Why should you support your college every month, and not just in March? Part 2.

Why should you support your college every month, and not just in March? Part 2.

My five-year college reunion is coming up in June, and whenever I think about that I feel myself doing a double take and saying, “Where did the time go?” I had a wonderful college experience, and I look to that time as one that helped shape the person I’ve become.  Even still, there’s something about giving to Brandeis, my alma mater, that feels a little different than my other philanthropy.  I know I share that sentiment with many of my…

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Why should you support your college every month, and not just in March?

Why should you support your college every month, and not just in March?

My five-year college reunion is coming up in June, and whenever I think about that I feel myself doing a double take and saying, “Where did the time go?” I had a wonderful college experience, and I look to that time as one that helped shape the person I’ve become.  Even still, there’s something about giving to Brandeis, my alma mater, that feels a little different than my other philanthropy.  I know I share that sentiment with many of my…

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Everyone loves a good party.

Everyone loves a good party.

Full disclosure: I love a good event.  I like the whole process of getting ready for them.  I like picking out an outfit and I like getting my hair done and I like figuring out where to eat before the event and I like knowing who all is going.  I like imagining what could happen at the event itself.  Maybe the DJ will be on point and I’ll have an incredible time dancing the night away.  Maybe I’ll meet a…

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3 organizations doing cool sh*t | Round 2.

3 organizations doing cool sh*t | Round 2.

The first time we posted about some organizations doing cool shit, we got a large response from people with ideas for who to cover next.  It was awesome to see that response, because it indicated to me that my peers are getting really excited about non-profit organizations that are on their radar.  Read on below for three more organizations that we think are doing cool shit. Resilient Coders – When we took a poll asking for people’s recommendations for cool organizations,…

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April showers bring a lot of Marathon fundraisers.

April showers bring a lot of Marathon fundraisers.

I didn’t realize this before I moved to Boston five years ago, but the Boston Marathon is a really big deal.  It’s like an international event.  What?! I mean, I did spend half of my life in Texas, and I literally only run to the dinner table, so I guess my ignorance is justified.  But imagine my surprise when I realized the Marathon was so important to the people of Boston (and the world) that people took time off of…

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Doing good while doing your job: cause work in the workplace.

Doing good while doing your job: cause work in the workplace.

It’s probably old news at this point that Millennials have surpassed all other generations in the workforce, now making up the majority.  Just last month, an article in the New York Times Sunday magazine posited that the lines between work and play are becoming blurrier than ever.  Notably, Millennials rate the culture of their workplace to be just as important as the actual work their doing.  Part and parcel of the workplace culture?  The opportunity to participate in company “cause…

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Skills-based volunteering: the currency of a new generation of givers.

Skills-based volunteering: the currency of a new generation of givers.

Ask most Millennials what engagement with a non-profit organization looks like to them, and they’ll probably say a combination of a few things.  They’ll talk about traditional giving (writing a check, making a donation, attending a gala).  Most likely, they’ll mention a volunteer day where they had the opportunity to mentor a child or paint a fence.  But, perhaps the biggest marker of Millennial philanthropy that sets my peers apart from generations preceding us is Millennials’ desire to also provide their…

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One is the loneliest number when you could just crowdfund.

One is the loneliest number when you could just crowdfund.

Yesterday, I got into a discussion with coworkers about an editorial that ran in The Boston Globe about two Boston-area philanthropists, Teddy Cutler and David Mugar.  Both Mr. Cutler and Mr. Mugar (ages 85 and 76, respectively) are responsible for two free, public arts events that take place in the city over the summer, drawing crowds of hundreds of thousands.  The first, Outside the Box, was established a few years ago by Mr. Cutler as his gift to the city,…

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Young, rich, famous & philanthropic: Does celebrity influence for social good make you get in formation?

Young, rich, famous & philanthropic: Does celebrity influence for social good make you get in formation?

Unless you got stranded on Mars, were left to fend for yourself, and defied the odds of botany by successfully farming potatoes on the red planet over the weekend, you probably saw that Beyonce came out with a new single and accompanying music video.  The video has already been analyzed by culture critics, which is chock full of political and racial commentary, as well as #BlackLivesMatter imagery.  And then, predictably, she “slayed” the Superbowl halftime show.  Needless to say, Queen…

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3 organizations doing cool sh*t.

3 organizations doing cool sh*t.

With nearly 1.5 million non-profit organizations in the United States alone, it can be pretty overwhelming to try to figure out where to focus your philanthropic energies.  Every couple of weeks, we’ll be highlighting 3 organizations that we think are doing cool sh*t.  These will range in terms of cause or program – we’re omnivorous in terms of that stuff.  But, when it comes to engaging young professionals, these non-profits really have it down.  For this week’s post, we picked…

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