Meet Miles.  When Miles was about 2 months old he was brought into a local Veterinary office in Arizona by a couple of good samaritans.  The doctors in the back of the office could hear his screams of pain and ran out and immediately administered pain relief and a sedative.  They could see that his two front legs were broken and one was wrapped with a home-made coat hanger and gauze.  After further examination, the doctors noticed that the breeder/owner attempted to repair the lacerations with a needle and thread and glue which created more pain and infection for his wounds that had been untreated for days.  The Phoenix New Times later reported that the breeder/owner, Lyman Kenneth Morkunas, allegedly bragged to the good samaritan couple about beating Miles with a 16 pound sledge hammer to break a fight up between an adult dog and 2 month old Miles.  As of this blog post, it is unknown what, if any charges are pending against him in Maricopa County. Miles was in such terrible shape with multiple fractures, shattered bones, and infection that the doctors considered euthanasia.   They contacted Panacea Animal Wellness Sanctuary (PAWS),  a nonprofit organization founded by veteranarian Dr. Eva Decozio-Bush and Michele Elek to see if they could take him under their wings, which they did.  They immediately started putting together a plan to help Miles.  The specialized surgeries needed to save his legs were going to cost $5,000.  PAWS was able to get him featured on local news stations and through the amazing support of the community, the money was raised.  Following multiple surgeries, the surgeons were able to save one of his legs, but determined that it was in Miles' best interest to amputate his left leg to minimize long term complications and improve his quality of life. Hearing the news of Miles' amputation, Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics, the company behind the prosthetic in the inspiring Dolphin Tale movie, reached out to PAWS and offered to create and donate a prosthetic for Miles.  Thomas, a Certified Patient Advocate at Hanger, working closely with Miles and an amputee himself, asked PAWS if he could be involved in Miles' adoption process.  Since Miles was a puppy, he would be needing modifications to his prosthetic as he grew and Thomas wanted to make sure his new home was a good fit for his needs.  Thomas had also grown quite close to Miles during their time together.   It was finally adoption day for Miles and he headed back to the local news stations. Most hadn't seen him since his original visit to ask for help to pay for his surgeries and were excited to have him back to announce that he was ready for adoption.  Dr. Eva and Michele from PAWS were ready and waiting for the phones to start ringing off the hook, yet they were silent.  They called each other to see if their phones were working and they were.  There were so many people interested in Miles when he was first on television and they couldn't understand the silence.  "Was it because the camera panned to him when he was licking himself?" they joked.  That's when the big light bulb went off and Michele called Thomas from Hanger to tell him.  "We didn't get one call Thomas.  You know what that means, don't you?  He's supposed to be with you, Thomas."  Thomas agreed that Miles belonged with him.  Thomas had fallen quite in love with Miles over the course of his evaluations and fittings and knew was meant to be with him. Miles adoption to Thomas is now official!  To make this new beginning even better.......Miles is now being trained as a therapy dog so he can go to work every day with Thomas to help and inspire other amputees.       Disclosure:  I recently joined Panacea Animal Wellness Sanctuary as a member of their Board.  Originally published at NonprofitGiving.com       ...read more

I recently became aware of Give to Get Jobs when I received a tweet notifying me that Broker for Charity had been listed in their social enterprise database.  After checking out their database, I was impressed that they had compiled a list of over 1300 social enterprises and was thrilled to see so many new companies giving back that I hadn't seen before.  The more I read, the more I realized that they were much more than a database of companies doing good. Mother/Daughter team Stacy McCoy and Betsey Epstein recently launched Give To Get Jobs, as platform to find and post jobs that give back.  With a background in for-profit and nonprofit and finding shortcomings in both models, Stacy recognized a need for a middle ground that would combine the best of both of these worlds.  Employees can find jobs with companies that share their values, give back to their communities while still making a profit and companies can find employees that are passionate about giving back and share their company values and mission.   Job hunters will find postings throughout the United States, and hopefully someday the world, through Get to Give Jobs' career center.  