Back in the 16th century, a hunter named Thomas Ap Harri was on his way home from a hunt in the Halkyn Mountain when he was challenged to clear a lead mine shaft that was 25 feet wide. Thomas Ap Harri accepted the bet and successfully jumped over the mine shaft on his steed.

Located in North East Wales, the Halkyn Mountain is the upland area that is virtually the backbone of Flintshire. The land’s vast reserve of lead has been involved in the histories that even date back to the age of the Roman Empire. Old Roman pigs of lead that were produced in Flintshire were engraved with the inscription Deceangli, the name of the British tribe living in the area.

With veins of lead reserves, Flintshire was favored by miners, most of whom came from Derbyshire. A lot of these miners settled, intermarrying with Welsh locals and becoming Welsh-speaking themselves. Their descendants, bearing non-Welsh family names such as Bateman, Bagshaw, Harrison, Carrington, Ingleby, Hooson, Nuttall, Martin, Redfern, Oldfield, Stealey, and Spencer, still inhabit the area.

As time passed and mining technology became more advanced, investors and miners continued to drive to Flintshire, like the London Lead Company and Derbyshire mining entrepreneurs.

Along with the mining boom, Flintshire flourished into a larger community that thrived from the profits lead mining brought.

Mining operations was virtually stopped in 1970, as the activities resulted to flooding. Quarrying became the area’s main source of income afterwards. At present, two massive limestone quarries operate in the area.

Given these, one can easily see that the lead mines and their shafts have their places in the history of Halkyn Mountain.

It is a small wonder then that the region’s populace is commemorating Thomas Ap Harri’s historic leap, affirming that indeed, the mines have deeply intertwined themselves with the lives of the inhabitants of the area.

A painting of Thomas Ap Harri’s jump on his horse will be put near Naid y March (Horse’s Leap), the actual site of the leap. The painting is done by Bethesda-based artist Chris Hull through the commission of the Flintshire Countryside Service. The painting will be encased in an iron frame and will be showcased alongside a display panel.

Local legends have it that Thomas Ap Harri was probably under the influence of alcohol when he did his leap of faith, which was either brave or foolhardy, as Halkyn mountain ranger Rachael Watson put it.

Watson explains that Thomas Ap Harri’s horse would have been sturdy but heavy, which makes the animal unfit for jumping and clearing 25-feet mine shafts.

The commemorative painting is funded by the Cemex Foundation, a charitable trust set up by quarrying company Cemex. Prior to Chris Hull’s rendition of Thomas Ap Harri’s jump, two stones have been erected to commemorate the jump. According to Watson, those stones are actually Bronze Age in origin and must have come from somewhere else but were brought to the site to commemorate Thomas Ap Harri’s achievement.

During a White House gathering of representatives of nonprofit programs all around the U.S., President Barack Obama praised grassroots organizations for a job well done and vowed governmental support for their efforts.

“Solutions to America’s challenges are being developed every day at the grassroots. And government shouldn’t be supplanting those efforts, it should be supporting those efforts,” Obama told over 100 members of the nonprofit community.

Obama made these remarks after the project presentations of four nonprofits – Bonnie CLAC (Car Loans and Counseling), a New Hampshire organization that helps people own fuel-efficient, reliable and low-cost vehicles; Harlem Children’s Zone, which helps children acquire a good education; Genesys Works, a Houston-based nonprofit that trains and assists low-income high school students get entry-level work in major corporations; and HopeLab, a California program that helps chronically ill young people.

Obama called on big business, foundations and philanthropists to become involved in what he calls a “new kind of partnership between government and the nonprofit sector.”

“If we work together, if we go all-in here, think about the difference we can make,” the President added.

He pledged his administration’s support for grassroots initiatives, citing two examples that have already been included in the economic stimulus package: the $650-million “What Works” fund launched by the Education Department that will be invested in high schools and communities; and a new project by the Health and Human Services Department that will send nurses and health care professionals to provide services to troubled homes.

Mr. Obama has recently signed into law a $50-million Social Innovation Fund which is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service. This fund will provide financial support to community nonprofit organizations. He announced that White House officials, led by domestic policy adviser Melody Barnes, will comb the country in search of the “the most promising nonprofits in America” that will be awarded grants.

