Green Columbus Gets Earth Day Done

It happens all around the world. Every month, people who work in the environmental field meet up at informal sessions known as Green Drinks. Most events are relatively informal, held to help people in the field establish contacts.

Today, there are more than 68 countries that have this organic, self-organizing group in at least one city. In the United States, there is at least one participating city in each state along with the District of Columbia. And in many states, like Ohio, as many as five cities have hosted Green Drinks.

The concept, which accidentally happened at a pub called the Slug and Lettuce in North London, unofficially began when Edwin Datschefski was having a drink with green design colleagues Yorick Benjamin and Paul Scott. When they noticed an enviro-minded acquaintance at a nearby table who was sitting with his own eco-conscious mates, they pulled their tables together.

While that doesn't seem like much organization, many people are surprised to find that what happens at Green Drinks doesn't always stay with Green Drinks. Sometimes it becomes much more.

How Green Drinks Inspired Green Columbus In Ohio. 

While Green Drinks informally started in 1989, the idea quickly spread around the world after Datschefski founded a website to help others establish events in 2001. And in some places, like Columbus, it wasn't long before Green Drinks wanted to do even more.

So in 2007, the Columbus group kicked around a few concepts to create a much more formal event that could change the way people see Earth Day. Specifically, they wanted to host a two-part event where people volunteered and celebrated not only Earth Day, but also what they had accomplished.

Their first event, Green Columbus, set a benchmark for 500 people contributing 4 hours of time each for 2,000 hours total. Two thousand hours is equivalent to one
full-time work year, giving the event added significance as an opportunity to volunteer an entire day in a year.

They accomplished much more during the inaugural event. More than 1,300 people put in 3,900 hours of service or the equivalent of two full-time work years. Since then, the event has logged about 55,000 hours of volunteer service planting trees, picking up trash, and establishing gardens.

This year alone, Green Columbus plans to deliver 12,000 hours of service at 150 different worksites with the help of 5,000 volunteers. These volunteers will then be celebrated at Columbus Commons as part of a full-day Earth Day celebration. The event includes dozens of booths and several live bands.

This year will also be the first of its kind to shoot for a zero landfill waste goal. Participating food vendors at the event will all use compostable or recyclable serviceware to make it happen. The hosts will also provide filtered water stations, making it easy to refill water bottles and reduce plastic waste.

Green Columbus Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick.  

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose Green Columbus because while it might be a local event that happens in one city, it also demonstrates how Earth Day celebrations are not only scalable but service-oriented calls to action whereby people can think globally and act locally by taking part in sustainable service projects.

Much like Green Drinks was started in North London, Green Columbus is the kind of event that continues to spread because the only thing that sustainable action needs a group of dedicated people with the right vision and mission to make it succeed. How about you? Are you one of them?

If you would like to learn more about Green Columbus, visit the organization's website. To learn more about Green Drinks, which was responsible for bringing the right people together in Columbus, visit the site that Datschefski built. For another side of Earth Day, read A Billion Acts Of Green because everything counts.

Amazon Brings A Smile And Good Will

While still under a year old, it's hard not to smile about the Amazon Smile program, an online philanthropic effort that invites online shoppers to pick the charity of their choice. Once selected, Amazon will automatically donate .5 percent of all eligible purchases made by that shopper to the nonprofit they pick.

There are almost a million charities, schools, and nonprofit organizations to choose from — enough that it is impossible to list them all. The easiest way to find a specific nonprofit organization is to use the Amazon Smile search tool. You might be surprised by some of the organizations you'll find.

In giving the good will effort a test run, I found several local nonprofit organizations that I assumed would be too small for the program. The difference between being included or not is largely up to the organization. Amazon Smile has guidelines for eligibility, including inclusion on GuideStar.

How charities enroll in a program designed to raise revenue. 

Once an official representative of an eligible organization verifies that their nonprofit hasn't been enrolled, all they have to do is complete an administrator account and accept the terms of service. Once Amazon is able verify the organization's email, bank account, and eligibility requirements, the organization will be added to the program.

Amazon also asks that the program be listed by GuideStar, which gathers information about every nonprofit organization's mission, legitimacy, impact, reputation, finances, programs, transparency, governance, and more. Many organizations are listed on GuideStar but may not have had their reports updated. Any nonprofit can update its report for free.

Report fields are labeled blue, bronze, silver, and gold. Blue fields can be updated immediately. All other colors require varying degrees of confirmation. Updates are usually completed in 24-48 hours.

The important thing to remember is that GuideStar isn't a charity watchdog or evaluator. All it does is collect and organize information so donors have a better understanding of an organization, which is why Amazon Smile asks organizations to be listed before releasing any funds raised by purchases.

Amazon Smile Spotlights Several Organizations You Know. 

Although there are almost a million charities already listed, Amazon Smile does spotlight several well-known organizations. Here are five currently spotlighted.

American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. It is also becoming one of the biggest suppliers of blood in the nation.

The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. It has more than one million members and has protected more then 119 million acres of land.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. No family that turns to this hospital ever pays for anything.

Charity: Water is a nonprofit organization that brings clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. It was featured as a good will pick last year.

Code.org is leading the effort to bring computer programming education to every student in every school. It places an emphasis on the idea that anyone can learn these valuable skills.

While .5 percent might not seem like much, it adds up via Amazon. If everyone participated by selecting a nonprofit organization, then Amazon would contribute an additional $400 million to charities every year.

Amazon Smile And Whoever You Want Is A Good Will Pick From Liquid Hip. 

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

Amazon might be a big company, but its heart is in the right place with Amazon Smile. While most corporate giving programs funnel a portion of consumer purchases toward nonprofit organizations, few allow their customers to help direct their contributions or even remain visible to the organization.

This one does. And while not everyone is fond of the program, it still represents a step in the right direction. The more connected contributors are to a benefactor, the more likely they will support the organization behind .5 percent of their shopping purchases. And while the Amazon Smile program can't replace actual donations, it's a very clear way to give a little bit more (even if it is only $50 a year).

Cradles To Crayons Recycles Possible

While visiting the home of her sister during a Christmas vacation, Lynn Margherio was more than happy to help out. So when her young niece needed just the right outfit, she volunteered to dig through through her dresser.

What she found instead was inspiration. Somewhere near the bottom of one drawer, Margherio found some tops and bottoms with price tags still on them. They had never been worn, but it was clear they were already a size too small.

Something similar happened a few days later at her brother's house. She was helping another niece and nephew with an art project in their play room and, very literally, had to step over all their toys to get to the table where the pair were working with glitter, stickers, and markers.

The children, she discovered later, weren't interested in most of it. They tended to gravitate toward a few favorites and always ignored the rest. And it wasn't long after that when these experiences began to merge into one amazingly worthwhile idea.

What if everything we didn't need could find someone who did?

