Trina Spillman's Blog, page 4

Hurricanes are Expensive

As I sit here in South Florida, my heart goes out to the people in the Bahamas. The devastation will be costly, but those aren't the costs I am referring to in the title. Statistics indicate most Americans live pay check to pay check and don't have enough in savings to cover a $400 emergency. Guess what a $400 emergency is called? Dorian. If you take a risk and don't prepare, you could die if the worst case scenario plays out. Best case scenario, the storm passes. So that's the gamble, prepare for a potentially catastrophic storm you really can't afford, or take a chance and hope for the best. If you think about what you need to prepare for a storm, it adds up: gasoline for your vehicles and generator; non perishable food items; ice if you don't have a generator to keep your refrigerator running; batteries for flash lights and fans if the power goes out; plywood for the windows that don't have hurricane shutters; zip ties and bungee cords because you can't find the one's from the last hurricane; house repairs, especially leaky roofs; home insurance; tarps; sandbags; and storage fees for any recreational vehicles that may get tossed about like a child's toy in high winds. The intensification of hurricanes like Dorian will likely continue as our planet experiences climate change, as will the staggering economic costs associated with these storms. We might be able to reverse course, but humans don't like change, particularly if that change results in a perceived inconvenience. Here's the rub, Mother Nature doesn't give a damn if we believe in climate change or not, and God help the human race when she decides to make believers out of us.

Hurricanes are Expensive

As I sit here in South Florida, my heart goes out to the people in the Bahamas. The devastation will be costly, but those aren't the costs I am referring to in the title. Statistics indicate most Americans live pay check to pay check and don't have enough in savings to cover a $400 emergency. Guess what a $400 emergency is called? Dorian. If you take a risk and don't prepare, you could die if the worst case scenario plays out. Best case scenario, the storm passes. So that's the gamble, prepare for a potentially catastrophic storm you really can't afford, or take the chance and hope for the best. If you think about what you need to prepare for a storm, it adds up: gasoline for your vehicles and generator; non perishable food items; ice if you don't have a generator to keep your refrigerator running; batteries for flash lights and fans if the power goes out; plywood for the windows that don't have hurricane shutters; zip ties and bungee cords because you can't find the one's from the last hurricane; house repairs, especially leaky roofs; home insurance; tarps; sandbags; and storage fees for any recreational vehicles that may get tossed about like a child's toy in high winds. The intensification of hurricanes like Dorian will likely continue as our planet experiences climate change, as will the staggering economic costs associated with these storms. We might be able to reverse course, but humans don't like change, particularly if that change results in a perceived inconvenience. Here's the rub, Mother Nature doesn't give a damn if we believe in climate change or not, and God help the human race when she decides to make believers out of us.

History Repeating Itself

The German liner, St. Louis, set sail on May 13, 1939 from Hamburg carrying 937 passengers, most of them refugees seeking asylum from death, in this instance, death from the persecution inflicted by the Nazi regime. Captain Schröder was a German who went to great lengths to ensure dignified treatment for his passengers. Food served included items subject to rationing in Germany, and childcare was available while parents dined (note, children were not ripped from their parents arms and thrown in cages below decks). Dances and concerts were put on, and on Friday evenings, religious services were held in the dining room. A bust of Hitler was covered by a tablecloth. Swimming lessons took place in the pool. Lothar Molton, a boy traveling with his parents, said that the passengers thought of it as "a vacation cruise to freedom." Unfortunately, the vacation was short lived. Shortly before the ship made it to Cuba, the country adopted Decree 937, which restricted entry of all foreigners, except US citizens. As a result of this new rule, only 28 passengers were allowed to disembark. With his passengers prohibited from landing in Cuba, Captain Schröder set sail for the United States. Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, advised President Roosevelt not to accept the refugees. Captain Schröder considered running aground along the coast to allow the refugees to escape, but acting on Cordell Hull's instructions, US Coast Guard vessels shadowed the ship and prevented such an action. After the St. Louis was turned away from the United States, Captain Schröder negotiated and schemed to find passengers a haven, as conditions on the ship had begun to decline. At one point, he made plans to wreck the ship on the British coast to force the government to take in the passengers as refugees. He refused to return the ship to Germany until all the passengers had been given entry to some other country. The ship returned to Europe, docking at the Port of Antwerp (Belgium) on June 17, 1939, with 907 passengers. Twenty five percent of those passengers would die in Nazi detention facilities, historically referenced as concentration camps. Today, at various points along the southern United States border, refugees, who are trying to follow the rules and seek asylum legally, are being told there is no more room for them, and are being turned away. Those who do make it across the border risk being detained in facilities that have been dubbed "Hielera", which is Spanish for icebox. Call these places what you will - iceboxes, death camps, concentration camps, detention centers, internment camps - "a rose by any other name is still a rose". Refugees seeking asylum are fleeing death. These refugees may not be fleeing Nazi's, but they are fleeing violence and starvation. History is repeating itself. America is once again turning it's back on those that need our help. It was Mahatma Ghandi who said “A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” Based on the image below, how do you think America will be judged?

