As a board member of this relatively new organization, Laura brings a level of energy and focus to address some fundamentally important issues.  She points out, for example, that pre-K children are expelled at three times the rate of K-12 students. They simply have not yet learned to express themselves appropriately.

Laura Capps -Grow Kids Board Member

Something as simple as reading the book Hand Are Not For Hitting to the kids has a tremendous positive impact.  This scene of volunteers reading is repeated each year in hundreds of metro Atlanta classrooms thanks to Grow Kids.  This is in addition to the educator training sessions conducted either at the Grow Kids facility or the child care provider’s location.

How can we help children learn and grow?  Clicking here right now is the best way to start!  As Laura puts it, “A little bit goes a long way.”  Grow Kids has only one staff member directing the enthusiasm of four college interns and an army of volunteers.  In other words, your donation gets applied directly to the kids!  Also, make sure to stay on the lookout for the Women In Leadership awards coming up this April.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more efficient and effective group dedicated to helping young children get started on the path to success.

Those first five years of a child’s life are critical!

Check out these Public Service Announcements!

That’s where the WellStar Foundation steps in.

Tracey Atwater, WellStar Foundation President and Keith Bowermaster, Wellstar Director of Public Relations have a remarkable story to tell.   In this interview they talk about their mission to make projects happen; projects that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

The new in-patient hospice unit at Kennestone is one example.  It provides sensitive, compassionate support for people in the final phase of terminal illness.  Their role as lead agency for Safe Kids is another.  The mission of this group is to reduce the number of injuries among children ages 14 and under by conducting safety seminars and providing things like car seats and bike helmets.

Their “Next Big Thing” is a cancer program.  It will provide additional imaging services, a cancer support services building and an endowment to help folks who couldn’t otherwise afford it, pay for diagnostic tests and other services.  The list goes on and on…

WellStar also helps to fund other community organizations.  They routinely sponsor 5K charity runs and local festivals.

So how can you get involved?  Tracey invites you to contact her directly at tracey.atwater@wellstar.org; as does Keith, pr@wellstar.org.  You also need to get tickets for the WellStar Foundation Grand Gala and sign up for the 19th Annual Golf  Tournament!

John Freebairn

We asked  John Freebairn, President of Freebairn & Company, why he and his firm devote so much time to community service.  His tongue in cheek reply was, “We have an inability to say no.”  A bit more dialogue with John and Milo Ippolito, Freebairn’s Public Relations Manager, made it quite clear there’s something much deeper going on.

Over the past year, John and Milo have been working closely with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra to help raise its visibility across the state.  What’s most striking about what they have to say regarding the experience is an almost total focus on how fun and rewarding it has been.  “We approached GSO with the same diligence, plan, process and talents we’d use with any client,” says Freebairn.  “We feel strongly the payback is not always in cash.”  Milo added that, “We’re a company filled with creative types, and we love working with the creatives in an arts organization.  It’s good for morale in the agency.”  John was obviously proud of the fact that his team – no matter how busy – routinely maintains a “We’ll find a way to make this work” attitude with regard to their community service contributions.

Quite an amazing perspective considering our tough economic times and the fact that Freebairn has delivered close to a quarter of a million dollars worth of publicity value to the symphony!

Milo Ippolito

Freebairn and Company has applied its trademarked “Question Marketing” methodology with other non-profits like GA Kidney Foundation, the Center for Puppetry Arts, Girl Scouts and Whole World Theater as well.  This disciplined process of understanding the real story, not necessarily the one a client has fallen in love with continues to pay dividends for the organizations involved.

John and Milo also offered a few tips including the need to maintain an awareness that the advertising world has changed dramatically.  They emphasize how everything is now digital, electronic and online.  That traditionally, an effective headline was 40 words and now a banner ad needs to accomplish the same objective with just four or five words.  “Use online resources,” Ippoito advises, “use the free listings, contact bloggers and get involved in that community.”  Most important?  “Figure out your story.  You’re probably too close.  Step back and really understand your message.”

With your message in hand, reach out and ask for help.  Companies like Freebairn will hear you and lend a hand.

Lindy Benton, CEO of MEA and NEA (also a guest on the Business Technology News Hour) and Will Williams with NEA Technical Support give a glimpse into their remarkable corporate culture.  It all started with the founder, Tom Hughes, according to Lindy, and continues to flourish.  She personally serves on the board of the Florida Disney Childrens’ Hospital.

