NonprofitPal

40 Years:NYC Lincoln Center Out Of Doors

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 05:05:30 +0000

L-R: Supporter, Mical Whitaker, Susan Scheftel, James Magnuson, Shirley J. Radcliff, Bill Bragin

New York – Lincoln Center and Everyman Communities are celebrating the 40^th Anniversary of Lincoln Center Out of Doors, July 28-August 15, 2010. The 40^th year of this free summer festival launched with a talk about its birth from Everyman-Community Street Theater to Lincoln Center Out of Doors. A reception and one-act performance of Jim Magnuson’s play, No Snakes in This Grass, directed by Mical Whitaker followed along with the world premiere of Ethel Fair: The Songwriters. Lincoln Center Out of Doors has grown into one of the largest free performance festivals in the U.S.

Everyman-Community Street Theater was birth by actress Geraldine Fitzgerald, Brother Jonathan Ringkamp, Hazel Joan Bryant and Mical Whitaker 40 years ago “to perform and give voice to new theatrical concepts, political and societal ideas for and by the people.” Fitzgerald convinced Lincoln Center to showcase the work of Everyman companies, operating in each of New York city’s five boroughs, during a weeklong free festival.

Whitaker, the only surviving founder of Everyman-Community Street Theater, shared his recollection of the 1960’s and 1970’s when his “Harlem based East River Players flourished as one of the city’s important African American theater voices” and Everyman-Community’s Harlem troupe. Susan Scheftel, Fitzgerald’s daughter, amused the audience with accounts of her mother’s unwillingness to accept anything but yes when she proposed the project to Lincoln Center.

Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art (RACCA), Shirley J. Radcliffe, Executive producer honored the birth of Lincoln Center Out of Doors as the Everyman-Community Street Theater Festival with one-act of Magnuson’s play from the Civil Rights era, set in the Garden of Eden.

How To Celebrate Being One of Facebook’s 500 million Users?

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:51:54 +0000

Embrace My Facebook

New York – How should New Yorkers, friends and users all over the planet celebrate being one of Facebook’s 500 million users–when this new milestone is announced? How do you mark being part of an unprecedented social network in human socialization and interaction? How would you mark–being one of Facebook’s 500 million users?

Embrace Facebook

I’m celebrating by continuing to embrace Facebook for helping find my friends Liz and Annette; connecting me to family members I didn’t know I had; friends, co-workers and classmates whom I never expected to see or hear from again and making a place to say what’s on your mind during sleepless nights at 3:O’clock in the morning. I’m embracing Facebook for helping build an audience for my blog, www.nonprofitpal.com and creating a platform to market my book Abraham Lincoln’s Savannah: Damage Control to 40 Acres and A Mule when it’s completed.

Participate In A Facebook Celebration Event

I’m celebrating Facebook for inviting me to its official NYC 500 million users’ celebration when the omission of my name is recognized; for a new post about the world’s largest social network and for helping me continue to accomplish my goal of life long learning.

Facebook Co-Founder Developing Jumo

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:11:15 +0000

Chris Hughes, Facebook co-founder and Jumo developer

New York – New Yorker Chris Hughes is inviting public input for his new nonprofit startup website, Jumo. Hughes, one of the co-founders of Facebook and President Obama’s “Internet man” for his 2008 social networking presidential campaign, describes Jumo as a global platform to connect everyday individuals to issues and organizations relevant to them; to foster lasting relationships and meaningful action to speed the pace of global change.

Hughes’ global startup is also hiring developers for its New York, NY location. “Candidates with a longstanding interest in global development issues (i.e. global health, good governance, education, free-flowing capital markets, etc.) are strongly preferred.”

