Using an entrepreneurial distribution model, the Natural Light project will now donate a second instalment of 20,000 solar lamps. These will be sold by new sales agents in off-grid communities in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone and, for the first time, in Malawi.
The aim of this project, besides bringing a sustainable light source to off-grid communities, was to create a business model for local sales agents to make a living. This has been a great success. Today more than 50 sales agents in three African nations – Zimbabwe, Zambia and Sierra Leone – have their own businesses selling Natural Light solar lamps.
The Natural Light project, in collaboration with social business Little Sun, and NGO Plan International, was created to celebrate the VELUX Group’s 75th anniversary. Following an international design competition last year, which received 172 submissions from all over the world, the winning design was chosen and 14,500 units of the solar lamp were distributed in Africa – one for each employee of the VELUX Group and its sister companies.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8006751-velux-more-natural-light-shine-in-africa/
The Verizon Innovative App Challenge - the no-coding-skills-needed contest that gives middle and high school students a chance to bring their problem-solving app ideas to life - is back! In its fourth year, the App Challenge calls students to gather teams, dream up ideas, and create concepts for mobile apps that could solve problems in their schools and communities.
For the first time, the App Challenge will be open to teams representing non-profit organizations in addition to schools, and even more students will earn free tablets and cash awards for the groups they represent. The deadline for submission is Nov. 24, and the winners will be named in January 2016.
Bill Nye, the Science Guy, is helping Verizon to encourage students nationwide to submit their ideas and to organize their teams now.
Created by the Verizon Foundation in partnership with the Technology Student Association, the App Challenge offers hands-on, experiential learning to ultimately help students envision brighter futures for themselves that they may never have imagined, as business owners, app inventors and professional coders.
To view the multimedia release visit:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7593951-verizon-innovative-app-challenge/
The period between Christmas and New Year’s typically has one of the highest rates of impaired driving fatalities, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In an effort to reduce drunk and buzzed driving related incidents during the holidays, NHTSA, the Ad Council and the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) launched their 12th annual “Project Roadblock: Local TV Puts the Brakes on Drunk Driving.”
Project Roadblock was created in 2004 in support of NHTSA and the Ad Council’s Buzzed Driving Prevention public service advertising (PSA) campaign. To date, broadcast TV stations across the nation have donated more than $40 million in media to support this effort. The partnership aims to unite local television stations in creating a nationwide advertising roadblock by airing Project Roadblock PSAs (Public Service Announcements) between December 26 and December 31. Local broadcast stations voluntarily participate in the campaign by donating on-air, online and mobile time and space with a special push at 10 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve. In addition, TV stations will be reaching out to their communities on social media to share social graphics and messaging to further reach audiences.
“Drunk driving remains a serious threat on our roads and claims more than 10,000 lives a year,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. ”Local broadcast television is an effective tool in reaching consumers, and we thank the TVB, all the stations, and the Ad Council for their ongoing support of drunk driving prevention, especially during the holiday season.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7701751-ad-council-nhtsa-buzzed-driving-psa/
With America’s nursing shortage and the soaring aging population, the nation’s largest senior living provider has launched a student loan reimbursement program with the goal of attracting more nurses to work in assisted living. Brookdale’s initiative comes as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the country’s nurse shortfall will exceed one million by 2022. People 65 and above are expected to comprise 16 percent of America’s population in 2020 and nearly 20 percent in 2030, compared to 13 percent in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Brookdale operates more than 1,120 senior living communities in 47 states.
At Brookdale assisted living communities, nurses are hired as health and wellness directors, overseeing clinical services at a community including setting standards, leading health and wellness programming, and managing care associates. “This is a different kind of path than hospital nursing and it is a very important one,” said Kim Estes, senior vice president of clinical services for Brookdale. “Rather than providing hands-on care, these nurses shape the overall quality and content of care their community’s seniors receive on a daily basis.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7722156-brookdale-student-loan-program-nurses/
Zhang Xinyuan, born in Wuhan, Hubei Province, graduated from the Central Academy of Drama in 2012, BA of
performance. In 2008, her self-made images ignited online communities in China. Heavy-eyebrowed and flame-lipped,
but also chaste and ethereal, her images are both polarized and harmonious, no wonder they received so explosive
acclaiming and spreading.
From then on, Zhang Xinyuan becomes a fashion icon and favored by various media and industries, her images even
initiated a tide of retro-styling in the youths of China. Instead of stopping on that, Miss Zhang keeps on sharpening her
art language by the grindstones of her unique aesthetic taste, say-no-to-vulgarity attitude, and oriental wisdom. With the
love to public art, Miss Zhang has crossover-cooperated with various artists and stylists, and become a rising star of
arts, which made her the cover star of I-D, a famous British fashion magazine, in Mar.2012. The next month,Apr.2012,
her high-profile photo album Girlfriend On The Cliff became the top one seller in the Amazon list of photographic books,
and one of the best-sellers of Motie Company, who has published this book. Sold out in various online shopping sites,
Dream Raider studio and Motie Company printed other batches of copies, all of which had been sold out now.
The National Climate Assessment: Climate Change Impacts in the United States concludes that warmer and drier conditions have already contributed to increasing wildfire events across the western United States, and future increases are projected in some regions. Already this year, there have been over 44,000 wildfires that have damaged or destroyed almost 8.5 million acres. Long periods of record high temperatures are associated with droughts that contribute to dry conditions and drive wildfires in some areas.