Two years later, Margherio founded Cradles To Crayons, a nonprofit organization in Boston that provides low-income and homeless children (ages 0-12) with essential items they need to thrive at home, school, and play. It provides these essentials by connecting communities that have with communities that have a need.

They accomplish this mission in three different ways, with the first being to collect and temporarily warehouse new and gently-used children’s goods that are donated by individuals, families, and businesses during several drives held by interested community groups.

Once the toys arrive, volunteers inspect, sort, and package all the donations into individualized packages that will be given to children who have specific needs and placed an order through any number of social service agency partners. As soon as the request it met, the partner agency picks up the package and delivers it directly to the child in need.

To date, the organization has hosted some 800 clothing, toy, and school supply drives managed by 24,000 volunteers who delivered 55,000 individual packages to children in need at or through some 300 different social service providers. Best of all, nothing shared is wasted. Everything is cherished.



The organization doesn't just serve the Boston area anymore. It aims to serve more than 305,000 Massachusetts children. But they are not only confined to the Boston area and greater Massachusetts. Cradles To Crayons was duplicated in Philadelphia by Jennifer Case in 2006.

After tapping into the generosity of her friends and neighbors in support of Hurricane Katrina, Case later learned there was a critical need right in her own backyard. Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate among the nation's ten largest cities, which means nearly 130,000 children live in poverty.

A couple more paragraphs about Lynn Margherio.

Margherio wasn't a stranger to community service. As Executive Vice President of the William J. Clinton Foundation’s HIV/AIDS Initiative, she had helped launch and build President Clinton’s program to assist countries in the developing world to plan and implement large-scale HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs as part of her 20-year career in business and public policy consulting.

Between this unique operational experience and advising  Fortune 500 companies on growth strategies, competitive positioning, and investment/acquisition opportunities, she understood what it would take. She visited shelters and health centers, asking if they had the resources to help families meet basic needs like clothing and then started calling schools and community groups to see if they would be willing to collect these badly needed goods.

The reaction was uniformly positive. So Margherio commandeered some extra office space at the consulting firm where she was a partner, lined the space with shelving and plastic bins from Home Depot, and started going from school to school in a rented truck to collect other people's stuff. Today, Cradles To Crayons has its own warehouse.

Cradles To Crayons Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick.

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose Cradles To Crayons for two reasons. Not only does the nonprofit organization inspire communities that have to help those communities that have a need, but the model has also been successfully duplicated in a second city. It would be an amazing story to see another Cradles To Crayons open too.

In the interim, you can help either Cradles To Crayons program in a number of ways. If you live in Boston, you can donate your new and lightly used items for children or volunteer. And if that isn't possible because you live someone else, you can always send gifts too. Or, to help support children in Philadelphia, you can learn more here. Both C2C locations welcome corporate engagement too.

Points Of Light On A Day Of Service

Although the civil rights movement of the 1960s was a struggle for many — both black and white, side by side — Martin Luther King, Jr. has come to symbolize it. The reason is largely tied to his I Have A Dream speech, which was synthesized portions of earlier speeches that captured both the necessity for change and the potential for hope in American society.

But in doing so, Martin Luther King, Jr. didn't just speak to and for African-Americans. He spoke for all people, distinguishing himself from others who called for revolution over reformation. He believed, as some people do today, that in rallying people together, as opposed to pitting themselves against each other, we would work together as a community.

This idea, that life's most persistent question might be "what are we doing for others," has become the central focus of MLK Day, which honors his ideas and accomplishments. This is a day that calls on people from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to the most pressing national problems. It's an American holiday, but the sentiment ignores borders and barriers.

How The Points Of Light Becomes A Beacon For Service. 

While there are many organizations that work together to mobilize volunteers, Points Of Light has grown into one of the most successful to connect people and their power to create positive change in the world and their communities wherever those needs are greatest. The organization grew out of a vision shared by George H.W. Bush during his inaugural address in 1989.

"We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light," He said. "We all have something to give."

In response, the Points of Light Foundation was established as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. And since then, it has merged and partnered with some of the nation's strongest volunteer advocacy programs in the world, including the National Volunteer Network, CityCares, and the HandsOn Network.

Since then, Points Of Light has grown to further develop action networks that engage people as positive changes agents, develop civic incubators to nurture new forms of civic action, and develop programs that specifically address national needs along with the needs of individual communities. But through it all, the organization is tied to the original idea that the thousand points of light can create a beacon.

Although much of its work is sustained throughout the year, its beacon burns brightest on days like today. It's not uncommon for Points Of Light to mobilize as many as 203,000 individuals to serve in honor of the MLK Day of Service, including the President of the United States and First Lady. Along with them, Points of Light also trains and activates more than 4,000 volunteer leaders supporting more than 2,700 projects across the nation. It engages 7,900 veterans and military families too.

There are many ways to volunteer. You can start here.

The amount of good these people do has a high impact because it empowers residents to find innovative, sustainable solutions for their local communities. Because of this approach, the number of programs and initiatives are as varied as the people who live within them, ranging from community gardens to neighborhood watch programs in high-risk residential areas.

Combined, this amounts to more than 32 million hours of service from more than 4.3 million volunteers. In any given year, they work together to complete as many as 260,000 service projects not just in the United States, but also in 20 different countries all over the world.

Points Of Light Is A Good Will Pick From Liquid Hip.

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose Points Of Light to expand the inspiring story of the Martin Luther Kin, Jr. Day Of Service. Not only does Points Of Light make a difference on days such as this, but all year long across all ages, races and ethnicities. To find out how you can become part of the Points Of Light or one of the 77,000 partnerships it has developed since its inception, visit the organization's website.

As one light, joined by thousands, you too can make a difference in the world by volunteering your time and serving others. This year, Points of Light is working to reach more than 50 million people annually and access more than 1 million projects with the help of 10 million people who use their time, talent and money to make big changes.

Help Start Some Good This Season

Crowd funding has come into its own with sites like Kickstarter helping would-be entrepreneurs. In fact, we still think it's one of the coolest ways for creative people to get attention — so cool that we highlighted them as a good will pick almost two years ago.

Since then, dozens of other crowd funding sites have started up. Many of them are similar with slight variations in terms. Some allow funders to collect a portion of their goals. Others have introduced an equity option that turns contributors into investors. And then there are those that continue to inspire something else entirely — crowd funding for social entrepreneurs, change makers, and nonprofits.

These are people who have great ideas and the passion to see them through, but they lack the start-up capital to get great civic things off the ground. How does this differ? The value is intangible and sometimes immeasurable.

Maybe you could StartSomeGood this season, literally. 

StartSomeGood is a crowd funding platform that was built specifically to raise funds and build a community of supporters who look for good social ideas and help them start up or meet specific goals. Think of it like DonorsChoose except the classroom in need might be an entire community.