Michelle Obama Launch LetsMove.gov

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:40:26 +0000

New York — First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled today “a nationwide effort to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation” through the launch of LetsMove.gov. Mrs. Obama describes Let’s Move as a “new and improved…online resource for parents, teachers and community leaders to help our children eat better and become more active.” The launch includes an invitation to link to Let’s Move on Facebook and join her tomorrow, Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 10 AM EDT for a special, live web chat on LetsMove.gov. “We’ll talk about this important issue and I’ll answer some of your questions.”

LeBron James: Rise of the Strategic Athlete

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:19:09 +0000

"We Are All Witnesses" to the rise of a strategic athlete, businessman and nonprofit advocate.

New York – LeBron James’ announcement of his free agent decision to join the Miami Heat confirmed Nike’s LeBron slogan. “We Are All Witnesses”–to the rise of the strategic athlete.

With this one decision LeBron took a pay cut, created a charitable gift, projected to raise $2.5 million for the Boys and Girls Club of America, got the University of Phoenix to donate five scholarships to his foundation, improved his chance of becoming a championship winning player, helped position his new team to become an American basketball dynasty, realized a dream of playing on the same team with two Olympic team mates and primed himself to withstand the mean spirited tirade of a hateful owner, fans and all whom determined he owes them his ability and earned opportunity to decide where he will work.

While LeBron’s decision was being analyzed, criticized, second guessed and used to hype ratings before it was announced. More than one hundred National Basketball Association players, unrestricted free agent, were grappling with and hopeful for a contract commensurate with their abilities and contributions. If they were to write open letters vilifying owners, coaches and teams, for doing what is a legitimate part of the industry, not re-signing them, they are likely to be punished with fines and suspension.

LeBron’s right to work for the company of his choosing is undisputable; as are employers rights to choose their employees. Coach Mike Brown didn’t try to incite hate for the Cavaliers after he was rewarded with being fired for coaching the team to the NBA’s best record two years in a row. Players, coaches, businesses and nonprofits can all use LeBron’s experience as a reason to create and/or update their strategic planning.

Robert L. Johnson Launch ClubCharity.Com

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:41:42 +0000

New York – Celebrity charitable gifts can now be bid on by everyone. Robert L. Johnson, Founder & Chairman of the RLJ Companies, launched ClubCharity.com as a resource for entrepreneurs, shoppers, and fans to find rare collectibles, exclusive one of a kind items and exciting experiences donated by some of the world’s most famous celebrities–for the sole purpose of giving back and helping those in need.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Johnson’s online auction platform offers for bid charitable gifts like lunch with Chaka Khan; Tom Hanks’ autographed 2004, Plug-In hybrid Prius; the gorgeous white flowing gown Holly Robinson Peete wore to renew her vows to husband Rodney Peete; and charitable gift packages, like 2 golf spots at Michael Bolton’s Golf Tournament, 2 tickets to his concert with Dave Mason and the After Party. Johnson founded Black Enterprise Television (BET) before starting the RLJ Companies and ClubCharity.com in affiliation with CharityBids.org, whose principals are renowned for their global non-profit fundraising and expertise.

Pepsi Giving Millions To Fund Great Ideas

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:09:10 +0000

New York – Pepsi’s Refresh Project is giving millions away every month to fund great ideas through December 15, 2010. Turn your idea into a compelling submission; get the highest number of people in your virtual community to vote for your idea and you could be awarded a grant up to $250,000. Grant submissions can be made by legal residents of the U.S. ages 13 years and older.

Pepsi is “looking for people, businesses and nonprofits with ideas that will have a positive impact,” in six categories: health, art and culture, food and shelter, the planet, neighborhoods and education. Pepsi announced a new category June 8, for one month, devoted exclusively to ideas to help Refresh the Gulf.