Jobs are mostly at social enterprises, for -profit companies created specifically to fill a need or alleviate unfavorable conditions in a community, or corporations filling positions specific to the social responsibility of their company.  Candidates may search by many different criteria, including location, industry, position requirements, and company.  Job searches and resume postings are free for candidates and if needed, Give to Get Jobs will help with resumes and cover letters for a small fee. For social enterprises and corporations looking to fill socially responsible positions, Give to Get Jobs provides the traditional job board model with the added value of targeting specific candidates.  The pool of candidates that are searching the database aren't just looking for "any" job, they're specifically looking for positions that give back and companies that share their values.  In addition to postings, employers may register for access to the candidate resume database for an additional fee.  For these employer clients, marketing and spotlighting the good they’re doing is a free added value provided with their services. Give to Get Jobs donates a portion of their fees to one of three nonprofit job creation programs via their non-profit partner See Your Impact.  Employers may choose to: provide a month of job training to increase a family's income, support a low income-student through a drop-out prevention program, or send a child of migrant worker to school for a month. At Give to Get Jobs everyone is giving.  The companies that are posting jobs are giving back to their communities, the job seekers are looking to give back in their careers, the companies in the extensive social enterprise database and Give to Get Jobs by giving a portion of their profits to a See Your Impact program.  There's a lot of good going on here so don't miss it! Click here to view the original blog post. ...read more

Watching the NBA playoffs recently, I was reminded about an article I read a few years back about Jason Kidd. The AZcentral.com article was about Jason purchasing a new home in Paradise Valley, Arizona.  Or was it?  I remember having mixed feelings and being a little confused on the purpose after reading it.  And reading it again. Were they trying to inform me about his new high priced home, the abuse allegations and anger management classes from 7 years prior, his new contract $$ with the Dallas Mavericks, or his management company Boulevard Management and their high profile celebrity clients, including Shaquille O'Neil and Barbara Streisand?  Huh? So what did I come away with?  Jason Kidd bought a huge, expensive home in Paradise Valley.  Remember Jason? He played for the local Phoenix Suns, maybe beat his wife, makes a lot of money, has a high profile management company, and has played on a few other basketball teams.  Oh, and he didn't want to comment on this article when we contacted him.  Really?  I can't imagine why he wouldn't want to comment on all of that. Let me be perfectly clear.  I DO NOT support or condone abuse of any kind and we partner with nonprofit organizations that help and empower survivors of domestic violence.  I do not know Jason or what happened in his marriage 10 years ago, but this is what I do know. Jason Kidd started The Jason Kidd Foundation in 1996.  They provide homeless and underprivileged kids with tools they need to succeed through mentoring, tutoring, and technology programs.  Some of the organizations they support are Northern Light School, Vogel Alcove, Kipp Truth Academy.  For every assist that he gives in the regular and post-season, he donates $100 to the Jason Kidd Foundation.  Jason received the NBA Cares Community Assist Award during his 2009-2010 season with the Dallas Mavericks for his charitable and philanthropic efforts in the community. Jason, next time you're looking to buy or sell property, call us at Brokers for Charity.  The press may focus less on the crystal chandeliers, money you make, and past abuse allegations and more on the thousands of commission dollars going to The Jason Kidd Foundation and the causes you support.  Kudos to you, Jason on your philanthropy and congratulations on your NBA National Championship! Here's a link of Jason talking about the Jason Kidd Foundation. Click here to read the original blog post. ...read more

