Petaluma, CA, May 30, 2014 – Jeannie Kerrigan and Katherine Patton of Ricky’s Revolution Non-profit walk along the streets at night handing out Rickys, stuffed monkeys embroidered with national safety and shelter hot-line numbers, to remind those in need that help is just a phone call away.
As Street Team Leaders they go onto the streets personally interacting with children, youth and adults involved in acute situations of violence and homelessness.
The monkey’s name is Ricky; doubly significant because he was named after Jeannie’s treasured stuffed monkey she had as a child that was lost the day she was abducted and raped as a young girl.
Through the use of Ricky, this 501(c)(3) national outreach program provides information on safety and shelter options and national hotline numbers including rape crisis, a runaway hotline, a domestic abuse hotline, and safe houses – especially important for victims of human trafficking who lack resources to get help. Additionally, Ricky’s Revolution Nonprofit has volunteer-based shelter teams that deliver Rickys to local shelters in multiple states across the nation allowing community members to be a part of the process of bringing these issues to the forefront.
Knowing firsthand what it’s like to feel abandoned by the world motivated Jeannie Kerrigan to write her deeply moving memoir, Layla; a shocking story of a life of incest, physical abuse, rape and prostitution in a world of drugs and insanity. Through the Rickys being circulated on the streets and her own heartrending story, Jeannie speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves, always reminding them she is living proof of hope for a better life.
Founder and Executive Director Jeannie Kerrigan enjoys a successful private practice in Petaluma, CA, specializing in trauma healing and energy movement, and also travels for public speaking and interactive workshops across the United States. She is a Certified Polarity Educator and Practitioner.
Co-founder and Director Katherine Patton has over 20 years of experience as a professional counselor and educator. She believes in and understands the value of human connection as a vital and integral part of the healing process. She has worked extensively with abused youth, emotionally disturbed children and adolescents, and their families.
For more information on the organization or Jeannie’s personal story, please visit the website at: www.rickysrevolution.org or www.jeanniekerrigan.com.
Hyatt Regency Chicago will be giving a portion of room sale proceeds from a dedicated Ronald McDonald House guestroom to support families at Ronald McDonald House®
Hot Wheels Traffic Jam
(Photo credit: Sherwood Snyder)
Hyatt Regency Chicago has teamed up with Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana (RMHC®-CNI) to help families heal together while their child is in the hospital. The dedicated Ronald McDonald House guestroom, appropriately named “Climbin’ for a Cause” as it is the only bi-level suite in the hotel with a staircase in the room, will be supporting the organization with a donation of $10 for each night the room is booked during the course of a year. All proceeds will go directly to Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s Hospital located in the Streeterville community.
The guestroom will be decorated to reflect various aspects of the Charity including adding a bookcase that contains books about Ronald McDonald House Charities as well as a Ronald McDonald House throw blanket so guests can read the books in true comfort, vintage Ronald McDonald House inspired decor, yellow painted handrails, and a number of photos of the Hyatt Regency Chicago team volunteering at the House as well as families, both past and present, who have been supported by RMHC-CNI.
“We strive to ensure that Hyatt Regency Chicago acts as a home-away-from-home for each of our guests,” stated General Manager Patrick Donelly. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be involved with such an outstanding organization in the Chicagoland area that seeks to provide a home-away-from-home for families during a difficult time. Our Ronald McDonald House guestroom gives guests the opportunity to help families during their greatest time of need.”
“We are grateful to have Hyatt Regency Chicago as a partner helping us to keep families together so they can find a sense of comfort, compassion, and a sense of community,” stated Mark Shouger Senior House Director of Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s. “As the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House, we’re excited to team up with the world’s largest Hyatt to make strides together in helping families throughout the Chicagoland area.”
