Students from the 'International Academy, Okma' Save Lives!

Students from the International Academy in Bloomfield Hills, MI, rallied together this past school year to raise awareness and more than $800 for clean water in the developing world!

These students formed the 3for5 Club to create educational posters and raise funds with bake sales and "Valentine Grams."

Plus, more donations came in from Mrs. Tonkin’s product team, and fundraising efforts crescendoed in the school-wide "Dash For Cash", an event where students walk or run to promote health and raise money for 3for5 projects and other great causes.

Thank you IA Okma students for your hard work, concern for people in need, and for your unbounded generosity!!!

Support 3for5 with our new Capital One Visa Card!

3for5, Capital One, and Visa have teamed up to raise money for clean-water by creating a new 3for5 Visa credit card (issued by Capital One).

This is an exciting partnership because Capital One will pay a portion of your credit card purchases directly to 3for5! Plus, just by signing-up, 3for5 will immediately receive $50 from Capital One.

Here's how it all works:

1. Go to CapitalOne's CardLabConnect website here, and signup for the 3for5 Foundation Card.
   
   
2. Use your new card whereever you would normally. 2% of your grocery and gas purchases; 1% of all other purchases; and 10% of purchases at select merchants will be donated directly to 3for5 by Capital One.
   
   
3. 3for5 gets $50 from Capital One whenever someone signs up.

Now, to be clear, this is benefiting Capital One & Visa. After all, they're getting your credit card business (and it's obviously worth $50 plus somewhere between 1% and 10% of all your charges to get you as a customer).

Plus, we should be clear that all of your credit card "point earnings" accrued by using this card will be donated to 3for5. That's a pretty big deal for some people, because it means you won't be accumulating "cash back" or "travel rewards" as you use your credit card.

However, 3for5 will, which is a great benefit to our organization.

So, if you want a way to make easy donations to 3for5 without even thinking about; and if you want to help spread the word about 3for5 and clean-water every time you hand your card to a store clerk or pull it out of your wallet when you're with friends; then this card may be the right fit for you.

Thanks for helping us get clean water to those who need it most.

LTU.edu Video Contest

Over the last few months, students from Lawrence Technological University (ltu.edu) have been competing in a university-organized contest to produce 3o-second PSA videos that will help spread the word about 3for5 and our mission to help people get clean water.

Well, the results are in.

Congratulations to John, Jaun, Megan and the rest of team who took first prize (a $1,000 scholarship each to Lawrence Tech) with the creation of the "IT" campaign. View the winning video below.

At 3for5, we are honored to have Lawrence Tech faculty, staff and students embrace our vision through this contest. Not only is this kind of thing exactly what 3for5 is all about--grass roots activities for clean water happening in addition to our formal efforts inside the 3for5 Movement--but this was a great opportunity to get budding media students some real-world experience in helping a client (3for5 in this case) craft a targeted, useful, multi-media message.

Thanks again to ltu.edu!!

Last but not least, here are some links to the other submissions:

Video 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qeosjMS5_g

Video 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkrBJ0F_MAo

Video 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXuTTdsr5UE

Video 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g8JPeS8bO8

Video 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAWcuZyCClw

Video 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LPC-g2bCfg

50 Launch Gatherings for World Water Day!

World Water Day is March 22nd, and we're hoping to have more than fifty 3for5 "Launch Gatherings" during that week to raise awareness about the clean water crisis in the developing world.

What's a Launch Gathering, you ask?

Well, it's a fun and easy way to engage your friends in a dialog about clean water by doing what you already do with your friends: hang out! 3for5 Launch Gatherings can be hosted wherever like and are also meant to be a launching pad for your 3for5 Wave.

There's no hard and fast rule about what a Launch Gathering should look like, or what exactly should happen. You might invite some friends over for dessert, a meal, or even a game-night.

Just pick a location that you and your friends will feel comfortable at, and be sure to take some time to talk to your friends about 3for5 and clean water at some point during your event. Remember, you really can get creative here and talk about 3for5 and clean water as much, or as little, as you'd like.

To help make your gathering a success, we've created a Launch Gathering Packet that you can use as a template for ideas, recipes, and handouts.

Finally, share your ideas and experiences with us and other 3for5 droplets on our GetSatisfaction page here.

Improvements to 3for5.org

We've added some new and updated pages to 3for5.org. Here are the details...

News Page

Our News page will supplement this blog and act as a repository for external news about 3for5.org and the 3for5 Movement. Read more here: http://www.3for5.org/aboutus/news.html

Images, Handouts, and Media

We've added a "media" page where you can download regular and high-res versions of various 3for5 images and handouts. See more here: http://www.3for5.org/aboutus/media.html

3for5 Launch Gatherings

For those new to the 3for5 Movement, we've detailed one more way you can engage your family and friends in a dialog about the clean water crisis: invite them over for a 3for5 Launch Gathering to kick off your wave. Download our 3for5 Launch Gathering packet, and learn more here: http://www.3for5.org/thecause/gatherings.html

Projects & Progress Page

Last, but certainly not least, we've revamped our Project & Progress page to keep you better informed about the projects we're funding. Have a look here: http://www.3for5.org/thecause/projects.html

3for5 Grants $10,000 to Water for People for Projects in Malawi

The 3for5 Foundation is proud to announce that it has made its first clean-water grant in the amount of $10,000 to Water for People to fund projects in Chikhwawa, Malawi.

In 2010, Water For People-Malawi will work with its local partners to provide comprehensive clean water, sanitation and hygiene promotion programs to twenty villages and 5 schools within the Traditional Authorities (TAs) of Makhwira, Kasisi and Maseya, in Chikhwawa, Malawi.

The schools are going to receive PlayPumps, a novel solution for pumping water that encourages children to help pump water through play. Check out the video below to see and hear more about Water for People's is using PlayPumps in Malawi.

You can learn more about this and other 3for5 projects here.

Alexis Fedor has a Great Idea!

Creativity unleashed...it's a beautiful thing and it's what Alexis Fedor is encouraging with her new company which is hoping to bring attention to charities and great causes by engaging the artistic community.

When I met Alexis a few weeks ago, I loved her company's vision:

"...we will hold weekly t-shirt design contests. You [the community] will design the shirts, you will pick the winners, we will donate up to 50% of all profits to charity. Because every drop counts. If you are an artist with interesting work (painting, poetry, photography, wordage, all-around great, creative person) or a charity helping to foster incredible change, let us feature you!"

I resonate with Alexis about more than our common belief that "every drop counts." From the very beginning of 3for5, I've always believed that artists will play a major role in helping to spread awareness about people in need of clean water. Why? Because artists' creations (objects, ideas, music, and more) capture our hearts and minds, engaging us in ways that nothing else can. And for the last two years of 3for5, artists have been integral to the 3for5 Movement and will continue to be as we keep trying to unite communities to help others in need.

That's why it was so great to meet Alexis. She's an artist who is creating...and interviewing other people who are innovating in the charitable and artistic community.

Ok, Ok--it does just-so-happen that Alexis interviewed me on her blog recently (shameless plug: why i started 3for5). But she's talking to many, many incredible people who will inspire you through their creativity in the charitable space.

Alexis: we at 3for5 can't wait until the t-shirt competitions begin--creativity unleashed can do amazing things!