We're Inspired By: George Lucas

Every month we feature a public figure who inspires and motivates us. These influencers give of themselves to help make the world a better place for us all. 

Today we want to shine a spot light on Mr. George Lucas, an individual who, over the years, has kept us entertained with some of the biggest box office hits. And now, after more than 30 years of incredible movie making, has decided to donate $4 billion dollars of his own money to education. "I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education. It is the key to the survival of the human race. We have to plan for our collective future -- and the first step begins with social, emotional and intellectual tools we provide to our children. As humans, our greatest tool for survival is our ability to think and to adapt -- as educators, storytellers and communicators, our responsibility is to continue to do so."

Wow! What incredible words of wisdom.

At donornation we celebrate the spirit of giving back and today we salute and thank Mr. George Lucas for his extraordinary example of philanthropy.

Mr. Lucas, we admire your selfless act and completely agree that no investment can yield a greater return for our nation than an investment in our children's education–––after all, they are the key to our future.

Read the full article here.

A Time to Say Thanks to our Nation's Parents and Teachers

This Thanksgiving we salute the herculean efforts of parents and teachers dedicated to improving the quality of education in schools across our country, especially when their time and resources are so precious. Thank you for the countless volunteer hours you have committed as class parents, field trip chaperons, Board members, committee members and coaches. Thank you for taking the time to read with your kids at night and for supporting them with their class projects. Thank you for helping to make classrooms more exciting and enriching atmospheres for our children to learn in. Thank you for supporting the myriad of school fundraising campaigns. Thank you for your tireless leadership, dedication and inspiration. Without you, our schools, classrooms and students would not be where they are today.

Parents and teachers deserve even greater appreciation given that they are making these investments in time, money and energy at such a tumultuous time for American public schools. Steep cuts to education over the last number of years have had a serious impact on the quality of education in our country. Parents and teachers have been left to bridge the gaps...and they are vast.

According to a report published by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in September 2012, restoring school funding should be an urgent priority. The steep state-level K-12 spending cuts of the last several years have serious consequences for the nation:

• State-level K-12 cuts have large consequences for local school districts. Some 44 percent of total education expenditures in the United States come from state funds (the share varies by state). Cuts at the state level mean that local school districts have to either scale back the educational services they provide, raise more local tax revenue to cover the gap, or both.

• The cuts extended the recession and slowed the recovery. As of July 2012, local school districts had cut 328,000 jobs nationally compared with 2008. These job losses have reduced the purchasing power of workers’ families, in turn reducing overall consumption in the economy.

• The cuts counteract and sometimes undermine education reform and more generally hinder the ability of school districts to deliver high-quality education, with long-term negative consequences for the nation’s economic competitiveness.

• Local school districts typically have little ability to replace lost state aid on their own.

• These cuts are occurring at a time when schools face demands from parents, employers, and civic leaders to bring greater numbers of students to higher levels of academic proficiency, in large part because workers will increasingly need higher levels of educational attainment to thrive in the workforce.

• At a time when the nation is trying to produce workers with the skills to master new technologies and adapt to the complexities of a global economy, large cuts in funding for basic education undermine a crucial building block for future prosperity.

• “As U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has said, “It is very difficult to improve the quality of education while losing teachers, raising class size, and eliminating after- school and summer school programs.”

Report by the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities, September 2012

As we take a closer look at the current climate of state funding we find:

• Twenty-six states are providing less funding per student to local school districts in the new school year than they provided a year ago. 

• Some states are beginning to restore their school funding over the past year, but those restorations are, for the most part, far from sufficient to make up for cuts in past years. 

• School funding remains well below pre-recession levels. Thirty-five states are providing less funding per student than they did five years ago. 

• Seventeen states have cut per-student funding by more than 10 percent from 2008 levels.

• More than two-thirds of states — 35 of the 48 states surveyed — are providing less per-student funding for K-12 education in the current 2013 fiscal year than they did in fiscal year 2008.

These statistics are alarming; however, they also represent an opportunity. Rather than relying on government funding to ensure our children receive the quality of education they deserve, why not create a system of financing that is reliable and within our control?