Additionally, Hyatt Regency Chicago purchased a fire hydrant from The Great Chicago Fire Hydrants project to support the 100 Club of Chicagoland and donated it to Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s, where it is currently on display. The fire hydrant, appropriately named “Hot Wheels Traffic Jam,” was created by Sherwood Snyder. Snyder is a U.S. Navy veteran who studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and whose works include being commissioned four years in a row to design a HOPE ostrich egg for the annual auction that raises funds for the N.W. Memorial Hospital Program for the HIV Center in Chicago.
Hyatt Regency Chicago, the largest Hyatt property in the world, features 2,019 guest rooms, 228,000 square feet of meeting and event space and five restaurants and lounges. The hotel is located at 151 East Wacker Drive in the heart of downtown. Hyatt Regency Chicago borders the Magnificent Mile and is only blocks away from Chicago’s premier theatre, cultural, shopping and dining districts. For reservations, visit www.chicagoregency.hyatt.com, Facebook.com/HyattRegencyChicago or on Twitter @hyattchicago.
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana (RMHC®-CNI), is an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to care for families of children with complex medical needs by providing a ‘home away from home’ while their child is being treated in the hospital. Every night, up to 140 families heal together because of the comfort, compassion and community at four area Ronald McDonald Houses® and Ronald McDonald Family Room®. Annually 40,000 nights are provided where RMHC-CNI families are able to stay close to their child, helping them to heal faster and saving them over $7 million in hotel costs. We are located near Advocate Children’s Hospital, Loyola University Medical Center, University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Edward Hospital in Naperville and the Cadence Health – Central DuPage Hospital (CDH) Campus in Winfield which will open in 2015. For more information visit www.RonaldHouseChicago.org. Stay connected – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram.
(Sacramento, CA – May 29, 2014) California legislators have introduced a resolution urging state officials to identify solutions that address the impact of adverse childhood experiences and toxic stress, and reduce children’s exposure to such trauma. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 155 is authored by Assemblymember Raul Bocanegra (D-39) and co-authored by Assemblymembers Bonta, Bradford, Buchanan and Calderon. The resolution is co-sponsored by the Center for Youth Wellness, Children Now and Californians for Safety and Justice, and was announced today during a legislative hearing on trauma informed community health practices.
“Far too often, the impact of trauma in our children’s lives goes unnoticed and unaddressed,” said Asm. Bocanegra. “ACR 155 emphasizes our commitment to ensuring that all kids have a chance to thrive. It is more effective and less costly to positively influence the architecture of a child’s developing brain than to attempt to correct poor learning, health and behavior later on.”
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic experiences, such as abuse, neglect and household dysfunction, which can result in toxic stress and have a profound effect on a child’s developing brain and body. Research shows that exposure to childhood trauma is surprisingly common; a study of over 17,000 Californians found that two-thirds reported at least one adverse childhood experience, while 20 percent of participants reported three or more ACEs.
“Every parent, pediatrician and policymaker should be familiar with the words ‘toxic stress’ and ‘adverse childhood experiences,” said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, founder and CEO of the Center for Youth Wellness. “The data around ACEs and their impact on children’s long-term health exposes the scope of the problem and the opportunity we have to heal. By identifying effective solutions and interventions to prevent ACEs and heal toxic stress, we can make kids healthier and build stronger families and communities.”
Exposure to adverse experiences is linked to increased risk for lifelong health and behavior problems. For example, research shows that an individual with four or more ACEs is more likely to have a stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer and diabetes. A person with four or more ACEs is also likely to experience depression, be more suicidal, or be an alcoholic.
“Trauma in its many forms can profoundly affect children’s healthy social, emotional and physical development, and their ability to learn and thrive,” said Ted Lempert, president of Children Now. “California must ensure that every child has access to evidence-based preventive and intervention programs to reduce the impacts of ACEs on individuals and inflated costs to our health care and public health systems.”
The resolution supports research-based solutions to reduce children’s exposure to adverse experiences, and calls for investments in preventive healthcare and mental health and wellness interventions to achieve a healthy and prosperous California.
