Do-Gooder: Yarrow Kraner, Founder, CHISEL industries and HATCH

Yarrow Kraner is an entrepreneur, director, mentor, and founder of CHISEL industries and HATCH. CHISEL is a creative firm, idea incubator, social and multi-platform production company. HATCH is a nonprofit that unites creative leaders for a better world through mentorship in creativity and innovation.

“Back in the day,” you were a founder of what WIRED magazine referred to as one of the pioneering social networking communities, superdudes.com. So does that make you the original Superdude?

I was the original Superdude, but we were all born SUPER. The secret is tapping into your unique special power to unleash infinite potential, while recognizing your weaknesses, and navigating them with a sense of humor.

Superdudes also had a foundation that worked with national charities, children’s hospitals, and teamed up with Shaquille O’Neal for an inner-city, stay-at-home program to empower youth. Sounds like you were a social entrepreneur before social entrepreneurship became cool – yes or no?

I’ve always wanted to help make the world a better place. I grew up as an only child, with a single-parent mom. I had lots of time to roam and observe famililes struggling to make ends meet, but keeping a bright outlook on life. Working with the children’s hospitals, burn units, stay-in-school programs, and such was extremely rewarding. We received letters daily from parents, teachers, child psychologists, and the kids themselves. Brought tears to my eyes. We may have been “before” social entrepreneurship had a name, but there have been amazing people doing amazing things for others since the dawn of humanity.

You’re a Montana guy who left home for LA and then returned back to Bozeman – not an unusual story for young people in the Rocky Mountain West. What’s the most unusual thing about your trek?

I’m not sure what’s the most unusual thing about my trek - it feels as if I’m still scratching the surface, and just getting started - one thing I do know, is that my eternal optimisim is still intact.

What’s the best thing about Montana?

Infinite horizons. Big Sky for big dreams. I feel those brought up in Montana have a large capactiy for imagining what’s possible, and an endless work ethic.

What was the inspiration for HATCH?

HATCH is sort of a Superdudes 3.0 - amazing people doing amazing things - and reaching back to help the next generation realize their dreams of becoming pivotal creative leaders of the future.

You say there’s a major misconception in our country about the importance of creativity. Why?

It’s considered a “nice to have” as opposed to a “must” have. We believe in using the power of CREATIVITY to address profound and seemingly intractable social issues. Through creative design thinking, there is no problem that cannot be solved.

What is the role of HATCH in that equation?

HATCH is a bridge between two powerful forces: using creativity and commerce to catalyze broader thinking, collaboration, and action – to HATCH a better world. Ninety-five percent of 2,000 CEO’s polled GLOBALLY identified CREATIVITY as the #1 leadership competency. But creativity in America has declined steadily since 1990, and creativity programs in schools continue to be cut. Many have referred to this as a creativity crisis.

I’m going to twist your arm. Pick the top 3 presentations or performances you’ve seen at HATCH?

Every year, there are truly amazing presentations - many of them blow my mind - a few that have moved me emotionally, persoanlly are:

- Will Travis - Traversing the Friction Zone

- Grammy-winner Patrick Leonard with three music groundbreakers Aaron Howard, Leif Christian, and Courtney Yovich singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

- Lisa Maki, on “Taking the Leap of Faith.”

- Several years ago Rajeev Kulkarni blew all of our minds when he first gave us a sneak peek of what was coning with 3D printing (printing out body parts, etc.)

Your LinkedIn profile says you have a specialty in “dream doing.” Is that for real or are you just dreaming again?

I always do what I dream (eventually). Especially when it comes to entrepreneurial ventures. I do dream of endless travel for pleasure - but haven’t yet.

As a film director and a nonprofit guy, what’s one piece you can give nonprofits about using video to market their message and mission?

There is no tool as powerful to tell a story, and move emotions than video. Imagery, writing, and music will transport viewers to another place - one you, as an author create - and capture the attention of your audience far more than asking them to read.

What’s the backstory on your name, Yarrow?

It’s a hippy/artist parents’ name - a healing flower that grew in their backyard. I often learn more and more about the “legend” of the flower from people I meet: botanists, florists, herbalists, etc. The Chinese use stalks of Yarrow in iChing ceremonies to see into the future. It’s used in dream pillows, and in Greek mythology Yarrow was used to help Achilles become invincible (but missed his heel).