DonorNation empowers schools, local businesses and community members with a tool that allows them to become self-sustaining. It is like the old Proverb “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” Enough of government funding cuts! We have the power to be the change. Together we can ensure every school has enough teachers, the right programs and adequate learning time so our children not only learn, but thrive.

At DonorNation, we share the underlying belief of our country’s teachers “every student can succeed if given the right opportunities”.

So once again, thank you to the parents and teachers who refuse to see the quality of our children's education diminish and work tirelessly to counter-act the effects budget cuts have on our education system. We are very grateful for the difference you make each and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Business Profile: Go Raw L.I.F.E. Center

We are proud to share our first business profile of one of our DonorNation citizens, Go Raw L.I.F.E. Center. Not only is Go Raw committed to educating and providing individuals with the resources for a healthy lifestyle by eating raw, but Go Raw also cares about the quality of education in San Diego schools and is actually doing something about it. As a DonorNation citizen, Go Raw is empowering the buyers of its all natural food products in the DonorNation marketplace to direct 10% of their purchase price to their favorite school.  

Robert Freeland, the founder and CEO of Go Raw, always envisioned opening a Raw Food Community Center to provide communities with the resources to lead healthy lifestyles. The Go Raw L.I.F.E Center offers juices, smoothies and raw-vegan dishes using only organic ingredients. More than just a café, the center offers classes on mind, body, spirit, and group exercise/ movement. Go Raw is a place to inspire, as well as nourish each guest with Real Live Foods!

Read our interview with Go Raw's Marketing Director, Kristina Clark to learn more about the Go Raw L.I.F.E. Center and find out why Go Raw feels that it's important to be a part of DonorNation's philanthropic marketplace.


donornation: What is most exciting about what you do?

Kristina: We at the Go Raw Life Center, are most excited about being able to give back in a positive and healthy way. We feel good about educating people about nutrition while serving raw, organic and vegan food. I personally feel good and positive about what I do. As a child I always wanted to give back and wasn't sure how. As the Marketing Director of Go Raw and the Go Raw L.I.F.E. Center, I feel fulfilled by helping people lead healthy lives by starting with what they eat! I personally want to educate people so they know they have a choice when it comes to nutrition. Choosing what you eat impacts all areas of your life!

donornation: Why do you find it personally rewarding to participate in your community?

Kristina: Rob started Go Raw eleven years ago and opened the Go Raw L.I.F.E. Center in Point Loma with the goal of expanding nationally. Currently, in our local community of San Diego, I find it rewarding that we enable San Diegans to live a healthier lifestyle. We make eating healthy convenient. We understand that time is valuable and that people tend to eat junk food when they are in a hurry or tired.

We make it so you don't have to worry about grocery shopping, preparing or cooking and cleaning. The best part is that we make eating healthy easy! All you have to do is eat it! We are helping people live a healthier lifestyle and knowing that we have that impact, is the most exciting thing. We are making a direct difference in our customer's life. A lifestyle change starts with your health, from there everything changes in a positive way, from energy to attitude!

donornation: What do you enjoy seeing most as you make a difference in local schools?

Kristina: We hope to ultimately see an improvement in the quality of meals provided to students. Our L.I.F.E Center will be offering a kid's kit which makes it easy for kids to eat healthy too! A majority of our customers have children, I have a four year old daughter and Rob has three children. We know how much effort it takes to prepare healthy snacks and meals so we will be proud to offer our perfectly sized go-to kits that curbs overeating. We want to see the progression of meal plans in our schools. When children are fed properly, they are able to excel in all other areas! They will have the energy and focus they need to excel in class when fed the proper nutrients.


donornation: Is there anything else you'd like to convey to our readers?

Kristina: We would like to share our mission: L.I.F.E. stands for Living Inspiration for Everyone. We want to encourage people to follow their dreams and live a life of good health. Our L.I.F.E Center is a place where we do more than make juice, it is a place to inspire others and to be a resource.

Eating raw can contribute to every aspect of your life, from mental health, relationships and energy levels. Eating raw provides the potential to live a healthier life!