Is There a Connection Between Allergies and Ailments?

What is an allergy? An allergy is an adverse immune system reaction to a substance that most people find harmless. According to Naturopathic Doctor, Konrad Kail, "What might surprise you is that your child's ear infections or your spouse's digestive problems may stem from allergies, too. Recent research suggests allergies manifest as various ailments and disorders, from headaches to autism, and allergies can occur at just about anytime, in just about anybody." Allergies can be grouped into two categories, environmental allergies and food allergies. Environmental Allergies The most common form of environmental allergies is caused by the pollen from various plants, but dust mites, mold and smoke are also common causes of allergies. Lesser known causes of environmental allergies include cosmetics, perfumes, cleaning products and fabrics. Chemical sensitivity was studied as early as the 1940's by Dr. Theron Randolph, who was an environmental medicine pioneer. He observed the link between allergies and the prevalence of chemicals and toxins in our environment, like pesticides in food, heavy metals in water, vehicle exhaust in the air, synthetic chemicals in personal hygiene products, cleaning supplies and building materials. It is estimated that 1,000 new chemicals are introduced into the environment every year. Food Allergies Both physical and mental disorders can be caused by allergic reactions to food. In recent years a growing number of studies have been conducted linking food allergies to a wide spectrum of health conditions. Food allergies have been defined by some as an adverse immunological response to certain foods. The foods most commonly found to cause allergies include wheat, corn, milk, egg whites, tomatoes, soy, shellfish, peanuts, chocolate, as well as food dyes and additives. Sulfites have been found to cause allergies and have been known to trigger headaches and hyperactivity in children. As our food and environment become increasingly saturated with pollutants and chemicals, the body's mechanisms for elimination of toxins cannot keep up with the chemical deluge. An overburdened immune system ultimately becomes hypersensitive and allergies to food, airborne agents and chemicals, develop.