The platform isn't confined to startups either. Many of the organizations that are aiming to raise funds already have proven programs with specific needs. Some of them, like SMAC! Sock Monkeys, have been featured as good will picks in the past. It's where they raised money for many good ideas.


The ideas that are accepted do have to meet some criteria. All campaigns have to create positive social change, lay out a coherent budget, establish a tipping point that covers minimum objectives, and promise to send rewards to contributors within a reasonable timeframe. For those campaigns that can answer yes to these questions and a few others, StartSomeGood will give them a green light.

The platform makes fundraising possible online. 

Of course, the real power behind programs such as these isn't about receiving a green light from StartSomeGood. It comes from people, with the majority of successful campaigns already having a network of potential supporters in place long before listing their campaigns.

Sure, it's not uncommon for other champions to take an interest or help push a program over the line as these contributors help the campaign get off the ground. But just like any fundraising campaign, core support almost always comes from where the program intersects with a community or special interest. The rest is generosity and sometimes a kind way to give some kudos for a good idea.

At the same time, where StartSomeGood truly excels is in helping social champions get the job done without a donation page, merchant account, or program to track campaign goals in real time. In some cases, developing those assets can cost more than an effective program.

More than that, StartSomeGood also provides programs with a road map to help them succeed. The platform has a "how it works" section that walks people through what they need to do to build a campaign, promote a campaign, and nurture it into something worth talking about.

StartSomeGood Is A Good Will Pick From Liquid Hip.

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you. Happy holidays.

We chose StartSomeGood because the platform keeps popping up on our radar with all sorts of good ideas and worthwhile causes. While we often select specific programs and people to highlight, it seemed especially fitting to leave the giving wide open this time around.

There are dozens perhaps hundreds of ideas that are looking for support right now. Some of them only need a few hundred dollars to see their projects become a success — ideas like an educational incubator that helps students develop new innovations in science and technology, a lacrosse league designed specifically to help inner city youth avoid at-risk behaviors, a multicultural center that plans to renovate its indoor and outdoor space. Find them all, listed by urgency, at StartSomeGood.

Jack Andraka Inspires A Good Will Pick

Jack Andraka is not an ordinary teenager by all counts. Sure, he enjoys whitewater kayaking, origami, and a couple of television shows. But he is also a big fan of science and has already made a historic mark in the field of medicine, before he celebrates his 16th birthday in January.

What Andraka did is develop a fast, non-intrusive, and inexpensive method to detect an increase of a protein that indicates the presence of pancreatic, ovarian and lung cancer. It's a significant advancement because the earlier cancer can be detected, the greater the chance of survival.

He initially came up with the idea during biology class at North County High School. He drew upon a class lesson about antibodies and an article using carbon nanotubes. From this unique combination of data, which he later researched with the help of Google and Wikipedia, it gave him a real start.

The miracle early detection test that almost wasn't. 

Naturally, Andraka isn't the only person to have an epiphany. Many people have ideas across many different fields. Some are even thought up by kids his age. But sadly, most ideas don't go anywhere.

Some of them are stopped short for any number of random reasons. For instance, his idea might have drifted away when his biology teacher confiscated his clandestine reading material on carbon nanotubes. Or, even more likely, most students would never be given permission to test their theories.

Andraka understands this all too well. His request for laboratory work at Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health were rejected 199 times before Anirban Maitra, professor of pathology, oncology, and chemical and biomolecular engineering at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine made accommodations. Professor Maitra sees Andraka as a Thomas Edison of our time.



Imagine. It is very likely that he was only one rejection away from the support he needed to see his idea through to early detection. But fortunately for him and the rest of the world, Andraka was able to develop a test that costs approximately three cents and requires only five minutes to see results.

Developing the test took significantly longer. Andraka dedicated a year and a half of his life outside of school. Most of that time, as he tells it, resulted in nothing more than a ton of failures. But he wouldn't give up.

Part of Andraka's inspiration and motivation came from the loss of a close family friend to cancer, someone who he frequently describes as being like an uncle. Like his source for inspiration, most pancreatic cancer patients have less than a 2 percent chance of survival because it's detected to late.



The average life expectancy after being diagnosed is three months. The likelihood of surviving five years with pancreatic cancer is less than 5 percent. The reason, according to Andraka, is that the current technique was six years old and costs approximately $800 per test.

His solution removes these barriers. It was designed that way from his initial scientific criteria to make the test non-invasive, fast, simple, sensitive, selective, and inexpensive. But before he could begin testing his theories, he had to determine which of some 8,000 proteins in human blood could be used as biomarkers to detect cancer. He researched more than 4,000 proteins before finding one.

His breakthrough came about by thinking of a way for an antibody to bind to this specific kind of protein using nanotubes. This was enough to secure lab space for seven months, through trial and error. And that, regardless of any other measure, is what led to his historic breakthrough.

Jack Andraka And The ISEF Is A Good Will Pick By Liquid Hip.

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose Jack Andraka in part because of his discovery and in part because he defies the need for expert credentials over great ideas and the determination to see them through. And along with Andraka, we would like to highlight the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which helped shine a national spotlight on Andraka's work.

The ISEF provides a forum for more then 1,600 high school students from over 70 countries, regions, and territories to showcase their work while competing for more than $4 million. In 2012, Andraka was the recipient of the 2012 Gordon E. Moore Award. Not only is it the grand prize, but it also helps prove that there has never been a greater potential for teenagers today.

Benefit Album Puls A Good Will Pick

Sometimes when artists suffer tragedies, they're not prepared. A few months ago, we wrote about one of them. Bob "Slim" Dunlap suffered a stroke and dozens of musicians rallied to help him raise money in preparation for the round-the-clock care he may need for the rest of his life.

This month, we'd like to introduce another artist who found himself struggling after an emergency surgery left his family saddled with medical bills: Brent Puls. Even if you haven't heard of Puls before, there is a good chance you've heard him.

He is a former member of the funk jazz band Bumpus and glam pop outfit Grammar. He left the latter three years ago to set out on a solo career. He was busy booking gigs and putting out indie pop EPs when when a childhood ailment finally caught up and nearly killed him. He's been recovering ever since.

To help him through it, 19 different artists cobbled together a selection of songs, many of them never previously released, for the sole purpose of helping Puls get out of debt and back to making music. All the artists ask is anyone enjoying the album to kick in $10. The songs are worth that on their own.

Joe Pug kicks off National Endowment For The Brents. 

The compilation leads off with Hymn 101 by Joe Pug. The song originally appeared on Pug's debut Nation Of Heat EP. It's a classic folk rock song that captures the world weariness of a drifter, and the meanings he attaches to a lifetime spent trying to figure out life. If you've never heard it, here's a clip.


