The Gift of Giving with KooDooZ

On December 22^nd KooDooZ organized a “KDZ Giving” event for members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica. Our purpose was to introduce kids to the KooDooZ philosophy (and software) by providing them with a series of online and offline challenges and rewarding them for their efforts.

For me – after two years of intensive research, analysis, development and testing – this event stood out ... Not because it was monumental in comparison to any other product launch I've been a part of, but because the KooDooZ prospects ("KDZ" aka "Millennials") were so enthusiastic about a tool developed to increase their ability for "making a difference" in their personal, local or global lives.

As an aside, I have to share my passion for Millennial change-makers. The concept of “doing good” is a rationale Millennials don't only impose on themselves, they extend it to their peers, parents, neighbors, communities and just as significantly, to companies (as pointed out by a recent Cone Study.) As the first global generation ever, Millennials care strongly about justice and the problems faced by their society. Not only are they engaged in some kind of civic activity at school, they also have a deeper sense of “community.” Additionally, no generation understands new technology as intuitively as the Millennials do. So it was such a compliment to earn their verifiable vote of confidence by way of enthusiastic participation with KooDooZ.

On this day, we engaged 50 young minds (the youngest still in elementary school and the oldest just beginning to embark on their career) and while it was no surprise that most of these kids were more interested in “the doing” of a challenge than in “the prize” of a reward, it did spread my smile wide to see it in person.

The “KDZ Giving” event very specifically reaffirmed the fact that Millennials:

1. Prefer to learn by doing, within a framework of organization
2. Crave challenges and have a high motivation for turning them into achievements
3. Thrive in structured team activities where they can build new relationships and foster new dialogue
4. Partner well with mentors
5. Care less about personal rewards and more about benefiting a social cause

Equally as important, the KooDooZ biz dev team targeted some forward thinking companies to sponsor specific challenges which allowed us to further prove that there is an emotional link that connects Millennials to causes and ultimately to the companies that support and/or benefit those causes.

According to research, there are an estimated 15.6M Millennials in the United States who are actively engaged in helping humanity and sustainability. This represents a huge potential opportunity for companies embracing Cause Marketing / Branding.

Sponsors from around the country who contributed to this event included: Albertsons, AMF, Ask Kids, Avery Dennison, Best Buy of Santa Monica, Color Me Mine, FedEx Office of Santa Monica, Pacific Park, Pavilions, Perricone MD Cosmeceuticals, Ralphs, Santa Monica Playhouse, Ultimate Arcade and Vons.

Because the event was themed around “giving" these corporations supplied products and prizes for the offline challenges so that kids could create some personalized gifts for the holidays. I’ll highlight two of my favorites: (i) “To Get Fueled Up” in which the kids measured then layered ingredients into jars for a meal to share with friends, family or to donate to a homeless shelter and (ii) “To Get Sweetly Soft” with all natural ingredients for a sugar body scrub which they mixed by hand.

What sold the “KDZ Giving” event to corporate sponsors was KooDooZ ability to add that third dimension into the brand marketing experience of fostering a relationship between the cause and the consumer. For example, KooDooZ challenged the kids “To Do Something Noteworthy” by either (i) writing a letter to Santa in support of Macy’s Believe campaign to raise up to $1M for the Make-A-Wish Foundation; (ii) designing an image centered around “change” for President Obama through the SecretBuilders contest; or (iii) composing a letter to a solider whose sacrifice for his/her country deserves constant recognition.

As I write this blog, it strikes me that I have not shared the KooDooZ mission, which is to "turn the good will & passions of "KDZ" (kids) into skills & strategies for creating change." KooDooZ was built as a “virtual meets virtuous” social networking site where KDZ are rewarded for subscribing to, designing and collaborating on goals that address a social mission. KDZ challenge themselves both online and offline, giving them the opportunity to impact people within their family, school and community as well as the worldwide web.

To prove that these young people constitute a potentially powerful force for good, KooDooZ engaged three other organizations: Iridescent, Centro Latino for Literacy and A Star Inside to continue to challenge KDZ throughout our private beta.