Yesterday, I was reminded of a Dodger game I went to when I was about ten years old.  As a tomboy playing baseball at the time, I took the game very seriously.  So, when the guy next to me was screaming at Steve Garvey about his wife cheating on him, or leaving, or something, I was a bit thrown.  I received clarification from my dad who informed me of their recent split and quickly went from confused to appalled.  This guy was a Dodger fan, so why was he being so mean and what did Steve Garvey's wife have to do with baseball?  The remainder of the game I gave the man dirty looks and plotted to "accidentally" spill my soda on him and all of the things I should say to give him a piece of my ten year old outraged mind.  "What do you know?  You're a crappy fan!  You know I could strike you out, right?" These feelings came up for me again last week when I saw comments on Craig Newmark's Facebook page post that he was writing checks to four veteran's organizations totaling $100,000.  His CraigconnectsVeterans and Military Families Grant Challenge had ended and he was sending grants to The Bob Woodruff Foundation, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Intrepid Museum Foundation, and Blue Star Families. LIke that day at Dodger Stadium, most of Craig's Facebook "fans" were cheering, but not all of them. There were the "c'mon you can give more, you can do more!" Really, he doesn't HAVE to do anything and he does quite a lot in addition to this. And "you should apologize to the military families when they can't post a bike they need to sell so they can feed their kids" (speaking to a Craigslist spam/flagging process.) Seriously? What does their free Craigslist post have to do with him giving $100,000 in grants? She was obviously flagged and removed on Craigslist at some point. I was happy to see that many others shared their thoughts with the hecklers as I was unable to do at the Dodger game. Unfortunately, I've seen many other ridiculous portrayals of this evil Craig guy.  Before he took on all of these devilish roles, he put a few things together online to help his friends connect with each other and various events in San Francisco. This eventually became craigslist and now helps many. He is an advisor and board member of many nonprofit organizations and started Craigslist Foundation and craigconnects.org. This "evil" man supports veterans, education, volunteerism, open government and many more including…journalistic integrity and fact checking. Hmmm….wonder why he's passionate about fact checking?!?! Bottom line, to all of you who sit in the cheap seats and judge, or fan a page when you're not a fan just so you can gripe, please don't.  If you used the time you took making your crappy comment into doing something nice, the world would be a much better place.  Oh, and "What do you know?  You're a crappy fan!  You know I could strike you out, right?" Click here to view the original blog post. ...read more

Brokers for Charity matches property buyers and sellers throughout the US and Canada with  qualified realtors and donates 10% of the commission to the nonprofit of the the client's choice.  Combining real estate transactions with social responsibility, it's an easy way for families and  companies to support their favorite charity without any additional costs.  Brokers for Charity, LLC donates 10% of residential and commercial real estate commissions to the nonprofit of the client's choice.  Buyers and sellers get to choose the nonprofit  501(c)(3) organization that will receive the donation when their transaction closes. "Regardless of our individual motivations, there is a common desire in all of us to help others," says Janae Jaynes-Learned, Designated Broker and Managing Partner of Brokers for Charity.  "We have taken the concept behind Newman's Own and Bono's Red Brand into the real estate market. We provide an additional opportunity for people to make a difference combining real estate transactions and social responsibility."  How Brokers for Charity works:  When a business or consumer wants buy or sell a property anywhere in the US or Canada, they give Brokers for Charity their criteria and they are paired with a qualified broker.  When their transaction closes, Brokers for Charity receives a referral fee from the broker and makes the donation to the nonprofit of the client's choice.  The donation is 10% of the referred agent's commission.  For example, on a $400,000 transaction if the agent's commission were 3%, or $12,000, Brokers for Charity would donate $1,200 to the chosen nonprofit. "Right now our service is even more critical to charities, and we've had so many contacting us," says  Jaynes-Learned.  "Many nonprofit organizations are really feeling the impact from our current economy."  Statistics reported for the last three months alone by Guidestar, a nonprofit resource organization, show that over half (52%) of nonprofits have received fewer contributions, and eight percent are nearly closing their doors.  Individual contributions have fallen, and so have grants.     Brokers for Charity intends to encourage change in the way businesses and consumers buy and sell commercial and residential real estate.  While providing quality real estate referrals, new business to real estate professionals, and donations to nonprofit organizations, the ultimate goal of combining real estate and social responsibility will be achieved.  With the billions of dollars in real estate commissions paid annually, the potential for Brokers for Charity to have an impact on nonprofit organizations is tremendous.  "The key is really to get the word out to consumers and businesses," says Jaynes-Learned.  "If people and businesses can support a worthy cause through their real estate transactions, without paying extra, why wouldn't they?" Connect On Other Networks ...read more

