Giving for Thought: JAPAN

I recently posted a comment to Mashable’s article (http://pilarstella.blogspot.com/2011/03/commentary-on-mashable-31611.html) on 7 Simple Ways to Help the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (http://mashable.com/2011/03/13/japan-earthquake-tsunami-help-donate/).

I also have been asked by many, where is the best place to give? So I thought I would write a quick blog with my recommendations. First, some thoughts to consider when choosing where to give:
- Before texting to give, do your homework and make sure it is a quality texting company and be aware that many texting solutions have high overhead and take time to get to the nonprofit.
- Before using social media, like with texting, make sure you check out the organization and source as it might be easier and more “simple,” but it might not be the quickest, most effective or efficient way to get your funds to the need.
- Choose a nonprofit that is established and has been on the ground in the country/location you are giving to.
- If it is important to you to designate where to give do so. Otherwise, general operating or unrestricted grants allow the nonprofits and people on the ground determine their most urgent needs.
- In general, just be careful to do your homework on the organization you give to. Don’t respond quickly/emotionally to a plea for money before double checking the source and validity.

Now, here’s a couple of organizations worth checking out:
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ MSF is an international humanitarian organization that provides aid to in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. MSF received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. Here’s a note on their efforts in Japan: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=5098&cat=field-news

AmeriCares href="http://www.americares.org/">http://www.americares.org/ AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs – and supports long-term humanitarian assistance programs – for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion. Since its founding in 1982, AmeriCares has delivered more than $9 billion in aid to 147 countries. Historically, for every $100 donated, AmeriCares is able to deliver more than $3,500 in humanitarian relief to people in need, including medicines, medical supplies, nutritional supplements and other vital aid. Article about their efforts in Japan: http://www.americares.org/newsroom/news/americares-helping-to-send-supplies-japan-shelters.html

Mercy Corps http://www.mercycorps.org/ Mercy Corps is dedicated to alleviating suffering poverty and oppression by improving health and promoting economic and educational growth. Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided $1.7 billion in assistance to people in 107 nations. Mercy Corps incorporates entrepreneurial strategies with a deep knowledge and commitment to local context and culture to create self sufficiency and sustainability. MercyCorps’ worldwide team is in 36 countries is improving the lives of 19 million people. Article on their Japan efforts: http://www.mercycorps.org/japanearthquake

International Rescue Committee http://www.rescue.org/ The International Rescue Committee is a global leader in emergency relief that responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. IRC is on the ground in over 40 countries to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives. Article about Japan efforts: http://www.rescue.org/news/irc-helps-3-japanese-aid-groups-respond-quake-disaster-10393

Relief International http://www.ri.org/ Relief International is a humanitarian non-profit agency that provides emergency relief, rehabilitation, development assistance, and program services to vulnerable communities worldwide. Relief International is solely dedicated to reducing human suffering and is non-political and non-sectarian in its mission. Relief International was founded in 1990 with programsin health, education, community development, agriculture, food, income generation, shelter construction and conflict resolution. Efforts for Japan relief include: http://www.ri.org/newsroom/news-article.php?ID=10

Thank you for your donations, healing and support! Thank you for BEing the change!

You can find me on Twitter @pilarstella and Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilarstella1

Commentary on Mashable 3.16.11

Mashable recently posted an article about ways to give to Japan.
http://mashable.com/2011/03/13/japan-earthquake-tsunami-help-donate/

I posted the following commentary.

Thank you for this article. I think it is a helpful beginning for the challenges facing Japan. Yet, I think it only begins to scratch the surface of the best ways to donate. While during times of crisis are not the times to analyze the limitations of the current disconnect between effective philanthropy and online giving, it is a good opportunity to do everything we can, yet it is important also to make a mental note that better more effective measured ways for online giving need to be developed. There is a growing rift between the "mass" online giving movement, effective philanthropy and corporate/celebrity social responsibility.

We are in an exciting time in history. Everybody is giving and feeling called to give. That is the good news. So more tools are being developed to enable giving and make giving easy. The challenge will be to make giving easy AND transparent, effective and not just "feel good." Texting to give is in its infancy stages. While it is great that people can text to give or give on Facebook causes, they often can't track what happened to their giving, can't assess the best organizations to give to, or get charged huge overheads that go to the phone company or other for this "easy" new way of giving.

While I appreciate the sentiment behind this article as it is critical to find as many ways to give during a crisis as possible, I hope that we can find more ways to coordinate between all of these efforts mentioned and efforts like Charity Navigator http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?cpid=1221&bay=content.view

We need to build a bridge between these different worlds of philanthropy. There is a lot of expertise in making philanthropy effective. If we made a lot of money, would we just decide we are experts in investing and invest our money ourselves (maybe some might) or would we find an expert money manager to help. It is no different with philanthropy. If we have money to give, what if rather than thinking we are expert philanthropists or just giving because it feels right, but we don't know what we are doing...what if we could be guided in this process.

The online giving revolution has been around for 10+ years and philanthropy for many more. Isn't it time that we really found a way to merge the two in meaningful, impactful, sustainable, fun, easy, transparent ways?

I aspire to help in this. Thank you for your efforts to move the dial forward and for others to give in this time. Let's hope that for future natural disasters, we have more coordination between online and offline giving systems so we can more effectively manage and guide donors to DO GOOD strategically for maximum impact and sustainability.

MORE to come on this.
Thank you...
in peace and gratitude
;) pilar

A Look at Giving in 2011: Everybody's Giving! Part 1 of 3 in a Series

Despite the reports about drops in donations, 2010 was a good year for giving! The buzz around giving kept growing, signaling good things to come.

With increasing numbers of companies ramping up corporate social responsibility and online giving efforts (Chase, Pepsi, Virgin, Target...), more and more celebrities and athletes jumping into the fray (Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Ovie Mughelli, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ed Norton, Angelina and Brad...), and media covering more social responsibility (including Newsweek, US News and World Report, Huffington Post, Mashable...), the hip new words on the street are GIVING and SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.

To meet the increasing demand by consumers for more giving, online and mobile giving sites and solutions started popping up out of the woodworks. Two of the bigger splashes were the release of:

· http://www.crowdrise.com/ started by actor Ed Norton in partnership with others to create a more media friendly-spin to online giving and
· http://www.jumo.com/ started by former Facebook executive Chris Hughes, an Obama social media campaign expert and others to create a more socially interactive giving site.

In addition to these sites, there are other new generation giving sites such as http://www.sumazi.com/ and http://www.giveo.com/ that are joining the first generation of sites including: http://www.firstgiving.com/, http://www.justgiving.com/, http://www.networkforgood.org/, http://www.globalgiving.org/ and a whole host of others.

We've started to see an increase in brand and cause marketing campaigns tying goods to causes; in mobile giving sites such as http://www.mgive.com/, http://www.mobilecause.com/, and more; store giving and round up campaigns at Whole Foods, Safeway and others; in advocacy campaigns with http://www.avaaz.org/, http://www.call2action.com/; http://www.causecast.com/, http://www.change.org/ and many more; celebrity galas and giving campaigns tying their events to their causes of choice; and continued efforts at accountability with http://www.guidestar.org/, http://www.charitynavigator.org/ and others. This is just the tip of the iceberg!

This is exciting news and an exciting time for philanthropy! There is no shortage of new and different giving sites coming out regularly...and we still have a long way to go! Efforts to give and support giving are still fragmented and confusing for donors. While there are many people addressing different pieces of the giving puzzle, we have yet to fully solve the problem systematically or address transparency.

In January, reports about the (RED) campaign backed by Bono came under fire for corruption and lack of transparency http://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/celebrity/NATLCharity-Backed-By-U2s-Bono-Under-Fire-for-Corruption-114453359.html. This is just one of many reports over the years plaguing efforts to support charities, including http://www.kiva.org/, http://www.globalgiving.org/, http://www.charitynavigator.org/ and others.

