twocentproject

[twocentproject]

Spread a little Hope.ly

I think it's a pretty wonderful thing that the phrase "holiday spirit" is synonymous with "giving." And not just the giving of gifts to loved ones, but really giving back. 34 percent of charitable donations are made in the last three months of the year, with 18 percent in December alone. 

And today is the Millennial manifestation of that holiday spirit. It's #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. Today, charities, businesses, community centers, and individuals around the world come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

In that spirit, today my agency launched a new opportunity for the American Red Cross, teaming up with Bitly to create Hope.ly – an innovative fundraising platform that helps the American Red Cross find a new generation of donors during this crucial time period. Read more about the initiative in today's New York Times.

It's so easy. You create a hope.ly in the same simple way you make a bit.ly link, but when someone clicks on your hope.ly, they'll see a small Red Cross banner on the website you shared, with a link for people to donate to the cause. So every hope.ly you share could make a difference. 

This blog began with the idea that the power of social media sharing is what can make the difference for a great cause. The hope.ly initiative does just that. So when you're sharing out your holiday wish list this month, use hope.ly to spread the word about the great work that the Red Cross is doing to spread the holiday spirit online as well as offline. 

[twocentproject]

Protecting This Tiny Protector

Two things happened at the same time yesterday afternoon: 

1. Annie called us all out and said one of us needs to post,

2. I saw this picture: 

Side note: look at this lil guy's paws!! 

The love of my life was a 120-lbs German Shepherd dog named Lupo. All the ladies on this blog also knew and loved him too. And I can say from experience, what they say about GSDs is true -- they are incredibly smart, loyal, and overall better than most humans. 

Every story that you read about service dogs is incredible. This guy even helped with the assassination of Osama Bin Laden. But just like we have to protect our human members of the military and police forces, we have to provide the same protective gear for the K-9 units. 

Massachusetts Vest-a-Dog helps to provide bulletproof vests for every dog in police and law enforcement enforcement K-9 programs throughout Massachusetts. These agencies do not have the funding to provide bulletproof vests for K-9 officers, so this entirely volunteer-run organization raises money to make sure every pup is protected. 

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: Squishy Dr. Scholl's insoles for my poor feet, because I'm a wimp when it comes to heels and I had to wear them all night last night. $8. Where It’s Going: Bullet-proof vests for K-9 officers in Massachusetts. Why: Because these dogs protect us, so we should do what we can to protect them. 

-- Marissa, not as smart as a GSD.

[twocentproject]

Vandy Vandy Oh Hell Ya

It's been a while since we posted, but it's Friday, I'm feeling less than motivated to do my real work, and I saw something pretty cool happen this week so here we are.

Every time I see a Kickstarter campaign, or something akin to it, succeed, I'm amazed that technology has provided us this opportunity to help others in whatever small way we can and gives us a huge amount of collective power that we could never have as individuals.

This has never been more apparent to me than this week when I saw a bunch of people I went to college with posting the same link on Facebook. Clearly curious, I clicked it and saw that Cassie, a Vanderbilt student, had started a Gofundme campaign to help pay for her tuition, after a series of unfortunate events caused her to be unlikely to foot the (enormous) bill. 

Being able to go to a school like Vanderbilt and having four years of incredible, funny, heart-breaking, awe-inspiring, intellectually demanding, eye-opening, dancing experiences changed me and I would not be who I am today without them. Everyone deserves to have those experiences and the fact that we can collectively help Cassie have them is a gift in itself. 

What I Gave Up: two subway rides, $5

Where It's Going: Cassie's Vanderbilt experience

Why: Vanderbilt needs students like Cassie to help open others eyes

-Colette, go 'dores

[twocentproject]

Penguins Need Sweaters, Too.

We've all seen the footage of poor little penguins being stuck in oil and needing Dawn to get clean, etc. etc. Well apparently, a key step in saving the penguins is to dress them in smart jumpers. The sweaters keep them warm and also prevent them from picking out toxic oils off their fur their their beaks. 

So you better believe I'm downloading this pattern from The Penguin Foundation and cranking out some little Bill Cosby sweaters for the penguins! 