The powerful start does a splendid job foreshadowing the rest of the album. Many of the tracks lean toward folk rock. Following up Pug is singer-songwriter Susie Asado, lending the sparsely appointed Autobiography Of A Skyscraper from Traffic Island. The track is a perfect stop before indie rock/pop band Any Kind shares Lost Again, I Am, which was taken down to make room for their new album.

There are more surprises moving down the track list. Pat Sansone (Wilco) donated Birdy On The Moon from an album yet to be released. Rachel Yamagata donated the demo version of Fish, which had never been previously released. Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under) added the must-listen Just Cuz and Puls's old band Bumpus added Hi Tek to the mix.

Aside from better-known names, check crooner pop Clip Art, alt folk outfit Rivals Of The Peacemakers led by Alexandra Watson, and Chicago-based post bluegrass pickers Leadfoot. The latter's Jailhouse is a duet with Steve Haberichter and Nikki Giblin.

The balance is worth a listen too, with all of the contributors sharing Chicago as their common ground. It's a great indication of how tight-knit Chicago singer-songwriters have become, off stage as well as on stage. Their support has already helped Puls get back to writing music.



There could be a good reason Puls made On The Road To The Wilderness lighter than some of his earlier material. It fits the light at the end of the tunnel theme, but it isn't about his surgery. Puls decided to write about the end of a relationship, not as it happened but rather after you forget that there even was a heartbreak. The download is free, an unspoken thank you for everyone supporting the album.

The National Endowment For The Brents Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick. 

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

While we can't cover every artist benefit, the immediate and spontaneous support from all these artists seemed so authentic and touching that we thought it deserved some additional attention. In more ways than one, it feels like catching someone in the act of doing good and makes one wonder what they might do to help someone close to them too.

National Endowment For The Brents is on Bandcamp. All proceeds directly benefit Puls and his family. For an introduction to his indie pop solo work, check out Empty Ampersands by Brent Puls on iTunes. Start with the track Faster Than Light.

Five Good Will Efforts From Twestival

While there have been dozens of social media for social good efforts that have come and gone over the years, few have been as successful as Twestival. This social movement program has raised more than $1.75 million for important causes around the world, with 100 percent of the money raised through ticket sales and donations going directly to support charitable projects.

The concept behind the program is simple enough. Twestival (a.k.a. Twitter-Festival) is a movement that uses the power of social media to organize offline events in support of local causes, much like CitizenGulf did in 2010 and Bloggers Unite did as early as 2007. But unlike other efforts, Twestival places a greater emphasis on developing offline events capable of raising money in person.

Twestival 2013 is bold; rife with challenges.

What's new this year is that the "Tweet. Meet. Give." concept of Twestival has been placed in the hands of local volunteers in 72 cities in order to raise funds for local charities on whatever day those local supporters choose. Previous Twestival efforts centered on a single day and/or singular theme.

Initially, the organization was hoping to inspire 300 events this year but will likely fall short of that goal. There may be other challenges too, including including some event leaders who snapped up cities only to drop the ball in planning an event (despite an organizational vetting process). As it stands, there are too many events marred by the words "coming soon."

Twestival messages haven't always helped either. Without enough events making progress, the organization has added past success stories into its social stream, detracting from current events.

But even so, there are several dozen cities doing something around the world. And we think the efforts of those precious few are admirable. The concept is too cool to give up despite global challenges.

San Luis Obispo, Calif., United States,  Sept. 13. With the event just days away, event organizers are hoping to raise money for the San Luis Obispo Children's Museum in California. The museum has been a cornerstone of this community with hands on-exhibits and events. Proceeds for the Twestival are going to a new exhibit, the Musical Garden.

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Sept. 24. Located in Victoria, British Columbia, The Cridge Center For The Family provides a place for brain injury survivors to become part of a community and receive employment skills in a commercial kitchen. The funds raised by this event will be used to create a community food program.

Farnham, Surrey, England, Sept. 25. After having their event postponed for several months, the event to benefit the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice will have a second chance. The event includes blues and a full buffet with raffles and other prizes. Funds raised for the event provide non-specifed support for the hospice.

Phoenix, Arizona, United States, Oct. 15. In an effort to curb teen suicide, volunteers selected Teen Lifeline to be the benefactor of their event in Phoenix. The event itself will be held at The Clayton on the Park (in Scottsdale) as a mixer and silent auction. Proceeds will help fund counselors and volunteers to keep the call line open for teens in distress.

La Casa del Xuklis, Barcelona, Spain, Oct. 24. La Casa del Xuklis is a residence for families of children inflicted with cancer. The house consists of 25 individual apartments for families that have been displaced from their homes while their children undergo treatment in Barcelona. Some sponsors have stepped up but event details are pending.

A couple graphs about the local and global Twestival. 

Like many social media for social good efforts, Twestival started as a small concept with a well-defined intent. A group of London Twitter users had decided to host a Harvest Twestival to meet up with some of the people they had connected to online. The event included a raffle, which collected donations and canned food for a local charity.

When 250 people turned out for the event, enthusiasm for the concept led to the creation of a campaign under the direction of founder Amanda Rose that would host dozens of local events in support of an international cause. More than 10,000 people participated, raising funds for charity: water in 2009. Total donations exceeded $250,000.

Twestival 2013 Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick.

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose Twestival because the program is unafraid to take on its biggest challenge yet — attempting to inspire local communities to host events for local charities. In more ways than one, organizers were attempting to do the impossible, taking the event back to its hyper-local roots.

Although the model is exceedingly more difficult as the variables expand exponentially, the program has still demonstrated its ability to succeed in any community where a few people are willing to step up for good. Visit any of the local events listed above or find out if your city has a Twestival slated or if it needs help. For those who are more ambitious, there are still three months left to make it happen in your city.

Charity Water Is A Hip Good Will Pick

The story of Rachel Beckwith might have made the media rounds two years ago, but it is no less heartbreaking or inspirational. She is a 9-year-old girl who left a legacy on charity: water.

Originally she raised $220 by asking people to make donations in lieu of buying birthday presents (just short of her $300 goal). But after her family was involved in a 14-vehicle traffic accident that caused what would be fatal injuries to Beckwith, an outpouring of support catapulted her campaign page to exceed $1.2 million.

Her decision to raise funds for charity: water was inspired by her church, but it wasn't the first time she wanted to contribute to a charity. Her first donation was at age 5, when she learned about Locks Of Love at school. For the next four years, she would continue to donate her hair every time it grew out.

Revisiting charity: water and its mission to find safe drinking water.

charity: water is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for water projects for some of the 800 million people who don't have readily available clean or safe water. Most of these people carry water miles in yellow fuel cans, dig in the sand to find remnants of the last rainfall, or line up and wait at overburdened wells for up to eight hours a day. Exactly the kind of hardships that inspired Beckwith.