What are you reading right now?

This interview. And just finished Delivering Happiness, from Tony Hseih, founder and CEO of Zappos.

Listening to?

The new Daft Punk, Dan Mangan, and Washed Out.

Watching?

Various artistic videos found on Vimeo.

Who inspires you?

There are sooooo many people...when I cross paths with people who inspire me, I invite them to HATCH. Most of them say yes (eventually). Except for Seth Godin (@ThisIsSethsBlog), who doesn’t yet know what he’s missing. But I’ll wear him down ;-)

Favorite color?

Full spectrum - not being wishy-washy because it’s true - without any one color, the world as we know it would not be the same vibrant ecosystem.

Rock, paper, or scissors?

Paper - blank slate of creativity, fluid, and maleable.

Who are you following online?

Numerous real-life superheroes - from Sir Ken Robinson to John Maeda.

Who is the most progressive nonprofit or business leader you know?

HATCH Alum Courtney Klein Johnson.

What’s one question you’d like to ask yourself – and answer?

Q: When will you find life balance? A: Soon, I hope!

How should people connect with you on social media?

www.linkedin.com/in/yarrowkraner/

https://www.facebook.com/yarrow.kraner

https://twitter.com/yarrowkraner

Any secret you’d like to share?

You will SEE it when you believe it. Envision it to manifest it.

Do-Gooder: Kristi Saucerman, Founder & CEO, Auction Frogs

Kristi Saucerman started her business, Auction Frogs, through an act of goodness -- as a volunteer, she just wanted the fundraising auctions at her kids' school to be easier and more successful. That serendipitous action created a company that now has hundreds of nonprofits using its Total Event Auction Management: event ticket and registration, online auction services, multiple bidding options, live and silent auction clerking, and reporting tools.

Are you feeling “froggy” today?

I’m always feeling froggy.

Was it a big “jump” for you when you started Auction Frogs?

It was a huge jump. I intended it to be a hobby to just help my own kids’ school do a fundraiser. I never intended to start a business – it just became one. That’s how I turned into a “momtrepreneur.”

You’re helping nonprofits raise more money by using the Web to make fundraising auctions easier and more productive. Tell us how you do that.

We take a manual, time-consuming process that already exists and automate the process by offering a silent auction online and exposing more people to it. The items get more attention online and make more money from the donation which raises more money for the organizations. It simplifies the fundraising experience for volunteers and bidders.

Why the name, “Auction Frogs”?

Well, we came up with tagline first, “Leap into online fundraising.” And the name just kind of came from there. Of course, maybe there’s someone subconscious at work as we live in the Dry Creek Valley where there’s a creek with lots of frogs…

What’s the most memorable item you’ve helped a nonprofit auction?

A vasectomy.

What’s your definition of “social entrepreneur”?

A “momtrepreneur.” I had no idea there were momtrepreneurs out there, but if you google the name you’ll find there are many! But think about it, who’s more social and entrepreneurial than a mom?

What have you learned through your journey since starting Auction Frogs?

I’ve learned so much it’s hard to really talk about one. One that stands out in my mind is how much of an impact one person can really make on a community. Because I created a simplified approach to fundraising, it simplifies the lives of many, many people and raises far more money for worthy causes. And that makes everybody happy.

Favorite color?

Green.

What are you reading right now?

“Built to Sell” by John Warrillow

Listening to?

Whatever my kids have on their iPods in the car. (Madilynn, 14, and Sophia, 11)

Who inspires you?

Coach Pete (Boise State University Head Football Coach Chris Peterson) – for taking a little football program and building it up to a national scale. That’s exactly what I’m trying to do. It can be done. He knows that it takes a community, and has built his program with our community support. That’s an inspiration and a model for me.

Who are you following online?

Social Good Network!

What’s the hardest thing about running a startup company that works with nonprofits?

It’s the turnover in the organizations of the nonprofits that challenges us. Volunteers mean different contacts. What I’ve learned from this is that you always need to stay in touch and be relevant to the new people.

What’s the best thing about working with nonprofits?

The reward – the personal satisfaction knowing I helped them raise more money and being part of their success story. This makes me happy.