[twocentproject]

A Friend in Need

I had a blog post prepared for this week, but am putting it aside this week, as one of Maya, my girlfriend's, friends from Tufts was hit by a car as she went for a run in Boston.

On February 20th, Whitney was involved in a car accident while out for her evening run. A day that began like any other, reflecting on a rare weekend of East coast powder and looking forward to a trip home to Truckee to scout wedding venues, ended with Whitney fighting for her life. While the extent of her injuries and their lasting effects remain unknown, one certainty is that Whit is in for a long, difficult road to recovery.

Friends, family, and complete strangers have rallied around Whitney and are trying to raise money for her / her recovery. 

Check it out here

Any help is appreciated!

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: $20 cab ride 

Where It's Going: To Whitney's recovery

Why: ...

-Colette, Jumbo by association

[twocentproject]

Scientists: Basically Magicians/Superheroes.

No joke, in my 5th grade yearbook I said that I wanted to be a botanist when I grew up. I have seriously considered quitting my job and becoming a meteorologist because I just love earth science and all the amazing things that happen in the sky so much. Michio Kaku is on my "list." Science is the thing that I have always wanted to be good at but just never was. I was a 10th-grade science drop out and then had to take Astronomy and Regents (really, really basic) Physics. But it's JUST. SO. COOL. 

The account that I am working on now allows me get paid to learn about how scientists -- physicists, engineers, chemists -- are tackling the world's greatest challenges through science. And it continues to just blow my mind. I send the other TCP ladies information about things like ceramic matrix composites, and I'm sure they can't stand it, but I don't care because it's just incredible. They MADE a material that is 1/3 the thickness of a strand of hair and can withstand heat of 2,000F. WHAT?! 

So I found the Union of Concerned Scientists, which I love not only because it sounds like it could be a league of Marvel comic villains, but because they take on those challenges. The stuff that keeps them up at night are things like, how will we be able to get anywhere when we run out of fuel? How do we stop the earth from being totally destroyed by humans? Yeah, these are super lofty goals, and somewhat contrary to the manifesto of the Two Cent Project, but you know what? Someone needs to take them on. And science is what we need to solve them. 

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: A Potbelly sandwich for dinner -- my gym overlooks a Potbelly, which is particularly cruel punishment if you ask me. ($8) Where It's Going: Solving the world's biggest problems through magic. I mean, science.  Why: Because if it weren't for science, we would literally still be in caves. 

-- Marissa, failed scientist.

[twocentproject]

Giving Back TIME and Money to Farmers

Let's all say it together: "We hate being asked to donate money to our colleges and universities while we are still making ridiculous payments towards student debt." Ok, that isn't catchy enough to be a picket-line chant, but it still feels good to say it out loud. Right?

Since I graduated from Stonehill College in 2012 (and, frankly, before I graduated), I've been asked to make donations to Stonehill so that they could continue their mission to develop scholars that will make the world a more just and compassionate place. Rather than just send them another check this Spring, I decided to volunteer my time to serve as a leader for one of Stonehill's service trips to Coachella Valley, California.

I went on one of these week-long trips to Phoenix my senior year and it completely changed my perspective on what it means to serve someone versus what it means to help someone. I was ecstatic when I heard of the opportunity to serve as an alumni leader.

As a alumni leader, I'm fortunate enough to have my trip paid for me by the school, so in addition to the week of vacation and potential beach lounging I'm making my small donation to the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, the organization my service group will be serving at this March. CVHC is one of the largest nonprofit developers of low income housing in southern California, and there primary clientele are migrant farmers and their families who have immigrated from Mexico. CVHC doesn't just build houses, it builds the communities that families rely on when pursuing the American dream.

My Two Cents: $8.63

What I Gave Up: My weekly purchase of meat at the grocery store (a luxury item for many poor families)

Where It's Going: The Coachella Valley Housing Coalition

Why: Food doesn't taste as good if the people who got it to your plate don't have a home.

- Anthony, meat free volunteer since 2-22-14

[twocentproject]

Back to school, back to school...