“Addressing the impact of trauma on children is not just a response to violence but also a step toward preventing future trauma,” said Lenore Anderson, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice. “The right interventions can help a vulnerable child avoid future exposures to violence that could otherwise have devastating effects on their ability to stay in school, stay healthy and stay out of trouble.”
To view Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 155, please visit:
About Californians for Safety and Justice
Californians for Safety and Justice, a project of the Tides Center, is a nonprofit bringing together crime survivors, business and community leaders, policymakers, law enforcement, health professionals, educators and crime-prevention experts to replace prison and justice system waste with common sense solutions that create safe neighborhoods and save public dollars. Through collaborations, policy research and analysis, toolkits and trainings, and community engagement, we are working to build a justice system that improves public safety and health without draining resources from our schools, hospitals and other community needs. www.SafeandJust.org
About Center for Youth Wellness
The Center for Youth Wellness believes that health begins with hope. We are a health organization imbedded within a primary care pediatric home serving children and families in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood in San Francisco. We heal children’s brains and bodies piloting the best treatments for toxic stress and sharing our findings nationally. We have the power to revolutionize pediatric medicine and transform the lives of countless kids – giving them a fair shot to grow up healthy and succeed in life. www.CenterforYouthWellness.org
About Children Now
Children Now is the leading, nonpartisan, umbrella research, policy development, and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting children’s health and education in California. The organization also leads The Children’s Movement of California. www.ChildrenNow.org
Frances Kweller, CEO of Kweller Prep, a learning incubator specializing in advanced test preparation in Queens, New York, founded Kweller Prep after receiving her law degree from Hofstra Law School. She offers the following tips to women embarking on their first business venture:
Company seeks crowdfunding to place HELP terminals — the world’s only socially responsible, public, and digital out-of-home communication system.
LIECHTENSTEIN — Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading killer of Americans, and surviving such an event depends heavily on early intervention. A new product, the Human Emergency Life Point (HELP), provides immediate medical intervention in the form of an automated external defibrillator (AED) that is cleverly housed inside a digital out-of-home communication system. Creators of the product are seeking crowdfunding to raise $900,000 by June 25 to place 15 HELP terminals in a large city.
In the U.S., there are approximately 300,000 annual deaths due to sudden cardiac arrest, and only three to six percent of patients survive such an event until an ambulance arrives.“Survival rates improve to 70 percent in patients provided with resuscitation and defibrillation – even if the person providing that early intervention has no medical experience or training,” said Patrick Holota, HELP project master. “Our product puts the tools and the knowledge needed to help someone experiencing cardiac arrest conveniently into the public area.”
More than just a handy AED, HELP is all-encompassing solution for early intervention of sudden cardiac arrest, providing lifesaving information in addition to medical tools. By combining the AED with a tamper-proof and weather-proof digital out-of-home communication system, HELP is an effective communication tool and advertisement space as well as a lifesaving tool. “Our goal is to prepare the public to deal with a life-threatening situation calmly and effectively,” said Holota. “We want to give people a chance to be socially responsible and care for each other.”
The creators of HELP have completed a 24-month field test of their prototype and are ready to raise funds to place 15 double-sided HELP units in a major city in order to demonstrate its effectiveness at saving lives. Additionally, for every $10,000, an AED will be donated to a school along with proper usage training.
Sponsors of the HELP crowdfunding campaign will receive special perks. Starting with a $1,000 donation, sponsors will have their name engraved on the first 15 HELP units. With a $10,000 donation, in addition to name engraving, they will have a 30 second spot run five times a day on the HELP screen. Supporters donating $100,000will receive a 65-inch, double-sided HELP terminal that can be donated to an institute, school, or city of choice along with a one-minute spot to run 10 times a day on the first 15 HELP units.
