giving jar Archives - Uno Deuce Multimedia

#BetterCallPaul- Paul and Erik’s Awesome #GivingTuesday! Good Job!

It’s that time of year again in which UnoDeuce and Giving Jar collaborate to allow one lucky non-profit to win a free video. This year, it’s a bit different. One of our mutual non-profit friends, Building21, suffered a devastating tragedy in which the facility they were housed burned down.
So, this year, we are focusing 100% of our attention on helping them. From now until the end of the year (and perhaps beyond) The Giving Jar has set up on its website a place where you can donate to Building21 to get them back up and running at 100%. UnoDeuce will match that cost in video storytelling for Building 21 so they can help promote the good works they are doing.

To Donate to the Fundraiser: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/196655

To donate on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donate/2167751389921858/

For more on Building 21: http://www.buildingtwentyone.org/
For more on Giving Jar: https://givingjar.org/

#BetterCallPaul – #GivingTuesday Video Giveaway 2017

It’s that time of year again, and I’m joined by Erik Gillespie of the The Giving Jar to give you the ground rules for this year’s Video Giveaway on #GivingTuesday.
To nominate your non-profit go to www.givingjar.org to vote!
Plus go to the UnoDeuce Multimedia YouTube Channel to see the past winners! Don’t forget to vote!

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► Subscribe to the #BetterCallPaul Channel Here:
http://bit.ly/2jbP69q
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Paul has been a visual storyteller for as long as he can remember and decided to turn that into a career. He chose video as his medium and his award winning style has been seen nationally as well as praised locally. A self-proclaimed community proponent and pro-Michigan advocate, he owns and is creative video strategist for UnoDeuce Multimedia which is celebrating its 6th year in Lansing. Paul was just recently awarded the 2015 Entrepreneur Institute Micro-Entrepreneur of the Year.

Don’t forget to
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Thank you for watching this video. I hope that you keep up with the weekly videos I post on the channel, and just so we couldn’t keep this channel going without your support, so please comment, like and share.
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Also Subscribe to the main UnoDeuce YouTube Channel Here to see the client work we are putting out up to 3 times a week!

http://bit.ly/2jklgle

Guest Post: SoupGrant Lansing: Eat Soup, Do Good

A hot bowl of soup is a great way to warm up and wind down on a crisp autumn day. But what about the rest of the year? Can’t soup be enjoyed then, too? Is there a way soup can warm your soul as well as your body? And can the soup be free?

If you live in Lansing, you can proudly answer ‘yes’ to all of this thanks to a spectacular event known as SoupGrant Lansing.

Go grab a spoon and a bowl. I’ll fill you in on the details when you get back.

SoupFunding

Think of SoupGrant Lansing as a crowdfunding event with free soup. On the third Thursday of every month, at Grace Lutheran Church in Lansing, people from in and around Lansing come together to enjoy great soup and support people doing good things in their community.

After some chit-chat with new friends, everyone settles in with a hot bowl of soup and watches 2-3 presenters discuss projects they are working on to improve the community.

Community Boosting

Each presenter gets 5 minutes to describe their idea, how it helps people in Lansing, and how they would use the money from the SoupGrant. The crowd then has a chance to ask questions.

Once all of the pitches are done, anyone in the crowd who donates $5 or more gets to vote for their favorite project. The project that receives the most votes gets the whole pool of money donated by the voters, also known as the SoupGrant.

Big Hearts Welcome

One aspect of SoupGrant Lansing that really stands out is its inclusiveness. Anyone with an idea to improve their community can apply and present. High-schoolers, senior citizens, businesses, nonprofits, and everything in between are all welcome.

SoupGrant is also a great way to discover and support great, new things happening in Lansing. A lot of people are working very hard to make Lansing blossom and it’s so inspiring to see a few of those folks each month.

Spread the Word!

Have an idea that could put a smile one someone’s face? Apply and talk about it! Share SoupGrant with a friend. When word spreads about an event such as this, Lansing, your community, benefits.