Meet Miles.  When Miles was about 2 months old he was brought into a local Veterinary office in Arizona by a couple of good samaritans.  The doctors in the back of the office could hear his screams of pain and ran out and immediately administered pain relief and a sedative.  They could see that his two front legs were broken and one was wrapped with a home-made coat hanger and gauze.  After further examination, the doctors noticed that the breeder/owner attempted to repair the lacerations with a needle and thread and glue which created more pain and infection for his wounds that had been untreated for days.  The Phoenix New Times later reported that the breeder/owner, Lyman Kenneth Morkunas, allegedly bragged to the good samaritan couple about beating Miles with a 16 pound sledge hammer to break a fight up between an adult dog and 2 month old Miles.  As of this blog post, it is unknown what, if any charges are pending against him in Maricopa County. Miles was in such terrible shape with multiple fractures, shattered bones, and infection that the doctors considered euthanasia.   They contacted Panacea Animal Wellness Sanctuary (PAWS),  a nonprofit organization founded by veteranarian Dr. Eva Decozio-Bush and Michele Elek to see if they could take him under their wings, which they did.  They immediately started putting together a plan to help Miles.  The specialized surgeries needed to save his legs were going to cost $5,000.  PAWS was able to get him featured on local news stations and through the amazing support of the community, the money was raised.  Following multiple surgeries, the surgeons were able to save one of his legs, but determined that it was in Miles' best interest to amputate his left leg to minimize long term complications and improve his quality of life. Hearing the news of Miles' amputation, Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics, the company behind the prosthetic in the inspiring Dolphin Tale movie, reached out to PAWS and offered to create and donate a prosthetic for Miles.  Thomas, a Certified Patient Advocate at Hanger, working closely with Miles and an amputee himself, asked PAWS if he could be involved in Miles' adoption process.  Since Miles was a puppy, he would be needing modifications to his prosthetic as he grew and Thomas wanted to make sure his new home was a good fit for his needs.  Thomas had also grown quite close to Miles during their time together.   It was finally adoption day for Miles and he headed back to the local news stations. Most hadn't seen him since his original visit to ask for help to pay for his surgeries and were excited to have him back to announce that he was ready for adoption.  Dr. Eva and Michele from PAWS were ready and waiting for the phones to start ringing off the hook, yet they were silent.  They called each other to see if their phones were working and they were.  There were so many people interested in Miles when he was first on television and they couldn't understand the silence.  "Was it because the camera panned to him when he was licking himself?" they joked.  That's when the big light bulb went off and Michele called Thomas from Hanger to tell him.  "We didn't get one call Thomas.  You know what that means, don't you?  He's supposed to be with you, Thomas."  Thomas agreed that Miles belonged with him.  Thomas had fallen quite in love with Miles over the course of his evaluations and fittings and knew was meant to be with him. Miles adoption to Thomas is now official!  To make this new beginning even better.......Miles is now being trained as a therapy dog so he can go to work every day with Thomas to help and inspire other amputees.       Disclosure:  I recently joined Panacea Animal Wellness Sanctuary as a member of their Board.  Originally published at NonprofitGiving.com       ...read more

I recently became aware of Give to Get Jobs when I received a tweet notifying me that Broker for Charity had been listed in their social enterprise database.  After checking out their database, I was impressed that they had compiled a list of over 1300 social enterprises and was thrilled to see so many new companies giving back that I hadn't seen before.  The more I read, the more I realized that they were much more than a database of companies doing good. Mother/Daughter team Stacy McCoy and Betsey Epstein recently launched Give To Get Jobs, as platform to find and post jobs that give back.  With a background in for-profit and nonprofit and finding shortcomings in both models, Stacy recognized a need for a middle ground that would combine the best of both of these worlds.  