Math sucks. Ok so I know this is just my opinion and because I have always struggled most with math and science, my opinion is biased, but still…math sucks. The only time I have remotely enjoyed math is when someone, a teacher or a friend or a sibling, has made it make sense to me.

Currently, two of my family members, my sister and brother-in-law, are working for an awesome organization called Top Honors. Top Honors has been offering free math tutoring to middle school students in New York City since they were founded in 2002. They focus on strengthening each student’s problem areas, rather than just providing homework help. 

Just look at my handsome brother-in-law Ben, who is the Chair of the board (he’s fancy!)

I couldn’t be prouder of my siblings for volunteering and running such an awesome organization and couldn’t think of a more deserving organization to donate to this week.

  My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: The dumplings I’ve been meaning to buy at Trader Joes – let’s call it $5

Where It’s Going: Top Honors

Why: Math sucks. My siblings (in-law) make it better.

-Colette, clearly the dud in the family

[twocentproject]

Martha My Dear

It’s February—my favorite month of the year. First of all, it holds the birthdays of every member of my family, including my mamma’s birthday, which is today! Happy birthday, Mommybear! It’s also such a weirdo month—you know, 30 days have September, April, June, and November—all the rest have 31 EXCEPT FEBRUARY! Because February is the best month. 

I think I was trying to build up to February also being when we celebrate Presidents’ Day—in honor of the birthday of George Washington (and also, sort of, the birthday of Abraham Lincoln—and also, sort of, presidents generally). So in that spirit, I thought I would write today’s post with a tip o’ the hat to Martha Dandridge (later Martha Washington), the first First Lady of these United States. 

“Lady Washington,” as she came to be known, dedicated herself to caring for soldiers and veterans of the Revolutionary War, visiting the men, donating food, sewing clothing and blankets, and enlisting other women in the colonies to volunteer to do the same. This week I’m donating my two cents to the New England Center for Homeless Veterans, a group taking up Martha’s challenge (many years later, but not many miles from the Continental Army’s winter headquarters in Cambridge).

Now in its third decade of service, The New England Center for Homeless Veterans (NECHV) is a multi-dimension service and care provider dedicated to assisting Veterans who are facing or at-risk of homelessness. The Center offers a broad array of programs and services that enable success, reintegration, meaningful employment and independent living.

NECHV is the country’s first and largest veteran-specific homeless shelter. Its many services—including a residential program, specialized counseling, medical facilities, job placement, housing programs, and veterans training school are designed to help veterans overcome the complex and compounding challenges of addiction, trauma, mental illness, and unemployment. The work of NECHV lends the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual support necessary for veterans to not just live, but thrive in their communities.

Join me in donating to NECHV—and happy February.

My Two Cents 

What I Gave Up: Huge bag of red potatoes, $5.

Where It’s Going: Direct services for veterans out-of-home or at high risk for homelessness

Why: Because veterans have done a lot for us. And they deserve much more in return.

-Annie, wishes her mom a happy birthday.

P.S.- Martha Washington was apparently a fierce lady. I have read that she refused to go to Washington’s first inaugural because she was pissed that he accepted the presidency. Also, when she realized she wouldn’t live much longer, she  apparently burned all the letters she and her hubby had written to each other because it was no one else’s damn business. 

[twocentproject]

Cancer for College...Excellent Use of Alliteration

I’m one of six children in my family – all girls. When a family has six children, there are likely to be a lot more BIG THINGS that go wrong, illnesses, injuries, etc., than for a family with two kids. That being said, I think my family has experienced more than its fair share of crap…way more.

My oldest sister, Nicole, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease (a form of cancer) when she was early into her college experience. At the time, I didn’t really understand the implications of what this could mean or how much of a rockstar she was in handling it, but now I do. Nicole did not miss ONE day of class during chemo, during which time she traveled back and forth from Pennsylvania to NY to receive treatment. She didn’t miss ONE class. I missed classes because I had a headache. Is this real life? She was a freaking SUPERHERO.

This thought crosses my mind on a very regular basis and so today, I tried to find a charity that supported college students who had cancer. As I researched, I found Cancer for College and although it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, it is yet another amazing cause.

