Giving back with Giftluence

The holiday festivities are in full swing, and at this time of year, giving back is perhaps more important than ever. 

If you're looking to donate to charity this year, and perhaps make it one of your New Year resolutions, check out Giftluence. 

Started by Ryan Charnov earlier this year, Giftluence enables charities to raise money through online shopping with individuals giving back to the community at no extra cost to themselves. Ryan shares his thoughts on Giftluence and the difference it's making below.

Tell us about Giftluence and the inspiration behind it.

Giftfluence is a crowdfunding platform that allows charities to raise money through online shopping. My Co-Founder and I have always been actively involved in the community, but after graduating from college we struggled to find effective methods of giving back. Success in our professional life required us to work hours that prohibited us from volunteering on a consistent basis, and we weren’t earning enough to make significant financial donations. After talking to friends and colleagues, we realized how many people want to support great causes, but don’t necessarily have the time or means to do so. We challenged ourselves to create a solution that makes it as easy as possible for everyone to give back to charity through their daily activities, and from there Giftfluence was born.

 

What are Giftluence’s aims?

We aim to make it as easy as possible to give back to the community through everyday activities. In 2016 alone we plan on raising $1 Million for great causes. As consumers become more socially conscious, we believe that brands will compete to offer the most social benefit. Our ultimate goal is to create an environment where every online purchase helps make the world a better place.

 

How is technology making it easier to give back? 

Technology has created endless opportunities to give back, and has allowed charities to mobilize like never before. Charities can now get their message across to hundreds or even thousands of potential supporters with a click of the button. The power of a crowd is well documented, and as innovators it is our job to create more ways for crowds to mobilize for positive causes. Giftfluence’s technology allows consumers to easily find brands that will donate a portion of their sales to charity, and to support charitable organizations at no additional costs.

 

What has Giftluence achieved so far?

In just a month we have already signed up over 70 retailers to donate a portion of their sales to charity. We are testing our platform with 4 great charities and have already seen surprising results. In just one day Citizen’s United for Research in Epilepsy raised over $100 on our platform without any promotion on social media. During the week of Thanksgiving consumers spent over $2,000 at retailers through Giftfluence, with the average purchase giving over $6 to charity.

 

How can Giftluence be used to make a positive difference this holiday season?

Giftfluence can help everyone give back while shopping for the holidays. Every user who buys their holiday gifts by clicking through Giftfluence will help a great cause make an impact in the community. Even simple actions such as going to the movies can help give back. Fandango, for example, gives back every time you purchase movie tickets. Whether you are enjoying a movie with your family or shopping for holiday gifts you can make a difference by using Giftfluence. We partner with charities that get the absolute most out of donations so every dollar donated through Giftfluence will make more than a dollar’s worth of impact in the community. The Houston Food Bank for example donates 3 meals for every $1 donated. Given that our average purchase leads to over $6 in donations, just one purchase has the potential to provide 18 meals to those in need.

 

What are your plans for Giftluence’s future?

Our long-term vision is to create technology so that every online purchase gives back to charity. In the next few weeks we will start selling discounted gift cards through our site, so that you can give back while saving money at your favorite stores. We have been in discussions with many great causes, and actually plan on using Giftfluence as a way to help fund construction for a school for the special needs in Colorado. There are so many potential ways that consumers can give back and it is our goal to get the word out to as many consumers as possible. We will continue to innovate until every online purchase leads to a charitable donation.

Check out Giftluence and give back this holiday season! 

Fashion Spotlight: Angela Roi

I recently discovered Angela Roi, a fantastically stylish handbag brand that gives back! For every handbag purchased, Angela Roi donates by color to support an important charitable cause. The brand is also striving to revolutionise the industry by creating boutique-quality bags at a competitive price, with an aesthetic that is classic with a modern touch made from vegan leather and durable fabric.

Check out some of my favourite styles below!

Sunday Tote in Dark Green

Palette Cross Body in Wine

Moa Mud Gray Tote

Making a Difference: Interview with Dayle Haddon

Social media has made a huge difference in my life, and one of the best things to come out of a tweet was the opportunity to interview Dayle Haddon. You may be familiar with Haddon's successful career as a model, and as the only individual to hold a contract with the four big beauty brands at one time. Dayle has since established the non-profit WomenOne, and she and her team are making a real difference in educating girls across the world.

Dayle's story is one of hard work, determination and grit. It's inspiring to its core, and I'm excited to share my interview with her below. Hope you will feel as inspired as I am!

The Author with Dayle, 2013.

Tell us about the journey of WomenOne and why you wanted to establish a non-profit.