KooDooZ is committed to strategic partnerships with ethical brands and institutions, foundations, non-profits, schools and families. Parties interested in participating in our private beta program should send all requests to info@koodooz.com

Teeter-Totter & Twitter

We are officially in private beta in just a few short weeks! As a result, I have had precious little time to contribute to this blog. As a counter-balance, I thought I'd share some of my recent tweets:

1. To stay relevant, schools need to keep pace with the rapid changes introduced by Digital Media http://tinyurl.com/65c4c4 MacArthur 3yr Study
   
   
2. Banning fast food ads from youth TV programs could result in 18% less of overweight children in the U.S. http://tinyurl.com/5dpj76
   
   
3. 25 young social entrepreneurs around the globe receive grants $300,000+ http://tinyurl.com/5uuukk from Starbucks Foundation
   
   
4. Spell it correctly and raise money for your school! http://tinyurl.com/6jwvxf Gr8 challenge for kids grades 3-thru-8. Deadline 12/19!
   
   
5. No surprise to see the humanization of brands because people love brands that show more of a human side.
   
   
6. 87% of online community are participating in social causes that are new to them http://tinyurl.com/39wfrt 2008 Digital Future Project (USC)
   
   
7. "Dedication + Knowledge = Success" http://tinyurl.com/5gn89a New ad campaign to counteract the anti-education messages in media.
   
   
8. "Causism will replace consumerism” http://tinyurl.com/6fu3po Micro-trends for 2009 show that cause marketing will be more prominent.
   
   
9. 68% of K-12 schools offer community service opp'tys http://tinyurl.com/5gy8ct Youth who volunteer now are more civic-minded as adults
   
   
10. Free play fosters abstract thinking! http://tinyurl.com/5dclkw w/out it America's youth will be at a disadvantage in the global economy

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/KooDooZ

Strategic Giving in a Down Economy

Today I twittered about strategic giving opportunities that can make an impact in a down-economy. Arabella Advisors – a company which focuses on strategy, insight & analysis to help clients reach their philanthropic goals – produced a report today focused on 7 urgent & under-funded issues in which donors can make a high-impact difference:


1/ POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT (encourage lasting political participation with the Millennial generation)

2/ GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS (Help by improving agricultural productivity, supporting local & women farmers and increasing awareness of agricultural policies in developed countries)

3/ CLIMATE CHANGE (fund green and cutting-edge technological innovations)

4/ CONFLICT RESOLUTION (don’t overlook youth, who have the greatest opportunity to reduce conflict in the future. Consider funding kids programs)

5/ DISASTER RELIEF (Hundreds of millions of people from more than 100 countries each year don’t get enough long-term support after a disaster)

6/ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (contributions that impact students & community colleges will have an important impact on the local economy)

7/ GLOBAL HEALTH (Some of the most prevalent diseases are highly treatable at a very low cost. Drive awareness to these neglected diseases and help save 1B of the world’s poorest people who are needlessly suffering).

KooDooZ was founded with the purpose of exposing more families to important causes and bring greater awareness to the non-profits and brands that are actively working in the space to make a change for a social good. I am personally welcoming any and all stories of engagement in this capacity and would like to promote said organizations and the leaders at their helm.

~Lee

Giving Thanks/Back

By Christine Guardia

Now that Halloween is over, we start to turn our focus to the upcoming holiday season. I believe taking time to reflect upon what we are thankful for in our lives is important during this time of year. For example, we recently voted in an election with a black candidate for president and a female candidate for vice president. So I suggest we all take a few minutes this holiday season to focus less on the gifts we are receiving (or not receiving) and focus more on the gifts we already have, such as our family, friends and freedom.

I recently toured A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City presented by Doctors Without Borders, an international humanitarian organization. A nurse practitioner, who has worked in refugee camps in Africa, led me through the camp, explaining how refugees often travel long distances to camps, have to wait for rations of water and food, are susceptible to contagious diseases and traumatic stress, and sometimes spend years in camps. The organization employs over 25,000 employees around the world and relies almost entirely on support from individuals, foundations and corporations.

During these difficult economic times, supporting nonprofits is more important because the need for their services often increases during economic downturns. I realize that many people may not be able to donate as much this year, but there are other ways you can help, such as through your purchasing power. As U2’s Bono said at the Starbucks meeting announcing the company is joining the (PRODUCT)RED campaign, “This is not charity; this is commerce.” (Andrea James, Seattle PI, 10/29/08) Every time you go to the supermarket, to the mall or online to purchase something, you have choices because of cause-marketing pioneers, including Newman’s Own, American Express and Ben & Jerry’s. The recent PR Week/Barkley Cause Survey found that 66% of the moms surveyed have purchased a product because it was related to a cause. For example, Whole Foods Markets are selling Aquamantra I AM GRATEFUL enhanced water this month and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Nourish America.