Employees can find jobs with companies that share their values, give back to their communities while still making a profit and companies can find employees that are passionate about giving back and share their company values and mission.   Job hunters will find postings throughout the United States, and hopefully someday the world, through Get to Give Jobs' career center.  Jobs are mostly at social enterprises, for -profit companies created specifically to fill a need or alleviate unfavorable conditions in a community, or corporations filling positions specific to the social responsibility of their company.  Candidates may search by many different criteria, including location, industry, position requirements, and company.  Job searches and resume postings are free for candidates and if needed, Give to Get Jobs will help with resumes and cover letters for a small fee. For social enterprises and corporations looking to fill socially responsible positions, Give to Get Jobs provides the traditional job board model with the added value of targeting specific candidates.  The pool of candidates that are searching the database aren't just looking for "any" job, they're specifically looking for positions that give back and companies that share their values.  In addition to postings, employers may register for access to the candidate resume database for an additional fee.  For these employer clients, marketing and spotlighting the good they’re doing is a free added value provided with their services. Give to Get Jobs donates a portion of their fees to one of three nonprofit job creation programs via their non-profit partner See Your Impact.  Employers may choose to: provide a month of job training to increase a family's income, support a low income-student through a drop-out prevention program, or send a child of migrant worker to school for a month. At Give to Get Jobs everyone is giving.  The companies that are posting jobs are giving back to their communities, the job seekers are looking to give back in their careers, the companies in the extensive social enterprise database and Give to Get Jobs by giving a portion of their profits to a See Your Impact program.  There's a lot of good going on here so don't miss it! Click here to view the original blog post. ...read more

Watching the NBA playoffs recently, I was reminded about an article I read a few years back about Jason Kidd. TheAZcentral.comarticle was about Jason purchasing a new home in Paradise Valley, Arizona.  Or was it?  I remember having mixed feelings and being a little confused on the purpose after reading it.  And reading it again. Were they trying to inform me about his new high priced home, the abuse allegations and anger management classes from 7 years prior, his new contract $$ with the Dallas Mavericks, or his management company Boulevard Management and their high profile celebrity clients, including Shaquille O'Neil and Barbara Streisand?  Huh? So what did I come away with?  Jason Kidd bought a huge, expensive home in Paradise Valley.  Remember Jason? He played for the localPhoenix Suns, maybe beat his wife, makes a lot of money, has a high profile management company, and has played on a few other basketball teams.  Oh, and he didn't want to comment on this article when we contacted him.  Really?  I can't imagine why he wouldn't want to comment on all of that. Let me be perfectly clear.  I DO NOT support or condone abuse of any kind and we partner with nonprofit organizations that help and empower survivors of domestic violence.  I do not know Jason or what happened in his marriage 10 years ago, but this is what I do know. Jason Kidd started TheJason Kidd Foundationin 1996.  They provide homeless and underprivileged kids with tools they need to succeed through mentoring, tutoring, and technology programs.  Some of the organizations they support areNorthern Light School,Vogel Alcove, Kipp Truth Academy.  For every assist that he gives in the regular and post-season, he donates $100 to the Jason Kidd Foundation.  Jason received theNBA Cares Community Assist Award during his 2009-2010 season with theDallas Mavericksfor his charitable and philanthropic efforts in the community. Jason, next time you're looking to buy or sell property, call us atBrokers for Charity.  The press may focus less on the crystal chandeliers, money you make, and past abuse allegations and more on the thousands of commission dollars going to The Jason Kidd Foundation and the causes you support.  Kudos to you, Jason on your philanthropy and congratulations on your NBA National Championship! Here's a link of Jason talking about the Jason Kidd Foundation. Click here to read the original blog post. ...read more

