Who will receive NT's 10th anniversary $10,000 donation? The UNCF? HSUS? Access Books? Vote now!

Methodical Management

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December 10 marks the tenth anniversary of the NikeTalk community. To celebrate, we'll be donating $10,000 to a charity selected by YOU, our fellowmembers, from a list of every organization we've supported to date.

As many of you already know, our staff members have always donated their services to the community. Ever since implementing ads in 2006, we've donated100% of our revenue above the basic cost of web hosting to charity. In total, we've succeeded in delivering over $93,000 to 15 different charities. With this $10,000 donation, we will breach the $100,000 mark.

Throughout the month of November, you'll have the opportunity to cast your vote to determine the recipient of our special 10th anniversary $10,000donation. Each of our voices will count equally, and while there are no wrong choices I urge you to review each charity and carefully consider your selection.

The poll results will be revealed on December 1st, leaving us time to make the donation official prior to the 10th anniversary. I can't wait to find outwhich charity you've chosen.

Before you cast your vote, let's take a moment to briefly review each organization. As you do, I hope you'll consider supporting the causes you careabout by volunteering, learning more, raising awareness, and perhaps offering a donation of your own.

NikeTalk has always paid homage to what we stand [color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]in[/color]. Now is the time to show the world, and each other, what westand [color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]for[/color].


UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund, http://www.unicef.org/

Original Donation Amount: $2,569.92, issued August 2006: http://niketalk.com/topic/430

What They Do: UNICEF's programs run the gamut from emergency/disaster relief and disease prevention to genderequality and education. Learn more about their programs here: http://www.unicef.org/whatwedo/index.html

How Would the $10,000 be used? If selected, we would allocate the $10,000 to UNICEF's Schools for Africa campaign: http://www.schoolsforafrica.com/home.htm



Access Books
http://www.accessbooks.net/

Original Donation Amount: $4,116, issued October 2006: http://niketalk.com/topic/429, http://niketalk.com/topic/418 (update)

What They Do: Access Books refurbishes inner city school and community libraries in the greater Los Angeles area. They accept book donations as well - so check their website and send in children's books(new or good condition) to help spread joy and knowledge tochildren in need. The average book in these grossly underfunded libraries was published in 1960 - long before any of us (save perhaps kdwallace) were evenborn. A calendar of events is available as well, and those of you in the SoCal area are welcome to volunteer to help transform a library: http://www.accessbooks.net/happening_calendar.html

How Would the $10,000 be used? $10,000 would go a long way towards refurbishing a library in need somewhere inSouthern California.



Ettie Lee Homes
http://www.ettielee.org/

Original Donation Amount: $4,116, issued November 2006

What They Do: Ettie Lee Homes, now known as Ettie Lee Youth and Family Services, has provided group homes for youngpeople since 1950. They help troubled and at risk youth through range of services, from 24 hour residential care to adoption, education, gang/violenceintervention, and mental health/addiction treatment programs. We initially selected Ettie Lee Homes in part because one of our staff members spent some timethere during his youth, so we know first hand what a difference they can make in a young person's life.

How Would the $10,000 be used? If selected, $10,000 would be used at the organization's discretion.



Gawad Kalinga
http://gk1world.com

Original Donation Amount: $2,907, issued January 2006

What They Do: Based in the Philippines, Gawad Kalinga (which means "give care") offers community developmentand disaster relief services. Current programs seek to help 5 million people emerge from poverty and encourage environmentally sustainable development.

How Would the $10,000 be used? If selected, $10,000 would be used at the organization's discretion.


The UNCF
http://www.uncf.org

Original Donation Amount: $3,656.92, issued March2007: http://niketalk.com/topic/421

What They Do: The UNCF has provided a pathway to higher education for men and women since 1944. Today, theorganization helps over 60,000 students each year receive a college education and, in the process, assists us in closing the racial achievement gap. It is acritical contribution not only for each student and his/her family, but for our society as a whole:
Today, 60 percent of students supported by UNCF are the first in their families to attend college; 62 percent are from families with annual income of less than $25,000; and 93 percent qualify for financial aid.
How Would the $10,000 be used? If selected, the $10,000 would benefit the UNCF's Wave of Hopecampaign, intended to rebuild HBCUs damaged by Hurricane Katrina and help Gulf Coast youth gain access to a college education.


