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Oct20
Category Archives: Social Good Moms
Oct5
The Social Good Summit in NYC 2013 #2030NOW
I was enraptured a couple of weeks ago as I soaked in information at the three-day Social Good Summit in NYC sponsored by Mashable, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 92Y, the United Nations Foundation, United Nations Development Program, and Ericsson . This to me is what being front row at the Super Bowl or The Oscars would be for others. The summit coincided with both the United Nations General Assembly and the Clinton Global Initiative, and so the city was abuzz with global leaders, humanitarians, media, and advocates, and the vibe was infectious.
The Social Good Summit is a three-day conference where big ideas meet new media to create innovative solutions. Held during UN Week from September 22-24, the Social Good Summit unites a dynamic community of global leaders to discuss a big idea: the power of innovative thinking and technology to solve our greatest challenges. The most innovative technologists, influential minds and passionate activists will come together with one shared goal: to unlock the potential of new media and technology to make the world a better place, and then to translate that potential into action.- www.Mashable.com/SGS
To kick off the conference World Moms Blog founder Jennifer Burden hosted a pre-game dinner party the night before for World Moms Blog editors & contributors in from out-of-town. Wave Bars sponsored our travel into the city the next day and kindly supplied us with a treat basket including a cache of their healthful snack bars for sustenance. To make us feel fully feted the creator of Dragonfly Designs had sent over a basket of gorgeous custom wine glasses, “Eat,Drink,Blog” perfect for our evening, and to get us going the next morning for a packed conference schedule.
Bright and early Sunday morning a Wave bar served as breakfast on the train into NYC to take part in the RUN10FEED10 10K with fellow Shot@Life Champion Myrdin Thompson, and my cherished childhood friend Maria. This was my first 10k and I could not have done it without their company. I loved the idea that between Maria, Myrdin and I, we started off the morning of the Social Good Summit having donated 30 meals with the run, while providing life saving vaccines, and supporting Parkinson’s Research by using the Charity Miles app we used. All before 9am. I knew that both Gene Gurkoff, Founder of Charity Miles, and Lauren Bush Lauren, Founder of FEED projects (two people I greatly admire!) would be speaking later that week at the summit.
Each day in fact, for the following three days, many of the people whose work I admire most took the stage and elucidated us further on the impact we can all have for social good, on emerging technologies, and best practices leading the way. The speaker line-up was star-studded (for the humanitarian world) and included Melinda Gates, Richard Branson, Al Gore and Malala Yousafazai, and tackled ending poverty by 2030, food security, Global health, and how mobile technology is transforming our world. Speakers ranged from humanitarian celebrities such as will.i.am, founders of inspiring NGO’s and non-profits, representatives from UNICEF and the World Food Program to HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. The full list of speakers and their topics can be found on the Mashable site. Each panel offered hope, solutions and actions toward the universal goal of ending extreme poverty by the year 2030 (hence the hashtag), and tackling the multifactorial root causes collectively.
A couple of my favorite snapshots include the National Geographic photographer Marcus Bleasdale calling us all out for using technologies that have conflict zones minerals in them. With his photographs he documented mineral mines where lives are lost for the necessary elements found in our cell phones, iPads and cameras. He urged us all to be more conscientious consumers, and let companies know that we will not purchase products produced in an environment that is harmful to others. An important message for a room full of social media producers. Jessica O. Mathews demonstrated the soccer ball that she invented with her company Uncharted Play, Inc., that harnesses power during play. To me her brilliant design was such a hopeful example of how young people are creatively solving the challenges we face. And Sir Richard Branson pointed out that the choice between saving the planet or saving our economies is a false choice. Al Gore would later expand on that calling the climate reality the most pressing challenge to the survival of human civilization as we know it.
Jessica O. Mathews, Marcus Bleasdale, and Sir Richard Branson
As electric as the energy was inside the 92Y, some of the highlights for me occurred outside of the summit itself, such as meeting our World Moms Blog Tanzanian contributor Nancy Sumari. Attending a roundtable lunch session with ONE, the Gates Foundation, and Save the Children focused on the Syrian refugee crisis and tackling the MDG’s. Joining other bloggers at a dinner meeting with WaterAid where we heard an update on implementing running water in the Madagascar schools several of us have written about. Attending a ONE.org panel at the United Nations on Millennial Factivism, and an inspiring blogger breakfast with (RED) to discuss upcoming products that help fund the fight against AIDS. Gathering in person with so many of the amazing people that share my passion for raising awareness and striving towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals, and the true possibility of ending extreme poverty by 2030. I am still processing all of the information that came home with me, in what feels like unpacking a duffle bag stuffed with the whole world of issues. One by one I aim to pull them out, and write.
LtoR: WMB Tanzania contributor Nancy Sumari, Carolyn Miles CEO of Save the Children, Nicole Melancon of Third Eye Mom, Jennifer Barbour of Another Jennifer, the author & Phil Carroll Save the Children Media & Communications
Sep18
Rhode Island’s Disaster Preparedness Safety Report Card #GetReadyGetSafe With Save The Children
In the past three years there have been three “Storms of the Century” wreaking havoc as they ripped through our state causing flooding, power outages, and property damage. I know this is a relatively new century, but based on what we have experienced so far…we may need to accept this as the new normal. That means being prepared when natural disaster or tragedy strikes, I have a feeling the next “storm of the century” is right around the corner.
