We leaked the Firelight bracelet just yesterday and it’s flying out the door.  We’re not surprised people want a gift for their loved ones that goes on giving well past February 14th.  That’s why we called it the Igniting Hope bracelet and we’re grateful for all the love coming our way.

The donation to Firelight not only gets you the beautiful bracelet, but it brings you into a global community working to improve the lives of children through grassroots action.

You might wonder what [...]]]>

We leaked the Firelight bracelet just yesterday and it’s flying out the door.  We’re not surprised people want a gift for their loved ones that goes on giving well past February 14^th.  That’s why we called it the Igniting Hope bracelet and we’re grateful for all the love coming our way.

The donation to Firelight not only gets you the beautiful bracelet, but it brings you into a global community working to improve the lives of children through grassroots action.

You might wonder what your $20 donation can do…

It can…

pay for three months of school fees,

purchase an entire week of HIV test kits,

purchase seeds for farmers,

or maize for a community bakery

and so much more.

Your support makes it possible for Firelight to provide small grants to the 134 grassroots partners we work with each day to improve children’s lives.  Plus the Igniting Hope bracelet is made by women in South Africa who use the profits to support children in their community too, so your gift benefits children from beginning to end.

We’re excited about all the good vibes the bracelet is igniting so don’t forget to post pics of you wearing the bracelet to our Facebook and Twitter pages and keep the enthusiasm growing!

Donate here and receive your bracelet in time for Valentine’s Day!  Then show the world that you’re igniting hope, and be sure to tag us along the way.

Happy early Valentine’s Day!

“Collaboration between community organizations and academic institutions isn’t new, but bringing a business model into an environment where it will be looked at critically, that’s courageous.” That’s what Kent Glenzer said about the new course he’s designed at the Monterey Institute for International Studies (MIIS) that started last week.

Kent designed IPOL 8566: Ecology of Social Change Organizations: The Firelight Case to train students in good practice on the basic functions of community organizations and to provide the rare opportunity to [...]]]>

“Collaboration between community organizations and academic institutions isn’t new, but bringing a business model into an environment where it will be looked at critically, that’s courageous.” That’s what Kent Glenzer said about the new course he’s designed at the Monterey Institute for International Studies (MIIS) that started last week.

Kent designed IPOL 8566: Ecology of Social Change Organizations: The Firelight Case to train students in good practice on the basic functions of community organizations and to provide the rare opportunity to investigate a social change organization as a holistic entity.

Each week, the class pairs a MIIS faculty member with a Firelight manager or board member to engage students in a rather informal setting—at least informal for higher education. Kent started the class off talking about music because he’s a big music buff and presenters and students are just feet apart in the small classroom setting where the student garden is visible just outside the line of windows.

From the Firelight side, we’ll be bringing one of our toughest strategic challenges to the classroom each week to talk about it candidly with MIIS students.  Student’s readings outside of class introduce them to the larger body of literature and theory on social change and organizations. Together, we’ll challenge our thinking and see how our ideas change over the course of eight classes.

Tossing around great ideas sounded like a good opportunity to bring even more people into the conversation so we’re also filming the course and live tweeting each Tuesday from the back of the class. (Join us at @FirelightFnd on Twitter).  Later, you’ll be able to see the lectures yourself at the soon to be University of Firelight Foundation…stay tuned.

I asked Kent what soundtrack he’d give the first day of class.  He chose My Body by Young the Giant, “not for the words, but for the energy of the song.”

We’ll meet you on Twitter next Tuesday!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQYpF2pCkLI

New media tools have made it easier for African grassroots groups to talk directly to many more audiences.

Peter Laugharn, Firelight Director, talks about these tools and the megaphone they become for even the smallest organizations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CgDeRqkZbU

This Monday, January 16th, the U.S. will pause and remember the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. He would have been 82 this year and I wish we could hear what he would have to say now.