What role do you see online fundraising playing in the nonprofit sector?

I think the ability to reach audiences outside their usual constituency or membership is huge for nonprofits. It offers an easier way to support organizations and build their network.

How should people connect with you on social media?

We're everywhere you'd want us to be:  Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and our "frog blog."

Any secret you’d like to share?

I’m a mom with a business, and a family, and everyone says you have to find balance. But I’ve found there’s no real true balance – it’s just one BIG life. One life and everything encompasses it. So I try to embrace one big life instead of trying to find balance.

-- Interview by Russ Stoddard, Chief Do-Gooder

Do-Gooder: Gemma Bulos, Director and Co-Creator, Global Women's Water Initiative

Gemma Bulos is co-founder of Global Women’s Water Initiative, which teaches grassroots women to build simple water and sanitation technologies so they can become self-reliant and improve their communities’ health. 

Among many honors in her career, last year she was recognized by Reuter’s Alertnet, which named her as one of the Top 10 Water Solutions Trailblazers in the World and was just selected for the prestigious Social Entrepreneur Fellowship at Stanford University. Gemma is also an internationally renowned singer most well known for building The Million Voice Choir, a global peace mission to unite people around water through song.

Your mission to bring clean water and sanitation to more than 200,000 people in Asia and Africa started with a song.  Can you tell us more about that?

I actually call myself an accidental social entrepreneur. I was a pre-school teacher and professional jazz singer in NYC before I started working in water. I was supposed to be in the WTC when the planes hit and instead called in sick. In response, I wrote a song called WE RISE, inspired by the amazing people of NYC who came together and exposed their inherent goodness and generosity during this tragedy. I had this crazy idea to build a Million Voice Choir to sing WE RISE in an effort to bring people together to heal and find peace. I left life as we knew it, gave away all my belongings, took my guitar, backpack and what little savings I had and traveled around the world inviting people to be part of this global peace movement. It just so happened one of the main themes of the song was the notion that ‘it takes a single drop of water to start a wave’, and I started to get invited to sing at places like the United Nations Water for Life Conference because I was the ‘lady singing for water’. I learned about the water crisis not only at these kinds of conferences but also first hand when I traveled to many developing nations and witnessed it. After mobilizing over 100 cities in 60 countries to sing WE RISE from all over the planet on September 21, 2004, it became very clear that I had found a cause that I resonated with and my mission evolved from raising the awareness of the global water crisis to actually addressing it. Having had no background in international development, engineering or water, I learned how to build a simple technology that could clean water just using local materials. 

I won an award from Queen Latifah and CoverGirl for women who were changing the world through music. I took the $10,000 award money and went to the Philippines and founded what has ultimately become a multi-award winning social entrepreneurial enterprise called A Single Drop for Safe Water. We developed a professional training program that mobilized communities to identify, design, build and maintain their own water and sanitation solutions. We professionalized our services by getting paid for our trainings and consultancies and it eventually became a hybrid enterprise that by year 5 could operate solely from our fees and not charitable donations. After witnessing the impact that women had in the success of these sustainable water organizations in the Philippines, I began to focus my energies in building the capacity of women in regions where they didn’t have such opportunities. I left ASDSW when it had grown to 29 staff, had 2 regional offices and was completely sustainable and co-founded Global Women’s Water Initiative. And here we are. You can learn more from my TEDx Talk.  "How to Accidentally Change the World"

Why is water such a gender issue in the developing world?

Women are the disproportionately affected by the lack of water and sanitation.  It is estimated that on a single day women worldwide can spend over 200 million collective hours fetching water.  1 in 10 girls drop out of school or miss one week per month when they start menstruating because of the lack of water and toilets.

Making sure women have access to information about hygiene practices and the ability to implement them is crucial to promoting public health.  If a mother is cooking, cleaning and providing the water, but not practicing good hygiene, the whole family is at risk.  The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) recognizes that the "exclusion of women from the planning of water supply and sanitation schemes is a major cause of their high rate of failure."

Can you share with us the story of one special woman you’ve helped along the way?