Founded in 1985, FedEx is a world’s largest provider of logistics, express transportation, e-commerce and related information services, using its vast air-to-ground network to provide fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories all around the world.

Given its capabilities in transportation and logistics, FedEx has been at the core of relief operations all over the world – moving supplies and relief equipment to bring hope to communities affected by disasters. It has a long-standing support with “>disaster response and humanitarian organizations such as the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army. For its efforts, the company has earned prestigious humanitarian citations such as Circle of Humanitarians Awards and the Henry Dunant International Partnership Excellence Award.

FedEx has been a relief partner for the American Red Cross for ten years, supporting its effort in ensuring that communities in need and victims of disaster have access to relief supplies. FedEx contributes more than $1 million in cash annually to the Red Cross. In addition, it also provides free shipping of emergency supplies as well as volunteer manpower to assist in relief operations. For the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, it donated $1 million additional funding to replenish the diminishing Disaster Fund. As a sign of its unwavering support for the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross, FedEx has committed $6 million to support its operations for 2008 to 2013.

FedEx also supports The Salvation Army with funding to equip its emergency response personnel to arrive at disaster sites more quickly and to be able to provide supplies and necessities to victims in need. The company supplied funding the Salvation Army’s 11 Emergency Services Response Units, which are mobile canteens used during emergencies and disasters as well as deployed within communities for feeding programs and other civic efforts. It also provided the Salvation Army with funding for thousands of disaster-relief kits for distribution to individuals impacted by disasters.

FedEx’s commitment to humanitarian efforts is global in scope. It donated more than $300,000 in cash and $500,000 worth in shipping to support relief operations in Myanmar and China. It provided free shipping for more than two million pounds of relief aid to the hurricane victims in the Gulf Coast region. It donated aircraft and personnel to deliver 77 tons of generators, clothing and relief supplies to earthquake victims in Peru. It collaborated with more than 20 government and relief organizations to deliver over one million pounds of aid to the victims of tsunami in Southeast Asia.

FedEx is not only the backbone of the world’s transportation industry. It has been a backbone of the international humanitarian effort as well.

As one of the world’s most well-known brands in the automobile industry, Honda has created the most memorable products – from scooters to superbikes and car models such as the Accord, CR-V, Element, Civic, and Ridgeline.

Along with Honda’s commitment to build high-quality automobiles, it is also committed in giving back to the community. Since the company was established, it has pursued a corporate philosophy founded on respect for the individual, the customers, and the community. It envisions of becoming a company that society wants and supports and it aims to improve the quality of life in the communities by enriching their social, economic, and educational well-being.

To pursue its philanthropic commitment in the United States, Honda established two foundations which have funded over $25 million in support of nonprofit organizations that impact the communities in a positive way –– the American Honda Foundation and the Honda of America Manufacturing Foundation. The former focuses on advancement of literacy, mathematics and science education among the youth. The latter focuses on youth and education in the Ohio area.

Among Honda’s recipients are the Eagle Rock School (ERS) and Professional Development Center, a Colorado-based school wholly-funded and initiated by Honda aimed to address the escalating dropout problem in America. Through the ERS, underperforming high school students are admitted free of tuition and given another chance to grow educationally.

Honda also supports educational institutions that fulfill dreams of children with disability. It continues to support the Alabama Institution for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) by providing school uniforms and educational supplies for their students.

Moreover, it supports the following events and programs for youth development: Students Run, Youth Educational Sports, Rolling Readers and the Living Classrooms Foundation.

Honda believes in the power of automobiles to transform lives and give at-risk youth a better perspective. Initiated way back in 1969, the National Youth Project Using Minibikes (NYPUM) uses minibikes created by Honda as a fun and innovative way of dealing and engaging troubled and disadvantaged youth. Riding on minibikes, youth participate in challenging and fun activities together with positive adult role models. To date, 50 NYPUM programs have been launched in communities from Los Angeles to Boston.

In addition, the company also supports the Ride for Kids for the benefit of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and the Little League Baseball.

Honda also contributed to provide students with opportunities in music and dance. It has committed to donate more than $1 million to fund the Detroit Symphony Orchestra concert sponsorships, “The Power of Dreams Education Fund,” and the Classical Gala Roots Foundation.