Ghost Train

The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was a deadly Category 5 storm that left death and destruction in its wake. The intense hurricane caused extreme damage in the upper Florida Keys. Craig Key, Long Key, and Upper Matecumbe and Lower Matecumbe Keys suffered the worst. In this area, hundreds of bodies were caught in wreckage and mangrove thickets along the shore. Three days after the storm, corpses had swelled and split open in the subtropical heat. Public health officials ordered plain wood coffins holding the dead to be stacked and burned in several locations. In total, at least 423 people were killed by the hurricane. Bodies were recovered as far away as Flamingo and Cape Sable on the southwest tip of the Florida mainland. In a fortunate coincidence, about 350 of the 718 veterans living in the Keys work camps were in Miami to attend a Labor Day baseball game when the storm hit. If not for this outing, many more of the men, whose barracks in the Keys were flimsy shacks, would surely have been killed by the storm. However, many veterans were not so lucky. The main transportation route linking the Florida Keys to mainland Florida was a single railroad line, the Florida Overseas Railroad portion of the Florida East Coast Railway. An evacuation train was sent from Homestead to rescue a group of World War I veterans but the train was washed off the track soon after reaching the stricken area. The train was trying to rescue 683 World War I veterans in a rehabilitation camp, of which around 250 died as a result of the hurricane. The veterans, a remnant of the Bonus Army that marched on Washington, were employed for highway construction in the federal work relief project and were building a new road bridge in the upper Keys. The federal government had an arrangement with the Florida East Coast Railway to provide a train to evacuate the men. However, due to miscommunication between the government and the railway, government officials believed that a train could be readied and sent to the Keys from mainland Florida more quickly than was the case. An official investigation conducted by Aubrey W. Williams cleared those responsible of any wrongdoing, categorizing the tragedy as an unfortunate act of God. However, Ernest Hemingway, who toured the Matecumbes two days after the storm, harshly blamed the government for the men's death and in the September 17, 1935 issue of The New Masses magazine he wrote, "You're dead now brother, but who left you there in the hurricane months on the Keys where a thousand men died before you when they were building the road that's washed out now? Who left you there? And what's the punishment for manslaughter now?" The destroyed railroad was never rebuilt, but temporary bridges and ferry landings were under construction as soon as materials arrived, and within a few years a roadway, the Overseas Highway, linked the entire Keys chain to mainland Florida. But not even ripping up the tracks of the railway could stop the doomed transport train from trying to complete its mission. Several residents have reported the rumblings and whistle of a train on tracks long gone. One local man recounts an incident that still causes a shiver to race down his spine some 40 years later. He recalls as a boy of 12 deciding to head down to his favorite fishing spot. He grabbed his pole and headed out. His younger brother wanted to join him and asked if he could come along. Tommy couldn’t say no to his little brother and the two boys headed off to the old abandoned railroad bridge. They didn’t venture very far out because a huge section of the bridge had been blown away during the hurricane of 1935. It didn’t matter though, the fish the boys were after gathered near the pilings closest to the shore. The fish were biting and the boys were busy reeling in one catch after another. Bruised clouds gathered in the distance. Flashes of lightning soon filled the air. The smell of ozone hung around the boys and they knew they were in trouble. The two brothers had barely enough time to reel in their lines before the skies opened and claps of thunder boomed and rolled across the sky. Lightning began to strike all around them and desperately seeking refuge from the fury of the storm the two boys crawled under the railroad bridge that once carried Flagler’s train from Homestead to Key West. As the storm intensified the boys scurried further back into the recess where the bridge and shoreline met. As the storm’s winds whipped and howled through the steel trusses of the bridge, the boys heard a distant rumbling. At first they thought it was thunder, but the noise grew louder and the bridge began to vibrate. “Tommy what is it!” “I don’t know I can’t see anything.” Tommy peered out from beneath the bridge just in time to catch a glimpse of a roaring locomotive, its bright head light piercing the gloom of the storm. Over the claps of thunder a high pitched whistle alerted the boys of its presence. “Tommy, what’s a train doing on this bridge? It’s gonna crash!” Frantic, Tommy knew he had to stop the train before it plummeted into the ocean but couldn’t emerge from the shelter of the bridge or he would be struck by lightning. The train continued down the tracks and the boys could do nothing but sit in horror awaiting the inevitable crash. The rumbling grew louder, the train whistle blasted, the boys covered their ears and squeezed their eyes shut and then all of a sudden, there was silence. The storm had moved on and there was no sign of the train. It was as if the train had vanished into thin air. Is it possible the doomed train dispatched in 1935 to save the trapped veterans from the deadly Labor Day hurricane is trying to fulfill its mission? A word of warning, if you should encounter a train near Islamorada, you may not want to board, if you do, make sure you have packed enough clothes for a very long journey.