Crowdsourcing

Pepsi’s Refresh Project used crowdsourcing to get more funding ideas. Oprah’s My Own Show used it to get more show ideas for her soon to be unveiled OWN network. Jeff Howe explains crowdsourcing, a term he coined, in his YouTube video. Crowdsourcing allows companies to get more people involved in helping to identify great ideas. Individuals use crowdsourcing to get more people involved in voting for their submitted ideas.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Key Strategies

The keys to winning Pepsi’s Refresh grants are crowdsourcing and virtual communities. If you do not have a virtual community to crowdsource your requests for votes to; you need to start one to increase your chance of winning. Virtual communities are made up of Facebook, Twitter and Myspace friends, emails, websites, blogs and any other online contacts you have, like LinkedIn. Through virtual communities you develop and build rapport with large numbers of people, with common interest, who will respond to your request to go to Pepsi’s Refresh site and vote for your idea. An active virtual community, one that you participate in, can make your good idea a grant recipient or you the host of your OWN show.

2010 Volunteering and Service National Conference Underway in Manhattan

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:19:17 +0000

Mayor Welcomes, NCVS, largest Conference of Volunteering and Service

Manhattan – Mayor Michael Bloomberg welcomed the world’s largest gathering of volunteer and service leaders from nonprofit, government and corporate sectors to Manhattan for their June 28-30, 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service. “It is fitting that New York City will host the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. New Yorkers have proven time and time again that they step up and do even more during times of crisis. Service is ingrained in our city’s DNA,” said Mayor Bloomberg, who this year launched NYC Service to dramatically increase volunteerism in the city.

Conference organizers will webcast live, parts of the conference, for those who can not attend the three day event. http://www.volunteeringandservice.org/plan/sessions.cfm

Recruit Techs and Geeks To Volunteer

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:05:04 +0000

MeetUpNYC - WordCamp, November 2009

Manhattan – Nonprofit organizations willing to step out of their traditional volunteer recruiting box can tap in to pools of techs and geeks where they gather and meet potential volunteers. The newest technology is often unavailable to nonprofit organizations struggling to continue their missions with diminishing contributions. Many do not have funds to hire or contract persons with skill sets to help create or improve their online presence. They do not benefit from technologies that add to fund raising efforts and successfully advance visions and missions.

Go Where They Gather: Three places to start

Meetups, WordCamps, social media and blog conferences attract large numbers of technology fluent persons to events open to anyone with an interest in participating in Manhattan and cities all over the world.

Mashmeet is mashable.com, the world’s largest Web 2.0 and social media blog, meetup.

Look for open source content management and blog meetups for WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.

Attend a WordCamp. WordCamps are open to wordpress.com and wordpress.org users and anyone interested in learning how to use WordPress.

Manhattan Meetups In-Thing

Velma McKenzie-Orr — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:11:29 +0000

Manhattan, NY – Meetup.com, an online social networking portal, facilitate offline group meetings, like the 35 persons that arrived at Outside.In in Manhattan’s Flatiron district, for WordPress NYC monthly Meetup. Various members, depending on topics, of WordPress NYC’s more than 700 self proclaimed fanatics meetup for presentations, demonstrations and discussions about all things WordPress. More than 700 persons joined WordPress NYC fanatics for their WordCamp, a super meetup, in November 2009 which brought out WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg.

By Adria Richards. Super Meetup, WordPress NYC sponsored Word Camp, November 2009

Meetup’s 6.1 million members include Mashable, the world’s largest blog focused exclusively on Web 2.0 and Social Media news, with more than 25 million monthly page views. More than 350 persons have indicated an interest in meeting up with Mashable, June 30, for its Social Media Day, at the Mean Fiddler in Manhattan. Mashable Social Media day celebrates the revolution of media becoming a social dialogue. It is also an opportunity for a MashMeet to socialize with the Mashable community.

Techs and geeks are not the only ones meeting up in Manhattan. Porche lovers meetup, people interested in Manhattan’s real estate market, inventors association, business network, speed dating, tribal style belly dance, soccer pickup, new and expectant mothers and Manhattan Millionaires Group also meetup. If you can’t find a Meetup around your interest in Manhattan, or anywhere in the world, start one at Meetup.com.