Dunkin’ Donuts is the world’s largest chain of baked goods and coffee products in the world, having a market presence in 31 countries worldwide, with 8,800 restaurants and global revenue earnings of $5.5 billion. Its products are an American favorite, from its coffee products – regular coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee – to its baked products – donuts, bagels, and muffins.

Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin’ Donuts operates on a tradition of respect for all its stakeholders and has corporate social responsibility as a central frame of reference. Its aims and organizational behaviors show respect for its stakeholders and a commitment to do what is right for the benefit of the consumers, its franchisees, and the communities it does business with to contribute an overall positive impact on society.

To bring this commitment to fruition, the company intensified its philanthropic initiatives. It established the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation to create a broad network of Dunkin’ Donuts stakeholders to form partnerships with organizations that help strengthen communities, especially in the wake of emergencies and/or disasters.

The Foundation emphasizes the need of strengthening emergency response organizations as well as the communities themselves to equip them with the necessary skills and infrastructure to be able to address disasters. It supports various emergency response organizations through financial assistance, trainings, partnerships, volunteerism and recognition of local heroism.
Since 2006, the Foundation has awarded over $1.9 million for the benefit of several emergency response organizations. Among the recipient organizations are Homes for Our Troops, Feeding America, Do Something, National Police Athletic League, National Volunteer Fire Council, Soldier’s Angels, The Leary Firefighters Foundation and American Red Cross Blood Centers. These grants have funded the capacity-building of responders through the purchase and maintenance of additional emergency response equipment and safety training to responders. It has also enabled communities to be equipped with quick-response disaster preparedness plans and generated community awareness and involvement.
The company’s franchisees, which are assisted by its employee volunteer corps, also launch localized philanthropic efforts in their respective communities ranging from college scholarship programs, community service, blood drives, supporting sports and athletic competitions, to raising funds for cancer patients. Its partner nonprofits include The Home for Little Wanderers, Boston Health Care for the Homeless, National Children’s Alliance, T.J. Martell Foundation, MA Hospital School, Clarke School East, Greater Boston Food Bank, Perkins School for the Blind, American Red Cross Food Pantry, Friends of Little Blue, and Trustees of Reservations.

According to Ketchum president Kristina J. Carlson, Bill Greehey is one of the country’s greatest volunteer fundraisers. Greehey does not only provide support but also understands the importance of community service and participation. The 73-year old NusStar Energy LP chairman is actively campaigning for Haven for Hope, a $90 million facility meant for providing shelter. This 22-acre, 800-bed complex will make available over 150 social services for the indigent and homeless.

In less than two years, Haven for Hope was able to raise 90% of the needed funds for building the campus. Part of this is Greehey’s contribution of $5 million. Haven for Hope will be fully operational by 2009, and is already considered a national model in the fight against homelessness.

Greehey believes in sharing his success with others by committing himself to community service. He has also made sure that his employees at NuStar follow his philanthropic philosophy by encouraging them to generously share their time and money to various noteworthy causes and organizations. Greehey believes that his employees make a big difference in helping NuStar reach out to the community.

William E. Greehey came from humble beginnings and slowly rose to become the chairman of NuStar Energy LP. He grew up in a small town called Fort Dodge in Iowa, and lived with his “poor but loving” family. When he turned 12, Greehey decided to work so he could help support his family. Later on, through persistence and sheer determination, Greehey graduated from St. Mary’s University in 1960 and became a certified public accountant.

Today, William “Bill” Greehey continues to be one of best examples of what philanthropy is all about.

General Mills, the marketer behind such names as Betty Crocker and Pillsbury, has a philanthropic facet to it. The General Mills Foundation, as it is called, has four grants, one of which is called Celebrating Communities of Color.

Celebrating Communities of Color invariably awards 50 nonprofit groups with $10,000 in grants. Qualified nonprofits are those situated in the Minnesota-St. Paul metropolitan area and the seven counties therein, namely Washington, Scott, Ramsey, Hennepin, Dakota, Carver, and Anoka. Above all, the nonprofits must cater to people of color.

Celebrating Communities of Color grants prioritize nonprofits in education, particularly those who help K-12 learners. Likewise, the grants are for organizations that supply social welfare services. They are also partial to nonprofits that seek to enhance fitness and boost nutrition among children and the youth. The “color” grants are also designed with the arts and culture nonprofits in mind.