The “Disney Pavilion” is a world-class showcase of how to help children everywhere deal with their diseases.  From the Disney characters who accompany them throughout their stay, to music therapy, to pet therapy, to the latest application of surgical techniques…  Lindy’s life-long commitment to applying technology to help kids is apparent as she tells the hospital’s story.

Equally striking is Will’s opening comment about being BOTH a full time NEA technical support specialist AND a full time musician.  “It’s one of the healthiest work environments I’ve ever been a part of, ” he says.  He pours his technical talents into serving NEA customers and his vocal and trombone talents into things like The Love Tour, which is focused on families, faith and helping aspiring musicians.  He also talks about participating in a humanitarian tour in Africa where he learned about ACE (Alliance for Children Everywhere) which turned out to be yet another MEA/NEA-supported organization.

“Charity comes first,” says Benton.  “It’s a habit …and then we all behave like that toward our customers.”  Good for community?  Absolutely!  Good for business?  How does a 99% customer loyalty rate sound to you?

Non-Profit Organizations serverd by MEA/NEA and their employees:

1. Habitat for Humanity
2. Red Cross Food Bank drive
3. FREE IT – Athens (Donation of computers and services/repair to the disadvantaged)
4. Boy Scouts of America
5. ARES – (Amateur Radio Emergency Service)
6. Alliance for Children Everywhere
7. Adopt a Highway – (segment of Spalding Rd.)
8. Relay for Life
9. Toys for Tots annual drive
10. ASPCA – Humane Society
11. Donated Performance participation for President GoodLuck John of Nigeria
12. Humanitarian tour for Silverbird, ENT. in Africa
13. WABE – Atlanta’s NPR station – donations
14. Goodwill volunteer (furniture pick up)
15. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Cobb County
16. American Cancer Society
17. Griffin Food Pantry – Five Loaves and Two Fish Food Pantry
18. Partner in Education
19. American Diabetes Association
20. Hosea Feed the Hungry
21. Oak Grove Baptist Church Men’s Recovery Center
22. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
23. Children’s Restoration Network
24. Treasure of Heaven
25. Global Health Innovations
26. Connor’s Song
27. Foundation Board Florida Hospital for Children
28. Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
29. Change for Children
30. United Negro College Fund
31. Oceans of Mercy
32. Free trombone and low brass lessons for underprivileged kids

Enter Jack Harris and Junior Achievement of Georgia. As he states it, “Our mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in the global economy.” He’s laser-beam-focused on “turning on the light bulbs” so middle and high school students see the undeniable connection between a high school education and adult success.

Junior Achievement graduation rates? How does 100% sound? Jack acknowledges not having data for every JA program, but you should have seen his eyes… He’ll get the data. He’ll maintain that awesome record. And here’s another interesting fact. The JA GA Board of Directors is loaded with members who participated in its programs as kids. To me, that says staying power and effectiveness.

From a financial perspective, Junior Achievement of Georgia is equally impressive. It’s hard to believe they deliver their programs to 150,000 students at over 500 schools through 7,000 volunteers at cost of only $14 per student! And every penny is privately raised.

Makes you want to lend a hand, doesn’t it? Volunteer for some in-classroom work. It’s 10 hours. (Do NOT tell me you can’t spare 10 hours to maybe change the lives of a roomful of high-risk kids.) Make an investment too – donate some cash. I haven’t seen an ROI like this maybe ever.

Alex talked about how playing and practicing music in a disciplined, consistent manner literally causes the brain to function differently – at a higher level.  Parents love that because performance in school tends to improve.  Business leaders love it as well.  “They’re smarter, brighter and more disciplined.  What manager wouldn’t want those kinds of kids working in their business?”  GYSO, the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra, with over 400 students participating, is the largest youth symphony in the southeast.  Talk about a pipeline of talent for our community!

He also talked about the challenges of obtaining funding not only for GYSO, but also for the symphony itself, the jazz ensemble and the chorus.  “The message needs to start at home,” he says.  “GYSO parents need to talk to their business & personal contacts.  They need to carry the message of how the GSO is already improving quality of life throughout the state.”

As a business-person, it’s hard to not get caught up in what this symphony can do.  As Alex put it, “It’s more than sound and words and music.  It brings passion and emotion and growth.  It makes your community flourish and grow.  It enhances your base of business.”

The Georgia Symphony Orchestra – an organization worth your attention and support.