Welcome to the Kleinert Foundation Weekly Reader! Each Monday, we deliver a variety of resources to help keep our community informed and engaged.
Articles, Blogs, & Reports
Early Lessons on Economic Resilience from Nine Texas Communities By: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Molly Hubbert Doyle
“At its core, Advance Together is about addressing financial and racial inequities that present obstacles to economic mobility, resilience and recovery from disruption. The challenge of our current situation presented a real-time test of what resilience looks like. Our grantees were already deeply engaged in local issues impacting education and workforce readiness. They quickly adapted their focus to address immediate needs in their communities to get through the disruption.
During recent meetings, our grantees have discussed their experiences with the crisis. While we still have much to learn about what resilience means and how communities can promote it, we are sharing three early lessons to help others learn from us as we go.” Read more here.
Creating a Better World Means Asking Better Questions By: SSIR, Hildy Gottlieb
“For the last decade, the network of people at Creating the Future has been developing and testing a framework for creating visionary social change. While most social innovations aim at innovative actions, the “catalytic thinking” framework aims at the thinking behind those actions— the beliefs and assumptions that invisibly inform every decision people make. In analyzing those assumptions and beliefs, we see that they are actually answers to questions we don’t realize we’re asking. For example, our assumptions about whether the world is round or flat answer the unspoken question: “What will happen if I head to the horizon?”” Read more here.
The Continued Need for Vastly Stepped-Up Giving — and the Role of DAFs By: CEP, Phil Buchanan
“The data is clear about what nonprofits are facing right now. When CEP surveyed leaders of a representative set of nonprofits that receive at least some foundation funding in May, what we found, which was generally consistent with other surveys of nonprofits in recent months, was sobering, to say the least. Almost 90 percent of organizations said the pandemic was having a moderate or significant negative impact on them. The numbers were especially high for direct service organizations:
Fully 80 percent said they had or would need to draw from reserves;
Sixty-two percent said they had or would need to reduce staff hours, wages, or employee benefits; and
Forty-nine percent said they had or would lay off or furlough employees.
More than 40 percent of respondents said they had seen a decline in gifts from major donors and more than half reported a decline in gifts of $7,500 or less, seemingly belying the conclusion of the Times article. For those organizations with earned revenue streams, the picture was bleaker still, with 77 percent reporting decreases.” Read more here.
Give Your In-Home Office — or Your Friend’s — a Feel-Good Makeover By: Paper City Magazine, Caitlin Clark
“It’s been a beautiful thing to see phrases like “social impact” and the idea of give-back models become more prevalent recent years, but as is the case with the rise of any retail trend, it can be difficult to parse out the real deal brands from deceptively good advertising campaigns.
And with a lack of regulation in the social impact department, that leaves much of the work up to shoppers to discover brands they trust and care about. One of the best ways to do just that: a deep dive on Instagram. Which is exactly what Ashlee Kleinert and her team at The Kleinert Foundation did when partnering up with the gifting pros at Marie Mae Co.
“We were trying to find businesses that may not have the flash and dash of a marketing team. They’re providing a very dignified employment and a product that’s wonderful, but they’re just not savvy to marketing or promoting it because their heads are down and they’re doing the work,” Kleinert says.” Read more here.
Podcasts
“Jerry Hawkins, executive director of Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation, shares some of the history of racism in Dallas and why he is cautiously optimistic about the future.” Listen here.
The Good Office Podcast Episode 09: CSR for Companies - and Budgets - of Any Size
“In this episode of the Good Office Podcast, Jillian dives deeper into how business owners or business leaders can incorporate corporate social responsibility strategies no matter the budget or size of the business.
As previously outlined in episode 1 of this podcast, companies have the power to do good and change their communities for the better without breaking the bank or taking resources away from their main goal. In order to maximize its impact, companies should choose a direction to focus on, and be strategic about it, ensuring that the give back is connected to the company's mission. According to Jillian, team communication is fundamental from the idea's inception to its execution, and finally, customers should also be aware of the company's impact in a non-salesy way.
Listen up as Jillian shares real-life examples to help business owners and leaders implement those changes and use their resources intentionally.” Listen here.
Upcoming Events
Genesis Women Shelter 27th Annual Luncheon
September 2, 2020 | 11:30 am CST
“To ensure the safety of our staff, supporters and the community as a whole, we are excited to announce that we are moving the Genesis Annual Luncheon to a VIRTUAL event! If you haven't yet bought a ticket, you can still tune in to hear actress Nicole Kidman, who received an Emmy Award, Golden Globe, Critics Choice Award and SAG Award for her portrayal of Celeste Wright in Big Little Lies. Kidman played a former attorney turned stay-at-home mom with a seemingly perfect life, but whose husband was abusive behind closed doors - effectively opening audiences' eyes to the fact that domestic violence can happen to anyone. Don’t miss your chance to tune into this event… purchase your ticket now!” Learn more here.
