It's Super Bowl Sunday!

Well, it's Super Bowl Sunday - a major national event for civil society - and I feel obliged to blog about philanthropic themes in today's broadcast. Most apparent, of course, is the NFL's season-long partnership with the United Way to promote fitness among youth - Play 60. I've seen at least one related commercial already tonight promoting Play 60, and tonight's game ball was brought onto the field by a young boy who won the Play 60 contest. Since this kind of partnership is essentially a corporate social responsibility initiative, the cause certainly ties nicely to the mission of the NFL; and, considering the exposure among young people, a place where the NFL can have a positive impact. The website even solicits donations for its four philanthropic causes. I would be interested in seeing some kind of data on the number of kids who've participated this season and how the NFL measures the program's success.

Watch Colts number 21, Bob Sanders, teaching kids the importance of an active lifestyle.

Finally, for my fellow philanthropy geeks, I encourage you to look up the NFL's 990 nonprofit tax return if you haven't already ... but that's really a whole 'nother ball of wax ... we'll save that discussion for another time!

P.S. Did you see the end of that first half?!?! What is UP with that 100 yard touchdown interception? We're rooting for Arizona in this house, but it's not looking good...

Look what Starbucks is up to now

Philanthropic or just more creative marketing?

Envelope Real Estate

So, I've been carrying this envelope around with me for a week because I wanted to show you the precious real estate Ticketmaster is giving to the American Red Cross. I think it would have been more effective if the envelop solicited donations for the Shedd Aquarium which is where I purchased said Ticketmaster tickets for their Planet Earth 4D show. In any case, I doubt that this envelop inspired many donations.

Starbucks' Warm Glow

Ok. I'll admit it. I am addicted to Starbucks. If this whole philanthropy thing doesn't end up working out, I am soooo cut out to work as a barista. My addiction is at a level where I define my seasons by the seasonal drinks that Starbucks serve: Summer = Green Tea Frappachino, Fall = Pumpkin Spice Latte, Winter = Holiday drinks!

With the holiday season upon us, Starbucks has released their ever popular holiday drinks. I LOVE the holiday drinks, and have a special soft spot for the Gingerbread Latte, as it was my inagural Starbucks drink and the drink that started my love affair with caffeine. As if they could get any better, this year the holiday drinks have an added bonus. Starbucks has partnered with (Project) Red in order to brighten the holiday season. (Starbucks) Red has decided to donate 5 cents to Project Red -- an organization that helps provide AIDS relief in Africa and has Bono as a front man -- for every holiday drink bought this season.

While 5 cents doesn't sound like a lot, there are three drinks to choose from at millions of locations across the US.

(Starbucks) Red is bringing a whole new meaning to the "warm glow" the holiday drinks bring every year.

Starbucks doing "GOOD"

I was sitting in the Starbucks at Monument Circle yesterday afternoon (awaiting fellow blogger LKM) and picked up the "GOOD Sheet." This mini-newspaper is a "weekly series breaking down an important issue to help make sense of the world around us." The GOOD Sheet is a publication of GOOD magazine (which I subscribe to), a magazine "for people who give a damn." You may be wondering, as I have, "give a damn about what?" But that's a discussion for another time. For those of you who are unfamiliar with GOOD, 100% of its subscription price is contributed back to partner nonprofit organizations.

Ok, back to this issue of the GOOD Sheet: this week's topic is National Service, something we've already covered in this blog. Naturally, it includes all of the latest volunteerism data available from the Corporation for National and Community Service. It also includes a handy "how-to" chart for determining the right service outlet for you. Can you pass a physical exam, commit two years, between the ages of 17 and 41 and want to help communities in the US and abroad? Then you should join the armed forces! Would you rather skip the physical, commit only 10 months and stay in your community? Then Americorps is right for you! I wish my post-graduation career planning was this easy.

I like the idea of the GOOD Sheet, I am just not sure how many people are sitting down with their friends at Starbucks and engaging in conversation based on its topic. Next time you're in Starbucks, pick up a free issue - next week's topic is "Holiday Economy". Timely. I may be wrapping presents this year in GOOD Sheets - it's cheaper than wrapping paper.

"Extracting Good from Good Works"

An article in this week's Time magazine describes Corporates for Crisis (CforC), a consulting firm that assists multinational corporations working in developing countries. Created last year, the firm "assists multinationals in emerging, postcrisis countries, particularly in Asia and Africa, by getting them directly involved in local humanitarian, developmental or environmental projects." They do this by bringing together experts in global business, diplomacy and nongovernmental organizations who go to work in the field. Each unique team assigned to a client is designed to seamlessly think about the client's social and business interests. In short, the company is developing a new model of Corporate Social Responsibility. According to its website, "Corporates for Crisis is a new innovative and sustainable approach to corporate responsibility. Our aim is to build on the considerable commitment already shown by the business world by moving away from 'cheque book charity' and harnessing their strengths and motivations to make step changes in the world of community development and humanitarian aid." CforC "is a business for which profit isn't a dirty world."