There are many things Dr. King did well, but the one I associate with him most was his encouragement to see ourselves in others–to instead of fighting, to see that we are bound together. That’s not to deny our differences, which King didn’t deny. [...]]]>

This Monday, January 16th, the U.S. will pause and remember the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. He would have been 82 this year and I wish we could hear what he would have to say now.

There are many things Dr. King did well, but the one I associate with him most was his encouragement to see ourselves in others–to instead of fighting, to see that we are bound together. That’s not to deny our differences, which King didn’t deny. We do have differences and there is a painful system of power and privilege that allows some to live with less struggle at other’s expense, but to see our commonalities and the pillars of humanity that exist in each of us is what helps us to step away from that system to create another one.

At Firelight, we see many tireless leaders who have a vision of a better world today and for their children’s future. They wake up each day and ask what they can do for others and despite struggle and sometimes fear, they see their vision become clearer in each step they take toward it. Knowing this, we see that the legacy of Dr. King carries far past the boundaries of the United States. Last year, a young boy in Zambia told us that the book about Martin Luther King Jr. was by far the most popular book in the library (this is the picture you see at the top of this blog). It’s nice to hear that some of our finer points from the U.S. are reflected on with our global partners and friends.

There are multitudes of leaders who will never appear in history books that lead our world into peace and service every day–African leaders like Saeed Wame who works with 5,000 volunteers who help him to support vulnerable children in Malawi and Louis Mwewa in Zambia who acts as a sounding board and mentor for over 35 organizations improving children’s wellbeing. Here at Firelight’s office, over 20 volunteers provide hours and hours of service to help us continue our work with 134 grantee partners. Last year, 288 donors personally contributed to our vision and actions toward a brighter future for African children.

Martin Luther King Jr. represents hope and community that comes together for a better, a more just world. We work to keep that legacy alive here through our connections to all of you and through the important work that happens when our communities come together for a common goal—improving vulnerable children’s lives so that they can rely on their next meal, feel the love of their family and community, look forward to a bright future and a world that embraces them and their dreams.

We’d love to hear from you and how you will be spending this National Day of Service. Will you be volunteering at a local organization?  Helping your neighbors? Let us know how in your way you are in service to others. It doesn’t take a large action to be of service to one another.

In 2010, President Obama lifted the restriction on people living with HIV from entering the United States. Making it possible for the International AIDS Conference to be held here for the first time in 20 years.

The conference theme is Turning the Tide Together and more than 20,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries are expected to attend. As you can imagine, it’s an important time to focus in on the good news, address the bad news and meet face to face [...]]]>

In 2010, President Obama lifted the restriction on people living with HIV from entering the United States. Making it possible for the International AIDS Conference to be held here for the first time in 20 years.

The conference theme is Turning the Tide Together and more than 20,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries are expected to attend. As you can imagine, it’s an important time to focus in on the good news, address the bad news and meet face to face with worldwide advocates working to end AIDS. The conference is a time for scientists, government officials, policy makers, human rights advocates, grassroots leaders and those living with HIV to convene, learn and discuss recent developments and plans going forward.

We have had some good news over the years. In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of people newly infected fell from 2.2 million in 2001 to 1.8 million in 2009. Still, the advances made in other countries have not been implemented in sub-Saharan Africa where 34% of all people living with HIV reside. As Peter Laugharn, Firelight’s Executive Director said last year, ‎”There are as many HIV infections of newborn children in Africa in forty minutes as there are in a whole year in Europe. This is not acceptable, especially when we have the medicine, the financial resources, and the political will to eliminate HIV transmission at birth in Africa just as we have ended it in Europe and here in the United States.”

It’s this type of discussion that will occur at the International AIDS Conference. Firelight Foundation will be there and we’re bringing some of our grantee partners also, as we do each year of the conference. We’re pleased that the U.S. has ended its misguided policy to discriminate against people living with HIV, demonstrating some of the steps forward in ending the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS.