Yesterday, I was reminded of a Dodger game I went to when I was about ten years old.  As a tomboy playing baseball at the time, I took the game very seriously.  So, when the guy next to me was screaming at Steve Garvey about his wife cheating on him, or leaving, or something, I was a bit thrown.  I received clarification from my dad who informed me of their recent split and quickly went from confused to appalled.  This guy was a Dodger fan, so why was he being so mean and what did Steve Garvey's wife have to do with baseball?  The remainder of the game I gave the man dirty looks and plotted to "accidentally" spill my soda on him and all of the things I should say to give him a piece of my ten year old outraged mind.  "What do you know?  You're a crappy fan!  You know I could strike you out, right?" These feelings came up for me again last week when I saw comments onCraig Newmark's Facebook page post that he was writing checks to four veteran's organizations totaling $100,000.  HisCraigconnectsVeterans and Military Families Grant Challenge had ended and he was sending grants to TheBob Woodruff Foundation,Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America,Intrepid Museum Foundation, andBlue Star Families. LIke that day at Dodger Stadium, most of Craig's Facebook "fans" were cheering, but not all of them. There were the "c'mon you can give more, you can do more!" Really, he doesn't HAVE to do anything and he does quite a lot in addition to this. And "you should apologize to the military families when they can't post a bike they need to sell so they can feed their kids" (speaking to a Craigslist spam/flagging process.) Seriously? What does their freeCraigslistpost have to do with him giving $100,000 in grants? She was obviously flagged and removed onCraigslistat some point. I was happy to see that many others shared their thoughts with the hecklers as I was unable to do at the Dodger game. Unfortunately, I've seen many other ridiculous portrayals of thisevil Craig guy.  Before he took on all of these devilish roles, he put a few things together online to help his friends connect with each other and various events in San Francisco. This eventually became craigslist and now helps many. He is an advisor and board member of many nonprofit organizations and startedCraigslist Foundation andcraigconnects.org. This "evil" man supports veterans, education, volunteerism, open government and many more including…journalistic integrity and fact checking. Hmmm….wonder why he's passionate about fact checking?!?! Bottom line, to all of you who sit in the cheap seats and judge, or fan a page when you're not a fan just so you can gripe, please don't.  If you used the time you took making your crappy comment into doing something nice, the world would be a much better place.  Oh, and "What do you know?  You're a crappy fan!  You know I could strike you out, right?" Click here to view the original blog post. ...read more

With causes, coffee, and social media being three of my favorite things, you can imagine my excitement when I met Aspen Decker, co-founder of CoffeeWeek program.  Whether you love coffee and social media or hate cancer, you're going to love this! Aspen and co-founder Marcos Arce of the CoffeeWeek CoffeePledge Against Cancer are launching a creative way to rally support and raise funds in their mission against cancer next month.  As internet professionals personally affected by the disease, they have combined their passion for social innovation, coffee and a great cause to make a difference.  First, the CoffeePledge team carefully selects its local beneficiaries that will further cancer treatment and research in the market where CoffeeWeek will be hosted. Once that’s done, they unleash what they do best - BUZZ (pun intended.)  You are bound to find everything from live video feeds from each location, tweets, posts, news crews, and celebrity appearances.  So for anyone deciding to participate during CoffeeWeek, you are sure to leave with a special blend of social good. The first cities to launch CoffeeWeek September 5 through September 11, 2011 will be Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ, with proceeds benefiting the Phoenix Children's Hospital.  You can support the cause at local Press Coffee, Echo Coffee, Carmel's Coffee, Fair Trade Cafe locations.  There are many fun and inexpensive ways to participate in CoffeeWeek.  Whether you pop in and buy a cup or host a coffee break for 24 of your employees, customers or friends for $10, sponsor, or volunteer to help during the week, everything makes a difference! Please come out and join me and play, drink, give, tweet, blog, or whatever during CoffeeWeek in Phoenix and Scottsdale this year and "buy a cup of coffee to save a life."  And stay tuned Los Angeles!  CoffeePledge Against Cancer's CoffeeWeek is adding you to the calendar for next year! ...read more

