Marketers Studio - David Berkowitz's Marketing Blog

Views of Staten Island Devastation and Cleanup Post-Sandy

I'll have a few more Sandy-related posts and hope to keep this as an ongoing post here, given how a lot of my broader neighbors in New York (plus many others in New Jersey) will have a much harder road ahead.

I spent Sunday in Staten Island with a delegation from NYC's City Council, taking a school bus out to New Dorp Beach in Staten Island. 

At first, the area looked fine. You might wonder from photographs what the big deal is. And then you get closer. And walk around. And enter homes. And you see that so many people have lost absolutely everything. I spent awhile carting everything people owned out to the sidewalk for sanitation to pick up. Here I was, a complete stranger, obviously lending a hand, but swooping in and putting so much of someone's life out on the street. So many memories washed away, soon to be landfill. 

The people I met out there were wonderfully gracious, and it was uplifting seeing thousands of volunteers and such strong grass roots coordination, with a strong presence of New York City's sanitation crew, plus many police officers, and a few trucks from the Red Cross. I've never been so motivated to support my neighbors. If you want to contribute too, money is what's needed most, as supply needs vary at each location (Staten Island, Long Beach, the Rockaways, NJ shore, Coney Island, etc) and money can let those managing various relief efforts be more nimble.

One organization I recommend is the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, which is heavily focused on hurricane relief and is extremely well rated by Charity Navigator. You can donate via the link there or use SMS and text NYCFUND to 50555 for an instant $10 donation.

Below are photos from Staten Island. Let me know if you have any thoughts or questions, and I welcome being a resource any way possible. It's getting cold, and rebuilding will take money months, so keep up your support of those who need it most.

 

 

Celebrate My Birthday by Feeding Thousands of People in Need

I don't believe I've ever referenced my birthday here on this blog during my birthday proper, but this year I'm trying something a little different. 

Last year, in thanks to the hundreds of birthday well wishers on Facebook and elsewhere, I expressed my gratitude by making a donation to the Food Bank of New York City. It's an especially fitting cause for those who know me, as I've spent most of my life in our near NYC, and I've enjoyed quite a few memorably sumptuous feasts (follow my Foodspotting updates for proof). Yet there are way too many people whose version of food spotting is making sure they can spot enough food around the house (or lack of house thereof) for themselves and their families to function throughout the day. 

This year, I'm embracing the whole social media concept. Food Bank of New York City now offers a virtual food drive, and you can visit my own page there to join me in a birthday celebration. Just $1 provides 5 meals for people in need.

To be totally clear, I'm touched by any birthday wishes in their own right; it means a lot to be surrounded physically and virtually by so many thoughtful people. And if you have other ways you prefer to support others, keep doing what you're doing. But if you do want to join me in making this birthday even more meaningful for others, even if it's all of a few bucks to cover a gallon of milk, then I know there are a lot of other people who will be very thankful for what we do together.

Here's one other way you can feel better about this: I always vet charities through Charity Navigator, which provides objective ratings of non-profits. Food Bank for New York City scores four stars out of four - the highest rating, with the vast majority of funds going to its programs rather than administrative and fundraising expenses. 

Thanks for at least checking this out, and reading all this. If you wind up taking part in this personal, social experiment, all the better.

Some Mobile Commons Text-to-Give Short Codes to Help Haiti

Word is out about the State Department mobile code where you can text 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross, but a friend just sent over these codes from Mobile Commons. You might want to try these if you’re already a supporter of one of the causes below:

• Text HABITAT to 25383 to donate $10 to Habitat for Humanity

• Text CARE to 25383 to donate $10 to CARE

• Text HAITI to 25383 to donate $5 to International Rescue Committee

• Text OXFAM to 25383 to donate $10 to Oxfam International

• Text AMERICARES to 25383 to donate $10 to Americares

• Text AJWS to 25383 to donate $10 to American Jewish World Service

• Text Relief to 30644 to donate to Catholic Relief Services

Join the Marketers Studio Challenge on DonorsChoose.org

 

Once again, October brings another DonorsChoose.org challenge.

Here's the gist: teachers post projects they need funding for, and donors choose the projects they want to fund.

In what's now a great annual tradition, bloggers team up (I'm with other NY Tech Bloggers) to raise awareness for some projects that mean something to them and rally awareness - and donations.

Check out my donors page, and if anything resonates, consider a $25 donation - or even pick a totally different project to fund. 

Thanks. And kudos to the DonorsChoose team for pulling this together.

Redefining Christmas with Charitable Giving

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeI just got wind of the microsite Redefine Christmas, which promotes charitable gifts for the holidays rather than the kind that you desperately try to regift to someone else.

The site's a wrapper, not the present. I wish there was more you could do on it. Even the links to share info through social media sites are lacking. There's a Twitter button, but there's no Twitter account from them. There's a digg button, but you then have to enter everything yourself rather than one-click voting to digg up the site yourself.