Here's a link to a guest blog that I wrote for the Maternal Health Task Force featuring one of our women’s teams in Uganda who built a rainwater harvesting system for a high school girl's dormitory, "Harvesting rainwater helps keep girls safe at school in Uganda." It’s an incredible story about how building a tank at a school resulted in girls staying in and being more focused in school; reduced the risk of ‘inappropriate sexual relations and attacks when fetching water; reduced water related disease that saved the school $1000s of dollars.

Can you describe the simple water and sanitation technologies you help women build?

We train women to build what we are called ‘appropriate technologies’. These are solutions that can be built with local materials and constructed and managed by local people. This is important because one of the biggest failures in international development is when international agencies come into communities and build systems for local people, yet don’t train them in maintenance or devise a social enterprise so that the system has resources to function. Many technologies can breakdown and be in a state of disrepair because there is no local expertise or financial resources to fix them.

We also train the women in simple technologies that they can build having had no background in construction or engineering. Most of the women we train have never picked up shovel before and now they are getting hired to build water technologies in their communities. Pretty cool.

What’s the best thing about your job?

I get to be witness to these amazing grassroots women leaders who transform from being water users to water providers and ultimately water champions in their communities. Many of these women live and work in poor communities where having water and toilets is a luxury. They work for organizations that address other social issues like food security, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, etc. They have recognized that in order for them to reach their organizational goals, their communities must have water and sanitation. Having these basic needs opens up so many opportunities for themselves and their communities to live more healthy lives.

How can people help you and Global Women’s Water Initiative?

GWWI invests in women to take leadership in bringing much needed solutions to their communities. Contributing financially to our program can sponsor exemplar women leaders to attend our training, grant them the seed capital for them to start their programs, and help us provide the ongoing coaching and support they need to expand.

We are also setting up some micro-financing opportunities for the women to avail of low interest loans that can help households and schools buy a technology and pay it off over time. We could use some volunteer support in setting up a trust to underwrite these loans so we can keep the interest down.

Your website says you’re a “pilgrim soul.”  What do you mean by that?

To me ‘pilgrim’ means someone who lives in faith. However, I don’t associate it with any religious ideology. I believe that living in faith means that you either believe in the perfection of all things or you don’t. In order for me to believe that every experience is a lesson that our soul is here to learn, whether it be positive or negative, then it makes everything that I experience relevant and equal, and I can see it all as opportunities for growth or compassion.

What’s your definition of a social entrepreneur?

Social entrepreneurs are those exceptional individuals who dream up and take responsibility for an innovative and untested idea for positive social change, and usher that idea from dream to reality. (Echoing Green).  In addition to creating a technology or methodology that aims to resolve these social issues, they design a way of operating that is not just sustainable but regenerative. 

What are you reading right now?

Ha! Actually, I don’t want to say how I got swindled into buying a monthly Dr Seuss book, but one of the last titles I received just before I cancelled the subscription was “I Wish I Had Duck Feet” by Theo LeSieg (Dr Seuss). It was my favorite book when I was in the 2nd grade and I remembered walking through the library everyday to see if it was available to check out. The last quote in the book was pretty foretelling of the life I ended up needing to lead– ‘And so… I think there are some things I do not wish to be. And that is why I think I just wish to be me.”

  

Listening to?

I have ‘I Don Quixote’ from the Man of La Mancha, ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked and “Hounds of Love” by Kate Bush and “We Belong” by Pat Benatar on repeat on my ipod.

  

Watching?

Just finished watching a Downton Abbey Marathon because I just performed a fully improvised play inspired by the show where I ended up playing a Dowager Countess who was secretly a lesbian.

Who inspires you?

The women I work with in Asia and Africa. Despite having very little, they harness what they have and manage to generate significant change in their communities. Many of the women we’ve worked with had never used a shovel before, and are now being hired to build water and sanitation solutions improving health and creating opportunities for themselves and their communities. I have so much more to learn from them. After all, it is the people with the least resources who are the most resourceful!

Favorite color?

Blue, of course!

Rock, paper, or scissors?

Rock. It has so many uses. Paper weight, hammer, construction, rock art, and despite it’s hardness, can be shaped by the relentless flow of water…

Who are you following online?

As a performance improviser, technology trainer and facilitator, I am following the Applied Improv Network. This is group of people who are using improvisation techniques and principals to foster creative and generative teambuilding as well as positive and authentic leadership. The power of yes..and-ing and generous listening integrated as life skills.