The 2009 Celebrating Communities of Color program has already started accepting applications since April 15, 2009, via The Foundation website. All applications must be in on or before August 1, 2009.

Last year’s recipients included:

• Somali Success School
• Women of Nations
• Partners for Violence Prevention
• North American Council on Adoptable Children
• Lundstrum Center for the Performing Arts
• AMICUS
• Free Arts for Abused Children of Minnesota
• Bakken Library
• College of St. Catherine
• Eco Education
• Hmong American Partnership
• Ananya Dance Theatre
• Centre for Asians and Pacific Islanders
• St. Peter Claver School
• Emergency Foodshelf Network
• Mizna
• Hope For The City
• Incarnation-Sagrado Corazon de Jesús
• Lifetrack Resources
• The Vietnamese Community of Minnesota

Apart from the Celebrating Communities of Color grants, The General Mills Foundation also offers the Champions for Healthy Kids Grants, Twin Cities Grants, and Community Action Council Grants. In FY 2008 alone, the foundation has awarded $21 million worth of grants.

Already, The General Mills Foundation is vintage philanthropy. It was founded in 1954 as General Mills’ community relations arm. Located in the General Mills corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, the foundation has made $400 million in donations to many local nonprofits.

Grant Responds to Growing Need of Nation’s Food Banks Underscored by Troubling Results of Recent Survey

December 19, 2008 – Feeding America (formerly named America’s Second Harvest), the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, announced today that the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has donated $1 million to help provide food and groceries to the dramatically increasing number of hungry people in the U.S.

Feeding America released a report yesterday that documented a stunning surge in the number of Americans seeking emergency food assistance for the first time in the past year. Demand at Feeding America’s food banks increased an average of 30 percent in a single year, with many food banks reporting even higher increases. Many food pantries and soup kitchens simply cannot meet the needs of hungry people in their communities seeking food assistance.

A large portion of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s grant will be distributed to food banks that provide food and groceries to hundreds of food pantries, soup kitchens, Kids Cafes, senior meal programs and other emergency feeding programs throughout the nation.

Feeding America president and CEO Vicki Escarra said, “A new survey of low-income Americans shows that our hunger crisis has grown dramatically. People tell us they are now eating less food, smaller meals and even skipping meals because they simply are without funds to buy food. Bank of America has recognized the tremendous strain many Americans face as a result of the economic downturn. We are extraordinarily grateful for this generous donation from Bank of America.”

“Bank of America remains focused on providing relevant, meaningful support to help individuals and families navigate difficult times,” said Andrew D. Plepler, Global Community Impact Executive and President of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. “Ensuring vulnerable populations have access to basic services is a critical component to revitalizing our nation’s economy. Our partnership with Feeding America will help support their efforts to provide food and groceries to the 36 million Americans who are having enormous difficulty making ends meet.”

Bank of America is a longstanding supporter of food banks across the country, having donated more than $900,000 and provided nearly 4,000 employee volunteer hours this year alone in addition to this $1 million grant. Bank of America plans to expand its employee volunteer efforts supporting this cause and will announce specific plans to that end in early 2009.

About Feeding America
(Formerly America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network) Feeding America provides individuals and families facing hunger with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks operate 63,000 agencies that address hunger through emergency food assistance and programs. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit www.feedingamerica.org.

About Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy
Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it serves, Bank of America will embark in 2009 on a new, ten-year goal to donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Bank of America approaches giving through a national strategy called “neighborhood excellence” under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Through Team Bank of America, bank associate volunteers contributed more than 650,000 hours in 2007 to enhance the quality of life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.
Reporters contact:
Ross Fraser, Feeding America
rfraser@feedingamerica.rog
312.641.6422

Ernesto Anguilla, Bank of America
ernesto.anguilla@bankofamerica.com
617.434.7308

EBay, an Internet-based company located in San Jose California, is the world’s largest and most popular marketplace. Since its inception in September 1995, the company has, in all aspects, increased exponentially – in revenues as well as its worldwide Web community of buyers and sellers. As a truly global marketplace, eBay has a foothold in 150 countries around the world. EBay’s presence has found its way to philanthropy – by devising ways on how to address the world’s foremost problem: poverty.