Yet it is all for a good cause, so I won't be too hard on these do-gooders. The site links to some charitable sites where you can give a gift through donations, namely Changing the Present and JustGive.org.

Below is a little more info from their press release:

Redefine Gifts!

For your Dad who always took the time to read you a special bedtime story and re-enacted "Goodnight Moon" more times than you remember:  How about books for children who don't have any at all?  At www.ChangingThePresent.org you can find a full range of charitable gifts including the opportunity to put five books right into the hands of children in need with First Book.  A book at home is often the biggest factor in learning how to read!

 

Redefine Gift Cards!

For your best friend who loves to shop-- Instead of Gift Card for the mall, how about a Gift Card for the world?  You can send an inspiring GiveNow Card from www.JustGive.org.   She can use it to make a donation to any charity she most wants to support. It's a win for you; a win for her; and a powerful win for charities she cares most about. 

 

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Tackling Poverty on Blog Action Day

Image by carlaarena via FlickrToday's a great day for the blogosphere, Blog Action Day. The idea is that bloggers band together to raise awareness of a certain issue, and the theme this year is poverty. B.A.D.'s official site says nearly 11,000 sites are participating reaching 12 million people, though with any luck we'll get some more bloggers taking part to put the total over the top.

I've covered poverty a number of times on the blog, even if it's not a regular subject, and even if I cover it too lightly. Here's a bit of a recap:

In October 2006, I was toying with a theme of non-sponsors where I'd promote certain sites that I thought were making the world and the Web a better place, all without any arrangement of any sort with the featured site. My first entry was about Kiva, the microlending site that I still participate in regularly, giving a total of 18 loans over the years (19 including another today while revisiting the site). What's great is that it's easy to keep reloaning the money that's paid back, so you can keep on doing it. The one area where I've fallen short in is in inviting others to the site, so if you're interested in trying it out, let me know. You can make a loan for as little as $25 to help someone jumpstart their business, and no one I've lent to yet has defaulted. Learn more at Kiva.org.

In February 2007, I posted one of my favorite titles, "Book of the Hump Club." It's about the Camel Book Drive that lets you buy books to deliver to children in Africa.

That month I also covered Tree Nation, which helps prevent poverty and desertification. My tree still stands, amassing 700 views so far. I'm glad it's a well visited tree.

In May this year I mentioned Modest Needs, where people can help prevent others sinking into a downward spiral by helping with some basic needs, like paying utility bills. All applicants are carefully screened.

Poverty came up in the transcript from David Paterson's talk at the ServiceNation forum in September.

Most recently, I mentioned poverty in light of the DonorsChoose challenge, another social action project I'm participating in through the blog.

Thanks for all your readership. I welcome any other great links to check out down the road. You'll find many other links at Blog Action Day's Resource Center along with thousands of other blogs you might stumble on this week.

Join the Marketers Studio DonorsChoose.org Blogger Challenge

I've mentioned DonorsChoose.org before, but it's been way too long. the gist: teachers, especially in high poverty areas, post requests on DonorsChoose that anyone can contribute to with as little as $5.Donations are tax deductible.

In October 2007, bloggers collectively raised $420,000 for these projects, ranging from bulking up classroom libraries to getting digital cameras to supporting field trips. Let's see if we can do better for 2008.

I've selected a few projects to support; you can find them on my Giving Page or through the widget below. I've also added a widget on the right-hand sidebar toward the bottom should you want to come back to it.

Saving the World at Work by Tim Sanders - Book Review

Tim Sanders first wrote about love in Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends. The moral: get ahead at work by being a lovecat. It was one of the first business books I ever reread, and I still keep it on my desk.

Then he switched to being well liked in The Likeability Factor: How to Boost Your L-Factor and Achieve Your Life's Dreams. The moral: being likable is a great way to get along better in life. It's a good read, though perhaps a little more conventional and very Gladwell-esque once Gladwell became a household (or at least office) name to the point where you didn't even need to mention his first name (Malcolm).

Now he's on to saving the world in Saving the World at Work. The moral: any individual can be an agent of change at the workplace, and any workplace can be an agent of change in the world.

Sanders continues to be accessible, writing with memorable anecdotes and providing concrete steps for taking action. It's not just some do-gooders' guide; as a business book, he makes a case why environmental sustainability is a do-or-die cause businesses must take part in to retain and attract both employees and consumers.

Part One of Saving the World describes the five phases of business revolutions:

1. Circumstances change
2. A new values system arises
3. Innovators arrive
4. Disruption ensues
5. A new order arises

He applies these to other phenomena, such as the quality revolution that took hold mostly in the 1970s and 80s. As for sustainability, we've basically experienced the first two phases and the the next two are hitting (it gets a little messy so it's not all perfeclty linear).