To help alleviate this problem, charity: water adopted a model that some charity reviewers don't appreciate but donors frequently do. Every dollar donated to water projects goes to water projects.

The balance of the money needed to support operating costs comes from different private donors, foundations, and corporate sponsors. It also has a program called The Well, which includes member donors who give a set amount toward operating costs every year. They call it a 100% model.

The bottom line is that operations are paid for one way. Water projects are paid for by public donations, which water: charity sends to partner organizations working in the these regions. These partner organizations are readily recognizable and water: charity ensures the projects are completed.

While charity: water hosts several fundraising events, its most popular is a social campaign that helps people set up birthday pages to raise money for water projects. The birthday pledge is what attracted Beckwith to start a campaign and she is not alone. Dozens of children do, including 6-year-old Lory.


His campaign raised over $2,000. And although the video doesn't show it, the campaign helped create a legacy of giving in Lory, who is that much more likely to become a lifelong supporter of community causes at home and abroad. And, at the same time, it probably inspired other people to do the same, even if they do so only once in their lives or support a different organization.

A couple graphs about founder Scott Harrison. 

Scott Harrison was originally a nightclub and fashion event promotor until he left New York City in 2004 for West Africa as a means to rekindle his spiritual value. To do it, he had signed on with Mercy Ships, a humanitarian organization that provides medical care to poor nations.

His experience as a photojournalist for the organization changed his life. First because he felt like he had given up so much to do it. And then because what he considered scarcity was the envy of the people he had gone to help. After eight months, Harrison found the charity to make his life about charity. In 2006, he became the founder of charity: water.

Charity: Water Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick. 

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose charity: water after someone sent us a link to the New York Times story, which in itself is a testament to the influence and impact that Rachel Beckwith had on so many people around the world. I can easily count myself among them. Her story isn't one so easily shaken once you read it.

You can learn more about charity: water by visiting its site. There are many ways to give, but the birthday pledge remains one of the most compelling. You won't be alone in offering support. One of the newest additions would feel right at home here. The members of Depeche Mode have a joint page to help the organization reach its goal to serve 3 million by 2015.

Firefighters Need The Leary Foundation

After reviewing the independent documentary Burn last week, it became impossible to put aside or forget the other story that intersects the film behind the scenes. It's a story that doesn't begin in Detroit, but downtown Worcester, Mass., where 75 firefighters ran to what some have called "the perfect fire."

The fire happened in 1999, but it is still fresh in the minds of those who lost loved ones that day. Six firefighters were killed, including Jerry Lucey and Lt. Tommy Spencer who had many mutual friends.

One of those friends and family members was Denis Leary. He was cousins with Lucey; childhood friend and high school classmate of Spencer. Much like his hometown, the loss was too much for him to walk away from it unchanged. So Leary decided to do something about it.

"At the heart of all the Leary Foundation’s initiatives is the desire to give firefighters a better chance of returning home to their families at the end of the day," says Leary. "And to ensure that each one of us and our loved ones will be more likely to survive a life-threatening fire."

Since 2000, The Leary Firefighters Foundation has committed more than $10 million to crucial programs for fire departments in New York; Boston; Worcester, Mass.; and New Orleans. Two of the largest projects included developing the FDNY Fire Academy on Randall's Island and the New Orleans Restoration Project, which restored 11 firehouses that has been rendered uninhabitable.

The latter effort was accomplished by pulling together volunteer union labor, construction material donations, and corporate support. It was a critical project in that the firefighters had taken to working long days and sleepless nights out of trailers. Their morale was low and response times diminished until the firehouses were restored.

It isn't the first time that the foundation has come to the rescue of rescuers and their families. In fact, the foundation wasn't even a year old before it became a pivotal player in providing support after Sept. 11, 2001. The Leary Foundation immediately established The Fund For New York's Bravest.

The fund was explicit in its goal. The Leary Foundation, even though it was in its infancy and still working diligently in Worcester, wanted to raise money for the families of the 343 firefighters who perished in the line of duty. The Fund for New York’s Bravest raised over $1.9 million before it was closed in 2003, and every dollar went to the families of those firefighters.



At the same time, one of the events that kicked off fundraising efforts continued to honor firefighters and raise funds for equipment and advanced first-responder training. This included partnering with FDNY's Fire Safety Education Fund to purchase a badly needed Mobile Command Center, another example that only scratches the surface of what it had accomplished.

There are dozens of different projects and communities that the The Leary Foundation has worked with for more than a decade. While they provide a modest overview, anyone looking into the foundation will find scores of tangible contributions that not only benefit firefighters immediately but for years to come.

A few graphs about actor Denis Leary. 

While some people immediately associate actor Denis Leary with his television series Rescue Me and believe she show sparked his interest in assisting firefighters, it was actually the other way around. He believed the series would bring more attention to the plight of firefighters.

He was right in that the series created by him and Peter Tolan would have a seven-year run on the FX Network. He often used the series to help promote the foundation, doing good where firefighters needed the most assistance. Leary has an exceptional talent for bringing different people together for good. Even when the foundation opened, he teamed with Bobby Orr and Cam Neely of the Boston Bruins to make it happen.

He has a long career as a comedian and actor, and became an important supporter of the film Burn as an executive producer. He is currently writing an American adaption of the British comedy called Sirens, which is about paramedics. Recently, he donated many of the props used for Rescue Me to the Smithsonian.

The Leary Firefighters Foundation Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick.

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose The Leary Firefighters Foundation because of its impossibly long and growing list of tangible outcomes for firefighters. Believe it or not, firefighters are among the most neglected areas of public safety despite putting their lives on the line every time a fire call comes into a firehouse.

Aside from the that obvious reason, Leary did an extraordinary thing in finding such a positive way to deal with an overwhelming loss to his hometown. And then, even more extraordinarily, he expanded his efforts nationwide. We think that's remarkable. You can donate directly to The Leary Firefighters Foundation here. The foundation often allows for donations to be directed.

The Art League Is A Good Will Pick

"By nurturing the artist, we enrich the community." — The Art League in Alexandria, Virginia

It's a statement that has been one of the guiding principles of The Art League, which has served the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area since 1954. The league is a dynamic nonprofit organization, one that meets its mission through its gallery, fine arts school, art supply store, and arts outreach program.

Although recognized as one the best small charities in the greater Washington D. C. area, The Art League is much more. It is a model arts program, one of the best in the country. For more than 60 years, it has been responsible for providing a supportive arts environment where thousands of people have discovered, developed, and contributed to fine arts.

The Arts League has almost 60 years behind it. 

Originally founded by six female art students as The Art League of Northern Virginia, the group worked to foster art and art appreciation, sponsor lectures, encourage study, and hold exhibitions. As the organization grew, it eventually incorporated as a nonprofit and expanded to include the Washington D.C. area in 1967, shortly before playing a critical role in adapting the historic Torpedo Factory Art Center into artist studios owned by the City of Alexandria. Today, it is home to six galleries.