Austin Street Center’s 20th Annual Humble Beginnings Luncheon
September 25, 2020 | 11:30 am
“Tony and Grammy Award-winning performer, Leslie Odom Jr. will take the stage as the keynote speaker at Austin Street Center’s annual Humble Beginnings luncheon.
Best known for his breakout role as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the smash hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, Odom Jr. received a 2015 Drama Desk Award nomination and won the Tony Award for “Best Actor in a Musical” for his performance. He also won a Grammy Award as a principal soloist on the original cast recording. Odom Jr. was most recently seen on the big screen starring alongside Cynthia Erivo and Joe Alwyn in “Harriet”, the story of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes responsible for freeing hundreds of slaves. This spring, he released a book – FAILING UP: HOW TO TAKE RISKS, AIM HIGHER, and NEVER STOP LEARNING. In 2018, Odom Jr. released “Mr” – his first album of original songs.” Learn more here.
Wed, Oct 28, 2020, 11:00 AM -Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 12:00 PM
“Building systems that are equitable for women and people of color expands prosperity for everyone. The opportunities for human-centered design, innovation and impact that will take us there are unprecedented. But even as there are growing reasons to hope, we must commit to reform through principles, policies, and practices that level the playing field and create opportunity. bigBANG! 2020 will lift up rightful disruption and its methods to dismantle injustice and intentionally rework and rebuild systems that provide equal opportunity for all people to participate with dignity in the economic life of our society.” Learn more here.
From Dallas Doing good
Together for Tomorrow: Nonprofits Collaborate for Adaptive Education During a Pandemic By: Katie Kelton
“With back-to-school season looming in the minds of our metroplex, the Together for Tomorrow cohort is a beacon of hope during a global pandemic. Spearheaded by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and CoSpero Consulting, nine nonprofits are in pursuit of adaptive education for students of all ages, from pre-kindergarten to adult learners.
AES Literacy Institute Incorporated, After School All Stars North Texas, Bachman Lake Together, Education Opens Doors, Empowering the Masses, First Choice Social Services, For Oak Cliff, Readers 2 Leaders, and Stars United Global Outreach have one thing in common: a heartbeat for learning. These nonprofits serve different demographics and geographic areas, but all with a focus on parents, students, and/or teachers in the education system.” Read more here.
From The Liberty Line Newsletter
Judge delays the unsealing of a deposition from Jeffrey Epstein's alleged former accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell By: CNN, Madeline Holcombe and Kara Scannell
“A federal judge delayed the unsealing of a deposition of Jeffery Epstein's former girlfriend and alleged accomplice to allow her time to appeal its release. US District Judge Loretta Preska denied Ghislaine Maxwell's request to block the release of depositions from a 2016 civil lawsuit Wednesday but delayed the unsealing until Monday so Maxwell could ask an appeals court to review the matter, according to court documents. Maxwell, 58, was charged by federal prosecutors in early July for allegedly helping recruit, groom and ultimately sexually abuse minors as young as 14 as part of a yearslong criminal enterprise with Epstein. She pleaded not guilty and was ordered jailed pending trial. She also is charged with two counts of perjury. The deposition Maxwell's legal team is fighting to keep sealed is connected to a 2015 defamation case brought by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claimed Epstein sexually abused her while she was a minor and that Maxwell aided in the abuse. The case was settled in 2017. ” Read more here.
August Book of the Month
Anointed By: Aelicia Watson
“Aelicia Watson serves as an Urban Missionary to the women of the Bonton Neighborhood and women all over the greater Dallas metroplex. Aelicia has always had a servant’s heart and a strong desire to serve the Lost, the Least, and the Lonely. She began volunteering every month with several different organizations and ministries that serve the South Dallas – Bonton Community. In 2016 she answered God’s call into full time ministry. During that year, she felt that God was calling her to begin a new ministry, focused on women and their unique needs and problems. In 2017 in response to that call, she established “Redeemed Women”. This ministry will address the pain, suffering, brokenness and obstacles women who are victims of generational poverty face such as: homelessness, hunger, sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, educational deficiencies, transportation, physical and medical needs, unemployment, lack of a viable support system, and exploitation.” Learn more here. To purchase a book, please email chocolate@redeemedwomen.org.
August Product of the Month
Three Designing Women is a small but mighty female and minority operated wholesale manufacturer based in Dallas, Texas, that started with a simple yet ambitious objective: To produce the finest personalized goods in the world. Now entering its second decade, Three Designing Women has risen to become The Most Awarded Personalization Company in History! Each month TDW supports one or more non-profit organizations as recipients of their time and resources, and their retailers are integral to this outreach. To learn more please visit www.threedesigningwomen.com. To purchase, please visit Artisan Stamp.