December has proven itself to be a month of many things - gingerbread houses, the first snowfall, jam-packed mall parking lots. And regardless of the holiday you and your family celebrate, there is often the urge to reflect, be grateful, and give back. It’s the latter of these that makes this time of year the busiest for non-profits across the country.
Read more about strategies that nonprofits use to make an effective appeal during the giving season...
During the holiday season, words like “values”, “impact”, and “empathy” feel especially relevant. People across the economic spectrum feel drawn to giving back to their communities and the causes that matter to them. But during this busy time of year, translating good intentions into action can feel overwhelming — at worst, even paralyzing.
So, where do we go from here? How can we really make a difference?
The last days of 2016 are quickly slipping away, and MSD is grateful to be able to look back on such a successful year working with the Desai Foundation. The Desai Foundation, since its establishment in 1997, has been committed to enriching lives through health, community development, and education in the US and India. Through various forms of sustainable programming, they have been able to empower hundreds of thousands of women and children to dream beyond their circumstances. As the agency of record for the Desai Foundation, we have been crucial to developing their visual identity and bringing their events to life since 2014. The summaries below offer just a snapshot of the progress and often-unquantifiable compassion that this these events have fostered.
Year after year, more organizations are joining the #GivingTuesday movement and getting in on the action to support various causes that embody their values. Now in its fifth year, the campaign has seen multiple charities, universities and major companies commit to the movement and donate through various creative initiatives. Following seasonal shopping spree days, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday amplifies the efforts of consumers and brands during the charitable holiday season through an international day of giving.
You may have noticed the overwhelming Millennial trend of environmentalism. Farmers markets and Birkenstocks. Outdoor adventures and photogenic, reusable water bottles. “Millennials,” itself, has practically become its own buzzword, and new research continues to surface in an attempt to pin down the qualities that make up a Generation Y consumer. They’re more traveled and tattooed than any previous generation. They often “friend” their managers on Facebook. But arguably one of the most interesting takeaways to this mass collection of data is the influence that Gen Y can have, is having, and very likely will have on the future of sustainability.
We’re all familiar with Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion. We were all forced to memorize them in 11th grade physics and most likely never revisited them after taking our final exams, but they happen to govern our lives in ways we often don’t realize.
