspires and invests in teams of young people to create and launch their own sustainable, community-benefiting ventures. Youth Venture then connects them into a global movement of young changemakers who are together redefining the youth years as a time of leadership and positive social change. This is the foundation of an Everyone a Changemaker world - the key factor for success in every part of society. Youth Venture currently operates in 17 countries and online at www.GenV.net.
Details on the location of this year's YV Summit will be announced soon, so stay tuned for more details.
Youth Venture is an international community of young people who are powerful now, changemakers now. Youth Venture inspires and invests in teams of young people to create and launch their own sustainable, community-benefiting ventures. Youth Venture then connects them into a global movement of young changemakers who are together redefining the youth years as a time of leadership and positive social change. This is the foundation of an Everyone a Changemaker world - the key factor for success in every part of society. Youth Venture currently operates in 17 countries and online at www.GenV.net.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Your Old Running Shoes are Recyclable!
Several years ago I learned that Nike recycles running shoes, and uses the recycled parts to construct inner city basketball courts. I dug up the info about how to donate shoes, and recycled my first pair of running shoes in 2005. It felt really good.
I just stumbled upon some current information about Nike's program, Reuse-A-Shoe.
Regarding "giving back" to the community - according to this 1995 article, Nike unveiled the Reuse-A-Shoe program in 1993.
In 1995 Nike covered 60 decaying school playgrounds in Oakland, California with protective Reuse-A-Shoe rubber matting. In 1994 the program used 4,000 shoes to build a bright blue all-purpose basketball court at Boys & Girls Club in Brooklyn, New York.
Nike works with the amazing organization Ashoka, and their Changemaker program. The Changemaker website currently spotlights Jacob Colker, the co-founder and CEO of the Extraordinaries. (I just blogged about the company last week!)
How to Participate:
Nike Reuse-A-Shoe drop-off locations exist @ 300+ locations around the world, including all U.S. Nike stores, as well as locations in Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Check here for a list of locations near your zip code or state of residence.
You can bring up to 10 pair of athletic shoes at a time to any of the drop-off locations. If you have more than 10 pairs of shoes to donate, but less than 300, then you can apply to Nike's Community Activist program to host a shoe recycling drive!
If you can't find a location near you then you can pack your old shoes up in a box and mail them to Nike at your own expense:
Nike Recycling Center
c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
26755 SW 95th Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
Note that in order to keep the recycling shoe machines in good working order:
* Nike can only recycle athletic shoes (running shoes, sneakers, etc.)
* Nike accepts all brands of shoes
* Nike cannot accept shoes containing metal
* Nike cannot accept cleats or dress shoes
* Nike cannot accept wet or damp shoes
* Nike cannot accept sandals and flip-flops
If you'd rather give your shoes away in one piece, then check this out:
One World Running accepts donations of nearly new and new running shoes, which they distribute around the world to aspiring runners here in the USA, and in countries where many people train barefoot for lack of resources. The organization also organizes races in developing countries.
photo: Cuba 2009. From Flickr user One World Running
The organization, originally called Shoes for Africa, was founded in 1986 by Michael Sandrock, an award-winning sports journalist, after he raced a marathon in Cameroon.
List of shoe donation drop off locations here.
If the shoes you donate do not suit the organization's needs then they will send them off to Nike for recycling. And we come full circle:)
I just stumbled upon some current information about Nike's program, Reuse-A-Shoe.
Regarding "giving back" to the community - according to this 1995 article, Nike unveiled the Reuse-A-Shoe program in 1993.
In 1995 Nike covered 60 decaying school playgrounds in Oakland, California with protective Reuse-A-Shoe rubber matting. In 1994 the program used 4,000 shoes to build a bright blue all-purpose basketball court at Boys & Girls Club in Brooklyn, New York.
Nike works with the amazing organization Ashoka, and their Changemaker program. The Changemaker website currently spotlights Jacob Colker, the co-founder and CEO of the Extraordinaries. (I just blogged about the company last week!)
How to Participate:
Nike Reuse-A-Shoe drop-off locations exist @ 300+ locations around the world, including all U.S. Nike stores, as well as locations in Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Check here for a list of locations near your zip code or state of residence.
You can bring up to 10 pair of athletic shoes at a time to any of the drop-off locations. If you have more than 10 pairs of shoes to donate, but less than 300, then you can apply to Nike's Community Activist program to host a shoe recycling drive!
If you can't find a location near you then you can pack your old shoes up in a box and mail them to Nike at your own expense:
Nike Recycling Center
c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
26755 SW 95th Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
Note that in order to keep the recycling shoe machines in good working order:
* Nike can only recycle athletic shoes (running shoes, sneakers, etc.)
* Nike accepts all brands of shoes
* Nike cannot accept shoes containing metal
* Nike cannot accept cleats or dress shoes
* Nike cannot accept wet or damp shoes
* Nike cannot accept sandals and flip-flops
If you'd rather give your shoes away in one piece, then check this out:
One World Running accepts donations of nearly new and new running shoes, which they distribute around the world to aspiring runners here in the USA, and in countries where many people train barefoot for lack of resources. The organization also organizes races in developing countries.
photo: Cuba 2009. From Flickr user One World Running
The organization, originally called Shoes for Africa, was founded in 1986 by Michael Sandrock, an award-winning sports journalist, after he raced a marathon in Cameroon.
List of shoe donation drop off locations here.
If the shoes you donate do not suit the organization's needs then they will send them off to Nike for recycling. And we come full circle:)
Friday, October 23, 2009
Paid, Overseas Fellowship Positions with Atlas Corps
Atlas Service Corps seeks nonprofit leaders from around the world to apply for their 2010-2011 fellowship positions in Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD and Bogota, Colombia.
Expenses are paid in this prestigious fellowship program, including a living stipend, health insurance, and training. Applicants must have 3 or more years of experience in the nonprofit sector, a college degree, fluency in English (and Spanish if applying to volunteer in Colombia), and a commitment to return to their home country after one year.
Candidates from outside the U.S. are placed at outstanding host organizations in Washington, DC or Baltimore, MD including Ashoka, Asian American LEAD, CentroNía, Grameen Foundation, and Population Action International. Candidates from the U.S. are placed at organizations in Bogota like Global Humanitaria and Oxfam GB.
In addition to volunteering full time at their host organizations, Fellows are enrolled in a management development training program and join a growing network of nonprofit leaders from around the world.
For more details about eligibility requirements and the application process, please go here and watch a short video about the application process below. The speaker is Scott Beale, founder of Atlas Service Corps.
The deadline to apply is November 10, 2009.
Expenses are paid in this prestigious fellowship program, including a living stipend, health insurance, and training. Applicants must have 3 or more years of experience in the nonprofit sector, a college degree, fluency in English (and Spanish if applying to volunteer in Colombia), and a commitment to return to their home country after one year.
Candidates from outside the U.S. are placed at outstanding host organizations in Washington, DC or Baltimore, MD including Ashoka, Asian American LEAD, CentroNía, Grameen Foundation, and Population Action International. Candidates from the U.S. are placed at organizations in Bogota like Global Humanitaria and Oxfam GB.
In addition to volunteering full time at their host organizations, Fellows are enrolled in a management development training program and join a growing network of nonprofit leaders from around the world.
For more details about eligibility requirements and the application process, please go here and watch a short video about the application process below. The speaker is Scott Beale, founder of Atlas Service Corps.
The deadline to apply is November 10, 2009.
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