*****

Inspired? Learn more: Go Raw L.I.F.E Center 

See how Go Raw is supporting locals schools by visiting their storefront on DonorNation.

The New American Dream is Not About Having More, it’s About Being More

The Statue of Liberty is an iconic symbol of the American Dream 

The American Dream is a guiding belief that characterizes our nation and defines our culture. It represents a promise of possibility for all Americans living in the Land of Opportunity.

The concept was first popularized by historian James Truslow Adams in 1931 through his book Epic of America: “But there has been also the American Dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement”, regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. This vision quickly became a Dream of Abundance and set in motion a culture of consumerism over the last three-quarters of a century.

The financial crisis of 2008, caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs, life savings and their homes. Like the Great Depression, it represented a failure of capitalism and shook the very foundation of the American Dream.

Suze Orman, a personal financial advisor, author, motivational speaker and TV host, recently published a book called “The Money Class: Learn to Create Your New American Dream”. In it, she argues that the old American Dream is dead. “The old American Dream was based on bigger, better, more. More house, more car, toys, all of these things. And that would've been an OK dream if we had the money to [pay for] those things…It was a dream that was based on financial lies. The new American Dream, there is no debt, you live below your means, within your needs. You get pleasure out of savings, as much as you do in spending.” The new American Dream is not about having more, it’s about BEING MORE.

With 82 percent of U.S. consumers affected by the economic downturn, the percentage of US citizens involved in a cause dropped from 60 percent to 53 percent between 2010 and 2012, according to the 2012 Edelman GoodPurpose Study.  Yet, for the first time ever, the U.S. was the only country to believe the responsibility of tackling society’s issues falls most heavily on the shoulders of “people like me” (35 percent) and not government (22 percent). Edelman believes “the tension of this paradox spells significant opportunity for marketers. While U.S. consumers currently have less time and money to put towards societal issues, they still feel they’re most responsible to help,” said Carol Cone, global practice chair, Business + Social Purpose, Edelman. “Brands and corporations can ease the burden for consumers by making involvement in social issues easier and more aligned with the core needs they face today: jobs, hunger, education and healthcare."

Image source: 2012 Edelman goodpurpose Study

According to the study, purpose remains a deeply held belief around the globe that is driving consumer behavior and preference.

The Edelman GoodPurpose Study sheds light on why today's consumers are ready to make a difference and why that means it's time for brands to get involved and to change the way they think about doing business (if they haven't already). Today's consumers not only want, but expect brands to be purpose-driven. They want brands and companies to be responsible, not just responsive. "Values are the new currency; Purpose is the new paradigm."

Image source: 2012 Edelman goodpurpose Study

The Edelman GoodPurpose Study:

As the role of social purpose in purchasing decisions has increased, purchase frequency has also intensified: 47% of global consumers buy brands that support a good cause at least monthly. In 2012, 76% of global consumers believe it is acceptable for brands to support good causes and make money at the same time.

While 87% of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on society’s interests as on business’ interests, less than a third believe business is performing well in addressing societal issues. This performance gap is likely to drive disillusionment, disengagement and outright distrust from consumers. Edelman CEO Richard Edelman called this seismic shift an organization’s need to go beyond earning a “license to operate” to earning a “license to lead.”

Approximately half of respondents believe organizations should donate a portion of profits (51%) and products or services (50%), while 49% believe companies should be creating a product or service that helps address a societal issue. Also, 80% of global consumers believe it is important for companies to make them aware of the societal issues that they are supporting.

Image source: 2012 Edelman goodpurpose Study

Do These Ideas Resonate With You? 

Do you think it's time to redefine the "American Dream”? Are you more inclined to make purchases depending on a brand's purpose? Are you more prone to share such a brand with your friends? Tell us if you agree that consumers and businesses can play a significant role in addressing the issue of education.

The Impact of Proposition 30 on Education in California

(Image source: mtsac.edu)

As we all know, the election Tuesday was a historical one for our nation with outcomes that affect us on national, state and local levels. In our State of California, Proposition 30 was passed. What does this mean and how does it impact education?