In addition to purchasing power, we have the power of web 2.0 to change the world. A new book, CauseWired by Tom Watson, chronicles the emergence of online activism and philanthropy, such as Causes within Facebook and Kiva, which allows users to micro-finance entrepreneurs in developing countries. Philanthropy is not limited to the Rockefellers, Gateses or Buffetts; we can all have an impact and it does not have to be by writing a large check – it can be by adding a cause badge to your social networking profile, buying an item affiliated with a cause or volunteering at a local nonprofit (you can find volunteering opportunities in your community via volunteermatch).

So please take a few moments this holiday season to think about what you are thankful for and how you can give back, including:

• Purchasing products associated with causes
• Raising awareness of causes
• Volunteering

Think Pink - Think Smart

This latest blog entry comes from our newest KooDooZ staff member, Christy Menefee. To date, Christy's work has been focused on partnering brands with non-profits in support of kid-empowerment events. I am particularly proud of the work she has done for the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Monica at the request of KooDooZ. In a down-economy, fund-raising efforts are not easily rewarded, but she has proven that people care and really do want to make a difference. Way to go Christy! Your energy and zest for life are insatiable.



(Any readers of this blog are welcome to request additional information about partnership opportunities by sending an email request to: info@koodooz.com)

WHAT IN YOUR LIFE IS PINK?

(by Christy Menefee)

There is nothing like the pink of a setting sun to stop you in your tracks -- and give you the pause you need to reflect on life itself.



Have you noticed each October that hundreds -- if not thousands -- of products are also colored pink, emblazoned with pink ribbons, or otherwise sold with a promise of donating a (small) portion of the total cost to support breast cancer awareness or research. That too gives me pause.



Like many people, I have deep relationships with friends (and family) who are linked to breast cancer one way or another. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 178,480 women in the United States will be found to have invasive breast cancer and about 40,460 women will die from the disease this year alone! On top of that, over 2 million women living in the United States will have been treated for breast cancer.



I think the best way to help each other deal with questions or concerns is to become educated on what exactly breast cancer is and how to prevent it from spreading.

There are basically 2 types of breast cancer, and within those types, there are five stages; stage 0 being an early stage of breast cancer and stage 4 being metastatic. These different stages are based on of the size of the tumor found in the breast. There are a variety of elements that can help us detect breast cancer at an early stage.



Here are 10 easy "Think Pink - Think Smart" steps you should challenge yourself to take:

1. Perform monthly breast exams and encourage others to do the same
2. Have annual clinical breast exams
3. Have regular mammography screenings after the age of 40
4. Get a group of ladies to go out to dinner, work, the park, and event and only wear pink -- even go to the clinic together
5. Encourage married men, brothers, fathers and sons to get the women in their lives screened -- guys... put an annual date in your calendars, it can be a shared responsibility
6. Some evidence suggests that rising health care costs and increasing co-pays may discourage women from seeking out testing. The financial burden of curing this disease can not be what prevents you from getting it into remission-- there are people in your life who are counting on you being around for them
7. Knowledge is power. Don't let the fear of knowing you have the disease be the reason you don't survive it
8. If you are a breast cancer survivor, mentor and support those who have been recently diagnosed
9. Free or low-cost mammograms may be available, even for women without insurance. There are state-by-state toll free cancer hotlines that can help point you in the right direction
10. If your life has been touched by breast cancer, share it out (do you blog?) - many people turn to the internet to understand first how other people handled the disease before they themselves take the first step towards a cure.

The survival rates for women with breast cancer have changed dramatically. Twenty years ago, three out of four women diagnosed with the disease died from it. Today, three out of four women survive the diagnosis.



It is never too early to begin screening yourself. Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate. There are cases of breast cancer from all different ages, anywhere from 20 years of age to 70 and older. And like many other diseases, breast cancer shows no mercy.