How to Start a Square Foot Garden: A Step by Step Guide

Square foot gardening is a method that sets plants in a grid pattern rather than in rows with spaces left between. The basic unit is a block, three feet by three feet or four feet by four feet, that is further divided into one-foot squares. When a square is harvested, new seeds or transplants are planted immediately. This allows for steady production and maximum yield. A square may contain one to sixteen plants, depending on each crop's requirements. If you don't have enough space for a large square foot garden, try this clever alternative. Instructions for Creating a 12x12x6 Table Top Gourmet Garden: Cut one 1x6 piece of cedar wood into four sections (each section will be 12 3/4 inches long). Screw the four pieces together to form a box. Staple ground barrier fabric to the bottom of the box. This will allow your garden to properly drain. Keep this in mind when choosing a location for your garden. Fill your box with potting soil. Grid your box into four equal squares using string, or yarn. For best results, measure the center of each side of the box and nail a small tack to mark the spot. Wrap string or yarn around each tack. This will create four small squares. Plant two seeds one inch apart and two inches deep in the middle of each gridded square. The type of seed you plant will depend on the type of garden you have selected. Choose from one of the gourmet gardens listed below. Some of the gardens will have the same plant planted in two grids. For example, with the pizza garden you will plant two tomato plants and two pepper plants. Place your garden box in a sunny location on top of a plastic tray. Remember, when you water, the water will drain through the mesh bottom. If growing outdoors, place your box in a sunny location. When it rains or when you water, the water will drain through the mesh bottom. The mesh bottom will help prevent root rot from too much water gathering at the bottom of the box. Harvest plants when they reach maturity. Some plants, like onions, will need to be replanted after harvest. To replant, follow the instructions listed in step 4 Types of Gardens Pizza Garden: Tomato Red Bell Pepper Basil Oregano Spaghetti Garden: Tomato Red Bell Pepper Basil Oregano Pesto Garden Plants: Basil x 2 Garlic Parsley Salsa Garden: Jalapeno Tomato Cilantro Onions Recipes Pesto Ingredients 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves 4 cloves garlic 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional) Directions Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and nuts in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend to a smooth paste. Add parsley if desired. Nutritional Information Amount Per Serving Calories: 96 | Total Fat: 9.2g | Cholesterol: 4mg Pesto Pizza Ingredients 1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust 1/2 cup pesto 1 ripe tomato, chopped 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped 1/2 small onion, chopped 1 (4 ounce) canned artichoke hearts, drained and sliced 1 cup crumbled feta cheese Directions Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spread pesto on pizza crust. Top with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, artichoke hearts and feta cheese. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned. Nutritional Information Amount Per Serving Calories: 394 | Total Fat: 19.9g | Cholesterol: 36mg Salsa Ingredients 4 large tomatoes, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 jalapeno pepper, minced salt to taste Directions Remove the skin of the tomatoes. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix well. Add 1/2 of the jalapeno pepper, and taste. If you desire your salsa with more of a kick, add the remaining 1/2 jalapeno. If you are satisfied with the salsa's heat, do not add the remaining jalapeno pepper. Cover the salsa, and chill until ready to serve. Nutritional Information Amount Per Serving Calories: 53 | Total Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Square Foot Gardening

Square foot gardening is a method that sets plants in a grid pattern rather than in rows with spaces left between. The basic unit is a block, three feet by three feet or four feet by four feet, that is further divided into one-foot squares. When a square is harvested, new seeds or transplants are planted immediately. This allows for steady production and maximum yield. A square may contain one to sixteen plants, depending on each crop's requirements. If you don't have enough space for a large square foot garden, try this clever alternative. Instructions for Creating a 12x12x6 Table Top Gourmet Garden: Cut one 1x6 piece of cedar wood into four sections (each section will be 12 3/4 inches long). Screw the four pieces together to form a box.Staple ground barrier fabric to the bottom of the box. This will allow your garden to properly drain. Keep this in mind when choosing a location for your garden. Fill your box with potting soil. Grid your box into four equal squares using string, or yarn. For best results, measure the center of each side of the box and nail a small tack to mark the spot. Wrap string or yarn around each tack. This will create four small squares. Plant two seeds one inch apart and two inches deep in the middle of each gridded square. The type of seed you plant will depend on the type of garden you have selected. Choose from one of the gourmet gardens listed below. Some of the gardens will have the same plant planted in two grids. For example, with the pizza garden you will plant two tomato plants and two pepper plants. Place your garden box in a sunny location on top of a plastic tray. Remember, when you water, the water will drain through the mesh bottom. If growing outdoors, place your box in a sunny location. When it rains or when you water, the water will drain through the mesh bottom. The mesh bottom will help prevent root rot from too much water gathering at the bottom of the box. Harvest plants when they reach maturity. Some plants, like onions, will need to be replanted after harvest. To replant, follow the instructions listed in step 4 Types of Gardens Pizza Garden: Tomato Red Bell Pepper Basil
Parsley Oregano Spaghetti Garden: Tomato Red Bell Pepper Basil Parsley Oregano Pesto Garden Plants: Basil x 2 Garlic Parsley Salsa Garden: Jalapeno Tomato Cilantro Onions Recipes Pesto Ingredients 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves 4 cloves garlic 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional) Directions Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and nuts in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend to a smooth paste. Add parsley if desired. Nutritional Information Amount Per Serving Calories: 96 | Total Fat: 9.2g | Cholesterol: 4mg Pesto Pizza Ingredients 1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust 1/2 cup pesto 1 ripe tomato, chopped 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped 1/2 small onion, chopped 1 (4 ounce) canned artichoke hearts, drained and sliced 1 cup crumbled feta cheese Directions Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spread pesto on pizza crust. Top with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, artichoke hearts and feta cheese. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned. Nutritional Information Amount Per Serving Calories: 394 | Total Fat: 19.9g | Cholesterol: 36mg Salsa Ingredients 4 large tomatoes, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 jalapeno pepper, minced salt to taste Directions Remove the skin of the tomatoes. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix well. Add 1/2 of the jalapeno pepper, and taste. If you desire your salsa with more of a kick, add the remaining 1/2 jalapeno. If you are satisfied with the salsa's heat, do not add the remaining jalapeno pepper. Cover the salsa, and chill until ready to serve. Nutritional Information Amount Per Serving Calories: 53 | Total Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 0mg

