| Cancer Battle Leads To Donor Registery Posted: 15 Jul 2011 09:30 AM PDT 
Many of life’s events are cause for inspiration. For Jay Feinberg, it was his battle with cancer, reports Reuters. It has been 20 years since he battled leukemia and won, but that hasn’t stopped him from pushing forward to help other with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation. Feinberg abandoned plans to become a lawyer and devoted himself fulltime to running Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, his nonprofit venture now based in Boca Raton, Florida. It has nearly 188,000 donors and has helped more than 2,300 patients receive bone marrow and stem cell transplants. “We had built such a tremendous force here with thousands and thousands of volunteers and subject-matter expertise,” said Feinberg, whose mission began after his doctor told him that his chances for a donor match were slim and he should start compiling a bucket list. “We really put a lot of time into figuring out how to run these (donor) drives strategically. It wasn’t a simple prospect.” Gift of Life retains a staff of 40 – double from five years ago – and besides a fundraising setback during the downturn in 2008, its budget has steadily grown, reaching $6 million annually. The group also operates a program to collect stem cell rich cord blood after women give birth. Feinberg places a premium on customer service, making the education and comfort of donors his priorities. “I’ve done it twice and I would do it again,” said Ben Nagin, 39, a Manhattan attorney who donated stem cells to a young girl, a process that required half a day hooked up to a machine with needles in his arm. “They don’t just say there’s a match, good luck. They walk you through the process, they call you, email you. They’ll send a car for you.” For his part, Feinberg continues to get the word out, spending much of his time on the road fundraising, with plans to reach 20,000 registrants by year-end. He’s set on bucking trends that according to Bryne may not show a return to pre-recessionary charitable giving for five to six years.
|
| Businesses Finding Employees Through Social Media Posted: 15 Jul 2011 08:01 AM PDT 
When was the last time you fixed up your social profiles? According to Forbes, many companies are seeking out qualified employees on social networking websites like Facebook. Where are you finding talent for your business? It looks like use of Facebook by hiring managers didn't increase much over the last year. This year 55.3% of respondents said they used Facebook for recruiting, barely up from 54.6% last year. By contrast, 86.6% used LinkedIn, up from 78.3% last year. But Finnigan says those numbers include all uses, including posting job listings. Jobvite did a separate tally of its own customers, asking how many actually hired staff using social referrals from various sites. Forty-three percent of referrals that resulted in hires came from Facebook, and only 41% came from LinkedIn. Sixteen percent came from Twitter. Those numbers suggest that the social connections on Facebook remain the strongest of the social networking sites. Sarah Stamboulie, a career coach in New York City, says she's yet to have a client who got hired through a social network referral, but she acknowledges that companies are increasingly using social media. "I think this is going to take off for young people and in tech and media," she says. But she agrees with Finnigan that it's wise to err on the side of caution. "My dog has a Facebook page and I let him say all the risqué things," says Stamboulie.
Photo by bpsusf 
|
| Niche Biz: Flower Beds and Planters Posted: 15 Jul 2011 07:30 AM PDT 
From spring to fall, many yards are filled with beautiful flowers. If that yard is in the same neighborhood as Kathleen Gostissa, it was probably her handiwork that made those flowers so beautiful. Kathleen has always enjoyed flowers, but she has found a business in tending them for others. Known as Creative Containers, she puts together beautiful collections of flowers to fit the different seasons. Each season has a different set of flowers, and sometimes homeowners want their flower beds and potted plants to follow a theme but lack the time. According to Wyckoff Patch, Kathleen is able to accommodate them. Starting in her own yard, Gostissa planted impatiens and geraniums because they were "easy" and consistent performers; the plants that would practically thrive on neglect when the busy Mom of four was tending to her children. Family and friends raved about her designs, marveling at how prolific her containers and garden beds were. In addition to caring for her family, Gostissa was also juggling a part time job and while making time to decorate everyone's decks and patios. Extended family, friends of friends-all began asking Gostissa for suggestions. In a Eureka moment, it occurred to her that with all of the demand for her artistic designs, she could easily translate her passion for flowers into a business. The word began to spread and Gostissa's client list expanded from doing spring planting for a few to decorating many client's homes both indoors and out for all seasons. "Potting up containers around pools and spas has been what many people are interested in lately," said Gostissa. "My clients give me a plant list and a color scheme and I go to town." (Literally, as Gostissa has an account with many local nurseries.) Although many summer plantings are established by this time in July, Gostissa and her crew will continue to maintain the plantings including weeding, watering and fertilizing.
Photo by William Warby 
|