As a member of the KooDooZ team, I challenge you "to be aware of what is pink in your life." I personally vow to take the challenge, do my annual screens, and earn the reward of many more cherished moments admiring the crimson of a setting sun.

Reading With Children

In addition to her role as “Cause Cultivator,” Christine Guardia has been the right arm and left brain of the KooDooZ team. I have been impressed with her work, passion and dedication for youth and cause marketing.

Prior to graduate school, she worked as a government consultant for 12 years, holding the positions of Business Analyst, Training Manager & Communication Lead. Christine earned her MBA in public / nonprofit management & marketing. During her graduate studies she assisted family & youth focused organizations including BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life), BOSTnet (Build the Out-of-School Time Network), and the Guidance Center. Perhaps most poignantly, she had the opportunity to work on JumpStart’s “Read for the Record” – a cause marketing campaign developed to raise awareness & funding for early childhood education. Her first blog entry is focused on “Reading With Children”

On October 2nd, hundreds of thousands of children will read the children’s classic book Corduroy to break a world record as part of Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, a campaign to raise awareness of and funding for early childhood literacy programs.

Working on the campaign for two summers taught me that there is more to reading with a child than simply saying the printed words aloud. When reading a book with my two year old nephew, I ask him to name colors and shapes he sees on the pages, as well as questions about the characters in the book. My four year old nephew and I count items on the page together and talk about the story. For example, last year’s campaign book was The Story of Ferdinand, in which a bull is stung by a bee. My nephew had been stung by a bee for the first time a few weeks before we read the book and he explained to me how much it hurt when we got to that part of the story. He was able to connect the story to his personal experience and now every time we read the book, he exclaims “Ouch!” when the bull accidentally sits on the bee.

I cherish these shared moments and love how my nephews will often put down their toys to pick up books instead. My nephews are fortunate to have many books around their house, but not all children have age-appropriate books at home. A California State University study found that, on average, children in low-income communities have two age-appropriate books in their homes while children in middle-income communities have 54 age-appropriate books in their homes (Jeff McQuillan, The Literacy Crisis, 1998). Furthermore, children from low-income communities enter kindergarten with a quarter of the vocabulary of children from middle-income communities.

By participating in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record on Thursday, October 2nd, you can share the joy of reading with a child in your life, as well as help Jumpstart put age-appropriate books into the homes of the children who need them the most.

There are many ways you can participate in the campaign, including:
· Registering to read
· Buying a special edition of Corduroy
· Building or finding an event in your community

To learn more, please visit http://www.readfortherecord.org/.

Christine’s 15 years of for-profit and non-profit cause marketing and branding experience have allowed her to quickly add value to the KooDooZ community.

If you are a brand looking to impact kids in a meaningful way, contact Christine: cguardia@KooDooZ.com

How To Achieve Peace

KooDooZ is operating under the benefit of an incredible staff who deliver a wide array of knowledge and inspiration. I have invited the KooDooZ team to share their passion for KDZ by contributing to this string of consciousness. This first entry comes from Monika Zands who is a dynamic, spiritual advisor and family advocate. I enjoy Monika’s riveting stories and ability to bring the unimaginable to life. Her “super hero cape” is oft revealed through her writing, volunteer work and passion for children. Here’s what Monika wrote about International Peace Day:

Celebrating International Peace Day on September 21, 2008 marks another historic day in the quest for worldwide peace. When you think of peace it can be a relatively evasive topic. It may seem a lofty goal for some and for others it is part of their every day existence. The question I propose is, “How do we achieve peace?”

Since I will not find myself in Iraq or even at the next United Nations Conference, I found it helpful to first be clear about how peace is defined. When looking up the definition for peace I stumbled upon 17, yes that’s right 17, definitions for peace. And that does not include the countless quotes and speeches written for and about peace in the last century. If we consider that the pursuit of peace includes (i) the normal, non-warring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world. (ii) A state of mutual harmony between people or groups, esp. in personal relations: Try to live in peace with your neighbors. and (iii) Freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquility; serenity, then what have you done in the past year to promote peace either within yourself or within the world?

There are many avenues down which to travel when considering the path to peace. No one way is the “right” way. In fact it may, like the definitions above, touch on a myriad of areas depending on the week, the month, the year, the moment. Peace can be inspired by something you see, touch, hear or feel. I can be a personal search through the body, the mind, emotionally or spiritually. It can be sought after financially or through outreach, advocacy and contribution. Maybe it is a social awareness or involvement. No matter the path, the question remains, “How do you achieve peace?”