Seasons Greetings!!!   It's not too late to order candles this holiday season. Gold Canyon Candles make great hostess gifts for your Hanukkah or Christmas parties. Teachers LOVE them...my son gives them every year and most of all they are a perfect way to light up your home and bring in aroma for the holidays. I love this time of year and the seasonal candles Gold Canyon has to offer. I would like to offer a special to my friends, family and customers this holiday season! Now through Dec. 22nd, I am offering a 26 oz candle (burns 175-200 hours) in your favorite Christmas fragrance for just $20 (tax and shipping included) a savings of $8.00.  The holiday fragrances included in this offer:  Holiday Wreath: fragrant pine, balsam fir mixed with raspberry and vanilla Cozy Christmas: spicy blend of cinnamon, clove, apple and orange Gingerbread House: fresh gingerbread and rich cinnamon, clove spices, sweet brown sugar, molasses and nutmeg. Mrs. Claus's Kitchen: maple syrup, honey-touched graham crackers and creamy vanilla Sleigh Ride: fresh evergreen and pine mixed with sweet vanilla and spicy cinnamon Cinnamon Garland: spicy cinnamon mixed with evergreen, cool spruce, fresh pine nuts, mint, eucalyptus and cinnamon bark Mulled Harvest: apple, berries, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and pumpkin Days of Christmas: pear, apple cider and seasonal fruits and spices Christmas Presence: aromas of apples and oranges, accented by clove, nutmeg and ginger Pumpkin Pie: pumpkin, spices and rich cream ...read more

Brokers for Charity matches property buyers and sellers throughout the US and Canada with qualified realtors and donates 10% of the commission to the nonprofit of the the client's choice. Combining real estate transactions with social responsibility, it's an easy way for families and companies to support their favorite charity without any additional costs. Brokers for Charity, LLC donates 10% of residential and commercial real estate commissions to the nonprofit of the client's choice.  Buyers and sellers get to choose the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that will receive the donation when their transaction closes. "Regardless of our individual motivations, there is a common desire in all of us to help others," says Janae Jaynes-Learned, Designated Broker and Managing Partner of Brokers for Charity.  "We have taken the concept behind Newman's Own and Bono's Red Brand into the real estate market. We provide an additional opportunity for people to make a difference combining real estate transactions and social responsibility." How Brokers for Charity works:  When a business or consumer wants buy or sell a property anywhere in the US or Canada, they give Brokers for Charity their criteria and they are paired with a qualified broker.  When their transaction closes, Brokers for Charity receives a referral fee from the broker and makes the donation to the nonprofit of the client's choice.  The donation is 10% of the referred agent's commission.  For example, on a $400,000 transaction if the agent's commission were 3%, or $12,000, Brokers for Charity would donate $1,200 to the chosen nonprofit. "Right now our service is even more critical to charities, and we've had so many contacting us," says Jaynes-Learned.  "Many nonprofit organizations are really feeling the impact from our current economy."  Statistics reported for the last three months alone by Guidestar, a nonprofit resource organization, show that over half (52%) of nonprofits have received fewer contributions, and eight percent are nearly closing their doors.  Individual contributions have fallen, and so have grants.   Brokers for Charity intends to encourage change in the way businesses and consumers buy and sell commercial and residential real estate.  While providing quality real estate referrals, new business to real estate professionals, and donations to nonprofit organizations, the ultimate goal of combining real estate and social responsibility will be achieved. With the billions of dollars in real estate commissions paid annually, the potential for Brokers for Charity to have an impact on nonprofit organizations is tremendous.  "The key is really to get the word out to consumers and businesses," says Jaynes-Learned.  "If people and businesses can support a worthy cause through their real estate transactions, without paying extra, why wouldn't they?" Connect On Other Networks ...read more

Arizona Institute for Breast Health provides a second opinion for treatment options to women that have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, completely free of charge. These second opinions are provided through a multi-disciplinary panel of breast cancer specialists and each patient that is seen through our program is supported and lovingly guided by our patient advocate, a breast cancer survivor herself. We are a true second opinion service in that we provide a second look at each patients pathology, producing a second pathology report supporting our opinion. Our service is open to the public and again, is completely free of charge. Please call if you would like to have a second opinion through our service. 480-860-4200 ...read more