The Engage For Good Podcast

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193: Virgin America's 'Operation Chihuahua' Airlifts Dogs to Forever Homes Dec 06, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Abby Lunardini, Vice President of Brand Marketing and Communications at Virgin America, about #TinyDogsTinyFares. With every booking at VirginAmerica.com on Cyber Monday, the airline donated ten dollars to its animal shelter partners: The San Francisco Animal Care and Control, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Animal Haven.

Also this week, the airline is hosted its seventh “Operation Chihuahua” airlift – flying Chihuahuas in style from San Francisco to New York so they can be adopted into loving homes – just in time for the holidays.

On the show, Megan, Abby and Joe discuss:

How Virgin American went to the dogs!
How "Operation Chihuahua" has evolved since 2010.
How Virgin America promoted #TinyDogsTinyFares to its customers.
Why Virgin America launched the effort on Cyber Monday instead Giving Tuesday.
How "Operation Chihuahua" and #TinyDogsTinyFares fits into Virgin America's social responsibility strategy.
Joe's early experience with Virgin America in an online charity contest and his bitter loss to Rabbi Chaim!
The challenge of airlifting Chihuahuas across the country.
Joe tests Abby's knowledge of Chihuahuas! Are they really the smallest dog breed?

Links & Notes

192: What Cause-Conscious Millennials Want from Their Employer Nov 29, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Alison DaSilva, Executive Vice President, Cone Communications, about their latest study, the 2016 Cone Communications Millennial Employee Engagement Study.

On the show, Megan, Alison, and Joe discuss:

Why Millennials are so important to companies. 50 percent of the workforce by 2020!
Why Cone decided to do this research. "90 percent of our clients are coming to us and asking about Millennials. How do we keep them happy."
How Cone keeps employees happy. The Cone Olympics???
How Cone defines a socially responsible company.
Are employers playing catch up with employees since the priority is usually targeting Millennial consumers?
How do Millennials want companies to support causes?
The importance of social media to Millennials.
What were the biggest surprises from the study? The importance and depth of interest in volunteerism.
As a Millennial expert, how well does Alison know Millennial lingo?
What Cone is planning for future research studies.

Links & Notes

191: This Austin Startup Helps Homeless with "Socks for Souls" Nov 22, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Ryan Harmon, CEO & Co-founder of Press Cleaners. Press is a weekly, subscription-based dry cleaning and laundry delivery service in Texas that is helping the homeless and growing its business with its Socks for Souls program.

On the show, Megan, Ryan and Joe discuss:

The backstory on Press Cleaners and Ryan Harmon.
How Socks for Souls got started. Press will even pick up donations from non-customers!
The impact of Socks for Souls on Press' business. "It's frictionless."
How Ryan's entrepreneurial journey included lots of cause ventures that made Socks for Souls a natural fit when he co-founded Press.
What challenges have Press encountered with Socks for Souls.
Ryan's recommendations for entrepreneurs who want to add cause to their business.
Joe challenges Ryan's to come up with cause ideas for new startups. A cause marketing idea for a lingerie store FOR MEN???

Links & Notes

190: This Mattress Company Lets You Give Back While You Sleep Nov 15, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to David Wolfe, Co-Founder and CEO of Leesa Sleep, a certified B-Corp that donates one mattress to a shelter for every 10 it sells. To date, they've donated 9,000 mattresses and are proudly pioneering a way for people to give back while they sleep!

On the show, Megan, David and Joe discuss:

How Leesa got started by a serial entrepreneur with a generous spirit.
How Leesa approaches the intersection of profit and purpose. Which comes first?
How Leesa has made mattresses "cool," which may explain why so many Millennials are consumers and employees!
How Leesa tracks the social impact of the mattresses it donates. One way is through an "Impact Tour" of shelters they've helped.
How Leesa chooses the shelters it donates to.
How Leesa balances its donation with new and returned mattresses. More than half of their donations are new mattresses.
The real problem of homelessness: no place to sleep. Watch This!

Links & Notes

189: Dunkin' Rebrands Foundation to Bring More "Joy In Childhood" Nov 08, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Christine Riley Miller, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility & Corporate Foundation for Dunkin' Brands, about the company's new, re-branded foundation, the Joy in Childhood Foundation. The goal of the foundation is right in the name: to provide the simple joys of childhood to sick and hungry kids.

On the show, Megan, Christine and Joe discuss:

Why Dunkin' decided to rebrand its foundation.
Dunkin's partnership with Feeding America and their effectiveness working with brands like Dunkin'.
Is the rebranding more than a name change? Yes! Focus moving forward are food banks and children's hospitals.
How Dunkin' Brands works with its franchisees to balance local initiatives with national programs.
How Dunkin' works with children's hospitals - and other organizations that bring "joy" to children.
How Dunkin' raises money for its philanthropic initiatives. There is a point-of-sale fundraiser happening right now at Dunkin' stores!
Joe and Christine discuss Joe's favorite Dunkin' fundraiser: Cops on the Rooftop. They've raised $2.3 million since the event's inception!
How Dunkin' communicates its social impact to consumers, franchisees and employees.
Will more companies follow Dunkin's lead and create foundations to raise and distribute money?

Links & Notes

188: New Ad Campaign Shows Mortal Combat Sick Kids Wage Against Illness, Disease Nov 01, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio Megan and Joe talk to Lori Davison, Vice President of Brand Strategy & Communications, at SickKids Foundation about the foundation's new brand platform.

Titled SickKids VS The Greatest Challenges in Child Health, the platform shows the strength, the fierceness, the fight that’s very real at SickKids and shares it with those who have never stepped foot into the hospital. This isn't your typical hospital ad campaign!