  

Who is the most progressive nonprofit or business leader you know?

Oh my gosh, I can’t even begin to try and pick one. I’m inspired by so many. All of my fellow Echoing Green Fellows are doing extraordinary work and I seek inspiration from so many of them often. From Cheryl Dorsey, EG Pres, to Katie Orenstein of the OpEd Project, to Jessamyn Waldman of Hot Bread Kitchen, to Andrew Youn of OneAcre Fund, to Emily Arnold Fitzgerald of Asylum Access… oh the list goes on and on.

What’s one question you’d like to ask yourself – and answer?

What’s the one perspective that has informed how you approach your work?

The first thing we did when we started our workshops was to have the community identify what they DID have and how water, sanitation and hygiene were connected to health and wellness. When they mapped their resources and looked at the big picture, we facilitated a process in which they recognized what all the resources available and figured out how to harness what they actually had. For example, rainwater that could be collected and stored, river water that could be treated, underground water that could be protected, hygiene practices that could prevent them from contracting water related diseases.. etc. When people were able to see what they actually had and found ways to improve their current situation using simple solutions, it motivated them to do it on their own.

  

How should people connect with you on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blog address)?

Fb: gemmabulos

Linkedin: gemmabulos

Twitter: @gemmabelle, @womenwater

Website: gemmabulos.com, globalwomenswater.org

Blog: Huffingtonpost.com/gemma-bulos

TEDx Talk: "How toAccidentally Change the World"

Any secret you’d like to share?

If I had not been stalking John Cusack at his gym in West LA, I never would have gone on Scrabble the game show (because the auditions were right next door to the gym), won $3000, moved to NYC where the mission to build a Million Voice Choir emerged.

Do-Gooder: Amy Mitchell, Director & Co-founder, Fuzzy Pawz Rescue

A big shout-out to Amy Mitchell, who like many do-gooders is an unsung hero working at a very small nonprofit that does incredibly compelling work.  Amy is the Director and Co-Founder at Fuzzy Pawz Rescue, a nonprofit that operates in southern Idaho and parts of Utah.  Its mission is to rescue unwanted dogs and cats that are in shelters and pounds before they run out of time and finds them their “forever home.”

Amy grew up in Wyoming, kicked around upstate New York, and landed in the Boise area.  She co-founded and runs Fuzzy Pawz on a volunteer basis – bravo!  Her paying gig is working for a company that builds geothermal power plants.

Hey, Amy – we all need a boost right now.  How about telling us a feel-good success story from your animal rescue efforts?

There are always feel-good stories in the world of rescue and it’s very hard to choose just one so I’ll pick one that is on-going.  January 5, 2013; 14 degrees and snow on the ground I get a call from a friend that works animal control.  She has just picked up a white dog whose body scale is 1 (0 = death), vet weighs him in at 25 pounds, says he’s a Llewellyn Setter and should weigh 55-6 pounds.  ACO wants to know if we can take him if no one claims him; who can say no to that!  So we named him Spirit, placed him in an awesome foster home.  Three months later with LOTS of vet care and a ton of love from the entire group Spirit now weighs almost 50 pounds, is healthy, gentle, loving and visiting nursing homes as a therapy dog; he will go up for adoption in a few weeks.

What is your biggest day-to-day challenge?

I’d say it’s spreading the word about fostering homeless pets.  It is a constant struggle to find people that are willing to take a dog or cat into their home while a forever home can be found for it.  It’s a wonderfully rewarding experience that is hard to get people to understand until the do it.

It seems like you are even more dependent on volunteers than most nonprofits.  What’s the key to a successful volunteer program?

Making sure none of our volunteers burn themselves out.  It is a fine line we tread between wanting to save more and more animals but not over extending our volunteers.  We also strive to try to make sure that we put the right animals in the right foster homes; often times that is a tricky thing to do.  We have to take into account the other animals in the foster home, the hours the foster works, the home environment itself against the sex, age, breed, temperament of the animals in need.

How far can you make $100 go at Fuzzy Pawz?

$100 will get us; 1 dog spay; 1 dog or cat neuter & vaccinations.  That same money can get a dog who have rotten teeth a dental or give us the funds to set up a new cat foster home (toys, food, litter, litter boxes, scratchers, etc).