The alarming thing is that when I checked the Save The Children‘s recent disaster report card, that rated each state, Rhode Island scored poorly. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina showed the United States how unprepared the nation was for major disaster.
Children were extremely vulnerable, often unprotected and it took six months to reunite the last child with her family.
Out of that experience, a presidentially appointed National Commission on Children and Disaster led by Save the Children recommended minimum standards to protect children. Rhode Island rated unsatisfactory on 2 of the 4 basic child-safety measures endorsed by the national commission. According to the Save the Children disaster report card, we are not the only ones, 28 states still lack basic measures to safeguard children in child care and schools in case of disaster.
Wednesday June 26th, 2013 Moore Oklahoma: Abby Larsen stands among the debris left behind after the May 20th, 2013 EF5 tornado destroyed her business, “A Step Above Learning Center”. When the tornado hit, 23 people, 10 adults and 13 children including a 7 week-old huddled in a 5×7 foot bathroom. Holding onto each other, and with mats over their heads, the roof was blown off and everyone survived, though a few had minor injuries. Several of the childrens shoes had been swept off their feet. When they emerged from the bathroom, a race horse from a nearby farm was standing next to them. Save the children has provided about 6-9,000 in toys, furniture, food and reimbursement to help the center re-open. The center in currently in a new location at a local church. -Photo & story from Save The Children
“Unaccounted For: A National Report Card on Protecting Children in Disaster,” outlines glaring gaps in emergency preparedness, response and recovery underscored by a remarkable year of domestic disaster.“The devastation left by Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac, the Oklahoma tornadoes and the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School should be a wake-up call, but too many states won’t budge. It’s like they’re stuck in a pre-Katrina world where the gaps in protecting children weren’t so clear,” President and CEO of Save The Children, Carolyn Miles said.
Despite a record disaster year and high-profile school tragedies, most states still fail to meet basic child-safety measures endorsed by a national commission after Hurricane Katrina, Save the Children recently reported.
Save the Children’s disaster report card tracks progress on the four critical standards measured on Save the Children’s disaster report card are that states require all child care centers to have:
1) an evacuation plan
2) a family reunification plan
3) a plan for children with special needs
4) that states require all schools to have disaster plans that account for multiple types of hazards.
With such a need to strive towards ensuring the safety of our children Save the Children is launching a new preparedness initiative called “Get Ready. Get Safe.” to help families and communities protect children at times of disaster. So, what can Rhode Islanders do to help improve our state of preparedness in case disaster strikes? Save the Children is calling on Americans to urge their governors to either meet the report card standards or make sure child-focused emergency plans are in place and practiced once required. There will always be elements beyond our control, but we can make sure that we have a plan in place if disaster does strike.
See the full report and take action here. How does your own state rank?
Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in 120 countries, including the United States. Follow Save the Children on Twitter and Facebook.
I wrote this post as part of The Global Team of 200, a highly specialized group of members of Mom Bloggers for Social Good that concentrates on issues involving women and girls, children, world hunger and maternal health.
Our Motto: Individually we are all-powerful. Together we can change the world. We believe in the power of collective action to help others and believe in ourselves to make this world a better place for our children and the world’s children.
Jul31
Transforming Lives Through Sport: Sport In Action In Zambia
Photo Credit :Jennifer James
What if I were to tell you that the greatest soccer player ever known started off by kicking a sock filled with newspaper around the streets of Sao Paulo? Or that one of our top American basketball stars bounced around between apartments for the early part of his life while his 16 year old single mother looked for work? Both Pele and LeBron James grew up in poverty, but were able to rise above it through sports. Pele’s father had been a soccer player too, but his son brought his failed dreams of success to fruition a generation later. LeBron was sent to live with an Uncle who introduced him to football, sparking a love of athletics that would take him to the top. There are numerous stories like theirs. Getting involved in sports has the potential to turn kids lives around, and not only for those who become professional athletes. Read the rest of this entry
Jul17
Meet Jennifer James; My Travel Partner To South Africa & Founder of The Global Team of 200
For someone whom I took to be soft-spoken when we first met, Jennifer James sure does know how to amplify! Through her voice and those of her team members, around 50 million people around the world have heard the words and images she has to share. That is loud, and her messages of social good are worth listening to. This past spring I announced that I will have the privilege of traveling in August with Jennifer to South Africa for The Global Team of 200. I would like to introduce you to my travel partner, founder of Global Team of 200, Mom Bloggers For Social good, Mom Bloggers Club, and dynamo, Jennifer James.
In order to introduce you, fellow Global Team of 200 member, Jennifer Barbour, generously agreed to let me re-post the fantastic profile that she wrote for her Philanthropy Friday series on her blog www.anotherjennifer.com. Click here to read her piece in its entirety .
As Written by Jennifer Barbour:
Jennifer James
Jennifer James started blogging back in 2004 at a time when most people had never even heard the term “blog”.
She founded the oldest and the largest social network dedicated to mom bloggers in the world, Mom Bloggers Club, in 2007.
Clearly ahead of her time in terms of using the power of social media and creating online communities, Jennifer James has had the unique perspective of seeing how mom bloggers, in particular, have grown throughout the years. Read the rest of this entry