You’ll be hearing more about the conference as it approaches. We’re committed to bringing you the grassroots perspective on the conference, the ideas discussed and the sidebar conversations you might miss if you can’t make it. You can expect updates leading up to the conference in July and interviews, live tweets and Facebook posts while we’re there. But don’t let all the information come from us!  We’re hoping to hear from you too, what do you want to know?  What do you want the world to know? Will you be at the conference?

We are just inches into this new calendar year and I am happy to report that it has been busy at the office lately. We receive many of our contributions in the last few weeks of the year and I want to take a moment to say thank you for the outpouring of support throughout 2011!

Every dollar to Firelight is further leveraged by the tireless efforts of our grantees, their staff, and the thousands of volunteers they work with to [...]]]>

We are just inches into this new calendar year and I am happy to report that it has been busy at the office lately. We receive many of our contributions in the last few weeks of the year and I want to take a moment to say thank you for the outpouring of support throughout 2011!

Every dollar to Firelight is further leveraged by the tireless efforts of our grantees, their staff, and the thousands of volunteers they work with to improve children’s lives. Add to this an extremely passionate and determined Firelight board, staff, and growing team of local volunteers, and the true value of your support reveals itself.

Your strong engagement drives our mission, and it is incredibly powerful to be on the receiving end of your generosity. A few days ago one particular gift reminded me of this.

Last week we received a gift from our youngest donor yet. Nine-year old Isabella made a gift to Firelight. Nine years old! Instead of spending $50 of her savings, she decided to give it to a cause she cares about. When I called Isabella’s mom to thank the family, she told me: “It was a surprise when Isabella came to me after reading your year-end mailer. But she asked me where her piggy bank was, and explained that she was determined to give $50 dollars to Firelight. She even filled out all of the paperwork. I was so proud!”

Raising support for Africa can seem daunting. The ‘cause’ is logistically far removed from most of our daily lives. Yet Isabella, at nine, believes her gift is making a difference. And it is. Isabella’s $50 will make a tremendous impact on another child, and her generosity is simply inspiring. I can’t wait to personally deliver the small ‘thank you poster’ we all signed for her. Stay tuned for a blog post on Isabella’s philanthropy too.

2011 was packed with change and renewed energy at Firelight. In large part we have our supporters to thank for that.

A couple highlights include…

- Our Facebook campaign took us to over 2,000 ‘likes’. If you haven’t already, please ‘like’ us, and invite your friends to do so as well http://www.facebook.com/FirelightFoundation

-  We are now also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/FirelightFnd

- A team of over 20 volunteers helped us with a range of projects, from fundraising to grantmaking.

- Our staff was invited to speak at well over 70 events, from people’s homes, to universities, to workplaces, and international conferences. Read about Peter’s presentation at the Rockefeller Foundation for a good example.

Your engagement continues to grow, and it brings so much hope for 2012. Thank you for being a part of the Firelight community. We hope to hear from you even more this year!

Our volunteer Emiley Stake is a rockstar at communications and a lover of Africa. The first time she left the U.S. was for Cape Town, South Africa and she fell in love with the place. She’s now traveled to 20 different countries, six of them in sub-Saharan Africa. We’re lucky to have her in Santa Cruz, California!

We asked Emiley why she volunteers each week at Firelight, helping us build our social media and website communications. Guess what she said…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH97DE3dkx8

Meet two awesome Scotts Valley High School students who are helping Firelight to raise funds and reach out to other students.  Each week they come to Firelight giving their time and ideas to help us grow.

We asked Madie and Antonio why they support Firelight, hear what they said in this video clip…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP94WABN_2o

This holiday season we’ve been talking with our donors to ask them why they give to Firelight Foundation. The answers are often personal and heartfelt.

So why does Hilary Bryant give to Firelight?

As a mother, her reasons are about children.

Listen to what she had to say in this video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL47XlVmILk

Why is Firelight important to you?