WomenOne advocates for the power of one educated girl to transform her life, inspire a community and change the world. I was initially unsure on what to focus on, but I knew that I wanted to help people that were in trouble. This idea developed to improving education, and more specifically secondary education, as it is where the drop-off for these women and girls occurs.

I have been a UNICEF Ambassador since 2008, and through my involvement, I have travelled to countries such as Africa and South America. On these journeys, I saw that women and girls were falling through the cracks, particularly during a visit to a small Angolan clinic where they only had two microscopes. The project was on a scale that was too small for UNICEF.

In Bolivia, c/o Dayle Haddon.

What projects are WomenOne currently working on?

I naively thought that I could visit two countries a year with WomenOne! I’m also a Free the Children Ambassador and travelled to Kenya to help build a school. A lot of girls’ tuition was not paid for and I offered to provide my help. I initially managed to sponsor four girls, and thanks to support in the US, many more are now being sponsored yearly. I returned to see how they were progressing and 60 Minutes did a lead story about it back in 2012. We’re also involved with a Goldman Sachs mentoring scheme that is mentoring 10,000 women.

I’ve also travelled to Turkey, and in May 2013 I visited 10 cities in 9 days. The Turkish Philanthropy Fund runs successful programs throughout the country, and there are some areas in the Eastern side of the country that are still ‘medieval’ in their practices. I also visited the border between Iran and Syria and met with Syrian refugees who are living in camps. I could hear the shellings taking place in the country, and heard about how the crisis is impacting Syrian people, both wealthy and poor. Many of the children were so traumatized that they couldn’t speak for many months. I recently returned to the region with UNICEF.

Closer to home, I’ve held fundraisers in New York that have provided scholarships and education to prevent arranged marriages. WomenOne is now focusing upon Syrian refugees and is sponsoring two Duke fellows in the field for a year to provide education in and on the camps in Turkey and Jordan. I’d love to build a Peace Center eventually!

Panzi Hospital, Congo, c/o Dayle Haddon.

What advice can you offer to individuals hoping to start their own non-profit?

Focus on an area that you are most attracted to and interested in. Learn and do as much research as possible, and volunteer in your community or on a project over the summer to become an expert. It’s important to get your feet wet to see if you like it! Engage with others, and above all, be passionate about your interests.

Before I travel to a country I read everything I can so I can authentically connect with others. Columbia University runs many fascinating classes, and I often sit in on them. For example, I attended one on Islam that provided me with really valuable information for when I travelled to Muslim countries.
I guess I am the perennial and perpetual student, as I love to learn!  I’m also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations which has been extremely helpful and insightful into my line of work.

What is the best memory of your time as a model?

I’m not a model who ever thought the industry is dumb. I loved it, and I found it was more about ability, communication and reaching to the audience through the camera. I think I was more proactive and more satisfied than other models in the profession.

Great photographers are great artists and I’ve been fortunate to work with many of them. It’s extremely satisfying working with talented people.

Rural school in Darfur, c/o Dayle Haddon.

In your opinion, how has the industry evolved, and do you think it is better or worse?

The modeling world was smaller and intimate in my time, and there were no models with ‘names.’ I think I was the first model to have my name by my photos. The pay was smaller, and of course, there was no social media! Digital photography has brought a different feeling. A great person makes a great photo, and I find being photographed on film is much more real.  You don’t get the same feeling of connection with a digital camera.

During my time in the beauty industry I constantly thought of the women who were buying the products and tried to connect with them through the photograph. I have been known to sell lots of products, and I’d like to think that is the reason why. I held four big contracts during one time (L’Oreal, Max Factor, Revlon and Estee Lauder,) and women still write to me saying that they felt a connection. I’ve also found that I am big on airlines- particularly with stewards!

What do you hope your legacy as a model and an individual dedicated to ageless beauty will be?

I’m unsure if there is a legacy, but I do try to translate a sense of humanity and ‘something bigger.’ You are special and unique and you can make a difference. It’s important to know your value and that’s what beauty is.

Last year I attended We Day in Winnipeg and spoke about how inner beauty comes from being caring, thoughtful, and giving back to society. Your body is like a vehicle- it gets you around, but you need to enhance the inner you in every way you can.

With Mama Monica in Maasai Mara, c/o Dayle Haddon.

How did you establish your company, Dayle Haddon Concepts? What advice can you offer to those looking to start their own business?

I am an ideas person- if I can see it, I can do it.

I was called to the issue of aging and beauty through my own individual experience. At 37 I was told by the industry that I was too old! This is the message that women are continuing to hear, and I wanted to change the perception of the industry from the inside. Consequently I wrote a book and toured with it to 26 cities throughout the USA. If you’re alive, love all your life. Don’t hold on to a number and feel free to hear what your age is giving you.