Proposition 30 enables the use of temporary taxes to fund education:

• Increases personal income tax by 1-3% on annual earnings over $250,000 for seven years.
• Increases sales and use tax by ¼ percent for four years.
• Allocates temporary tax revenues: 89% to K-12 schools and 11% to community colleges.
• Bars use of funds for administrative costs, but provides local school governing boards discretion to decide, in open meetings and subject to annual audit, how funds are to be spent.

Analysts estimate these temporary state taxes will raise approximately $6 billion annually from 2012-13 through 2016-17, with smaller amounts available 2017-18 and 2018-19. The 2012-13 state budget counted on this Proposition being passed. If it didn’t, the budget would have had to be reduced by $6 billion, with the brunt of the cut backs borne by schools.

The passing of Proposition 30 is a huge relief to millions of educators and concerned parents who are crying “mercy!”. In the last four years alone, schools in California have been hit with $20 billion in cuts, over 30,000 fewer teachers and class sizes that are among the largest in the country. The fact that the public willingly agreed to pay more taxes says a lot about how much we value education.

However, how can schools bank on the unpredictable swings in the income of upper-income taxpayers? What happens in seven years when the music stops and the temporary revenues cease to roll in? How is this addressing the underlying problem?

We, too, want to see the quality of education improved and NOW. However, while Proposition 30 may give everyone a short-term respite, it is merely a band-aid. It does not represent a long- term solution; it is not sustainable. The question remains, “where does this leave the future of our children’s education?”

We agree with President Obama; “we want our kids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers…We believe in [an] America…open to the dreams of… the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner. To the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president – that’s the future we hope for."

The only way to ensure the kind of future we hope for our kids is by protecting the quality of education offered to our children. We must help schools become self-sustaining so they are not at the mercy of government funding. We need to become the change we want to see.

By unlocking the power of the neighborhood, DonorNation offers the tools that will allow schools, businesses and the community to become a self-sustaining eco-system and state budget cuts will become a moot point.

 DonorNation offers the promise of a future we all hope for.

DonorNation Launches Marketing Campaign in San Diego

It's official: Our marketing campaign has begun. We've been busy establishing our presence in San Diego and are excited to share with you two significant initiatives to help support our launch.

You may have seen our mobile billboard driving around town. If you haven't had a chance to ‘Scan and Support’ as of yet, not to worry. We have a feeling you will see us again soon! The best part? When you use your smartphone to scan the QR code on the side of the truck, we'll donate on your behalf, $1 to a school of your choice. Yes, really. And there’s no catch either. It’s that easy.

(The donormobile in action yesterday in front of Canyon Crest Academy in Carmel Valley, CA.)

It feels good to make a difference so please spread the word to your friends on all of your favorite social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, so we can make donations on their behalf as well! Every dollar counts. Together, we can make a difference in the quality of our children’s education. 

Have you seen us on the road yet? If you have, tell us in the comments below where and when you saw the truck and which school you selected. We will choose one comment at random for an additional $10 donation to your chosen school. 

We are also proud to announce a two-year marketing sponsorship with the Viejas Arena for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. This means that our donornation logo will be prominently displayed at all of the San Diego State basketball games (which are all sold out by the way!), concerts and other special events. 

(DonorNation on display courtside at the opening Exhibition Game at Viejas Arena November 1, 2012.)

(DonorNation signage displayed on the jumbotron at the Viejas Arena.)

             (A donornation entry/exit sign at one of four exits in the Viejas Arena.)

We look forward to more and more San Diegans becoming citizens of donornation. 

Thank you for joining us in making a difference in each of our communities and our children's education. What we do today will affect us for the generations to come.

This is only the beginning...

Mission: Inspire a nation of donors to transform commerce into a force for good!

As the poem by Robert Fulghum goes, all I really need to know I learned in kindergarten. Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.

But somewhere along life’s journey to greater, bigger, faster, we lost our way.

We live in a world with no shortage of challenges. The American public school system, for one, is in crisis. When teachers are laid off, class sizes are raised, and the arts, after-school and summer school programs are eliminated, our children’s education suffers. Make no mistake, the budget cuts over the last couple of years have serious consequences for our nation.