Its founder, Pierre Omidyar, reflected on how to expand philanthropy to a higher level. He noticed that with traditional charitable giving, once you write your check to international nonprofits such as Red Cross or United Way, you do not know how your donation makes a difference because you have no idea what particular service it will achieve.

The Omidyar Network, the philanthropic firm of eBay, operates much the same way bids and auctions are transacted at ebay.com. There is a transparent system in place that enables donors to monitor who benefits from their donations. The concept started out of a nonprofit site called GlobalGiving, which allows anyone to post funding anywhere. A group of schoolteachers from India requested funding for a toilet because the dropout rate among puberty-aged girls in the school increased due to absence of private facilities to serve their needs. They posted an ad which read: “New Toilet Block for School. $5,000.” In less than three months, donors poured in and a separate toilet was built for the girls. The retention rate after that was high.

The Omidyar Network’s brand of philanthropy is two-pronged. First, the firm gives donations to nonprofit companies advancing social development and change. Second, it invests in companies focused on social change.

Omidyar’s philanthropic efforts focus on poverty mitigation and education. The firm recently donated $100 million for a program at the Tufts University that will generate millions of tiny loans, to finance small businesses to impoverished residents in India, Bangladesh, and other countries. It donated millions of dollars for the benefit of the Grameen Foundation USA, which financed the small businesses of over 1,152 women in Uganda. With this income, they were able to build their own homes and send their children to school. Its donations also gave capital to Indian women to augment their income.

Omidyar has also supported Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advances the use of the Internet to check on government accountability and transparency. It also funds Endeavor, a nonprofit that hands out small loans to entrepreneurs in several developing countries.

College endowment returns in the United States have gone on a double-digit nosedive. For more than five months, average college endowment returns slid down by 22% after they dropped 3% in a span of 12 months, three surveys revealed.

Major universities and colleges such as Harvard, Stanford, and Yale have predicted drops in their endowment returns. However, around 77 institutions with endowments of $1 billion or more have experienced minor gains.

Last December 2009, a joint survey conducted by the Commonfund Institute and the non-profit National Association of College and Business University Officers revealed that many schools using a large portion of their endowment to fund their operating expenses have put their fund in “crisis position.” These moves were made to buffer any effects of the significant drop in their endowment returns. Both research foundations also conducted separate surveys and gathered the same results.

Throughout the country, the college system is feeling the effects. Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor, announced that the school has already laid off 48 employees after the college endowment dropped by 9%. Pennsylvania State University employees were also told not to get their hopes up for a salary increase as the school’s endowment plunged by 2.8%. University President Graham Spanier said that the school has also had a 6% reduction in state appropriations. President Shirley Tilghman of Princeton University announced that the school will take on tighter screening methods for their hiring process.

Despite the current situation of the economy and the ongoing cost-cutting measures implemented by American colleges and universities, Senate Finance Committee chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa argues that schools must not refer to the volatility of expenditures as a reason to increase student tuition fees or put a hold on student assistance.

On the contrary, Grassley insists that the weak economy should boost the endowment spending on student aid. Most schools have also announced that they will not freeze student assistance while some even increased their budget for student aid. Such is the case of Princeton University with the school’s board of trustees’ approval of a 13% increase in its undergraduate scholarship allocation. However, Princeton announced that they will raise their tuition fees by 2.9% – the lowest percentage increase in undergraduate tuition and fees since 1966.

Undoubtedly, college endowments plunging by a large margin has become a common concern. However, quite a number of colleges and universities exceeded Standard & Poor’s 500 Index both last year and over a 10-year span. According to John Walda, president of the association for university business officers, such an achievement in a time of crisis is due to the proper management of endowments and investment of the campus managers.

Endowment policy experts believe that schools should spend more of their endowments, whether in crisis or not. Lynne Munson, a college endowment researcher, criticizes the reaction of some colleges towards the current economic downturn. These institutions, according to Munson, have double-digit growth for decades that one year of loss will not be enough to endanger them.

• Economic woes hit traditionally black colleges.
• How recent college grads survive the recession.
• The Federal Reserve examines the effects of the recession on colleges.

An article from Longmont Times-Call titled “Amgen Hands Out $175K to Agencies” describes how the Thousand Oaks, California-based biotech company Amgen donated the sum of $175,000 to nonprofit organizations in Boulder County, Colo. It gave out $25,000 each to seven charitable organizations including The OUR Center, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, The Emergency Family Assistance Association, The Sister Carmen Community Center, Community Food Share, Aging Services Foundation of Boulder County, and HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties.