To establish the company, I used a Barron’s Dictionary and used some of my connections to arrange meetings on Wall Street to raise capital. Sometimes not knowing is better.

If you’re looking to start your own business, the advice I would offer is:

• Create the product- you can’t be the product.
• ‘No means maybe’- people just don’t know yet.
• You can learn much more by asking.
• Stay positive, resilient, and persistent and don’t take things personally. Love what you do and surround yourself with positive thinkers.

How has your upbringing influenced the work that you do today?

I’m from Canada, and there were always four distinct seasons. I played sport and tried to be healthy and natural. Our home was like a halfway house for children who were in between terrible things. I actively participated in food drives, sent toys to UNICEF collections and volunteered at hospitals.

Maasai Mara, c/o Dayle Haddon.

How do you maintain a work/life balance?

I don’t! Part of my work is my fun, but I am conscious not to burn out. I am disciplined about exercise and I walk my dogs in Central Park regularly. I am not a good vacation person, and only really take them for work purposes. I do like having massages, but I don’t like any other beauty treatments- I guess because I associate them with work. For me, the weekend is sacrosanct. I like museums, but not going to the cinema. I like to be around nature, particularly outside of the city, and spending time with my friends and family.

What lessons have you learned from the challenges that you’ve experienced in your life?

Don’t give up. Persistence is more important than talent. Enthusiasm, passion and excitement are what people relate to. Exhaust people into doing what you want. It’s not personal- don’t waste your energy!

There are many creative ways to knock the socks off and convince people both at the top and the bottom.

Dayle in the Congo with a young child she supports, c/o Dayle Haddon.

How has mentoring made a difference in your personal and professional life?

You always need to ask the opinions of others in life, and it’s important to keep collaborating for new blood and new ideas. I would suggest to readers that don’t ask for money, but instead, ask for advice. People are more willing to share their advice, and if they like your idea, hopefully they will then give capital!

Everyone likes to help those younger than them. I always talk to my interns about what they have learnt.

I continue to mentor and work with women at different stages of their career. For example, Fran Hauser helps WomenOne through her connections and also through her excellent brainstorming. It’s important that women step up to the plate and use all their resources to help.

It’s also important to say thank you all the time with notes, flowers, or simply words. Without them you didn’t get there.

I would rather like myself that get ahead. When you leave this world, leave it better because of your presence. Make up for what you took.

Who do you seek inspiration from?

My grandchildren, daughter and people that I meet everyday. I always ask cab drivers what keeps them optimistic, and they say that it’s their customers.

Dayle with Malala, c/o Dayle Haddon.

Which female leaders do you admire and why?

Hillary Clinton, Malala, Christiane Amanpour, Aung San Suu Kyi, Gloria Steinem. My Mom is a big inspiration.

I think people going the extra mile don’t always get validation. Moms raising kids are doing such an important job as they are raising new human beings. They are unsung heroines. My daughter is a full time Mom, and she’s my hero.

What words do you think best describe who you are?

Laughter, joy, love and making a difference. A loving person for those around me and those who I touch.

Rania and Suaid, two women that Dayle interviewed, c/o Dayle Haddon.

Philanthropic: Interview with Elizabeth Kane, founder of CharityChicks US

For the first feature in Political Style's Philanthropic column, I'm delighted to feature an exclusive interview with Elizabeth Kane, founder of CharityChicks US. Read on for an insight into how the charity was founded, the work it carries out across the US and top tips for starting your own philanthropic mission.


Why did you want to start a philanthropic group in the DC area? How did you found CharityChicks US?
I began CharityChicks US out of frustration; frustration at a lack of opportunities for smart, young, educated people to be able to get involved with charities in exciting ways that aligned with their skills, passions, and interests. As a college student at GWU involved in philanthropy, I saw a lot of room for improvement on the level of respect and confidence that non-profits gave young people. What most non-profits do not realize is that a majority of the time young professionals are not interested in one specific cause, they are interested in feeling connected to their community, meeting new people, networking, gaining leadership experience, and feeling fulfilled. The successful charities realize these driving forces and have responded by creating junior boards, event committees that host marvelous parties (aka fundraisers), and continually creating new ways to engage this audience through social media.

Which existing charities did you seek inspiration from?
There was no specific charity that inspired me. It was dynamic people, shaking things up and following their inimitable vision, who truly inspired me to continue building CharityChicks US. When I connect with someone who understands me and is just a little bit “too much” it is exciting, and makes me want to continue being exactly who I am, and taking every opportunity to grow.