About HELP
Human Emergency Life Point (HELP) is a new approach to providing public knowledge and tools necessary for overcoming sudden cardiac arrest. Giving laypersons a way to help cardiac patients until paramedics arrive, HELP is a revolutionary combination of medical tools and communication platform. For more information about HELP, visit www.HELP-International.li. To contribute to the crowdfunding campaign, visit igg.me/at/HumanEmergencyLifePoint/x.
Project PR Contact Info
Press Contact: Patrick Holota
Email: p.holota@help-international.li
About L&C:
Crowdfund Marketing & Consulting Agent. We are dedicated in finding the coolest crowdfund projects of the web.
L&C Press Contact Info:
Email: press@thecrowdfundmarketing.com
Website: www.thecrowdfundmarketing.com
Efforts Will Promote Transparency and Sharing of Data on International Development Assistance
New York, NY — May 29, 2014. InterAction, the largest coalition of U.S. based non-governmental organizations working on international development and humanitarian assistance, and the Foundation Center, the leading authority on philanthropy, have announced a strategic partnership to promote greater visibility and understanding of global private development assistance.
Building on InterAction’s existing data sharing efforts through NGO Aid Map and the Foundation Center’s commitment to build the global data platform for philanthropy, their partnership will focus on data sharing, capacity building, and data analysis within the NGO and foundation communities. Several key priorities have been identified, including to:
According to the Hudson Institute’s 2013 Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances, private development assistance and foreign investment now account for over 80 percent of funding going to developing countries. Private assistance, which is the portion that most resembles official aid, has historically been difficult to track. InterAction members raise $12 billion annually in global assistance. The Foundation Center’s data shows that 44 percent of international support from the largest 1,000 U.S. foundations in 2012 went to issues targeted by the Millennium Development Goals totaling $2.6 billion. Providing access to the two partners’ integrated data sets will be an important step toward shedding light on this area of activity.
“Our partnership with the Foundation Center will help us provide a more complete picture of private development projects around the world,” said Samuel A. Worthington, president and CEO of InterAction. “Improving access to high quality data and improving practices around transparency and data will enable better decisions to be made by the international development community — whether it’s resource allocation, programmatic directions, or strategic partnerships.”
“We want to connect NGOs and donors to the knowledge they need to strategically deploy resources where they are most needed,” said Bradford Smith, president of the Foundation Center. “The partnership also lays the groundwork for advancing and encouraging an ongoing culture of transparency in development assistance funding worldwide.”
2014 Public Service Announcement Once Again Rallies the Public to Help Raise Funds for Prostate Cancer Research
(LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK) – May 29, 2014 – The Safeway Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), have collaborated again to re-launch their public service campaign featuring actress and SU2C Celebrity Ambassador Marcia Cross, which will debut in June.
The print, radio and digital public service announcement (PSA) is designed to raise awareness for the fight against prostate cancer – a disease that over 2 million men are living with in the United States alone. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death for men in the United States, and one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
The public service campaign coincides with Safeway’s annual in-store Prostate Cancer Awareness fundraiser, providing customers with multiple opportunities to donate at more than 1,300 Safeway stores across the U.S. The public service campaign will run through June, the month in which Father’s Day is celebrated.
Stand Up To Cancer and The Safeway Foundation are encouraging everyone, especially those with loved-ones affected by the disease, to show their support for the cause with a limited-edition, reusable shopping bag with the words, “It starts with a wish; it can end with a cure.” The bag will be available for purchase at all Safeway banner stores, including Vons, Pavilions, Tom Thumb, Randalls, and Carrs stores, as well as online at safewayfoundation.org. Additionally, Safeway shoppers will have a chance to make a separate donation at check-out. Proceeds will support prostate cancer research, including that being done by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the Stand Up To Cancer prostate cancer Dream Teams and other research teams.
Emmy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Marcia Cross is best known for her roles on the award-winning series Desperate Housewives and the original Melrose Place.
