Wholehearted Yes to “Will Women Billionaires Make Better Philanthropists?”

I agree with Anya Kamanetz in her recent article “Will Women Billionaires Make Better Philanthropists?”.

They will because women are wired to look for win/win scenarios for the betterment of others.  As mothers and nurturers, they know innately how to make a greater difference for their children, their friends, and the world.

Laurene Powell Jobs, the wife of deceased Apple founder Steve Jobs, is one shining example.  I look forward to helping this shifting movement of givers and better makers.

Photo: Laurene Powell Jobs.  Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Support Oklahoma Tornado Relief at Sprinkles!

We love Sprinkles! We love the Red Cross! And we love that Sprinkles is donating 100% of the proceeds from their delicious red velvet cupcakes to the Red Cross for Oklahoma tornado relief.

We’re buying 2 dozen tomorrow morning. Win for Oklahoma, win for the Red Cross, and I don’t care that it’s not a win for my waist.

Register today for the Make It Better Philanthropy Awards, May 29, 2013 here.

Please Join Our 5K for Kids Team

Please join Make It Better at this Saturday’s 5K for Kids in Winnetka, benefiting Northwestern Settlement and organized by A Perry Homes.

This includes a post-race party behind the Winnetka Community House with live music, food, face painting, chair massages, a zumba class, and maybe even a celebrity or two.

You run for free if you join the Make it Better team!

Learn more here.

 

Lives Made Better 92,901 and counting

Shedd Saves Lives

Shedd Aquarium Saves Lives When Others Can’t

The Shedd Aquarium doesn’t just research, inform and entertain.  It saves the lives of animals too when it receives injured animals from across the country when other facilities lack the expertise and resources to treat and house them.

Nickel the giant green sea turtle, on display in the Caribbean Reef tank near the main entrance, is a great example. Florida wildlife experts sent the badly-injured turtle to the Shedd ten years ago, knowing she would never survive in the wild.

Now, Nickel not only survives, she thrives. She has become a Shedd icon and one of the few members of this species on permanent display in the world.

Nickel the Giant Green Sea Turtle at the Shedd Aquarium

As one of the oldest and most popular aquariums in the United States, as well as an important research and conservation institution, Shedd isn’t just a local treasure–it’s a national gem.

This is one of the many reasons that Make It Better is proud to be the media sponsor of the Shedd gala on June 8: Be Like Bond, The Stingray Affair. We’re also excited simply because this is always one of the best parties of the summer, a spectacular event to support a world-class institution.

Learn more here.

Lives Made Better 92,901 and counting

Bird Lady, Friends, and the Migration Of Millions

The Bird Lady of Ryerson Woods. Costume designed by Ryerson Woods staff.

At last night’s Friends of Ryerson Woods 30th Anniversary celebration, we learned that millions–no exaggeration, millions–of birds like the ones featured on the costume above migrate at night through the North Shore each spring and fall. Internationally renowned expert Kenn Kaufman charmed the audience with his passion and knowledge of bird migration.

For example, tiny, four-inch-long warblers, weighing no more than one ounce, fly thousands of miles, from Argentina to the Arctic Circle, stopping to rest in our trees during the day. The best time to see them is at day break–they fly just above the trees looking for a place to rest during daylight.

We also learned that the Friends Of Ryerson Woods is a wonderful organization to support for many reasons. We particularly appreciate its collaboration with Mano A Mano in order to encourage Ryerson Woods’s use by under-resourced youth.  This provides access to and education about nature, conservation and art that they wouldn’t have otherwise.

Me, Kate Sackman, Bird Lady of Ryerson Woods, Ellen Stirling

Many thanks to Ellen Stirling for including us. We will be proud to help amplify this wonderful organization’s work going forward.

It’s Gorgeous – Go Outside Now!

Nothing will make your life better than getting outside this gorgeous Saturday…

Except taking others who wouldn’t be able to get outside on their own with you.

Enjoy the day!

Liam Krehbiel Scores 100% With A Better Chicago

Social Entrepreneur Liam Krehbiel Scores 100% With
A Better Chicago Venture Philanthropy Fund

It takes vision and courage to launch a new entrepreneurial concept in the business or philanthropic worlds. Liam Krehbiel’s got it – inherited from his ancestors who built Molex Corporation from a plastic invention. But he’s more interested in counting lives made better than items sold.

With auction help from life long friends Leslie Hindman and Trish Rooney, his venture philanthropy fund, A Better Chicago, scored a great success last night at it’s first gala. 100% of the funds raised by the 400 guests and the auction of unique travel experiences went directly to the mission – of funding the most effective nonprofits in Chicago.

Cast Your Vote For The Best Resources In 2013

Please Cast Your Vote For The Best Resources In 2013

Your opinion counts.  Please click here to vote for all your favorite resources for Make It Better’s annual “Best Of 2013″ contest.

The winners will be featured in our August magazine issue.

Lang Lang and Mom

If you read Lang Lang’s autobiography, Journey of A Thousand Miles, My Story, which I highly recommend, you will learn that he spent most of the years of his youth living away from his loving mother, to be with a tyrant father who pushed him relentlessly.

So I love that as a superstar, he now travels with her. She accompanied him to the Music Institute of Chicago’s gala last night where he received the Dushkin Award. And I love that he treated my mom with great kindness there too.

Lang Lang and my mom, Virginia Blankenbaker, at the Music Institute of Chicago gala last night. My CoChair, Katherine Daniels is seated in the foreground in front of them.

Me at the Podium.

 

Lang Lang, me, Hamilton Chang

Lang Lang electrified the audience with his words. He loves Chicago because he got his first major performance breaks here. He loves educating as many children as possible musically. And he loved the performances by the children of the Music Institute of Chicago for him.

“Musicians and teachers are important. But the donors who support them are just as important too.”

Lang Lang made thousands of lives better last night by agreeing to receive this award– starting with mine, but also including the audience, the Music Institute of Chicago faculty and the over 10,000 students supported by the school’s diverse programs. The gala raised almost $1.3 million for those programs.

Thank you Lang Lang!

Lives Made Better 92,901 and counting

Ride To Thrive

Ride To Help Others Thrive.

Here is a winning opportunity for every active woman.

Enjoy a gorgeous bike ride through beautiful Lake Forest countryside, followed by facials, massage, live music and food & drink courtesy of Whole Foods, while raising money to help talented, under-resourced students succeed in college and beyond.

The Venus De Miles Bike Ride For Greenhouse Scholars on July 28th promises just that. Win for you, win for talented students like those in this video.

Make It Better is proud to be the Media Sponsor of Venus De Miles and Greenhouse Scholars. Read more here.