Craig Pollard began Cancer for College after he faced his own bout with Hodgkin’s Disease. His goal is to raise scholarship dollars to assist cancer survivors in reaching their goal of a college education. Cancer takes an incredible toll on family finances. Procedures, treatments and medications are often not covered by insurance and can wipe out a family’s savings in no time.  Big picture plans like college take a back seat to getting well. Last year, Cancer for College staged five fundraising events and awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships to cancer survivors and amputees.

If that’s not enough of a reason to donate, then you should know Will Ferrell knows Craig and supports the cause…so does Ron Burgundy!

My Two Cents:

What I Gave Up: $4 drink from starbucks

Where It’s Going: Cancer for College

Why: Kids who survive cancer are the ultimate rockstars

  -Colette, sister of a rockstar

[twocentproject]

Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

I've said this to quite a few people this week - and more and more have realized how unacceptable  it is -

***I am in no way condoning the above - I do, however, practice it***

"I am sorry I've been so unresponsive. My head has been so far up my own ass that I haven't had a minute to think." Truth is - I've been busy and being busy is not an acceptable excuse to become self-absorbed (FYI - there is no acceptable excuse for this). And then it came to me - I have the insight to know that I've lost it and this is a luxury. 

The stigma of mental health and mental health disorders in 2014 is atrocious. If I stay on the path I'm on right now, I'm not sure that I can kick this rut. I am actively taking steps to change this - training for a 10 mile run (shout out, Marissa!) as an example. Some people need more than a run or a friends ear to bend and that's okay too. The Howard Center in Vermont helps those who sometimes need some extra reinforcements. I encourage everyone to click thru and to talk openly about mental health. 

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: A cab ride home ($9) - walking can be peaceful (and freezing) Where It’s Going: The Howard Center - improving the well-being of children, adults, families, and communities Why: Because we don't have time to suffer in silence

-Baily, slowly but surely finding my marbles

[twocentproject]

I want to be silently judged for drinking coffee by Mrs. Hughes!!

I'm going to keep this post nice and short. I know, big difference from my usual Monday rants. But this week I'm going to let some of my favorite people in the world (besides the ladies that I write this blog with) do the talking for me: 

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: A new box of K-cups ($10). We're using the manual filter thingy instead. Judge all you want, Mrs. Hughes.  Where It's Going: Long-lasting typhoon relief via business recovery in the Philippines.  Why: Because the Philippines still has a long way to go. And also because it's my lifelong dream to give Carson a hug. 

-- Marissa, needs a lady's maid. 

P.S. Another great video, created by the Philippines to thank everyone for their support, can be viewed here.

[twocentproject]

#Dosomethinggood #lunchbag #istinkathashtaging

It’s been ridiculously cold in NY (and everywhere else in the country) lately. Polar vortexes errrrywhere. As such, it’s a blessing to be able to escape the cold in the comfort of our homes. It’s something we all take for granted. Unfortunately, some people don’t have this luxury and the most necessary things become really hard (staying warm, eating, etc.).

  Tomorrow is my friend Alana’s birthday and she has helped with this awesome organization, Hashtag Lunchbag, before so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to honor both her and a great cause.

  #HashtagLunchbag was born on Christmas Day 2012 in a Los Angeles apartment with just a small group of friends.  The intent was simple- to deliver a hearty & balanced meal, prepared with our own hands, to the local homeless community. They all chipped in a few bucks, took a trip to the grocery store and purchased some goodies, invited friends over to put everything together, turned on some music and then hit the streets, all while having the time of their lives doing it! 

In typical fashion of this day & age, they shared our adventure via social media, tagging #HashtagLunchbag on each status update and photo upload. All of sudden, people started hitting them up asking what #HashtagLunchbag was and how they could be included the next time around. That's when they knew they were on to something big.

​

Living in an era where digital media reigns & word-of-mouth chatter circulates to a much larger audience, they realized that their grassroots efforts have the potential to go viral and that every individual has the power to influence their friends & followers to pay it forward.

Their goal is to inspire others to come together and join them in their endeavor. They truly believe that small actions from lots of people can empower a BIG CHANGE.