Operation Smile
www.operationsmile.org/

Original Donation Amount: $2,000 issued April 2007: http://niketalk.com/topic/419

What They Do: Operation Smile provides free surgery for poorchildren sufferin from birth defects like cleft palate. They also provide post-operative care and training services for medical professionals around the world.

How Would the $10,000 be used? Each surgery performed costs just$240, so this donation could potentially help over 40 children suffering from facial deformities live better lives.


American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org

Original Donation Amount: $2,553 issued April 2007:
http://niketalk.com/topic/414

What They Do: The ACS has been devoted to eliminating cancer since the organization's founding in 1913. They fundcancer research, information, prevention, and advocacy. Though based in the United States, the ACS helps fight cancer around the world through training,capacity building, and tobacco control efforts.

How Would the $10,000 be used? If selected, $10,000 would be donated to the American Cancer Society Cancer ActionNetwork, qualifying us for their Chairman's Circle, which would include NikeTalk's listing on the National Donor's Circle Plaque at ACS CANHeadquarters.



Juvenile Diabetes ResearchFoundation
http://www.jdrf.org

Original Donation Amount: $2,768.60 issued August 2007:http://niketalk.com/topic/416

What They Do: JDRF is committed to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes. Through their support of promising researchlike the development of an artificial pancreas and continuous glucose monitors, superior treatment options are within reach.

How Would the $10,000 be used? If selected, $10,000 would be used at the organization's discretion.



Free the Children
http://www.freethechildren.com

Original Donation Amount: $17,204, issued October 2007:
http://niketalk.com/topic/121553

What They Do: Founded by a child activist in 1995, Free the Children now works in over 45 countries around the world. The organization deliverseducation programs through the construction of schools and teacher training and supports health and nutrition by providing food and building wells in targetcommunities.

How Would the $10,000 be used? Our $10,000 donation would finance the construction of a new school building or schoolroom.



Green For All
http://www.greenforall.org

Original Donation Amount: $5,000, issued April 2008: http://niketalk.com/topic/95897

What They Do:
Green for All is devoted to connecting environmentaland social justice by diversifying the environmental movement and utilizing sustainable development to create jobs and lift people out of poverty. TheOakland, CA based organization currently develops policy, fosters community activism, and forges tools and alliances to help communities and organizationscreate green collar jobs and promote environmentally sustainable economic development.

How Would the $10,000 be used? If selected, $10,000 would be used at the organization's discretion.



Kiva.org
http://www.kiva.org

Original Donation Amount: $6,820, issued July 2008: http://niketalk.com/topic/95956

What They Do:
Kiva.org is a non-profit organization that helpsfacilitate loans to entrepreneurs in developing nations. Users can contribute as little as $20 to a small loan designed to help people traditionally outsidethe credit market gain access to capital. As the loan is repaid, Kiva lenders receive credit to their accounts, which can then be re-loaned or withdrawn ascash.

How Would the $10,000 be used? If selected, $10,000 would be added to NikeTalk's existing Kiva.org account, to beloaned over and over again to recipients selected via vote. (e.g. http://niketalk.com/topic/206802 )



Habitat for Humanity
http://www.habitat.org/

Original Donation Amount: $4,056, issued December 2008: http://niketalk.com/topic/133587

What They Do: Habitat for Humanity builds affordable homes for families in need with the help of volunteers. Programbeneficiaries then pay for their new homes through a no-profit mortgage and by volunteering to help build homes for other deserving families. Since 1976,Habitat for Humanity has constructed over 300,000 homes, housing 1.5 million people in more than 3,000 different communities around the world.

How Would the $10,000 be used? $10,000 can completely finance the construction of an http://internationalhouse, giving a family a new home of their own.



World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
http://www.worldwildlife.org

Original Donation Amount: $10,000, issued December 2008: http://niketalk.com/topic/157672

What They Do: With over 1.2 million members in the US alone, the WWF continues to serve as the world's largestconservation group. Their efforts range from the protection of endangered species to youth education programs and their environmental expertise has beensought by a number of corporations, including Nike, interested in reducing the ecological footprint of their operations. Last year, NikeTalk donated $10,000to join the Amur Leopard Conservation Society and help the WWF save the rarest big cat on earth.

How Would the $10,000 be used? Unfortunately, renewing NikeTalk's membership in the Amur Leopard ConservationSociety would cost $15,000. So, as a potential alternative, the $10,000 could be used to
Protect the World's Rarest Rhino From Poaching. As with the ALCS, we would symbolically adopt a rhino, whichwe'd then receive updates on and photos of.