What’s the best name of a pet you’ve ever come across?

I’m partial to something a little off the beaten path so I’d have to say my favorite is the one I just came up with for my current foster cat: Kyah - that would be "K" as in carrot, "Y" as in eye and "AH" as in “ahhh that feels good”.

I can tell you that the most common names we’ve had in our group the last few years are Maggie, Annie, Brody & Buddy – there have been so many of each of them that we have to file them by breed, age, sex and date them came in.

How important is online fundraising to your cause?

It’s of vital importance to us, we are a small group (currently about 15 people) so we don’t do the big events and fundraisers other groups do.  Without online fundraising we’d be begging on the street.

You’re actually experiencing success at using Facebook for fundraising.  Tell us about it.

It has been an amazing few months raising funds via Facebook and Twitter.  It is so easy to spread the word to people who have not “liked” you that it draws in new people from all over.  When we did our big Social Good Network matching funds program we had 3 people from the east coast donate!  And we received a 2^nd matching donation from someone who knew someone who saw our donation requests on Facebook.  Social networking is amazing.

Any online fundraising tips for other small nonprofits?

I’ve found that if I’m asking for money every day no one gives but if I make sure I have a reason for them to give (like Spirit our starved foster) then the generosity is amazing.

          

What are you reading right now?

  

Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster  (she’s a riot)

Listening to?

Book on tape: Island of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt's Doomed Quest to Clean up Sin-Loving New York by Richard Zacks 

  

Watching?

All the “Parks and Recreation” via Netflix

Who inspires you?

My Grandpa; he was a strong man who lived his life on his terms; he never met a stranger and lived life to the fullest.  We should all be so lucky.

Favorite color?

I’d have to say shades of green – kind of funny since my paying job is in the “green” sector

Rock, paper, or scissors?

I flow my own way so none.  I choose water; covers rock, disintegrates paper and rusts scissors.

 Who are you following online?

  

Captain Cowpants, check him out on Facebook he’s the best therapy dog in the world.

Who is the most progressive nonprofit or business leader you know?

Totally love Bruised Not Broken; they are dedicated to increasing awareness and educating the public about Pit Bulls.  And not to be left out is The Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch; they are the largest and most diverse animal sanctuary in the country.

What’s one question you’d like to ask yourself – and answer?

Question:  People who know you well say that you live, breathe and bleed for Fuzzy Pawz Rescue, why do you do it?

Answer:  Seeing an animal that has been abused, unloved or tossed into the street or shelter eats at my soul.  I find peace with myself and the world every time I help save an animal’s life.  Not only am I helping to change that animal’s life but I’m bringing happiness to a family who has adopted, teaching others to be kind and make one small corner of the world a better place.

  

How should people connect with you on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blog address)?

Twitter:  @FuzzyPawzRescue

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/FuzzyPawzRescue

Website:  www.fuzzypawzrescue.com

  

Any secret you’d like to share?

Well it’s not really a secret but when people find out they are always shocked that I do animal rescue.  I’m terribly allergic to all animals – sneezing, hives, swollen eyes; you name it they do it to me.  Yet I am a cat guardian, sometimes have a foster cat in my home and spend ½ my life with animals.  I spend my entire life on 10 allergy medications to do what I love! 

Wholly Match Day - Help Women Entrepreneurs

Aichetou runs a successful salon in Senegal

Today, you can help women entrepreneurs around the world work their way from poverty, and here's how: Social Good Network will match your donations today, March 13th, large and small, up to $1000 total for the Whole Planet Foundation®. At $166 for a first-time loan to a client, if we successfully meet the match we can fund 12 women entrepreneurs.

The Whole Planet Foundation® was established by Whole Foods Market to alleviate poverty by empowering entrepreneurs, 89% of whom are women, in global communities through microcredit lending programs. Or as Lauren Evans with Whole Planet Foundation® says, "These loans are given to the poorest of the poor, with an emphasis on women."

Think $5 or $10 doesn't make a difference? Well, here are three stories of entrepreneurs who changed their lives, and the lives around them, with the help of microcredit. If you feel moved to contribute today, and have Social Good Network match your generosity, you can do it here.