How to Make an Herbal Tea

Have you ever wondered how to utilize those beautiful herbs that are sprouting in your herb garden? One of the easiest ways I have found is to make a flavorful tea. Loose teas are usually steeped in hot water: three to five minutes for leaves and flowers (this method is called infusion) or 15-20 minutes in a rolling boil for denser materials like roots and barks (called a decoction). Infusions Infusions are the simplest method of preparing an herb tea and both fresh and dried herbs, such as peppermint, chamomile, and rosehips, may be used. Due to the higher water content of the fresh herb, three parts fresh herb replace one part of the dried herb. To make an infusion: Put about one teaspoon of the dried herb or herb mixture for each cup of water into a teapot Add boiling water and cover Leave to steep for 5-10 minutes Infusions may be taken hot, cold, or iced. They may also be sweetened. Honey and stevia are great natural sweeteners. Infusions are most appropriate for plant parts such as leaves, flowers, or green stems where the medicinal properties are easily accessible. To infuse bark, root, seeds, or resin, it is best to powder them first to break down their cell walls before adding them to the water. Seeds like fennel and anise should be slightly bruised to release the volatile oils from the cells. Any aromatic herb should be infused in a pot that has a tight-sealing lid to reduce loss of the-volatile oil through evaporation. Decoction For hard and woody herbs, ginger root and cinnamon bark, it is best to make a decoction rather than an infusion, to ensure that the soluble contents of the herb actually reach the water. Roots, wood, bark, nuts, and certain seeds are hard and their cell walls are very strong, requiring more heat than in an infusion. These herbs need to be boiled in the water. To make a decoction: Put one teaspoon of dried herb or three teaspoons of fresh material for each cup of water into a pot or saucepan Dried herbs should be powdered or broken into small pieces, while fresh material should be cut into small pieces Add the appropriate amount of water to the herbs, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes When using a woody herb that contains a lot of volatile oil, it is best to make sure that it is powdered as finely as possible and then used in an infusion, to ensure that the volatile essential oils do not boil away. Decoctions can be consumed in the same way as an infusion. Herbal teas are also an excellent product that can be sold as part of a cottage industry. If you want to learn more check out the series Starting a Cottage Industry.

