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Paul Shoemaker on philanthropy, nonprofits, and the connections that make SVP.
The Change-Maker: 2013 Superheroes for Washington Families
What makes a person a Superhero for Washington Families? ParentMap Magazine recently awarded ten individuals this distinguished honor for their work in education, and three of these honorees are SVP Partners! In the final Part III of this series, Bill Henningsgaard takes the award of Change-Maker.
The Humanitarian: 2013 Superheroes for Washington Families
ParentMap Magazine recently honored ten distinguished individuals as 2013 Superheroes for Washington Families, and three of those honorees are SVP Partners! In Part II of this series, we introduce Mimi Siegel, the Executive Director of Kindering and winner of the Humanitarian award.
The Advocate: 2013 Superheroes for Washington Families
What motivates a person toward selfless action? In their quest for answers, ParentMap found several outstanding individuals who have made a significant change in the lives of families and children residing in Washington State - and three of them are SVP Partners! In Part I of this series, meet the Advocate: Janice Deguchi, Executive Director of the Denise Louie Education Center.
Tip-Off Point
Although SVP Seattle has been around for fifteen years, there is so much more room to grow. Paul Shoemaker shares his vision for SVP's future, and why we're just now at the tip-off point. Game on.
200 Cities by 2025
SVP started out as Paul Brainerd's idea. Now, that idea has become a global phenomenon that has, for the past 15 years, transformed individuals and communities across the globe. The goal? That this idea will take root in 200 of the world's largest cities by 2025.
One Idea, 8,000 Miles
SVP's entrepreneurial spirit has done it again - flown across the ocean 8,000 miles away and implanted a small idea in the heart of Bangalore, India. The Managing Partner of SVP India, Arathi Laxman, explains how India, a nation of many contrasts and contradictions, has a great need for SVP's presence, and how true impact can be achieved through a collective voice.
Under the Hood
Powerful Schools, one of our first Investees to be reinvested in by SVP, has grown exponentially in the last five years. From providing their programs to 1,000 students, they have grown to helping 4,000 students in over 18 schools and after-school programs. Here, Executive Director Tre' Maxie talks about the importance of going "under the hood" at SVP's 15th Anniversary.
Behind the Camera at the Denise Louie Education Center
"If you see a gun, don't touch it, even to throw it in the garbage. Run and tell an adult in your house. It's their job to keep you safe." Looking through my camera at the circle of rapt 4-year-olds at Denise Louie Education Center (DLEC) on Beacon Hill, I realized yet again how much we ask of our preschools.
Why We Need More Women in the Boardroom
SVP Partner Susan Bloch is an international business coach who has worked with business leaders in a variety of industries for over 25 years. The most noticeable parallel between all of them? The lack of women who sit on the boards of these companies. This is her argument for remedying this "blind spot."
Tips for not sucking when you’re on a panel
This week, I was asked to speak on a panel to a bunch of social work students on working with refugee and immigrant clients. Panels are like the lunch buffet of information sharing. It is a group of people with knowledge of a certain topic, asked to speak together with the hope that at least one of them will say something interesting. It is a great idea for our attention-deficient culture, but it is often poorly executed, oftentimes due to the panelists themselves.
Game On
Every once in a while, someone will criticize SVP or me for not having a little more fun or taking the time to celebrate along the way. They are right, and if you were there Saturday night, are you satisfied for a while now?! :-) We celebrated our 15th anniversary, filling MOHAI. It was a lot of fun, and two things stood out for me.
Having a baby vs. planning an annual event, which is scarier?
As a soon-to-be father and an ED planning an annual event, both of which will be occurring roughly around the same time, a "terrified" Vu Le is asking which event could be deemed scarier. An objective analysis on several dimensions is required to determine the answer.
Calling Corporate America to a Higher Purpose
We already have a good idea of what needs to be done to create large-scale change. We also already have the funding to create that impact. So, what's missing? In his TEDxBGI talk, Paul Shoemaker shares why we need the big (bad?) corporations to make things happen.
Philanthropy & Disaster Relief: The Untold Story
You may have caught last December’s film “The Impossible.” But do you know which SVP Partner explored the untold story? What happens to local communities after disaster strikes, after the cameras and donors have come and gone? His short film got a shout out in Vanity Fair and from director Juan Antonio Bayona.
Parting Words: Philanthropy as Exchange
Over the past few weeks, I have reflected a lot about the lessons learned these last seven years at SVP. A stack of 5x7 notecards sits on my desk capturing phrases of what I’m taking with me. But in the end, it boils down to one key concept – and it’s what I learned when things got really hard for me. When I was feeling “one down” among people who had once felt like my peers.
An Inspiring Trip to Gatzert Elementary
“If you are ever discouraged or pessimistic, seeing what goes on at the grassroots level will give you hope. Policies, politics, practices and poor funding are major obstacles but passionate, compassionate people are working miracles.” SVP Partner Preston Thompson pretty much says it all. Find out who we met and what we learned during our visit with Team Read at Gatzert Elementary.
How to Prepare Your Children to Manage Wealth and Use it Wisely
This is the last in a series of blog posts by SVP Partner Linda Wagener, principal of Marigold Associates. In this installment, Linda tackles the problem of forming children’s attitudes toward money and work, values rarely shaped simply by education. They are rooted in the basic practices and habits of family life.
Children and Wealth: What Your Children Need to Learn
Kids typically don’t pick up basic life skills through osmosis. They have to be taught how to clean a bathroom, check the oil in their car, and manage their money. In this second installment of three blog posts, SVP Partner Linda Wagener explains how a good financial education can provide a wonderful foundation for your child as he/she learns to manage wealth on his/her own.
Raising Children Amidst Wealth
Financial wealth can have a profound impact on individuals and families, and most importantly for parents, the use of their wealth can have unintended impacts on their children. SVP Partner Linda Wagener, principal of Marigold Associates, has put together this series of three blog posts as an introduction to parents about the potential impact of wealth and ways to mitigate those impacts. First up: what parents need to know.
Three Common Complications of Wealth
It's easy to understand how wealth makes life easier, but just how does it make life more difficult? SVP Partner Linda Wagener discusses her experience working with highly successful clients through her firm, Marigold Associates, in this series of blog posts.
