Positive Change

At least once a month, Ellie von Wellsheim presides over sewing bees where she guides the hands of volunteers as they sew pieces of brightly colored fabric into reusable menstrual pads. The pads are destined for girls in Uganda, Malawi, and a host of other developing countries that lack the money and access to purchase feminine hygiene products.

An increasing number of businesses are discovering that volunteerism is an important part of their corporate social responsibility program. It’s not only good for the local community and improves the corporate brand, but it’s a powerful tool for increasing engagement in the workplace.

On June 16, 8:30am, over 200 Amway and community volunteers descended upon the Steepletown neighborhood on Grand Rapids’ northwest side. Their goal? To bring something that had been missing from the area for quite some time – a playground.

Seven years ago, Elena Davis was sitting at an intersection when a homeless woman approached her car. She immediately began to rummage around for spare change. But, when she rolled down the window to hand over the coins, Elena was surprised to be met with a different request.

The Points of Light Civic Accelerator announced today that it will invest $50,000 each in SpringFour (Chicago) and The Virtual Scholarship Center (Atlanta) – one for-profit and one nonprofit startup. Both ventures are focused on financial well-being and economic mobility to help more individuals and families succeed.

Andrea Rizzo's dream was to become a dance therapist and work with kids with special needs and cancer. On May 19, 2002, she was on her way home from a dance performance and was killed by a drunk driver. Her mother Susan Rizzo was devastated but credits a group of compassionate friends and colleagues for helping her through it. “One of Andrea’s colleagues approached me and said let’s start a foundation in Andrea’s name. She wanted to be a dance therapist, somehow maybe we can provide dance therapy to children,” said Susan.

Arrow Electronics selected Peter Clouse’s “Not Ashamed” (shown above) as the winner of this year’s Cherry Creek Arts Festival’s Five Years Out Art Challenge.

Do you work in the social sector at a nonprofit or social change organization? The Taproot Foundation wants to hear from you!

So remember, it’s never okay for someone to say, “I can’t do much – I’m just one person.” That is categorically false. None of us are just one person, but rather parts of our families, friend groups and communities.

Please join us on Thursday, June 29, for a Twitter Party celebrating Habitat’s Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, which will be held this year at sites throughout Canada in early July. President and Mrs. Carter and hundreds of volunteers will build alongside 150 future homeowners, all in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary.