Cool Corporate Awards, Continued

By Shikha Dalal

'Tis the season for corporate philanthropy awards programs!  FLiP recently reported on Maybelline New York's Beauty of Education Awards, and today we'd like to tell you about a neat employee-focused program from Gap, Inc.  The company recently announced awarding a $50,000 grant and 80 hours of total paid time off to three employees as part of its annual Founders' Award.  The award honors the philanthropic legacy of Gap, Inc. founders Doris and Don Fisher and is given to employees who best demonstrate personal community involvement and propose innovative solutions that deliver a positive social impact.  There is also a $25,000 grant awarded with 40 hours of paid time off, as well as a $15,000/20 hours award.

This year's top prize was awarded to Eric Severson, Amy Solliday and Paul Adams for their commitment to their community partner, Family Service Agency of San Francisco; the three are members of the Board of Directors.  The grant money will be used to help fund a pilot program, Prevention & Recovery of Early Psychosis, to provide early diagnosis and cutting edge treatment of schizophrenia for teens and young adults; the team will work in conjunction with the University of California San Francisco and Mental Health Association of San Francisco.  In addition, Severson, Solliday and Adams received 80 hours of paid time off to work with the nonprofit to get the project off the ground, which includes operational consulting along with policy and procedure development.  

Gap's recent work is a great example of how a company can still make a sizable impact on a nonprofit during this tough economic climate, by using creative efforts.  The combination of paid time off with skills-based volunteerism activities allows Gap to have a connection with its employees and reveals the Company's value in offering opportunities to build these important social skills for its employees.  Overall the work is a testament to the Company's overall dedication to the philanthropic sector - kudos!

University of Michigan's CSHPE deadline- January 1st

Based on the FLiP site's recent activity, John Burkhardt's article about University of Michigan's Master's in Higher Education with a special concentration in institutional advancement and development has piqued some of your interests. For those who are very interested, just a reminder that January 1, 2009 is the application deadline. Check out the UM's site for more information: http://www.soe.umich.edu/highereducation/development/

Happy holidays, FLiPs!

FLiP Finds: A Cool Corporate Awards Program

By Elisabeth Anderson & Jordan Walker

From time to time your FLiP editors are invited to fun events, and the one we attended last week was no exception.  In fact the setting for the Maybelline New York Honorees Event, for their Beauty of Education program, was spectacular: the New York Public Library in all its holiday splendor.  But what we’ll remember more than the stunning space and delicious dinner are the inspirational women who were honored.

After an exhaustive nationwide search for ten remarkable women who motivate, mentor and make a difference in their communities through the power of education, Maybelline New York proudly announced the recipients of the 2008 Beauty of Education Awards.  The company enlisted the support of PEOPLE, People en Español and Essence magazine readers to help search for these outstanding women who selflessly elevate people’s lives every day by working to support educational causes on the ground in their communities.

Selected from thousands of entries across the United States, these ten inspiring women from across the country were celebrated at the gala awards dinner on December 4th, with Maybelline New York brand ambassador Tomiko Fraser on-hand to salute the winners.  In addition, each Beauty of Education winner received a $10,000 grant earmarked to support her educational cause along with the opportunity to have her cause showcased in a national ad in PEOPLE,  People en Español or Essence magazine.

“Maybelline New York knows that education opens eyes… and doors,” said David Greenberg, President of Maybelline New York-Garnier.  “Our Beauty of Education award winners are committed to pushing more of those doors open through their work to support education causes in their communities.  As a company, we couldn’t be more proud to honor them.”

And honor them they did.  From a FLiP perspective, we were most excited by the win for college student Anna Shetler of Hagerstown, MD.  At age 17, using money from summer jobs and fundraisers, Anna started a free dance program at three housing projects in Washington County, Maryland.  Now, five years later, her nonprofit,  HOODHOP Inc., brings dance lessons to kids in seven low-income housing projects all summer long, culminating in a neighborhood dance-off where the students perform.  Several of the older children now help teach dance with Anna.

FLiP congratulates Anna, all the winners, and Maybelline New York for celebrating the beauty of education!