Hope to see you and your spoon at the next SoupGrant Lansing!

Erik Gillespie is a software developer and semi-pro advocate of amazing things. He founded Giving Jar, a blog and upcoming donation platform for Lansing charities, and helps people learn how to create websites and other software at Lansing Code Lab. He’s kind of obsessed with board games, too.

Guest Post: Charity Spotlight: Building Twentyon

Building Twentyone helps teenagers develop positive habits and values by giving them a safe, constructive place to drop in after school. They offer tutoring, a large space for safe party alternatives, workspaces for homework and projects, and the only indoor skate park within 75 miles of Lansing, Michigan.

In this charity spotlight I spoke with the Executive Director of Building Twentyone, Benjamin Schartow.

Origin Story

About five years ago, tragedy rocked the Holt community. A group of seniors from Holt High School, who had been partying at MSU, crashed into a tree. Three of the seniors lost their lives. The driver had been drinking.

Members of the community met to discuss what could be done to change teen perceptions. This is when Benjamin knew he had to help.

“Who is offering an alternative for these teenagers?” was the question Benjamin asked. When no one answered, he decided to take action. After talking with students, he began offering 5th Quarter parties after football games. These parties provided free pizza, a DJ, inflatables, giveaways, and a safe alternative to other house parties.

These 5th Quarter parties paved the way to Building Twentyone.

Today

Building Twentyone’s campus consists of two large buildings between Mason and Holt. Students can be bussed there after school. There are a number of workshops offered, such as photography, DJ, and improv. Building Twentyone also offers tutoring, games, and plenty of space for personal projects. There is also a lake out back where students can boat and fish.

And then there’s the skate park. Benjamin says it wasn’t part of his original vision for Building Twentyone, but a couple of volunteers put their hearts and backs into it and made it happen.

Empowering volunteers is something else Building Twentyone does well. Most of the staff are volunteers who don’t have leadership backgrounds. It’s not just teens who are looking for a purpose.

Big Wins

There have been some big moments for Building Twentyone this year. They have started holding assemblies at Holt Junior High with uplifting messages. The teen center has also been around long enough to see the long-term positive impact it has on teenagers. Working with a teen for a year or more and watching their life completely turn around is a very personal accomplishment for Benjamin.

Building Twentyone also recently celebrated its largest fundraiser. With utility bills exceeding $900 in the winter, those donations help a lot.

Advice For Donors

Benjamin revealed to me that Building Twentyone is primarily volunteer-operated. The larger expenses are rent and utilities. It’s very easy for those expenses to exceed 33% of their expenses.

When donors look at that percentage to gauge the quality of a charity, it’s also important that they look at the value being offered by that number. Facilities like Building Twentyone’s are invaluable to teens, and letting them explore technology, art, and other indoor activities year-round have a high energy cost.

Fortunately, Building Twentyone was recently awarded a grant that will reduce their utility bills by 70%.

Goals

In the near future, Benjamin would like to add digital media, speech writing, and public speaking workshops to their programming. He is also working with Mason schools to help influence more teens.

Looking farther ahead, Benjamin thinks it would be great to see an additional Building Twentyone location in the Lansing area.

Advice to Nonprofits

For anyone running a charity, Benjamin suggests planning fundraisers well in advance. Pick a date and work backward on your calendar to decide when you should start promoting it. If you start too late, there may not be enough time to spread the word and attract enough donors.

Benjamin also recommends looking for volunteers who are capable in areas where you are weak. Keep people doing what they love for as long as they love it. Touch the lives of your volunteers and they will become champions of your cause.

Photography by Ian Kast

Erik Gillespie is a software developer and semi-pro advocate of amazing things. He founded Giving Jar, a blog and upcoming donation platform for Lansing charities, and helps people learn how to create websites and other software at Lansing Code Lab. He’s kind of obsessed with board games, too.