At DonorNation, we believe we have a responsibility to build a better, more sustainable world for ourselves and the generations that follow. We need to evolve: our thinking, our behavior and our actions. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Thus, we need to change the equation.

This realization is what inspired our Founder and CEO, Karim Pirani, to change the focus of his previous company, SafeList, to DonorNation. As a social entrepreneur, Karim recognized that we need to rethink how we define commerce. By linking profit to purpose and buying to giving, DonorNation can transform consumerism into a force for good.


What is DonorNation?

DonorNation is a philanthropic marketplace that benefits K to 12 schools, local businesses and the community. It is offered to the community as a service by Parent Teacher Organizations.

Individuals and businesses can buy and sell products, services and gently used items through the DonorNation marketplace. Schools receive anywhere from 10% to 100% of each transaction. Businesses too benefit from sales, loyalty, and goodwill. Community members gain a marketplace where they can support local businesses while giving back to their schools without additional out-of-pocket spending.

The DonorNation marketplace supports the community 24/7/365, year after year.


What does it cost?

There is no upfront cost to use DonorNation. Only when sales take place are fees incurred. DonorNation receives 6% of each transaction fee, as the provider of the marketplace. All transactions happen in real-time and are 100% transparent.


How does it work & what are the key benefits?

For Schools

• When a school joins the DonorNation community, it gets its own marketplace page FREE of charge, which they can customize with their logo, description, and fundraising goals
• The school invites community members to join DonorNation so they may buy, sell and give back to their school
• All transactions are paid via PayPal, thus ensuring the safety of everyone involved
• When a transaction takes place, PayPal immediately transfers the amount of the donation into the school’s PayPal account
• DonorNation sends a tax receipt to the seller on the school’s behalf, in the amount of the donation made

Key benefits

• This is a service, not an “ask”. Schools and local businesses benefit from a service Parent Teacher Organizations offer the community. Schools are not asking the community to spend additional money.
• Unlike other fundraising campaigns, DonorNation is a sustainable fundraising platform that generates money for schools 24/7/365, year after year, in times of budget shortfalls and surplus.
• No upfront costs with minimum time and effort required to maintain

For Business

• When a business joins the DonorNation community, it gets its own digital storefront FREE of charge
• The business customizes its storefront with its logo, business description, and items and/or services it wants to sell
• The merchant sets all prices and specifies the percentage it wants to donate to a school (minimum 10%) for each item or service being sold
• The buyer is allowed to direct the seller’s donation to a school of their choice
• When a transaction takes place, PayPal immediately transfers the donation amount into the School’s PayPal account and the balance into the merchant’s account
• DonorNation sends the merchant a tax receipt for the value of the donation made

Key Benefits

• Inspires sales, loyalty, and goodwill while supporting the community
• Empowers customers to direct the business’ donation to a school of their choice 
• Increases exposure through a new marketing channel promoted to school communities
• Alignment with an important social cause: education
• Tax benefits for donations made
• No upfront costs with minimum time and effort required to maintain

For Individuals

• When an individuals join the DonorNation community, they are entitled to buy, sell and give back!
• Individuals can upload gently used items for sale, set the price and donation amount (minimum 10%) and then either specify the school the donation goes to, or let the buyer decide
• When individuals sell items on DonorNation PayPal immediately transfers the donation amount to the recipient school's PayPal account and the balance to their account. The seller also receives tax receipt from DonorNation for the donation made. 
• As a buyer, the individual pays for the purchase via PayPal which immediately transfers the payment into the school’s account and the seller’s account

Key Benefits

• A convenient and fun marketplace for buying and selling
• Supports local schools without additional out-of-pocket spending
• Thriving schools and business impact the value of the community
• Tax benefits for donations made through items sold

Become a DonorNation Citizen!

Our vision of the future is a nation of donors, where neighbors help neighbors to collectively address and support an important social issue that affects us all: education.

Become a citizen of DonorNation today! Buy, sell... and help make a difference in the quality of education for our children.