Jimmy Lustig | Lustig Family Foundation

Jimmy Lustig is an active philanthropist. He and his wife created the Lustig Family Foundation.

Tag: Employees

Jimmy Lustig How to Get Employees Excited About Volunteering

How to Get Employees Excited About Volunteering

By

On May 24, 2022

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy

Being a good citizen is the right thing to do, and volunteering can help companies thrive. It can also help organizations develop and grow. Aside from being beneficial to the individuals who participate, community service also benefits the organizations that it supports.

It’s important for team leaders and managers to understand the various benefits of community service. Aside from being beneficial to the individuals who participate, it can also benefit the organizations that it supports. This is why it’s important that they are inspired to give back.

  1. Offer Paid Time for Volunteering

Although it’s not always possible for everyone to volunteer off the clock, volunteering can still be a great way to show your commitment to the community. Having paid time off for volunteering can be a great way to demonstrate your love for the community.

According to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resources Management, over 20 percent of companies offered paid time off to their employees for volunteering. A total of 82 percent of companies that were included in the 2014 Civic 50 also offered paid time off to their employees.

  1. Share Opportunities

Doing the work for the team members instead of asking them to research volunteer opportunities can help them find ways to give back. You can also create a weekly email digest that provides a list of volunteer opportunities that the team can explore.

List out volunteer opportunities that are focused on different skill sets such as teaching, tutoring, or painting. You can also start a formal partnership with a local organization to help the team members get involved. Before you start a volunteer program, make sure that the details about the organization and the time commitment are included in the list. This will help your employees determine if they are the right fit for their lifestyle.

  1. Create Leadership Opportunities

Being able to take on more responsibility can help employees develop their skills and improve their performance. It can also help them feel valued and supported at work.

Although it’s important to have a volunteer coordinator, it’s also important to identify the individuals who can be given leadership roles. You can also start by developing a list of skills that your team members can use to improve their performance. Consider your team’s skills and interests and how they might be utilized in a volunteer setting.

  1. Encourage Office Leaders to Be Examples

Seeing leaders commit to volunteering can help team members feel more positive about their participation. It can also help them feel supported and valued at work. To make sure that the team members are comfortable with the idea of giving back, encourage team leaders to regularly talk about the company’s social responsibility initiatives.

  1. Reward Volunteers

Make sure that your team members are not only recognized for their hard work but that they’re also encouraged to get involved. Having a reward system can help make volunteering more of a part of the company culture.

One of the most important factors that you can consider when it comes to rewarding team members is their commitment to the community. Doing so can help demonstrate the company’s commitment to social responsibility. In 2014, 50 percent of companies featured in the Civic 50 list of Points of Light included community engagement work in their performance reviews.

 

Robert Downey Jr.'s Latest Philanthropic Investment

Robert Downey Jr.’s Latest Philanthropic Investment

By

On February 17, 2021

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy, Uncategorized

Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. has been covertly making headways into the world of environmental research the last few years. In 2019, Downey Jr. founded the Footprint Coalition, an organization geared toward supporting scientific research and sustainability technologies. Earlier this week, Downey Jr. revealed a new arm of the Footprint Coalition at the Davos Agenda of the World Economic Forum: Footprint Coalition Ventures. Downey Jr. explains that Footprint Coalition Ventures will be the investment branch of the organization and that its mission will be seeking out and supporting companies that research sustainability.

Downey Jr. went into further detail on the goals of Footprint Coalition Ventures in an interview with reporters from Fast Company. Downey Jr. explains that creating Footprint Coalition Ventures will put the Footprint Coalition in a better position to help answer vital sustainability questions. Continuing, Downey Jr. says that Footprint Coalition Ventures have two types of funds, one for preliminary investments and the other for subsequent investment opportunities. Furthermore, the company follows a rolling fund investment schedule. In this manner, investors will be able transfer funds to companies on a quarterly basis, making Footprint Coalition Ventures more accessible to different kinds of investors. Downey Jr. adds that such a schedule opens the company to as wide a pool of investors as possible.

Footprint Coalition Ventures focuses on funding companies that research in six areas, including food and agriculture, energy, education, and advanced environmental solutions. Thus far, five companies, including Arcadia Earth and Cloud Paper, have received funds from Footprint Coalition Ventures.