According to Amgen spokeswoman Diana Sherman-Palmer, the company wanted to take the extra mile in giving assistance to those who need help in a time of financial crisis. Moreover, this gesture is just one of the many that the company gives through its foundation and its employees’ volunteer time.

Founded in 1980, Amgen Inc. is an international biotechnology company that is considered as the largest independent biotech firm with around 17,500 employees and revenues of $14.77 billion as of 2007. The company employs cellular biology and medicinal chemistry in curing inflammatory disorders, kidney ailments, metabolic diseases, and cancers. Its leading drugs include Epogen and Aranesp for anemia; and Enbrel — which has become one of the best-selling drugs in the market — for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Other drugs include Vectibix for colon cancer, Kepivance for oral mucositis, Neupogen and Neulasta for neutropenia, Sensipar for secondary hyperparathyroidism, Nplate for chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura, and Kineret for rheumatoid arthritis.

Amgen is a blending of the company’s original name, which was Applied Molecular Genetics.

Article Source: Amgen hands out $175K to agencies

More Amgen News:

• Analysts maintain positive outlook for Amgen
• Amgen leads employers in annual game

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) defines Corporate Social Responsibility as “the continuing commitment by business to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the community and society at large.”

So what does a company have to do then to bring about a major change, such as adopting a CSR program? For one thing, it requires a strong championing leader. In the case of the world’s largest public corporation by revenue (Fortune Global 500 report), it takes one magnanimous CEO by the name of H. Lee Scott Jr.

For years, Wal-Mart has been unfairly labeled as a company that demolishes unions before they can demand for employee benefits, eliminating smaller mom-and-pop stores, and draining suppliers through their costs. But through its recent strategic moves, Wal-Mart has shown it has heart and a social conscience as well.

Amidst protests to numerous unethical practices of Chinese companies, Scott made a stand. In a summit Scott led, Wal-Mart suppliers in China were instructed to comply with higher ethical and environmental standards.

The campaign doesn’t stop there. Wal-Mart is stirring change in Uzbekistan where cotton export is the main source of income. Cotton production is also a venue for Uzbek child labor. Uzbek children have no other choice but to work under inhumane conditions for minimal wages in order to support their families. In protest, Wal-Mart went as far as even declaring publicly that it pledged to stop buying Uzbek cotton. Until the authorities do something to rectify the injustice, Wal-Mart isn’t budging from this stance.

It is exactly this kind of fearless leadership that has earned Scott a spot in Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2004 and 2005. Since his appointment as CEO for Wal-Mart in January 2000, the company has remained unshaken in its number one position as largest retailer in the world. Born and raised in Kansas, Scott began working for Wal-Mart in 1979 and will step down as Wal-Mart’s CEO on February 1st 2009.

Article source: Money.cnn.com.

Wa-Mart determined to lead in social responsibility.

Alice Walton, daughter of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, is an active philanthropist through the Wal-Mart Foundation.

Intelius Boosts Charitable Contributions in 2008
Wednesday, 21 January 2009

In 2008, while many corporations were cutting back on charitable giving because of the tight economy, Bellevue-based Intelius, a search, screening and identity protection provider, was ramping up its contributions.
The six year-old Intelius gave nearly $210,000 to over a dozen local and national nonprofit organizations in 2008. With just 191 employees, 2008 contributions set a new corporate giving record for the company.
“Our country is facing an unprecedented number of people in need and we felt it was our responsibility to step up when the economy forced others to step back,” said Naveen Jain, co-founder and CEO of Intelius. “I am inspired by the amazing work done by the nonprofit groups we work with, and I want to instill that passion not only within Intelius, but as an example for others to follow.”