One of those galleries is managed and curated by The Art League, which provides a fellowship for more than 1,000 artists. Every month, member artists participate in juried exhibits that showcase original art by artists throughout Washington D.C. and the surrounding mid-Atlantic region.

As amazing as it is, the gallery is only the beginning. Its school and outreach give artists an opportunity to write their own stories. Here is a visual sampling of those stories from artists and enthusiasts alike.


As the video illustrates, much of what makes The Art League unique is that it has grown to maintain a non-accredited arts school, open to all, providing instruction to nearly 7,000 students every year. The classes are taught by some of the most talented and well-known artists and instructors in the country.

The school also provides exhaustive outreach programs. The school hosts special skills-training programs for youth, hosts sponsored summer art camps for at-risk children, offers special IMPART programs for wounded warriors, and operates the award-winning SOHO (a Space of Her Own) art mentoring program that serves low-income preteen girls in Alexandria.

A little more about the breakthrough SOHO program.

SOHO, which was developed in collaboration with The Art League and the Alexandria Court Service Unit, provides a 16-week arts and life-skills program, concluding with the redecoration of the girls' bedrooms. It's there that these girls find a safe, stable environment to rediscover creativity and develop meaningful relationships.

Girls are each matched with a female adult volunteer mentor from the community and they meet weekly to participate in team-building activities, learn life skills lessons, eat a healthy dinner, and participate in an art lesson taught by a professional Art League artist. The curricula covers significant ground, which includes self-esteem, relationship building, and other life skills that might not develop anywhere else.

SOHO is offered completely free to its participants, and all mentors serve on a volunteer basis. The program depends entirely on the generosity of the individuals, foundations and companies that provide financial support to fund art lessons and projects, and the mentors and other volunteers who generously give their time, energy and skills to the program.

The Art League Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick.

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose The Art League because it provides a successful blueprint for nonprofit art organizations with dozens of elements that could be duplicated by other communities. It addresses art on every level, ranging from at-risk youth to working novice and professional artists in the area.

You can learn more about The Art League and its various programs by visiting its site. There are also a number of ways to help the program with a donation. The Art League also held a Razoo campaign that coincided with a community-wide, 24-hour fundraising program hosted by Act for Alexandria. Programs that raise the most money within 24 hours in April are awarded additional funds and grants.

The Girl Effect Is A Good Will Pick

There are two ways you can think about the 250 million adolescent girls who live in poverty on our planet. You can see them as statistics, victims who need us to provide for their well being day in and day out. Or you can see them for who they are — the most powerful force for change on the planet.

The gap between these two perspectives is profound, with one vision providing a path of dependence and another empowering individuals to awaken with a new sense of self-esteem. The rewards are different too.

If you can look past their present circumstances and see their potential, the outcome eventually becomes unforgettable — the day you know these individuals don't need your help anymore is the day they become too busy helping themselves, their families, and their communities instead. The only question that remains is how many can be reached today in order to transform the world tomorrow.

The Girl Effect is a bold idea to empower girls to improve their communities. 

Five years ago, the Nike Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation and Coalition For Adolescent Girls joined a handful of organizations that give young women a chance to make change. They even go a step further. They directly help lift these girls out of poverty and encourage more nonprofit organizations to develop more programs for girls and make other programs inclusive.

The goals are straightforward. When girls receive education, health care and economic investments, they have a better chance to break intergenerational cycles of poverty. But delivering on this idea isn't always easy. By the time more girls who live in poverty turn 12, their futures are beyond their control.

In some areas of the world, a 12-year-old girl is likely to face marriage by the time she is 14. She is likely to be pregnant by 15. And if she survives childbirth, she may turn to prostitution to feed her family and acquire AIDS/HIV in the process. And for some, as unimaginable as it sounds, it could be worse.

The Girl Effect aims to change that by ensuring a 12-year-old girl will see a doctor regularly by the age of 14. She stays in school at 15 instead of dropping out to raise a family. And by the time she is 18, she can use her education to become self-reliant and make choices for herself.

But in order to make something like this possible you have to see these individual girls differently.


While there are many ways The Girl Effect has influenced organizations, some of the work they do is direct through The Girl Hub. This collaboration between the United Kingdom's Department For International Development (DFID) and the Nike Foundation bring their voices to the forefront of policy, develop tools to inspire them and influence decision makers to implement better programs.

Such efforts are then concentrated in countries like Rwanda, Nigeria and Ethiopia, where girls receive family planning information, health care and education and safe places for support and inspiration. The differences even the smallest changes can make are profound. The change is real.

"Changing their aspirations and those of their communities, building their confidence and giving them access to information and networks, is critical," said Lindi Hlanze, an economic advisor for DFID. "We need to look at all of these things throughout the life cycle of a girl — it's too late to wait until they're adults."

And interestingly enough, it's not just about them. It's about our world. Closing the joblessness gap between boys and girls can increase a country's GDP by 1.2 percent in a single year. Increasing the number of girls completing secondary education can grow a country's economy by 3 percent. Providing women with the same access to resources could increase agricultural output in developing countries by 4 percent, reducing the number of hungry people by 100 million.

At the same time, the cost of dependence is eliminated. To help put this into perspective, the lifetime cost for girls who drop out of school is estimated at $704 million in the United Kingdom and $29.6 billion in the United States, annually. In some impoverished countries, the costs are proportionately more and nearly impossible to reverse.

The Girl Effect By The Nike Foundation Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick.

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose The Girl Effect because it makes sense. If the cycle of poverty can be broken early enough with eduction and resources, countries can immediately reduce the cost of dependency and empower millions of young women who will make contributions to their families, communities and countries for generations to come. Simply put, it gives them the chance to turn victims into heroes.

There are two ways to give. You can provide for The Girl Effect Fund or any number of specific projects that have been developed by the initiative. All the funding is collected by Global Giving. Specific projects include programs in Cambodia, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Kenya, Myanmar, Sudan, Thailand, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

End The Day With Earth From Above

Twenty years ago, Yann Arthus-Bertrand set out to do something extraordinary. As a French photographer touched by the girl who silenced the world at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, he set out survey the entire planet and get a sense of it.

The work eventually came together in 170 color photographs in a folio format to chronicle the state of planet Earth. The work is both stunning and shocking. For every dramatically beautiful discovery, Arthus-Bertrand uncovered the planetary scars caused either ignorantly, inevitability, or intentionally by humankind.

In doing so, he permanently binds humans to the ecology that they are often quick to exploit. When he shows a picture of a fish market, he adds that one out of five people depend on fish but 77 percent of fish stock are over exploited. When he shows a striking photo from Africa, he points out that one billion people do not have enough to eat while 90 percent of America's corn feeds animals or is used for oil. In the rain forest, he discovered that deforestation claims 50,000 square miles every year.