Blanca - Honduras

Blanca sells "a poco de todo," a little of everything.

Blanca, a wife and a mother of six, lives in the Bonito Oriental region near the Mosquito Coast of Honduras. She started with the loan of 5000 lempira ($250). She now has a loan of 40,000 lempira (over $2000). She and her husband make a good team working together as their small town’s produce vendors. Blanca sells vegetables out of their home and her husband drives door to door selling produce to the surrounding community. Along with produce their inventory also includes ‘a poco de todo’ (a little of everything) including sodas & meats.

Seven years ago Blanco got very sick and she says it was a miracle of God that she was able to recover. During her recovery, her microcredit agency, FAMA, stood by her and eventually she was able to able to repay her loan after re-negotiating the payment.

Though all of Blanca’s children are attending school, she herself only completed the sixth grade, but as she says, she has learned from life itself. Her dreams are to continue to expand her business little by little and to provide a better life for her children.

Aichetou - Senegal

Aichetou runs a small salon which she started in 2002, though she has been doing braiding and hair since she was 10 years old. Aichetou is managing her third loan, currently borrowing 100,000 CFA ($200), though she started at 50,000 CFA like the other microcredit clients. Aichetou uses her capital mostly for buying stocks of fake hair that is used in braiding, accessories and supplies. She is known in the community for special braiding styles typical of ceremonies, weddings and other events. As her business has grown, she has hired two apprentices to assist her.

Bern - Cambodia

Bern lives in Phnom Penh with her husband and their 2 sons. She is 47 years old and never advanced past fourth grade education. This is because she was required to work at a young age to earn money for the welfare of her family. She does not regret this, but rather is proud to have assisted in supporting her family and continues to have this perspective in her present lifestyle.

Bern runs a growing recycling business in Phnom Penh.

Bern operates an independent recycling business which she has done for the past 10 years. Her line of work requires active labor most of the day, every day.

This is a typical work day for Bern: She starts at 6:00 a.m. by taking her cart to various local businesses to buy recyclable materials. She usually returns home around 10:00 a.m. to cook for the family and take care of other household chores. During this time Bern also sorts and cleans the collected materials to resell.

After completing her work at home, Bern ventures out with her cart again around 2:00 p.m. She walks street to street looking for recyclable materials that have been littered or thrown in dumpsters.

There are also various homes who collect their recyclables for her daily arrival. Bern says these families are very supportive of her business and are grateful for her daily service as it decreases their trash output. She usually returns home around 5:00pm, prepares the rest of the materials, and takes the daily collection to sell at a small local factory. After purchasing these items the factory takes all the products and ships them to be recycled in Vietnam. Bern returns home around 6:00 p.m., cooks dinner for the family and completes the rest of her home duties.

Bern is in the process of receiving her second loan from Chamroeun in the amount of 406,000 ($100 USD), over a four-month term. She uses the money from the loans to buy recyclable materials from local businesses and build up a stock of items to resell.

Three compelling stories.  You can make a little go a long way with today's Social Good Network match -- c'mon, people, let's do it -- I'm donating right now and you can do the same here.

-- Russ Stoddard, Chief Do-Gooder


Better online fundraising solutions.


® Whole Planet Foundation is a registered trademark of Whole Foods Market.

Do-Gooder: Matt Collins, Marketing and Community Relations, Whole Foods Market

Matt is the marketing and community relations specialist for Whole Foods Market in Boise. He handles all of the community events, sponsorships, donations and more for the Boise store.

Right now, Matt is helping to head up the Boise store’s Whole Planet Foundation® fundraising campaign. The foundation makes grants to microfinance institutions in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, who in turn develop and offer microenterprise loan programs to the self-employed poor.

(All day tomorrow, March 13th, Social Good Network will be matching the first $1000 raised online for this campaign. Ignite our match, help fund a loan for an entrepreneur -- 89% of whom are women -- by making your own donation of any size here.)

How’s the new Boise store doing towards making its goal during the Prosperity Campaign for Whole Planet Foundation?

In just over two weeks, we have hit the $5,000 mark! Our goal as a store is to reach $9,000 (enough for almost 60 microloans), and we have until March 31st to do it.