On the show, Megan, Lori and Joe discuss:

The background of SickKids. They've been around for over 140 years in Toronto and they see over 100,000 children every year.
How the SickKids VS campaign got started and the goal to shift perceptions to reach new donors. "We needed to jolt the community."
How corporate and individual donors have responded to the campaign.
The "massive" lift in donations, especially from male Millennials, that the Foundation has seen since the ad's launch.
How nonprofits can do a better job standing out in a cluttered, apathetic world.
How SickKids plans to use the new platform with its corporate partners.
Who developed the campaign? How long did it take to plan and execute?

Links & Notes

187: Evite, Pledgeling Team Up to Turn Birthday Parties Into Fundraisers for Charity Oct 25, 2016

Show notes

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan, and Joe talk to James Citron, CEO, of Pledgeling and Victor Cho, CEO of Evite about Evite Donations, which has raised over $1M in donations for 20,000 nonprofit organizations across the United States.

Evite Donations is a free tool that turns every Evite event into an opportunity to give back. Hosts can select their favorite nonprofit from the 10,000+ members of the Pledgeling network, or recommend a new nonprofit. Guests donate without leaving Evite.com, and Evite never charges a fee to make donations.

The backend integration for donation processing is powered by Pledgeling, which includes instant tax receipts to donors for their donations.

On the show, Megan, James, Victor, and Joe discuss:

How the partnership between Pledgeling and Evite got started and how they developed Evite Donations.
Like all good ideas, Evite Donations came from Evite's customers!
How Evite and Pledgeling integrated their platforms to createEvite Donations and a seamless donation process.
Why Pledgeling decided to not charge a standard fee and instead encourage users to leave them a "tip" for using the service.
What the donation program taught Evite about their customers.
How Evite users are using the platform for other events.
What's next for the Pledgeling/Evite partnership.
How companies could use Evite Donations.
How Evite Donations expands a nonprofit's audience beyond its typical donor base.

Links & Notes

186: Supermarket Chain Finds Cause Marketing Success Outside the Checkout Line Oct 18, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Christy Phillips-Brown, Director, External Communications & Community Relations, for Food Lion, a grocery store chain with 1,000 stores in 10 states, about their efforts to fight childhood hunger.

On the show, Megan, Christy and Joe discuss:

Christy updates us on how Food Lion, a North Carolina based company, is working to help victims of the flooding from Hurricane Matthew.
How Food Lion has changed course on point-of-sale programs over the years. They've gone from eight fundraisers to just one.
How Food Lion has had success with giving shoppers a choice between making a flat donation OR rounding-up at the register.
How Food Lion has developed other programs to raise money and give back to the community, particularly Feeding America and the 30 food banks in their service area.
How Food Lion works with its vendors to donate 3 million meals.
How Food Lion's Summer Without Hunger program is feeding needy kids over summer vacation.
Food Lion's overhaul of its CSR program included creating new charitable platform, Food Lion Feeds.
The one POS program Food Lion does over the holidays includes a special five-dollar gift box that shoppers can buy for themselves, give as a present or donate to a needy family.
Food Lion has an annual awards program, The Feedy's, that honors those who are fighting hunger.
For the second year, Food Lion employees are supporting local food banks with the Great Pantry Makeover! They fix, pain and restock local food banks so they can better serve the community.
How Food Lion communicates with employees and customers about their cause-related efforts.

Notes & Links

185: The Story Behind Big Lots' $50 Million Gift to Nationwide Children's Hospital Oct 11, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Jeremy Ball, who leads the Big Lots Foundation and is director of philanthropy and events for the parent company Big Lots, about the retailers impressive cause marketing efforts on behalf of Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Last fall, Big Lots mobilized its nearly 1,500 stores and raised $2.2 million! But this was just the tip of the iceberg.

In August, the Foundation announced a $50 million transformational gift to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Big Lots will support Nationwide Children’s new behavioral health expansion, including the construction of a treatment and research center on the hospital's main campus.

On the show, Megan, Jeremy, and Joe discuss:

How Big Lots got involved with Nationwide Children's Hospital and their decision to fund children's mental health in a big way!
How Big Lots support for Nationwide Children's went from a few pallets of food to a $50 million donation.
Why it was important for Big Lots to include its customers and employees in its fundraising efforts.
Big Lots' goal to hit $3 million this year and how they plan to reach it.
How Big Lots overcomes the #1 obstacle that retailers face with register fundraisers.
How Big Lots engages employees in other parts of the country to support a children's hospital in Ohio.
What Big Lots learned from last year's program and what changes they made for this year. Training is key, as is goal-setting.
How Big Lots used incentives to motivate and reward employees.

Links & Notes

184: How This Pet Hospital Chain Used POS to Raise $2.5 Million for Charity Oct 04, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Kim Van Syoc, Executive Director at the Banfield Foundation. about the organization's successes and challenges in the first year of operation.

The Banfield Foundation was founded in 2015 by Banfield Pet Hospital (BPH), which operates more than 950 pet clinics, mostly located in PetSmart stores across the country.

On the show, Megan, Kim and Joe discuss:

Joe introduces Megan and Kim to the elusive "cockerdoodle"! (See below)
How the Banfield Foundation got started in 2015 and its close alignment with BPH's CSR mission.
How the Foundation is funded. Primary funder are customers who give at the register. They gave $2.5 million over the past year!
What the Foundation learned from its partner, PetSmart, and its charitable giving program.
The Foundation's funding of 150 nonprofits over the past year, and which types of pet issues they focus on.
How the Foundation's pinpad program works at BPH, and the key role employees have played in the success of the program.
Some of the challenges the Foundation faced the first year.
How the Foundation is telling its story for maximum impact with Stories of Impact.
Other corporate partnerships the Foundation is considering.
The Foundation's goals for 2017.

Links & Notes

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