“This is a cause close to my heart and one that I enthusiastically support,” said Cross. “Together with Stand Up To Cancer and The Safeway Foundation, I hope to not only create awareness for a disease that affects too many of our husbands, sons, fathers and brothers—but support crucial cancer research that can save lives.”
“We are proud to welcome back Marcia Cross and continue our collaboration with our friends at Stand Up To Cancer,” said Larree Renda, Safeway Executive Vice President and Chair of The Safeway Foundation. “By featuring this campaign once again, we need to continue elevating cancer research and awareness and raise funds that will make necessary breakthroughs in patient care.”
“We’re thrilled to have an Ambassador like Marcia Cross shining a light on the fight against prostate cancer,” said Lisa Paulsen, co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) “In collaborating with The Safeway Foundation, we have been able to raise funds to get new and effective therapies to patients quicker.”
To date, Safeway and The Safeway Foundation have raised over $87 million for prostate cancer research. These donations, provided by Safeway’s generous customers, have helped fund 1,600 prostate cancer research projects providing hope for treatment and cures.
For more information on the campaign, visit safewayfoundation.org or standup2cancer.org. To join the conversation, like us on Facebook at @StandUpToCancer or follow us on Twitter at @SU2C.
Solar Roadways Project Attracts 35.000+ Funders So Far
First there were electric cars, now there are Solar Roadways. This revolutionary initiative to change the way we utilize the nation’s millions of miles of roadways— by turning them into power sources— just set the record for the highest number of individual funders to an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.
More than 35,000 people from 42 countries have helped an innovative couple from Idaho, Scott and Julie Brusaw, surpass their Indiegogo crowdfunding goal of $1,000,000— and there are still three more days to go. Solar Roadways www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways could pay for itself through clean power generation.
The Solar Roadways campaign also states that it will:
Notably, the previous record holder for the most Indiegogo contributors was the campaign by Matthew Inman (The Oatmeal) to create a museum for the original pioneer in electricity, Nikola Tesla (33,000 funders).
Indiegogo launched in 2008 as the world’s first crowdfunding platform, and is dedicated to allowing anyone, anywhere to fund what matters to them. As the world’s funding engine, Indiegogo democratizes access to capital and helps innovators around the world improve society by turning their ideas into reality.
To speak with team behind Solar Roadways or an executive at Indiegogo, please contact:
Sarah Lilburn, Goldin Solutions
o: 646.660.8650
c: 703.659.5906
sarah@goldinsolutions.com
New Care Management Plans Aim to Increase Quality of Education and Support Given to Children in Underdeveloped Communities
A volunteer with children at a childcare placement in Ghana
NEW YORK – May 29, 2014 – Childcare projects have consistently been a popular option among volunteers seeking to do voluntary work abroad. International volunteer organization Projects Abroad offers a variety of childcare projects in orphanages, care centers, special needs centers, and kindergartens around the world that give volunteers the chance to do meaningful work with children in need.
Our mission for our childcare projects throughout the world has always been to provide sustainable educational support, care, and protection to disadvantaged children and vulnerable groups to enhance their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. Volunteers travel abroad safe in the knowledge that the work they do with Projects Abroad will benefit children immediately and in the long-term, even after they have left the project. Earlier this year, Projects Abroad sought to increase this support in childcare placements across the globe by implementing more detailed initiatives for each destination.
Care Management Plans are created based on the needs of each destination and establish Projects Abroad’s goals for the year and list the actions necessary for achieving these goals. This also has the added benefit of giving volunteers the guidance they need to make the most significant impact possible on the lives of the children they work with.
“The main goal at all of our childcare placements has been to do work that continuously improves the quality of children’s lives,” says Christian Clark, Deputy Director for Projects Abroad USA. “Implementing the new Care Management Plans allows us to evaluate our impact more carefully at the end of each year, so we can set new and improved goals moving forward. With the help of our partners and volunteers, we can give children in underdeveloped communities the best quality education and care possible.”