While it is necessary to be sure that our dollars are going to where they say they are going, it is also critical to acknowledge and recognize that significant dollars were raised that never would have been there before. Which is great news!

Now we have to start solving the piece of the puzzle that addresses being more strategic, connected, transparent and sustainable about our giving and we may really be on to something...

MORE in the Series in Future Blogs...CHECK BACK... ;) p

You can find me on Twitter @pilarstella and Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilarstella1.

Frustrated? Look Within!

Frustration with others only mirrors our own frustration with ourselves. ~ Pilar Stella

I recently had a series of experiences with frustration that really struck me. I had a conversation with a friend who was frustrated and complaining about the way this other organization was doing things. I also witnessed another friend pushing hard for others to change and getting frustrated when they didn't.

It took me back to many of my own experiences with frustration and I had to take a real moment of pause. I remembered a time when I regularly felt and acted that way. I remember in my relationships with others that I would nitpick at others in frustration because they weren't doing it this way or that. When really I was just frustrated with myself for not doing what I was here to do. I recall when I worked with clients, I used to get frustrated because they would hire me to give advice and then they often wouldn't take that advice. When what I should have done, and finally did, was to look within for the reasons for my own frustration.

At the time, I couldn't see it. Most likely like my friends couldn't see their current frustrations. But now it was clear as day. The minute I stopped getting frustrated with others and looking for others to go do what I wanted them to do and I started doing what I wanted to do and what I'm here to do, my frustrations nearly disappeared overnight.

I realized that when I finally was ready to commit to myself and figure out what my passions and purpose are and then had the courage to go for it, my frustrations dissipated. I felt like I had been let out of prison...and it was a prison that I had created for myself.

I believe we all have some sort of prison like this and this is where our frustrations are born. Until we are able to go inward to find the key to unlock the door, we will continue to be frustrated with others, when really, we are just frustrated with ourselves. We may be frustrated with ourselves because we don't know what we want, don't have or make the time to figure it out or have the courage to go for it if we do know what we want.

By dealing with and addressing my own frustrations, I have found a whole new acceptance, empathy, compassion and appreciation for others in times when I would have otherwise been frustrated with them and with myself. I find myself less likely to impose my opinions, desires and expectations upon others. I don't feel a need to judge or be frustrated with them. I can just appreciate and accept others for where they are at and also where I am at. And when I do get frustrated, I am able to recognize it much more quickly and take a moment to look within and figure out where it is stemming from.

Whatever the case may be for you, any time you are feeling frustrated with others, take a moment to look within and explore what you are frustrated with yourself. You might just be amazed at the freedom you will find when you allow yourself to find the answers to your frustration within and you begin to take the steps to alleviate that frustration.

BE the light, SHINE your light

As I woke up today on this 1.11.11, I reflected on the state of the world and all that is going on. Birds are dropping out of the sky, people are being shot, animals are dying, storms are brewing and to the casual observer one may think there just might be something to this 2012 thing and the apocalypse.

The reality is that our realities are created by what we believe. If we believe that there is violence and negativity around us, we will only see that. Yet if we see the good, the opportunity and the possibility in everything, we may just create those things in the world around us.

I always remember the saying, after the darkness comes the light. Having lived in a state of darkness for many years myself, when I couldn't see the positive or the opportunity anywhere, I know that statement really is true.

Sometimes, before we are able to get to the light, we have to go through a dark period. I believe, being in that darkness, causes (or forces) us to go inward, to reflect and find the courage and strength within to come out fighting. The reality is that some of us don't make it out alive. But for those of us that do, we come out living, breathing and being the light.

We all have a choice. Does that mean the choice is an easy one? Not necessarily. Yet the only person we can change is ourselves. So if we see a world of darkness and are surrounded by a world of negativity, what are the choices we have? We can choose darkness or we can choose to BE the light, SHINE the light and BRING light to the world and those around us.

What choices are you making in your life? Are you fully SHINING your light? What is one thing you can do today to BE the light? What is one thing you can do every day to SHINE your light?

You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilarstella1 and on Twitter @pilarstella.