"We don't want to believe what we know," he says in surprising solace.

This is part of the magic behind what he does. Discontent with showing the world through pretty pictures, he seeks to uncover the story behind the landscape. There is ecology and enterprise. There is humanity and poverty. There is environmental protection and encroachment.

There are his shots and an open invitation for other photographers to follow in his footsteps to track any progress in either direction. It makes him, and anyone who supports the work, among the most objective observers. While every moment he captures carries a message, someone else wrote it.


Among the most striking of his pictures are those that are stunning, but the underlying message is startling. A dramatic shot of Kilimanjaro for example points out that the glacier many people rely on for water is nearly gone. And it is in this way that twists the connection between the photographer and the subject and transforms it into a statement between two subjects.

Even more remarkable, perhaps, is that being the observer, artist, and messenger isn't enough. For Arthus-Bertrand is an active participant who makes every day Earth Day. His deep commitment to the environment and his willingness to get involved with the largest possible number of people in a shared-future project led him to create a unique foundation.

A few graphs about the foundation Arthus-Bertrand built. 

The mission of the GoodPlanet Foundation is to raise awareness and educate the public about environmental protection. It encourages everyone to adopt a way of life that is more respectful of the Earth and its inhabitants. It offers realistic and optimistic solutions, and encourages each individual to take action in order to “bring ecology to the forefront of awareness.”

The foundation accomplishes this in a number of ways. For example, in ecologically fragile and diverse areas like Madagascar, it supported a programs that restored 23,000 hectares of fragmented forest and created an additional 470,000 hectares of protected areas. In Belgium, the foundation partnered with the Roi Baudouin Foundation to deliver educational poster kits and programs to schools in that country. In Haiti, the foundation partnered with Defi GNO and others to formalize classrooms made from bamboo.

The bamboo classrooms are not only used by schoolchildren, but are also a sustainability lesson in that bamboo is more energy efficient, renewable, and as durable as concrete. It also provides environmental benefits such as regeneration of unproductive lands, soil erosion mitigation, and farming protection.

There are dozens of these programs supported by the GoodPlanet Foundation all over the world. And at the heart of this effort is always the founder, a photographer who said being an observer isn't enough. He continues to press ahead with work today, finding new ways to inspire and engage people about the environment.

The GoodPlanet Foundation By Yann Arthus-Bertrand Is A Good Will Pick.

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose Arthus-Bertrand and his work, along with the GoodPlanet Foundation, because it blends awareness with sustainable action. One of the newest additions to Arthus-Bertrand's work is Home, a documentary that expands on the concept of Earth From Above by showing a stark contrast between the beauty and the beast that has become our planet.

If you would like to learn more, you can find Earth from Above, Third Edition on Amazon and visit the GoodPlanet Foundation. There you can find free posters and wallpapers or consider making a direct donation to the foundation. Some challenges, after all, are too big for one person to solve. But some solutions only need a few dedicated people to make a difference.

The Replacements Play Songs For Slim

There is more to the 5-track EP, Songs For Slim, than meets the ear. It's an innovative charitable event and a good will pick to benefit one of the best punk and alternative guitarists to hail from Minnesota.

As many people know, former Replacements guitarist Bob "Slim" Dunlap (who took over for Bob Stinson in 1987) was hospitalized last year after suffering a stroke. He was in the hospital for nine months and the general prognosis is that he will likely need round-the-clock care for the rest of his life.

Songs For Slim was devised to raise money for Slim and his family by having various artists cover his songs. All of these covers are then being produced as a limited edition series of split 7” vinyl 45s. The auctions themselves have become a resounding success and picking up the 5-track EPs help too.

The second Songs For EP comes from The Replacements.

After the first limited edition put out by Steve Earle and Craig Finn, several members of The Replacements stepped up to put out their first reunion release since 1991. Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson, and Chris Mars pushed the initial fundraising efforts to more than $115,000.

The EP itself, Songs For Slim by the Replacements, can stand up to virtually any review criteria too. Busted Up has a rock and roll throwback beat to warm up the EP. It's an important track because Slim wrote it and Westerberg delivers. Radio Hook Word Hit is also written by Slim, but this time delivered exclusively by Mars with a lo-fi vibe.

The covers kick the EP up into high gear, starting with a cover of a Gordon Lightfoot song. I'm Not Sayin' is the point in the EP where everybody wishes The Replacements might make the reunion stick.


Although unlikely, there is no question that they came together for the EP and its purpose. Lost Highways, which the band picked to give the EP even broader appeal, is a Leon Payne song made famous by Hank Williams. And then the album concludes with a Everything's Coming Up Roses, which brings in the campy and coarsely sung Broadway tune written by Stephen Sondheim. It cracks at times and works because of it. It's a test and triumph all at the same time, beautifully summing up the work.

Like all proceeds associated with the limited edition series, it benefits the Slim Dunlap Fund. There are more ways people can help too. There is a Songs For Slim store powered by Merch Lackey, where T-shirts, wristbands and necklaces are being sold to raise more funds for Dunlap and his family.

The Songs For Slim legacy is unfolding for good.

Upcoming news associated with The Replacements release includes a commercial 12” vinyl version of the Replacements EP that will be released in April. (It's different than the limited edition auction edition.) But also in the works is the release of the third Songs For Slim release, which leads off with Lucinda Williams covering Partners In Crime, which many people consider a Slim signature song.

She previewed the song last month and our understanding is that her soulful take on it absolutely dazzled the Minnesota audience. There are other heavyweights who are contributing too. Tommy Keene and R. Walk Vincent have picked up Nowheres Near, a brutally honest song that Slim wrote about chasing the brass ring. It's a split that people won't want to miss.

"It's embarrassing, but I really do appreciate everyone’s hard work and kindness," said Slim about Songs For Slim, but only because his life feels out of his control. "It's truly touched my heart, all the help everyone's given, and there's just no way I can feel worthy. My only problem with the records is that I wish I'd written better songs; every one of those people has written better songs than I have."

Songs For Slim Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick. 

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

Originally, the Songs For Slim EP by The Replacements was slated for a standard music review until it became obvious it couldn't be scored. There is something undeniably touching and profound when people who have worked together in the music industry can reunite, record music, and raise funds for someone who has fallen on an unexpected tough time. It's an inspiration for other artists.

If you want to help, you can download the EP from iTunes or look for Songs For Slim from The Replacements on Amazon. The Songs For Slim site lists dozens of other ways to become involved, including donations to FundRazr set up by Dan Baird and a dedicated Facebook page.

Brooklyn Castle Checkmates Education

Intermediate School 318 (I.S. 318) is a junior high school in Brooklyn, New York, that has an amazing story to tell. Despite consisting of a student population that is below the poverty line, the school has won 30 national chess tournaments, more than any other junior high school in the nation.