For more information on Childcare projects with Projects Abroad, visit www.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-projects/care
Projects Abroad was founded in 1992 by Dr. Peter Slowe, a geography professor, as a program for students to travel and work while on break from full-time study. The program had its genesis in post-USSR Romania, where students were given the chance to teach conversational English. After a few years just sending volunteers to Eastern Europe for teaching, the company expanded to sending volunteers of all ages around the world on a wide range of projects.
Projects Abroad is a global leader in short-term international volunteer programs with projects in 29 countries and recruitment offices in the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Holland, Hong Kong, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, and the United States.
For details on volunteering abroad, visit Projects Abroad’s web site at www.projects-abroad.org
On Wednesday, June 11th The National Urban Technology Center will host its 2014 gala benefit celebrating Urban Tech’s 19 years of service connecting students and families to digital literacy, comprehensive health education and life skills that are critical to academic success. Urban Tech will be joined by over 300 corporate and community leaders who have all pledged their support of the organization’s vital mission.
This year’s gala will be held at Three Sixty°, a gorgeous venue in TriBeCa known for its breathtaking views and spectacular food. Proceeds from the event will benefit The National Urban Technology Center and go towards supporting youth by giving them the capacity for positive behavior and academic success.
The evening begins with a VIP cocktail party at 6pm, followed by the dinner and awards ceremony, and an exciting silent and live auction. Maurice DuBois, award winning anchor of “CBS 2 News This Morning” and the weekend edition of “CBS Evening News,” will serve as our Master of Ceremonies for the evening alongside E! Entertainment News personality Alicia Quarles.
This year The Urban Tech Gala has assembled another group of distinguished honorees including CSI & Covert Affairs actor Hill Harper, who will accept the Humanitarian Award; Christopher J. Williams, Chairman, CEO and Founder of The Williams Capital Group, L.P. and Williams Capital Management, LLC, who will accept Urban Tech’s Corporate Leadership Award; Kimberly B. Davis, Managing Director at Teneo Strategy, will accept Urban Tech’s Community Service Award; and Stephen M. Coan, Ph.D. will accept the Educational Leadership Award. Dr. Coan is President and CEO of Sea Research Foundation and is also being honored by the Obama Administration for his work. Former New York Knick John Starks is co-chairing the gala. The evening will also feature two very special award presentations by Lou Gossett and Billie Jean King.
There will be exciting live and silent auctions with amazing items such as a week long stay at The Gansevoort Turks and Caicos, David Letterman tickets, a trip to visit actor and honoree Hill Harper on the set of “Covert Affairs” in Toronto, VIP Katy Perry tickets, tickets to see Tony Award winning play Kinky Boots and then go back stage to meet the leading man Billy Porter, TOP designer clothing items and more.
Countless notable celebrities and personalities have taken part in previous galas including Michael Bloomberg, Mariska Hargitay, Ambassador Carl Spielvogel, Senator Kristen Gillibrands, Senator Thomas Daschle, Patti LaBelle, Blair Underwood, Star Jones, Judy A. Smith, Richard Kind, Boris Kodjoe, Nicole Ari Parker, Daphne Rubin Vega, Lori Stokes, B. Smith, Miss USA Olivia Culpo, Callie Thorne, and Tatum O’Neal.
The event will be held at Three Sixty in TriBeCa. It is located at 10 Desbrosses Street, New York, NY.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL URBAN TECHNOLOGY CENTER: The National Urban Technology Center (Urban Tech), a not-for-profit educational corporation, transforms lives through the power of technology by giving youth the capacity for positive behavior and academic success. Urban Tech achieves its mission by teaching students essential life skills, and by training and coaching parents and educators to support social and emotional learning. Urban Tech’s flagship programs, The Youth Leadership Academy® (YLA) and SeedTech®, are delivered online to enhance the ability of schools and after-school programs to reach and effectively teach all students.WWW.URBANTECH.ORG