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: the drink I inevitably end up buying one of my friends when we go out tonight ($10)

Where It's Going: #Hashtag Lunchbag

Why: Because social media doesn't only mean cyberbullying; it can be good!

-Colette, I'm the worst at hashtagging

[twocentproject]

They Say It's Your Birthday

On the occasion of my 25th birthday, I’d like to take a cue from my 3-year-old niece and help spread the word about Birthday Wishes, a group that organizes birthday parties for out-of-home children in 185 shelters and transitional living facilities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Long Island. I’d also like to point out that those are the major places I have lived during this first quarter century of my existence! (Shout out to the places I’ve called home: Lake Success, Providence, and Somerville.)

Around the holiday season last year, Kaylee (my aforementioned 3-year-old niece/role model) hosted a party where she and her friends and family participated in Birthday Wishes’ Birthday-in-a-Box (BIAB) program. BIAB is for safe shelters and other living facilities which cannot accommodate the usual parties that Birthday Wishes hosts on-site (parties which, by the way, are always as tailored as possible to the individual child being celebrated). Through BIAB, individuals donate new, unused, and unopened supplies in a gift-wrapped (birthday-themed) box. In addition to birthday gifts, each box includes the ingredients for a great party: cake mix, frosting, candles, juice boxes, plates, napkins, silverware, decorations, party hats, knick knacks, and more.

There are more than 96,000 out-of-home children in Massachusetts alone. Their families and shelters usually can’t afford to celebrate their birthdays with flare. But you can help people party! If you want to wish me a happy birthday, donate to Birthday Wishes this February 4th.

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: Birthday Breakfast, $6 (settled for an early attack on my birthday cookies)

Where It’s Going: To cakes, gift wrap, balloons, and smiles.

Why: Because every kid deserves to be celebrated on their birthday.

-Annie, still five-and-a-half at heart.

[twocentproject]

It's a Mad Mad Mad Men World

Yesterday was a big day for me. I work in advertising. The Super Bowl is pretty much the one day a year when people don't change the channel during commercials, or mute it, or fast forward through a DVR-ed episode of Grey's Anatomy. The Super Bowl is the one time a year when people really pay attention to the commercials, which means that last night, a record 111.5 million viewers paid attention to what I do for a living. 

Listen, I get that you are almost always disappointed by the commercials as a whole. I get that you think it's totally ridiculous that companies pay $4 million for a 30-second spot. I get that you feel used, manipulated, and offended at all the different ways the evil advertising execs toy with your emotions and personal values. But listen to this: 

78% of viewers would rather watch the Super Bowl with commercials (than without)

More than half of all viewers will re-watch the commercials after the game

45% of viewers will actually seek out the ads BEFORE the game

So regardless, you pay attention. It might take you 1.5 seconds to call the ad that we spent months -- maybe years -- strategizing, concepting, and producing a steaming pile of shit. You might swear off the product, start a petition, and troll our Facebook page. You might even just flat out forget it -- and even if you remember the gist, you certainly don't remember what it was for. But for 30 seconds, maybe 60 if we're lucky (and have enough monies), you are paying attention to what we literally spend our lives working on. 

I believe in what I do, I believe in advertising as a part of pop culture. I believe that a great ad can be just as important to culture as a great film or novel. Did you collect Absolut magazine ads when you were younger? Have you even made a milk mustache and said "Got milk?" I guarantee you've quoted taglines -- "Just do it." Though it certainly has had its really low points, advertising is part of the cultural zeitgeist, especially in America, and especially during the Super Bowl. When I see an ad I've worked on in a magazine or on TV, I know that I've created something. And maybe if I'm lucky, at some point in my career, I might create something great -- something that kids collect, that my friends quote, or that ends up in a museum. But for now, just the fact that I am creating is enough for me. So I'll keep on being the annoying friend who tells you to be quiet during commercials.

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: Dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets. I had tuna fish with shitty fake mayo (Thanks, Alex) instead.  Where It's Going: National Association for Media Literacy Education Why: Because advertising still has a long way to go, and we need to learn how to be smart consumers of media

-- Marissa, account managing the shit out of every little task or project

[twocentproject]

Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl Sunday has always been a special day for me. And it’s not just because I’ve spent the first four years of my professional life as an aspiring sports writer. No, this goes way back. All the way back, in fact, to the delivery room where I was born.

