Forty-six million meals, sixteen thousand recipients, one mission

Image Source: CityMeals.org

Enfeebled by old age, crippled by recurrent mini-strokes, and disheartened by seclusion, 79-year-old New Yorker “Cono”* can barely move and leave his apartment. But even so, he asserts his preference for remaining at home, “For the rest of my life, I never want to see another ambulance or hospital,” he says. “I want to stay here, sitting on the porch; that’s my hangout 24 hours a day.”

Because of his infirmities, Cono has also been incapacitated from supporting himself nutritionally. Fortunately, Citymeals-on-Wheels has never missed out on providing him his daily fill, thus enabling him to stay within the comfort of his home for his remaining days.

Image Source: CityMeals.org

Now in its 31st year of operation, Citymeals-on-Wheels is a nonprofit organization that finances the preparation and delivery of meals to homebound and geriatric New Yorkers. It provides approximately 2.5 million free meals every year to Cono and 16,000 others.

Citymeals-on-Wheels thrives on the donations of philanthropists such as Martha Stewart, Alex von Furstenberg, and Lynda Resnick. Through their generous support, extraordinary people like Cono receive help every single day. More than the food being provided is the sense of hope that comes along with it—a priceless windfall to a noble mission.

Image Source: CityMeals.org

And with that, Cono, even in the eventide of his fleeting existence, will never go hungry or lonely ever again.

Alex von Furstenberg is a philanthropist who is currently affiliated with over 60 charitable institutions. More information on his supported organization may be accessed at his official website.

* true identity is concealed to protect subject’s privacy

Curing the illiteracy syndrome ... One. Word. At. A. Time.

Image Source: KennethPasternak.com

 

 

 

As of this writing, millions of people in America can’t even read this sentence to save their lives.

Such is the demon of literacy that it deprives so much for so little. Without the minimum required literacy skills, fluid navigation through society and upward social movement are close to impossible. The statistics, however, is staggering. There are approximately 93 million American adults with basic or below-basic literacy. Of these, 30 million are functionally illiterate and about 63 million below the 5th grade literacy level cannot even understand a basic newspaper. As if these aren’t enough drawbacks, it is also worth noting that the low literacy level is costing the government about $200 billion each year—a cumbersome price to pay for a completely remediable situation.

Image Source: ABCNews.com

Amidst these depressing realities, one fact raises hopes:

Every dollar spent on adult illiteracy yields $7.14 in societal returns — whether through increased revenues or decreased expenditures.

With these premise, many philanthropists have opted to invest on building the country’s literacy. Many individuals, such as John Wood and Alex von Furstenberg, and corporations, like JP Morgan Chase and Bloomberg, have tried contributing to the pitch in efforts to finally put an end to illiteracy.

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The fight against illiteracy is not just a case of being able to rise past the “no read, no write” status, but of breaking free from the bondage of ignorance and being able to live life to the fullest.

Business maven Alex von Furstenberg is a philanthropist who backs over 60 charitable institutions. Learn more about his philanthropic endeavors by logging on to AlexVonFurstenberg.com.

Corporate philanthropy: The benefits of giving back

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There are many companies that sponsor charitable causes, but what drives them to do so? Does sponsoring charitable causes really benefit companies as well?

Investing in philanthropic efforts may sound like a waste of company budget, but many businessmen, such as Alex von Furstenberg, believe that it is a worthwhile cause and that getting involved in charity work does not only make employees feel better, but also allows the company to build personal connections with them.

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These personal connections are important in building employee loyalty and productivity. By being involved in philanthropy, the company shows that it cares about other people. This is especially important in larger companies, where most employees are more likely to feel that they are just looked upon as workers instead of as actual human beings—these are the people who earn a lot and like their job but dislike the way their company treats them.

Business philanthropy can also be beneficial to a company’s bottom line. Customers are more likely to buy from a company that supports a charitable organization, increasing brand loyalty. Helping out a cause also enhances a company’s credibility and image, and promotes and educates the public about its products and services, creating product awareness and visibility, therefore increasing sales.

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Visit the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation website for more details.