The Step by Step Guide on How to Become a Social Entrepreneur

Many of us feel the need to serve a greater good in life, but turning a passion into a successful non-profit takes business acumen. Definition of Social Entrepreneur According to Roger L. Martin and Sally Osberg in a 2007 Stanford University report titled "Social Entrepreneurship - The Case for Definition,” a social entrepreneur is: "someone who targets an unfortunate but stable equilibrium that causes the neglect, marginalization, or suffering of a segment of humanity; who brings to bear on this situation his or her inspiration, direct action, creativity, courage, and fortitude; and who aims for and ultimately affects the establishment of a new stable equilibrium that secures permanent benefit for the targeted group and society at large." Step1. When is the right time? As Rupert Scofield, the president and CEO of FINCA International, writes in the recently released Social Entrepreneur's Handbook, "Whether your mission is as ambitious as pulling millions of people out of poverty or as modest as feeding people in your neighborhood, now is the perfect time to get started. Social entrepreneurship has never been more needed, more valued and more achievable than it is today." Step2. Identify Your Issue Regardless of the issue, you need to be 100% committed. If you're not sure what to do, look into joining another existing non-profit until you find your passion. The case study we will be examining is an organization founded by Scott Harrison called Charity: Water. While in Liberia taking photos, Scott recognized the one item that was causing sickness and even death for most of his subjects was a lack of clean water. He saw it (people walking miles to get clean water), photographed it, and found his calling. When he returned to the U.S., he knew what issue to tackle, and he has never looked back. Step3. Build the Brand Nicholas Kristof wrote in the New York Times that any brand of toothpaste is peddled with far more sophistication than all the world's life-saving causes. For Charity: Water, it was about re-creating charity. Harrison built a 100% model (finding separate donors to fund staff and operations) and wanted to show donors all the work they helped to fund. The first employee Harrison hired was in operations, and the second, a designer who helped to build the brand from scratch, differentiating it from other charity websites. Step4: Think of It as a Business The modern non-profit must adopt many of the same strategies, policies, and best practices employed by successful enterprises in the for-profit world. While it is important to function as a non-profit in legal terms, the most successful charities are well-run organizations, managed no differently than for-profit companies but with a different business objective. Literally every element of your brand should be business-driven. For Charity: Water, their sleek New York office consists of donated goods but rivals any top creative agency, they employ sophisticated CRM software to learn more about their donors (like a salesperson would a client), and plenty more. "I think of Charity: Water as a for-profit tech startup that has no profits," says Harrison. "We give away 100% of our profits. So the better year we have, the more people around the world have access to clean water. Our shareholders are people in 17 countries around the world waiting for a rig to drive into a village to provide clean water to a few hundred people living there. We use the word ‘business’ so much more than ‘non-profit’, even though that's what we are." Step5: Earned Income A 501(c)(3) non-profit can still generate earned income. And plenty do. The National Center for Charitable Statistics estimates that nearly 70 percent of the $1.4 trillion generated by non-profits in 2008 came from the sale of goods and services. The classic example: The Girl Scouts of the USA is synonymous with cookies—thanks to a troop in Oklahoma that began selling cookies in 1917 to raise funds. The Girl Scouts was founded in 1912, with the goal of teaching girls practical life skills. The cookie business did just that, while giving the organization a financial boost as well. Now the Girl Scouts, which has 3.3 million members, generates more than $700 million in annual revenue from the cookie program. The Advantages: Generating income frees an organization from total dependence on philanthropic dollars. At the very least, the income is a safety net; it also means more money to invest in the mission. Unlike many grants, earned income is unrestricted and can be used however the organization chooses. Finally, non-profits with earned income retain all the advantages of pure non-profits—including tax exemptions, ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and eligibility for non-profit-exclusive grants from major foundations. Step6: Hire Employees Smarter Than You A problem that isn't unique to non-profits, any well-run organization needs to employ this simple hiring tactic. For social entrepreneurs, it's often just as difficult to hire other employees who may have skills or experience beyond yours, but that's no different than a for-profit entrepreneur building a team. Once you get over that original fear, you will be able to find and keep talented employees who recognize that your ego doesn't get in the way of success. Step7:Employ Transparency & Authenticity Another important principle is being truthful with donors. In our case study, Harrison wanted his donors to know everything about his cause (hence the thorough website), but more importantly, he wanted transparency when it came to the financial information. He didn't want any questions on where the money was going, so he made it personal. Annual reports should be made available for download, and there should be an updated counter on how many people a charity has helped. Case study: "It was really important to me to be completely honest with people where their money went," Harrison says. "So, if you sponsored a well, we would send you back photos and the GPS coordinates of the projects, so you would know it existed and where it was, the community, and the people you helped. We're trying to make that personal connection to make that tangible for people." Step8: Develop Smart Partnerships For many social entrepreneurs, success is dependent upon (or relies heavily on) developing effective partnerships. From a corporate perspective, you want to align your brand with organizations that have a good track record but also align closely with your ideals. Large organizations get so many proposals for charitable causes in a given week that you need to smartly target which ones make the most sense, and get it right the first time. Beyond corporate partnerships, you can't do it yourself. Similar to hiring smart employees, you need to be watching for companies who can help you to achieve your end goal. Step9: Make an Emotional Connection Without a doubt, public perception can drive social entrepreneurs to success or failure, and rather quickly. Every organization (for-profit and non-profit for that matter) wants more media mentions and press coverage. But sometimes, it's as simple as going back to that original passion you had for the cause and developing your own ways to connect with individuals. Control the message and the medium, and never lose sight of your ultimate goal. Step10: Utilize All Available Social Media Platforms The basic mindset is that you need to be everywhere your donors are, and provide them value at every touch point. For our case study, visual storytelling has been extremely important. Harrison notes, "We've made over 200 videos using new media and are on ten different social media platforms, because they're as easy as signing up. We're aiming to connect donors in as close to real-time as possible with the people they are serving around the world." The Business Model Works Best When: The non-profit has a valuable product or expertise. As long as the product or service is directly related to the mission, the income remains tax exempt. The user has some ability to pay. The non-profit's mission is job training or skill building. According to IRS regulations, organizations that help certain classes of individuals—refugees or homeless people, for example—find jobs are permitted to become employers themselves. Conclusion Identify Your Issue Build Your Brand Hire Employees Smarter Than You Employ Transparency & Authenticity Develop Smart Partnerships Make an Emotional Connection Utilize All Available Platforms Develop a Business Model (that generates revenue to help support your mission)