Have you meditated in a still, harmonious setting?
Have you meditated on peace itself?
Have you directed peaceful thoughts towards yourself, your friends and family, your community, the nation, the world?
Do you remember to breathe?


What is your practice for achieving peace of mind?
1. This can be praying regularly or writing in a journal.
2. Practicing yoga or Tai Chi, meditating, setting bedtime intentions.
3. It can be the simple consistent practice of taking a deep breath and paying attention to your breath.
4. Repeat to yourself (or think)...."Peace be still" while simultaneously thinking of a place in your mind to a time in your past in which you experienced, "peace of mind"...be there visually, auditorily, and emotionally.
5. Mentally confess a promise to God and allow the promise to override a negative circumstance.

How do you achieve peace in your life?
1. Work through your unresolved issues using self forgiveness, releasing resent, resignation and resistance and loving yourself.
2. Collaborate, Compromise, and Contribute. This gives you a voice, flexibility and a wonderful feeling of giving back which certainly can soothe the soul.
3. Manage your time and schedule “me” time first instead of last.
4. Leave time for errands, avoid over-booking, keep your financial life organized and current to provide support and encouragement so you know what you have and what you can do. Pay your bills on time.
5. Learn how to take responsibility so you can recognize judgments and blame and avoid the cycle of victimization.

How do you achieve piece socially or globally?
1. Write advocacy letters or make donations supporting organizations for environmental issues you believe in.
2. Volunteer for an event in support of peace.
3. Educate yourself on the issues that need advocacy in your community, your city, your schools
4. Celebrate individuals who do make am impact in your community so they may be mentors and role models for our future generations.
5. Send care-packages and supplies to help rebuild the lives of war torn families.
6. Learn about ways you can contribute to the eradication of pandemic disease and the alleviation of poverty and hunger.
7. Read books with your children on topics such as environmental issues, bugs and their value, survival skills, and endangered animals.
8. Prepare food for the homeless or clean the beach.

There are countless creative ways to gain awareness and to being to be the change you wish to see in the world. Being a mentor and opening another person’s eyes to the gift of a shared smile can lessen the rage in the world.

As International Peace Day has been on my mind I asked my five year old son on the way home from school yesterday what peace means to him. I was fascinated and amazed at his comprehension and connection to this concept.

He said, “Mommy peace is when God takes care of the army and keeps everyone safe. The world is smiling and peace makes my heart smile too.” I sat there at the traffic signal like every proud mom might, reflecting on the wisdom of my bright-eyed five year old. I pondered my own answer to that question. I agree that peace really is at its essence that which makes my heart smile, an inner knowing and reassurance that everything is okay. My literal mind went straight to the big issues like the resolution of conflict, the desire for a world of love and optimism, honesty and living a life of truth and integrity, but I realized that would require control of situations that are simply out of my control. So I invite you to continuously ask yourself and your children, “How can each of us find more peace personally, socially, globally and spiritually?”

If you truly believe that peace is a worthy objective, then make peace within yourself. Start talking about peace with other people. Include it in a conversation. Ask questions about how to build peace. Advocate for peace, attend a seminar, a convention, a rally. Write and article or a poem about peace or sit down and draw images that represent peace to you. Make a peace vision board with a collage of images selected by your family and put it on the wall near your front door as a reminder of your stand for peace.

Peace, be it individual or at a community, national or global level, must begin within ourselves. Peace is individual and inspires others. Global peace requires that a large majority of the people in the world want peace, are prepared to act to secure peace, and enjoy, nurture and appreciate peace within themselves.

Beyond her work at KooDooZ, Monika is a Senior Life Strategist at Life Strategies specializing in creating custom solutions in home (and business) for effective and transactional communication, marketing, life (and business) strategies, creative processes, inner focus and accountability and self-reliability. In addition, Monika has spent time facilitating seminar’s and experiential workshops, consulting for numerous start-up companies and is a maven in negotiation, communication and interpersonal relationship building. Her titles include Director/ Producer/ Supervising Video Editor (corporate technologies); Co-Founder / Chief Strategic Officer (software/internet); and Owner (business consultant/ life strategist).