The height of my mom’s labor came at the height of the biggest football game of the season in 1988, much to the dismay of the doctors in hospital staff working that night. As my dad tells it– and I’m still not sure if this is a joke or not – doctors would periodically stroll to the waiting room to check the score. Luckily for them, it wasn’t much of a game. The Redskins crushed the Broncos, 42-10. Ever since then, for the obvious reasons, my birthday has been tied to Super Bowl weekend – one phenomenal celebration of family, food and football.

(Sidenote: Those in attendance at the Super Bowl when Janet Jackson’s infamous “wardrobe malfunction” occurred never saw the damn thing because we usually opened presents during halftime. People were NOT happy. We stopped that tradition).

Then the NFL moved their annual all-star game, the Pro Bowl, to the week before the Super Bowl instead of after it, throwing the entire birthday-football-mini hot dogs wrapped in puff pastry cosmos out of whack. Not since that switch have my birthday and the world’s best day for commercials aligned on the same weekend.

Until now. So naturally, the emotions of my childhood are flooding in. And, because I recently moved back to the house in which I grew up, today will be even more sentimental.

But that’s simply background for the real reason I’m writing. And his name is Jack Falla. Jack was a professor of mine at Boston University. A former features writer for Sports Illustrated, Jack had a lust for life that I’ve seldom discovered in anyone else and was a mentor and friend in every sense of the words. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 2008.

After one of his classes – which infamously started at 8 a.m. to weed out the students who weren’t serious – he handed out a recipe for “Jack’s Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler Jambalaya.” And for whatever reason I deemed this incredibly special and important. Perhaps because I pretend to be a professional chef in my free time, perhaps because I was so connected to him. In doing so, I decided that I’d only make Jack’s Jambalaya once a year – on the Super Bowl. And I have. In fact, since I was given the recipe in 2007 (Step No. 1 is “Start Drinking: Only if legal age and not driving home. And put on a good Cajun music CD), I’ve never cooked Jack’s Jambalaya in the same place twice. From Boston to York, Pa., to Rocky Mount, N.C., to Alexandria, Va., to Seattle and now Philadelphia.

And it’s this year, cooking in the kitchen of my childhood home, that I’ll again pour the love and attention into Jack’s recipe that it greatly deserves. Only now I’ll spend a few bucks less on ingredients in order to join the community of contributors on this blog coming together to do something awesome.

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: Extra packages of Andouille sausage and bacon ($15) Where It’s Going: The American Heart Association Why: Jack passed away of a heart attack. I have several family members who have either died from or are currently suffering from heart ailments. Hopefully this donation will help.

-Nick, actually a baseball fan

[twocentproject]

Your 2 Year Old Doesn't Speak Mandarin? Awkward.

I have three nephews (one of whom was born 8 days ago!!). They're all adorable. They're all wonderful. They're all going to be rockstars. I'm biased but whatever...take a look for yourself and tell me you don't see MASSIVE POTENTIAL.

These adorable boys are lucky enough to have parents able and willing to provide for them in whatever way they need...which in NYC means enrolling them in classes like Spanish or Mandarin at the age of 2 so that they may be more likely to get into pre-school. Yep, you heard right. "GET INTO" pre-school...as if these places can legitimately reject a 2 year old based on all their massive achievements to date (pooping and burping, duh). 

What is terrifying is that this competitiveness is amplified to a thousandth degree at the college level. Getting into a good college has become something akin to winning the lottery...and some people are able to buy more tickets than others. 

College Track is trying to even the playing field. The organization believes all students in the nation should have the opportunity to earn a college degree. It works to empower students from underserved communities to graduate from college. It engages students over the course of 10 years, from the summer before 9th grade through college graduation and beyond. 

My Two Cents

What I Gave Up: A delicious carrot walnut muffin, $10 (minimum donation allowed so this muffin was clearly the most delicious muffin ever and made of gold)

Where It's Going: College Track

Why: Everyone deserves the same chance of getting into and going to college

-Colette, Vandy, Vandy, Oh hell ya!