You’re pioneering an online component to the Prosperity Campaign with a Facebook donate app (developed by Social Good Network). What do you think about the future of integrating online fundraising with in-store donations?

I think that pairing an online component with in-store donations is the logical next step. I truly believe that people want to do good and help whenever they’re able to, so I want to make it as easy as possible for them to do that.

Tell us about your Whole Trade products, their tie to the Whole Planet Foundation, and about an upcoming trip you’ll be taking to visit one of your pepper suppliers in Mexico.

The Whole Trade program at Whole Foods Market is similar to Fair Trade, but has additional requirements that each product needs to meet. It needs to provide more money for producers, better wages and working conditions for workers, be grown or produced in a sustainable way, and meet our high quality standards. Whole Trade products must also donate 1% of their total proceeds to Whole Planet Foundation. We’re seeing more and more products involved in this program – items like bananas, pineapples, flowers, chocolate, and tea are common Whole Trade items.

A handful of the team members at the Boise store were lucky enough to win a trip to Mexico to visit farms that grow Whole Trade bell peppers, melons and peaches. We’re super excited to see these farms and meet the folks who are providing these great products for our stores. It will be a new experience for me, and I can’t wait to get down there!

You started with Whole Foods Market in Boulder, CO, moved with the company to Bend, OR, and just helped open the new store in Boise, ID. Is there another “B” on the horizon or are you ready to move on to a new letter in the alphabet?

That’s another great thing about work for Whole Foods Market; there are always opportunities at stores around the country. I’m settled in Boise for the time being (and very happy here), but we’re opening a LOT of new stores over the next few years, so it’s not out of the question for me to change things up and try something new. “J” for Jackson? “F” for Frisco, CO? Maybe.

Was there anything “first of its kind” built into the Whole Foods Market in Boise?

The most unique thing about our store is the River Room upstairs. We have 16 beers and 3 wines on tap there, and it’s a really fun place to hang out. There are a few stores in bigger cities across the country that have tap rooms, but it’s brand new to our region of stores (Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Kansas).

One of the coolest things about the River Room is watching our team members get to know other team members, as well as our customers, by sitting down for a beer next to them. What other grocery store can you go to and have a beer with the person who made your lunch? It’s a fun dynamic.

What’s the best thing about your current job at Whole Foods Market?

I’ve had a blast getting to know the Boise community. I hadn’t spent much time in Boise before I moved here, but have had so much fun meeting new people and learning the culture. It’s great to work for a company that is big enough to do amazing things globally (like Whole Planet Foundation), but is still so focused on helping each local community that our stores are in. It’s a perfect balance.

What’s your go-to pick in the desert section at your Whole Foods Market?

Vegan Huckleberry Hand Pies. So. Good.

What are you reading right now?

I’m diving in to Conscious Capitalism, written by our Co-CEO John Mackey. And as a retail nerd, I always keep a copy of Why We Buy by Paco Underhill nearby.

Listening to?

I’m preparing myself for Treefort Music Fest by revisiting Animal Collective. The new Desaparecidos songs are in the mix too.

Watching?

The Bachelor. Don’t Judge.

Who inspires you?

My peers at Whole Foods. (They’re all do-gooders, too.)

Favorite color?

Red.

Rock, paper, or scissors?

Scissors. Is that even a question? (Editor’s note: Yes, it is a question. And if we selected “rock” right now, it would transform from a question to a statement that completely crushes your scissors, Matt.)

Who are you following online?

The animal rights guy in me follows an array of animal organizations – Best Friends Animal Society, Mercy For Animals, various Humane Societies.

Who is the most progressive nonprofit or business leader you know?

I’m fascinated in the rise of social enterprises. Locally, I think Create Common Good is doing an amazing job with bettering the lives of the people involved in the organization, and doing it in a sustainable way.

What’s one question you’d like to ask yourself – and answer?

What’s the best way you can spend $162? Donate a microloan through Whole Planet Foundation!

How should people connect with you on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blog address)?

You get in touch with me through the Whole Foods Market Boise Facebook page .

Any secret you’d like to share?

I’m a Fruit Ninja addict.

-- Interview by Russ Stoddard, Chief Do-Gooder


Better online fundraising solutions.


® Whole Planet Foundation is a registered trademark of Whole Foods Market.