How are you unique from existing philanthropic missions?
Most often people think of charity work as something that is good and that they should do, but comes last on their to-do list. We are unique because we are changing the way people think of “giving back.”  We connect, engage, and inspire young professionals without working for or on behalf of one specific non-profit or corporation. Put very simply, we connect. Another facet of CharityChicks US that sets us apart is the fact that we want people to copy us! We share our ideas, contacts, and events with the public because everything we do is either helping individuals feel more connected to their community, or furthering a charitable mission we believe in.

How are you serving the DC area, as well as having an impact further afield? 
We are located in Washington, D.C., but also have a team in New York City. The primary way we serve D.C., NYC, and other areas of the world is by building lasting and mutually beneficial relationships. We function in three ways. The first is connecting individuals to non-profits, the second is connecting corporations to non-profits, and the third is connecting the communities to non-profits. We receive requests from individuals looking to become involved or more involved in philanthropy, corporations looking to sponsor, fund, or partner with a non-profit that aligns with their mission, and non-profits requesting help in a variety of areas that assist with.

What are your upcoming fundraising projects and events?
We definitely believe in “funding the change!” Our top three events this year are the VIP Pink Party supporting The Children’s Inn at NIH, Charity:Water Birthday Bashes in order to fund clean water wells in remote areas of the world with lack of access to clean drinking water, and Cycle for Survival which benefits Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

• The VIP Pink Party - Our annual garden party to benefit a different local cancer treatment center each year. Last year we supported Inova's Life with Cancer Center. and this year, on July 27th we will be supporting The Children's Inn at NIH with an "Art, Culture & All Things Pink" theme. Our goal for this event is to increase visibility for The Inn among young professionals and create a fun garden party for some very deserving little girls from NIH. Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.modernluxury.com/dc/events/vip-pink-party-art-culture-all-things-pink
• Charity: Water Campaign - We are dedicated to funding a clean water well for the New York -based non-profit, charity: water. On July 11th, we held a birthday bash/fundraiser for our DC group at The Huxley and will be hosting another event this August in NYC to finish funding the well, which will most likely be in India.
• Cycle for Survival is annual event that we fundraise for in Washington, DC, which benefits Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, one of the premiere cancer research centers in the United States. This February, we raised nearly $12,000 - more than large firms like The Carlyle Group! Next year we will have teams in two states (Boston and NYC) and one in DC. Next year will be our third year participating. 

How can potential volunteers interested in making a difference take inspiration from what CharityChicks US is doing in DC?
The message I would like potential volunteers to take away from what we are doing is that they should also focus on what they want to do, not what they think they should. Remain true to your passions, and if what you want to do doesn’t exist, then create it. You can also contact us and we can help point you in the right direction for what you want to do. Follow us on twitter @CharityChicksUS, or email us at charitychicksus@gmail.com. We also have an internship application on our website: fundthechange.com.

Where do you hope CharityChicks US will be in five years time?
Evolved into an even more impactful organization, and achieving our mission on a much larger scale.

Which philanthropists do you admire and seek inspiration from?
Two come to mind immediately; Margaret Thatcher and Alexandra Stoddard. Thatcher was a smart, strong, and driven woman who also had a love for causes related to children and cancer, two which I find myself continually involved in. She was also fearless and knew how to protect her inner energy, which I find inspiring. I always try to remember what she said, “If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise at anytime and would never achieve anything.” Alexandra Stoddard, although not known as a philanthropist truly is. It is my belief that philanthropy does not only encompass the good deeds you may do for others, but rather the way in which you view yourself and the world around you. Stoddard is a woman who loves the world, and as she says, “What we do today, right now, will have an accumulated effect on all our tomorrows.” What is more philanthropic than teaching people the art of self-love? After all, you can’t change anything else if can’t change yourself.

What advice would you give to other individuals thinking about setting up their own philanthropic organization?
Research. First, make sure that your mission is not the same, or similar to another organization. If it is, then I would highly consider joining forces in order to create the most impact. I would also look within and really think about the reasons you want to establish the organization, and make sure you have the following: time, mentors, and lots of coffee!

Elizabeth Kane

Do you have a charity that you would like to be featured on Political Style? Send me an email! 

Support Many Hopes

Many Hopes

I'm delighted to share with readers of Political Style information about Many Hopes, a great charity that rescues, loves, houses and educates abandoned girls in Kenya and equips them with the vision to be change-makers in their community.

Many Hopes was founded in 2007, and volunteers have started chapters in locations including Boston, New York, London, Bristol and San Francisco. Many Hopes currently provides full care for 43 girls in a newly constructed home, and the charity aims to increase this number to 60 by the middle of this year.

For readers in DC and the surrounding area, why not attend a reception at the 14th Street Corridor Art Gallery on May 16th from 6.30pm-9pm, where the founders of Many Hopes will be present to share their continued mission and vision of the charity. For more information on the event and to register click here. 

To find out more about Many Hopes, visit their website.