When in Doubt, Look Back

A couple of years ago, I remember when I was having a hard time feeling like I was making any progress in my life and moving forward. Having been a recovering perfectionist, I often found it difficult to see my progress, because I would focus on what more I had to do and not what I had already achieved.

So often it seems we do this in life. We look at where we are headed and we only find what more needs to be done, not all that we have already done - even when we may only have 1 more thing to do and yet have accomplished 99 things. It is funny how that is.

Now don't get me wrong, sometimes when we live in this way, we end up getting so much done and achieving a lot! But sometimes at the expense of living and at moments we get so caught up in it that we get lost in it all and can't seem to see straight.

I remember back to that moment a few years ago, when a friend told me to stop, pause and look back a year in time to remind me how far I had come. As I did so, I remembered where I had been a year before and how lost I had seemed at the time and how much further I had come, how much more clarity I had in my life and how much happier I now was. It was all in just taking a few moments to collect myself, acknowledge all that I had experienced and appreciate the big accomplishments and the little moments that got me to today.

Some may ask, wait a minute, look back? What about being present and looking to the future and letting go of the past. However, sometimes in order to appreciate where we are and where we are going, we have to acknowledge and accept where we have been.

For this holiday season, I ask that we all do the same during this busy time of year. As you look forward to the weeks and months ahead and begin thinking about the year 2010 and all that you did and did not accomplish on your list and all that you hope for 2011, may you take a deep breath, take a moment to pause and reflect on how far you have come in the last year.

Remember to cherish what you really appreciate, recognize what you accomplished and truly acknowledge yourself. Consider what you would/will do differently as you move forward and remember to thank yourself and those you love for being there with you through the journey. Perhaps in doing so, may you find a few moments of pause and peace during the holiday season to appreciate all that is and all that YOU ARE!

Inspired, Inspiring, Inspirational!

Every day I wake up excited at the idea of how I will be inspired today! I wrote an article a few months ago for Inspire Me Today's blog about inspiration.
http://www.inspiremetoday.com/archiveDisp.php?type=0&ref=789

I regularly have friends, colleagues and even total strangers thank me for inspiring them. I thank them back and remind them that they inspire themselves and others.

If you start with "I", InspIratIon leads to magic, miracles and dreams beyond your wildest imagination. ~ Pilar Stella

Seriously though, we all have a choice...between fear and love, joy and pain, negativity and positivity. I have lived my life in the negative and it didn't really work that well. I was angry, sick and honestly pretty darn miserable.

So I had a choice to CHOOSE IN to life, really choose in, or to choose out. While I still may have bad days or even bad things happen to me, today, I choose in fully to my life and every day I look for little reminders, little nuggets of inspiration to keep me going.

Probably one of my biggest inspirations are youth! The youth of today have a long road ahead of correcting the mistakes that our generation and past generations have created - with environmental, social and economic trials. Yet, they are a generation that continues to push for green solutions, to give globally and to speak out for equality, justice and freedom.

I go surfing with young adults from inner city LA and while their lives are not always filled with brightness, they bring a spirit that inspires passion, excitement and joy in me every time I am with them. I leave renewed, refilled and rejuvenated - grateful for all that I have.

They remind me to choose in, every day. They remind me to take action, when I am dissatisfied or frustrated with the way things are. They remind me to never ever give up with the hope, passion and courage that they live their lives with in every moment.

So for this fall season, I leave you with a few videos that have inspired me and reminded me to NEVER EVER GIVE UP and to keep inspiring others and being inspired! May we all live in peace, love and joy! Enjoy!

Maya Angelou and Still I Rise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqo50LSZ0&feature=related

William McDonough: The Wisdom of Designing Cradle to Cradle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoRjz8iTVoo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Nick Vujicic: I Love Living Life. I am Happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_24_qTNac&feature=related

Now is the Time. MLK, Jr. Sings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0F4iXEzOqY

The Girl Who Silenced the World for 5 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpnu0

Thank you for inspiring me and reminding me to keep going in the pursuit of my dreams. When you fail, try and try again until you get there...because you WILL get there!