Room to Read
http://www.roomtoread.org/

Original Donation Amount: $19,000, issued April 2009: http://niketalk.com/topic/173811

What They Do: The plight facing children and families in Nepalso moved John Wood, then a senior executive at Microsoft, that he quit his job to help - eventually founding the non-profit Room to Read
organization, which has since built over 7,000 libraries and expanded its operations to serve communities in over nine developing nations around the world.

How Would the $10,000 be used? Though insufficient to finance another freestanding library of the sort we'vehelped finance in Nepal, $10,000 can help provide 40 years of education for girls in India, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, or Nepal, enabling young womenaccess to secondary schooling opportunities they could not otherwise receive - a lasting impact, to be certain.


The Humane Society of the United States
http://www.hsus.org

Original Donation Amount: $7,000, issued August 2009: http://niketalk.com/topic/201929

What They Do: As thenation's largest animal welfare organization, the HSUS has assumed a leadership role in fighting for the dignity and safety of nonhuman animals. Inaddition to their fruitful advocacy efforts, the organization also serves as the largest disaster relief agency for nonhuman animals - saving 10,000 lives inthe wake of Hurricane Katrina alone while conventional rescue efforts abandoned dogs, cats, and others.

How Would the $10,000 be used? If chosen, $10,000 would bedonated to the HSUS' innovative End Dogfighting campaign. Supported by volunteers like Michael Vick, End Dogfighting works from within inner citycommunities to educate and inspire young people through free workshops and classes. Find out more by visiting their website and learn how you can help: http://www.hsus.org/acf/fighting/dogfight/programs/hsus_end_dogfighting.html




If you're anything like me, choosing only one of these charities will prove incredibly difficult - but remember that although we can only offer this$10,000 donation to one organization, you can help support as many as you're able. Spread the word, get involved, and use the power of community bothonline and off to help us individually and collectively become the change we wish to see in our world.

The charity you've selected to receive our 10th anniversary $10,000 donation will be revealed here and via Twitter on December 1st. Follow us athttp://twitter.com/niketalk1999 for future donationannouncements, user votes, news, and contests!
 
Voted
pimp.gif
 
Tough choice, but I remember the Operation Smile one originally and I think its a great thing to do...that gets my vote
 
It'd be nice to see something toward the Richmond High victim. Just putting it out there.
 
Shame, wish the money could go to all of them. There are too many to pick, and they're all good causes.
 
Originally Posted by Ghenges

Operation Smile
smile.gif
same here.

Seems like the place that could most directly turn the money into a life-changing situation for some kids. The other causes all seem great, but this oneappealed most to me because of how much good it could immediately do given the amount we're donating.

Good stuff though NT. Proud to be a member when these posts come up.
 
Behavioral science research suggests I'm barking up the wrong tree on this one, that you all will be overwhelmed by the 15 options and put relativelylittle thought into your selections. I'd prefer to think otherwise, that you'll focus more on this decision than blind taste testers selecting a jam ata supermarket or some similarly trivial task. I hope you'll give this the consideration it deserves and choose carefully. It is a really, really toughcall.

Even I'll be kept in suspense til December 1st. I just hope we have a strong turnout, so our selection will really represent the community as a whole.

On a board like ours it's too easy for threads like this to fall through the cracks and go unnoticed, so please spread the word and, for those interestedin keeping up with the donations, following us on twitter (niketalk1999) is an easy way to find out as soon as new posts go live.


Thanks, everyone!
 
That was so hard. There were many good ones. I was stuck between Operation Smile and the United Negro College Fund. I decided to go with Operation Smile.Anything to give those kids a sense of "normalcy" is worth it.
 
Originally Posted by Craftsy21

Originally Posted by Ghenges

Operation Smile
smile.gif
same here.

Seems like the place that could most directly turn the money into a life-changing situation for some kids. The other causes all seem great, but this one appealed most to me because of how much good it could immediately do given the amount we're donating.

Good stuff though NT. Proud to be a member when these posts come up.


qft
 
It took me about 30 minutes to decide, every organization posted are for great causes but because I'll one day be helping kids with cleft palate once Ifinish my masters I had to go with Operation Smile.

Method Man for president...just don't ban dairy products.
 
Extremely hard decision. It was between Operation Smile and Room to Read. I went with Room to Read. Seems like most NTers are voting for OS anyway.
 
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