Part Two lists the Six Laws of the Saver Soldier - you know, the people who are actually doing the whole world-saving thing. Yes, it's a little hokey. I was reluctant to read the Love book because of the whole lovecat thing. This time around, the term's a little too militaristic for my tastes. Still, it's all good advice here, and it's the part of the book centered on helping people get ahead, and not just relating to sustainability. For instance, the first law, The Law of the Ledger, states that everything one does at work must have a positive impact on the company's bottom line.

Finally, in Part Three, he lists actionable steps people and companies can take to improve one's workplace for everyone in it (mentor coworkers and partners, provide natural light, share your network), build greater bonds between your company and the community where it operates (sponsor community organizations, offer your office as a meeting place, buy local), and then save the planet (print less, recycle, and green up partners, products, and buildings).

The anecdotes may be the best part of the book. For instance, he describes the partnership between Timberland and the City Year service corps. While I knew nothing about City Year, I wound up meeting several people connected with them while covering the ServiceNation Summit last week (in the Flickr slideshow, you'll see several photos of Usher against a City Year backdrop). The book then became a fun topic of discussion (so it's clear, I was reading a pre-release galley of the book; it's also possible some things changed between my review of this galley and the book's publication this week).

Tim's books have a way of being conversation starters. When I was reading Love in advance of interviewing him, it led to a discussion about the book with a Starbucks barista. Maybe this one'll lead to a few conversations that wound up saving the world.

ServiceNation: 24 Hours in Review

After a blogging explosion the past couple days, I'll offer a few points of reflection on the ServiceNation Summit.

When I agreed to sign up, originally thanks to CK and then bolstered by Kyte's Tesa Lau, I knew it would be an interesting opportunity, but I was going there entirely for me and my company. I expected good networking (check), some learning opportunities for technology and social media (check), and some celebrity citings for good measure (check, check, and check - and those are just the three times I saw Usher).

So yes, I managed to go to a landmark bipartisan, potentially historic event dedicated to community service for entirely selfish reasons.

It's easy to be detached from an event while covering it. Thursday night, I was way too serious about balancing the media uploading (Kyte, Twitter, Zannel, Flickr, TypePad, Facebook, Picasa... oy!) to fully have fun watching a momentous event with some great friends I've made thanks to my blog and job. Friday, I was too busy trying to get a few good minutes of mobile video footage to get to enjoy all the sessions I wanted to attend.

But by the closing session, with a strong performance by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and, for me at least, especially moving speeches by Jon Bon Jovi and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (the latter by video feed - he made a promise not to leave California until the state passes its budget) - it finally hit me what this was about. It was building on JFK's call to service for a new generation, but one that needs to involve all generations, not just "Generation S" as Usher calls it, though they may well lead. Fast forward to 4:01 in the clip below to see JFK's memorable words (though the rest of the speech is pretty good too - that guy was on to something).

So what's next?

For me, I plan to take part in ServiceNation's Day of Action September 27, where there are about 2,300 events planned across the country and hopefully more will take part (I'm having a hard time finding a good fit in New York City, which is unfortunate - let me know if you're here and see any good ones, or you plan on starting one, or you have a thought for starting one that I can help with).

I also recommend reading the ServiceNation Declaration of Service. It's eloquent in its brevity.

Lastly, I recommend reading Tim Sanders' forthcoming book Saving the World at Work. I'm saving my post on that for a couple days, but this is another good one from the Love is the Killer App author.

I'll leave you with one more photo reel, this one from Friday featuring Caroline Kennedy, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Representative Chris Shays (R-CT), Bon Jovi, and Hillary.

And I'll leave you with a question: what can and should we do as ServiceNation?

Send a Text, Save a Life

There are tons of uses for SMS (text messaging); Clickatell recently published a guide to 101 business uses for SMS. I'm still making my way through it, but it's a great read.

Read/Write Web last week posted a great guide to how SMS is being used for giving.

I tried one of the examples myself - this example with Verizon:

Starting today, customers of Verizon Wireless in the U.S. can donate to a charity called "Save the Children," who has mobilized in this time of crisis to provide lifesaving assistance in these two affected regions. Verizon customers can text to the address 4SAVE (47283) with the keyword "quake" to contribute to earthquake relief or the key word "cyclone" to contribute to cyclone relief. They will then receive a reply asking them to confirm their donation of $5.00, which will appear on their next monthly bill.

I tried it out, and it's easy as listed. My only complaint: there are links to Save the Children's site included in the texts, but clicking on it in the text message, it leads to a regular website, not a mobile-friendly WAP site. It's a missed opportunity for Save the Children, but a good start nonetheless.

I also wonder how Verizon's promoting this, as I'm a customer but haven't heard anything about it from them.

Note that R/WW lists a number of other ways to give via SMS; I highly recommend reading it in full.