Looking to the future, Downey Jr. says that he plans on using his status as a celebrity to raise awareness on the Footprint Coalition and sustainability ventures in general. While many other celebrities who are involved in similar organizations tend to keep a low public profile, Downey Jr. feels that it is his responsibility to use his platform to influence others. Jonathan Schulhof, who runs the day-to-day business of Footprint Coalition Ventures, points out that the company has used a YouTube video of Downey Jr. detailing the differences between plastic and polyhydroxyalkanoate, a new type of sustainable polymer invented by RWDC Industries, to help woo investors. Schulhof continues that such content can inspire audiences by making something extraordinary seem commonplace.

Five Great Books About Philanthropy In 2020

Five Great Books About Philanthropy in 2020

By

On December 15, 2020

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy, Uncategorized

With so many options out there, how – and why – should people consider giving? The five books below provide many answers to these and other questions, making for fascinating reading, both inspirational and impactful.

One of the best guides to the giving process is the traditional Inspired Philanthropy: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Giving Plan and Leaving a Legacy, by Tracy Gary. Efficient covers everything from the basics of plan making, working with advisors, the right questions to ask non-profits, and much more. The inclusion of worksheets, resource lists, and descriptions of planning tools is beneficial.

The Promise of a Pencil, by Adam Braun, tells the story of how one man’s actions impacted thousands of lives globally. After encountering a begging child and starting with only $25, Braun built an organization that has helped build over 250 schools worldwide. Inspirational and uplifting, if ever there was an argument for the power of giving, this is it.

In The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of Our Inner Resources, Lynne Twist offers positive proof that changing our attitudes towards earning and spending money can make our lives more meaningful and fulfilling. Challenging everyday assumptions about society’s views of money, the author illustrates her journey from conspicuous consumer to non-profit activist in an honest, no-punches-pulled way.

Sharna Goldseker and Michael Moody bring a fresh perspective in Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving. Moving between first-hand accounts and analysis of a new class of doner’s work, the book shows the impact of young rising stars of philanthropy in disrupting traditional giving models and creating entirely fresh approaches to the field.

Another disruptive approach to giving is Impact Investing: Transforming How We Make Money While Making a Difference by Antony Bugg-Levine and Jed Emerson. The new field of impact investing is thoroughly explained, showing how it’s possible to “blend” investment success with positive change.

This year, perhaps more than in most, it’s essential to consider how a charitable contribution can positively impact peoples’ lives. The wisdom and practical advice that abound in the five volumes discussed will hopefully inspire and energize in equal measure.

How To Encourage Your Employees To Volunteer James Lustig

How to Encourage Your Employees to Volunteer

By

On September 17, 2019

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig

Of late, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the broad concept of philanthropy have gained increased attention where businesses commit themselves to give back to society. The success of CSR projects depends on how well-coordinated they are. To increase the success of charity projects, companies should endeavor to involve their workers by encouraging them to volunteer in various ways.

 

Making giving a corporate culture

The art of giving can be enforced within your company by making charity a corporate value and internal culture. Employees joining your company will be highly likely to adopt such a culture and commit themselves to live by it. Besides, businesses that have incorporated the culture of giving in their internal values stand a better chance of attracting employees that have a passion for philanthropy.

 

Allocating responsibilities

To win the hearts of your employees towards giving to charity, you should endeavor to allocate related responsibilities to workers who have a passion for CSR. Once you identify employees who are committed to serving society through charity, giving them an opportunity to organize and coordinate the fulfillment of the CSR projects cements their commitments.

 

Recognizing employees’ dedication

Employees who have dedicated themselves to fulfilling charity projects that are organized internally by your company should be appreciated and recognized. Recognizing the top participants in philanthropy encourages more workers to show commitment to similar projects in the future. Such recognition can be in the form of giving workers certificates of participation or even branded attire that recognizes their philanthropic efforts.

 

Showing commitment right from the top

Employees are highly likely to follow suit the foundations laid within the workplace by the senior managers. The entire C-suit structure of your company, including the president, Chief Executive Officer, and other senior managers, should show commitment by attending CSR projects. Whereas such projects should not be made mandatory for other employees, the senior management will generally serve as a role model and encourage employee participation.

 

Making CSR fun and attractive

The last incentive that can attract your employees’ participation in charity projects is by making the projects fun. Creating teams that compete and win prizes during the project brings even the workers who have no passion for philanthropy on board. Pictures and videos of the event can also be published on the company’s social media platforms as a way of fronting the workers to the market and showing their dedication.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén