Positive Change

Twenty-five U.S. school districts from 16 states participated in a symposium on global digital education convened by Global Cities, Inc., a program of Bloomberg Philanthropies. More than 20 of the school districts were from the largest school districts in the U.S. including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas, Ft. Lauderdale and Houston. In addition, the symposium was attended by educators from Barcelona, London, and Warsaw.

From the moment John found out SSD Slate was going to be his partner, all our lives have changed in more positive ways than anyone can imagine.

When was the last time you sent someone a letter in the mail? Has it been a while? By contrast, when did you send your last email just by pushing a button? Technology and its ability to automate routine tasks is not only changing our lives, but also transforming the way we support meaningful causes. Writing a check is like writing a letter when there’s email. It’s wildly less efficient than using electronic payments. The global movement toward electronic payments is far more than just a “flavor of the day.” According to the latest survey done by the AFP (Association of Finance Professionals), 80% of North American companies are transitioning their B2B payments from paper checks to electronic payments, and several large countries have already ceased using checks completely.

Engaging employees through volunteerism and the arts is key to fostering a desirable work environment, increasing efficiency and morale, and doing good in the community as well as the company. You can bridge the employee engagement gap by using the arts as a vehicle for driving positive change in a company’s culture.

Here are 10 ways the arts can boost employee engagement throughout various facets of your company.

Prom is one of the most memorable moments of a high school student’s life. During prom season, young people around the country are looking for a dress or tux to impress. But for many, the experience is out of reach. So, TLC, which is part of the Discovery Communications family of networks, AT&T and many other supporters teamed up to change that by offering over 300 deserving high school students the prom of their dreams.

A child’s imagination is an incredible renewable resource. Give them a problem to solve and they will come up with a hundred and one different solutions.

Baxter and the Baxter International Foundation help A Safe Haven shelter serve Chicago’s medically vulnerable by providing support for on-site health assessments that tackle homelessness at the root level.

Wildlife Haven, a charity that has been rehabilitating injured, sick and orphaned wildlife from Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario since 1984, has seen a particularly high number of snowy owls come into its volunteers’ care at the end of 2015.
More than 1,700 wild animals are cared for at Wildlife Haven every year — these can include anything from owls, eagles and ducklings to foxes, raccoons and beavers.