Their story started several years ago when a small group of children started bringing in their chess boards after school to play. The late principal Fortunato Rubino decided it would be a great experience for the students to travel to a different state and attend a chess tournament. They surprised everyone. They won.

They continued to win for more than a decade. And they continue to win today. Last year, the junior high school became the first to win the High School National Champions and the win underscores what then 12-year-old student Alexis said about the game.

"Chess doesn't matter how how old you are, how young you are, or where you come from," he said. "It only matters how much work you put into and how many hours you study it."

But mastering the game isn't the end of their dreams. Many of the students look to chess as an opportunity to advance, earn scholarships, and have a better quality of life then their parents.



For most of the 85 students who are part of the I.S. 318 chess team, many of their dreams are within reach. One of them, Justus Williams, recently became the youngest ever African-American to become a "National Master." But even for the students at I.S. 318 who aren't on the chess team, the successes of their peers inspire them to study harder, work harder, and reach for their dreams.

Chess isn't the only after-school programs afforded to the students of I.S. 318. The school has built several such programs that engage kids after school, ranging from community service to music. They also have a successful baseball team.

The movie itself is harrowing because it chronicles the challenge that the school faced as New York, like many states and school districts across the nation, cut budgets that impact extracurricular programs, including chess. The school and students had to raise money to keep the program open and the dreams of many students alive.

The importance of after-school programs anywhere and everywhere.

As the film producers point out, organized after-school programs can make a tremendous difference in the opportunities for children. On the film's website, they cite several studies that reveal children who do not participate in after-school programs are three times more likely to engage in at-risk activities, twice as likely to skip school, and more likely to participate in criminal activities.

Even more important, after-school programs do more than reduce risky behavior. Students engaged in formal school programs (like chess or music or sports) are more likely to have higher test scores, graduate, and attend college. The reasons are three-fold. Students are engaged, enthusiastic, and develop the belief that they can succeed regardless of any socio-economic limitations.

In countries like the United States, as many as 15 million students (26 percent) are on their own after school. More than a million of these students are in kindergarten through fifth grade. But the challenge for those who become the highest risk students is that either there are no after-school programs, the programs are too broad and not focused enough, or parents are unaware of program availability.

Even more challenging, schools around the country continue to be plagued with budget cuts that jeopardize even the most successful programs like I.S. 318 as after-school programs are often first to be cut. And unlike I.S. 318, some school districts and schools are unwilling to put forth private fundraising efforts to save such programs or reallocate funds from non-vital administrative positions.

The I.S. 318 Story Is A Liquid Hip Good Will Pick. 

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose Brooklyn Castle because the story is an inspiring one that counters mistaken stereotypes.  Starting out in a family below the poverty line does not have to limit a student's potential for a better life. The students of I.S. 318 learn this through chess. You can see their story, Brooklyn Castle, on iTunes or you can order the film from Amazon. You can also visit this amazing school in Brooklyn.

There are dozens of paths that someone can take after watching Brooklyn Castle. You can find ways to help I.S. 318 continue its program or inspire other children through chess by learning from books like Thinking with Chess: Teaching Children (Ages 5-14) from Amazon. The producers of the film have also provided a start-up guide for after-school programs. While the guide doesn't address management, funding, and evaluation, it does provide a quick overview showing that it is possible.

Good Will On A Historic Day Of Service

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (a.k.a. MLK Day) in the United States has become as unique as it is universal. Signed into law 30 years ago, this national holiday marks the birthday of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and has become known as a National Day Of Service where Americans are encouraged to make it "A Day On, Not A Day Off." The concept is as inspired and enigmatic as the man.

"If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness." — Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Enigmatic is the right word as the concept was inspired by a 2,000-year-old message of empowerment without constraint. King was able to beautifully interpret it as a modern call to action in one of the many powerful speeches he delivered during his lifetime. Simply put, adopting a new definition of greatness tied to service could make everyone great regardless of education, social standing, or economic prowess.

Instead, greatness is earned by all those who ever tried to love somebody. It is earned by doing something to feed the hungry. It is earned by offering clothes to those who are naked. It is earned by taking the time to feel empathy for others and serve humanity. It is earned through service, which is potentially more lasting than any other measure in the world. And King personified the concept of it.


Although assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, many of King's ideas, words, and actions have led to the foundation of national efforts like the Corporation For National and Community Service and international efforts like Points Of Light. Both organizations have been instrumental in mobilizing volunteers into service on MLK Day. 

Last year, Points of Light trained and activated 4,000 volunteer leaders to support more than 2,700 projects across the nation while engaging 7,900 veterans and military families. But beyond its efforts in the United States, it also works with the HandsOn Network, which has grown to create 70 affiliates with 12 locations overseas. The vision of both organizations is to make it easier for people to identify community need and take action that provides pragmatic solutions through service.
It doesn't matter who you are or what your interests might be. Volunteers take up a diverse number of  challenges to transform  King's teachings into community action, with most tied to efforts that provide lasting change in the community. Such projects frequently advance economic development, promote education, and prepare for or recover from natural disasters. And for many of these volunteers, the efforts they put forth on this day become the catalyst to create a legacy of lifelong service.

A bit more about the man who inspired service.

After Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat to a white passenger in 1955, Martin Luther King, Jr. was thrust into the national spotlight for helping to lead the Montgomery bus boycott. The boycott, which became symbolic of racial segregation and the civil rights movement, gave injustices related to voting, segregation, and labor rights national prominence.

In 1964, King became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Shortly after, as s King gained an increasingly large and sympathetic audience, he expanded his speeches to include messages of peace, education, service, and economic justice.

While some of his socio-economic beliefs beyond racial equality can be debated, his legacy also epitomized the virtue of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility, and service — values that still empower people toward volunteerism and community service within their neighborhoods and communities today.

A National Day Of Service Is A Liquid [Hip] Good Will Pick. 

At least once a month, Liquid Hip highlights good will efforts undertaken by people with big hearts. We don't score them. That belongs to you.

We chose organizations like Corporation For National and Community Service and Points Of Light for their continued efforts to preserve, inspire, and empower volunteers to take action on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The organizations are not only charged with taking action, but also inspiring others toward service and greatness — maybe even you for your neighborhood or community, anywhere in the world.

There are dozens of ways to become involved in programs designed to enrich local communities, including those that aim to end hunger, aid disaster victims, mentor children, and participate in neighborhood improvement projects through the Corporation For National & Community Service or in conjunction with Points Of Light and its initiatives like the HandsOn Network and GenerationOn. For more volunteer ideas, visit VolunteerMatch or the Global Volunteer Network. Even the smallest commitments represent another step toward finding greatness and making the world a better place.