Can My Voice Rise Above the Noise?

Dear Every Democratic Candidate Running for Office: Please hear me. I often feel like a tiny little Who, in Whoville, screaming to be heard by Horton. Where are the Hortons of the party? Please find them so this rant can be heard. First, I am sick and tired of certain Democratic candidates taking a moderate approach to policy in hopes of not pissing off too many people. I call bullshit. Pick a fucking lane. Realize that “you can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Who cares about our Health? What does that mean for the prospective nominees? It means quit driving in the middle of the road and start developing policies that address the political ideology of most Americans. Let’s start with a single payer universal healthcare plan. Make it the job of the government to provide its citizens with quality, affordable healthcare. This can be accomplished a couple of different ways, one that I would like to suggest expands Medicare to cover anyone 50 or older. States will expand their children healthcare plans to cover kids until they are 21 years of age, leaving individuals 22-49 to buy plans off an exchange, with one of the plans being a Medicare buy-in option. Aren't we putting enough money for Renewable Energy? Secondly, let’s get real when it comes to the catastrophic way fossil fuels are killing the planet. We, as human beings, need a place to live. Maybe Trump and Pence are moving to the moon, but I am a little Who, remember? I don’t think that is an option for me, so I will go with the option that results in us not fucking up our home in the name of the petro-dollar. Move on, man! Coal – DEAD. Oil – Dying. Fracking- Stupid! The United States can take a backseat to China and bury our heads in the Saudi sands, or we can develop a long-term, comprehensive strategy to bolster our economy by investing heavily in renewable energies. Let’s tell climate change naysayers to go fuck themselves and cast them aside. I implore the Democratic presidential candidates to promote progressive policies and quit being the party of pussy politicians. So here it is, all laid out, no hidden meanings and no reading between the lines. I am sick and fucking tired of being lied to. I want healthcare. I want my elected officials, ALL OF THEM, to be subjected to the same laws and regulations that I am. I want corporate whores to stop selling out America for a fist full of dough. STOP IT!!!!! If you don’t, I fear somewhere, somehow, history will repeat itself, and not in a good way, like the fall of the Roman Empire bad. So let the rants of the 2020 general election begin, but know, while this rant is in some ways satirical, it does point out some very legitimate concerns that I, as an American citizen, have, and which I expect you, as an American leader, to address. Sincerely, Jane No Dough