USDA Secretary Vilsack recently stated, “This year, we are experiencing yet another devastating wildfire season, particularly in the drought-ravaged West. Climate change, drought, fuel buildup, insects and disease are increasing the severity of unprecedented wildfire in America's forests and rangelands, which impacts the safety of people, homes and communities. Development close to forests has also increased the threat to property, with more than 46 million homes in the United States, or about 40 percent of our nation's housing, potentially at risk from wildfire.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7607931-fema-national-prepareathon/
The SPAM® brand is bringing big flavor to America’s backyards and kitchens this summer with the SPAM® Brand Tiny House of Sizzle Tour. Measuring 185.37 square feet, the Tiny House aims to bring communities together around food, with the Tiny SPAM® kitchen serving as the heart of the home. The Tiny House will travel coast to coast, sharing delightful dishes and simple recipes served right from the Tiny SPAM® kitchen, proving what SPAM® lovers already know – nothing beats the sound, smell and taste of SPAM® brand products sizzling in the frying pan.
Highlighting the brand’s versatility to be paired in many different ways, the Tiny House’s menu will feature unique, on-trend recipes created by locally-recognized chefs and influencers alongside SPAM® brand favorites such as SPAM® Musubi and SPAM® sliders. The tour’s signature dish will be a Spicy SPAM® Breakfast Burrito recipe created by standout celebrity Chef Jordan Andino. Additional local chef and influencer partners include Hawaii native Chef Bradley Lum and noted Detroit influencer Lori Yates from Foxes Love Lemons.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8097451-spam-tiny-house-of-sizzle-tour/
Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISLE) today announced the winners of its second charitable social media contest awarding a share of $50,000 to five local nonprofit organizations.
Southern Heritage Air Foundation - $25,000 – Tallulah, Louisiana
Family and Youth Opportunities Division - $15,000 – Clarksdale, Mississippi
Fayette Community Service Organization - $5,000 – Fayette, Mississippi
Guttenberg Gallery & Creativity Center - $2,500 – Guttenberg, Iowa
Walking In The Sun Rescue - $2,500 – Collinston, Louisiana
“With over 69,000 votes cast in Community Aces Challenge and over 200 applications to participate, our second charitable social media contest has proven to be a wonderful way to give back to the communities where we operate,” said Virginia McDowell, Isle’s president and chief executive officer.
“The 123 participating nonprofit organizations registered in January and coordinated their own individual voting campaigns which ended on April 1,” said McDowell. “This year the winners offered a wide variety of missions – from getting fit in rural Mississippi to enhancing creativity of young people in Iowa. Our first place winner is dedicated to educating people about the history and impact of aviation and our second place winner is refurbishing an old school to become a community center.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7805451-isle-of-capri-casinos-community-aces-challenge/
Halloween is a holiday filled with traditions, often with candy as the centerpiece of the fun. This Halloween, the National Confectioners Association is sharing five fun facts about the holiday.
“Halloween is a special time in the candy industry,” said NCA President and CEO John Downs. “There are 55,000 confectionery employees in communities across the country who work hard to make special products for everyone to sample at Halloween, and we know that Americans will enjoy in moderation just as they do throughout the year.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7954451-national-confectioners-association-halloween-candy-five-facts/
As a company driven to help people love where they live, Lowe’s plays a part in millions of people’s stories every day. To bring those stories to the communities we serve, today Lowe’s launched Open House, an interactive newsroom and the company’s first digital platform dedicated to taking people behind the brand.
Newsroom.Lowes.com is your go-to source for news and information about Lowe’s. Through a mix of feature stories and rich multimedia content, Open House provides an inside look at the unique, innovative and inspirational ways Lowe’s serves customers and communities.
“Our story is much bigger than the products and services we sell,” said Robert Niblock, Lowe’s chairman, president and CEO. “We’re a company of more than a quarter of a million employees who go to great lengths to help customers love the places they call home. These are the stories we are inspired by and we hope will inspire others.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7906452-lowes-new-digital-newsroom-open-house/
Neighbors across the country will soon have an exciting opportunity to help change their communities for the better through State Farm Neighborhood Assist®. This philanthropic program awards 40 causes a $25,000 grant. Anyone in the United States can submit a cause beginning March 9 through March 30. Ultimately, voters will decide which community improvement projects win big.
Returning for its fourth year, State Farm Neighborhood Assist asks individuals to identify causes that would help make their communities safer, stronger and better-educated. Up to 4,000 causes will be accepted. The State Farm Youth Advisory Board (YAB) will then narrow down the field, using a scoring rubric to identify the top 200 submissions. The public will have a chance to vote 10 times a day from May 14 through June 3 for their favorite causes from the list of finalists. The 40 causes that receive the most votes will win a $25,000 grant. The nominations and votes will be accepted exclusively through a free Facebook app.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7417331-state-farm-neighborhood-assist/
Today, GENYOUth announced the launch of Fuel Up to Play 60 en español, an evolution of its national flagship program. The program encourages Spanish-speaking communities nationwide to live healthier lifestyles through good nutrition and physical activity. Fuel Up to Play 60 launched a redesigned website (FuelUpToPlay60.com) that provides Spanish-language content and materials, extending the reach and access of the program to students, teachers and families across the country. Several organizations have supported the effort, including the PepsiCo Foundation, which has provided a previously announced grant of $550,000 to develop Spanish-language materials and resources. In addition the PepsiCo Foundation will provide another $100,000 for mini-grants for health and wellness activities and programming within Los Angeles Unified School District and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Fuel Up to Play 60, a program founded by the National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive nutrition and physical activity changes for themselves, their schools and their communities. Studies show that physical fitness may benefit brain health and academic performance, suggesting active kids may do better. However, only 1 in 3 kids are active every day, potentially leaving many at a disadvantage inside and outside of the classroom.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7646551-fuel-up-to-play-60/