Groups who received 2008 gifts from Intelius include an eclectic mix of nonprofits supporting education, healthcare, youth and family issues. One such organization is Hopelink, a nonprofit whose mission it is to help low-income people move to self-sufficiency.
“Despite the unusual and unfortunate economic challenges we’re all facing right now, Intelius continues to step forward in a spirit of generosity and compassion to enable others who are not as fortunate,” said Linda Benson, director of development for Hopelink. “As one of our major partners of our Reaching Out Luncheon and End Summer Hunger campaign, Intelius continues to lead the way for others to follow.”
Trish Carpenter, Director of Fundraising & Development, at Overlake Service League knows firsthand how vital the support of community members and corporations is to its programs serving children, families and seniors in need. Her organization, like many others, does not receive city, state or federal funding.
“Intelius stands out as a significant community partner of Overlake Service League because at all levels of the company they believe in and care about community. Intelius knows and understands that being involved can and does make a difference in lives,” said Carpenter. “In addition to the important funding Intelius contributes to our organization, their employees and management have personally volunteered their time and energy at Overlake Service League projects in meaningful, hands on ways. The dedicated support and friendship of Intelius is vital and invaluable to us serving our mission.”
Intelius has also established a scholarship endowment program at the University of Washington. The endowment was created to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students in Business and Computer Science & Engineering. To date Intelius has contributed $170,000 to the endowment.
Other charitable partners for 2008 included Children’s Hospital, Treehouse, Bellevue Boys & Girls Club, Eastside Domestic Violence Program, and the Bellevue School Foundation.
For 2009, Intelius hopes to match or increase its contributions as a corporation while encouraging the giving spirit in its employees. In order to achieve this Intelius has developed programs to help employees own a personal stake in the philanthropic success of the company. These include:
• A corporate matching program. Employees can donate and Intelius will match up to $250 annually to a qualified charity of the employee’s choice.
• Paid volunteerism. Intelius will grant employees paid leave to volunteer with their favorite charities.
“Like any company we want to be financially successful, but more important than that—we never want to lose sight of our core values and the understanding that we are only as good and productive as the communities we do business in,” said Naveen Jain. “It is with this knowledge that we work every day to be the best neighbors we can be.”

For Naveen Jain giving back doesn’t stop at a corporate level, he and his wife Anu Jain have donated an estimated $1 million to charity in the last two years.

Related Sources | Naveen Jain – Intelius:

• Naveen Jain, CEO of Intelius, was interviewed by CNET. Naveen Jain relayed his experiences regarding InfoSpace.
• Intelius won the 2006 Stevie Award for Best New Company in The American Business Awards 2006. Read more about Intelius and the company’s CEO Naveen Jain.
• Forbes published a profile about the CEO of Intelius Naveen Jain.
• Intelius mentioned in Huffington Post piece about the dangers of identity theft. Writer Robert Siciliano recommends Intelius for identity security needs.
• Naveen Jain’s personal website

Billionaire and entrepreneur Mark Cuban’s story is one of the prime examples of the rags-to-riches type of tales. And rise to riches he did with flair. Though most people know Mark Cuban as the owner of NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, people should also know that he has a good side and a big heart.

After the September 11 attacks and United States’ active participation in the second war against Saddam Hussein and Iraq, US military casualties were piling up. Though many groups advocated and rallied to support US troops, only a meager few thought about the families and loved ones who were left behind. Cuban, together with his wife, created the Fallen Patriot Fund to provide financial and other forms of support to the families of US soldiers and other military personnel who were killed or gravely injured in Iraq.

The Fallen Patriot Fund receives most of its finances from the Mark Cuban Foundation. As of late, the Fallen Patriot Fund has given away more than $3,540,053 worth of financial aid. Cuban is very passionate about this particular venture, stating that such effort of his is a personal matter to him and his wife, though he does not know any US soldiers personally.

Mark Cuban entered the world of business selling garbage bags at the young age of 12 to raise the money he needed to buy an expensive pair of athletic shoes. The son of a car upholsterer, Cuban worked his way through college.

Mark Cuban’s partnership with Todd Wagner, a fellow Indiana University alumnus, marked both men’s entry to the World Wide Web with the creation of Audionet in 1995.

A wise Mark Cuban then diversified the profits from the sale to shield himself in case of a market crash, which eventually happened during the dot-com bubble burst.

Today, Mark Cuban is listed as one Forbe’s richest people in the world, with a net worth of $2.8 billion as of 2007. Cuban is now involved with the film industry, actively participating in the activities of 2929 Entertainment, a movie enterprise he created with Todd Wagner, and Landmark Theaters, a chain of 58 arthouse movie theaters. Mark Cuban is also the Chairman of HDNet.

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