April Newsball 2017
Playing Catch-Up with the Life is Good Playmakers
“Practice makes perfect,” isn’t really our vibe at The Life is Good Playmakers (LiGP). We’re more, “practice builds purpose.”
Since the beginning of 2017, and throughout this month especially we’ve been evolving our Playmaker program, editing original content for our Digital Learning Experience, and strengthening our connections with professional childcare communities across the United States and Haiti.
Every workshop we facilitate, every school, hospital, and enrichment program we partner with, every administrator, teacher, and childcare professional we invest in – it’s all part of a purposeful practice to help build a world where life is good for ALL kids.
Thanks for being a part of it.
Love & Peace,
Steve Gross, MSW
Chief Playmaker, Life is Good Playmakers
GOOD PROGRESS
Our Work in the Field
Family & Children’s Aid of Connecticut offers high quality and innovative mental health care for children and their families, and provides children with safe homes. Since 2010, FCA has been participating in The LiGP’s Program, which helps supports the health and wellness of FCA’s entire staff, and helps FCA turn the homes, clinics, and spaces where they work into optimal environments for kids to connect, engage, and explore. This month, FCA became an official Playmaker Hub, with full-time members of FCA’s staff now leading the Playmaker Movement on site and offering LiGP workshops and retreats to new hires.
Over the last 25 years, every LiGP workshop has been done in person. We love to connect face-to-face, but when organizations ask how to dispense our programs to tens of thousands of childcare professionals all at the same time, our answer is – go digital. This month, we signed a contract with ExtensionEngine in Cambridge to build The LiGP’s Digital Learning Experience that will continue to help childcare professionals discover, act on, and share their innate Superpowers – things like Love, Courage, Authenticity, Gratitude, even Fun. By going digital, we get to grow the good at scale. We chose ExtensionEngine because they are considered by many to create the most innovative and interesting online learning environments, and have experience with other nonprofits. Check out all of the great work they’re doing.
Over the last three months The LiGP has facilitated 12 unique workshops, retreats, and keynotes, and welcomed over 200 childcare professionals into our Playmaker Program who are collectively caring for thousands of children across 6 different states. If you or someone you know is a childcare professional, visit our Become a Playmaker page to discover how to get more fully involved in our movement to spread the power of optimism to help kids heal.
GOOD GROWTH
Our Work to Raise Support
Each year, WinnCompanies, an award-winning national multifamily development and management company, makes charitable donations in honor of their employees. This year, WinnCompanies employees in 14 different states elected to have their donation directed to The Life is Good Playmakers, resulting in an overall contribution of $4,600 to support our work. THANK YOU!
This month our partners at MetroWest Subaru presented The LiGP with a check for $78,181 raised through their annual Share the Love campaign this past winter. This is the second year in a row MetroWest has selected The LiGP as their hometown charity. Thanks MetroWest for sharing so much LOVE!
Just in time for Mother’s Day The LiGP has worked with our floral partners at Designer’s Choice and Benchmark Bouquets to design a special Life is Good bouquet that you can order through Amazon and have delivered anywhere in the United States. Best part – 10% of every bouquet supports The LiGP! Now, that’s flower power.
GOOD PEOPLE
Our Playmakers
“I didn’t know I was an artist, but I became one by recognizing the needs of the kids around me. I figured out, that for me, being a teacher and being a mom, also meant being a movie maker, and song writer, and risk taker.”
Read more about how A.Intisar Turner (or Ms. Turner to her students) is an Everyday Hero for turning her “have tos” into “get tos.”
“When, I was a little girl I always played either teacher or doctor. I knew I wanted to work with kids – that I knew – everything I did was working toward being a pediatrician.”
Watch Norayma Cabot’s story – now the Executive Director of Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services, and see how she became a Playmaker for herself, her daughter, and hundreds of families and children in her community.
GOOD NEWS
Highlights & Updates
Join Life is Good Co-Founder, John Jacobs and Chief Playmaker of The LiGP, Steve Gross at the Life is Good Tavern on Thursday, May 11 (just before Mother’s Day) from 6-8P, for an evening dedicated to the love of Mom. You’ll enjoy inspiring stories, Life is Good giveaways, and touching tributes to Moms near and far. Limited tickets available, and all proceeds benefit The LiGP.
For the second year in a row The LiGP fielded a Boston Marathon Team, and thanks to our three marathoners (Emily Saul, Molly Falconer, and Koby Kempel), 115 individual supporters (too many to list!), and our very first Small Business Big Impact Matching Grant from Boston Software, the campaign raised $17,034! Go, Team, Go! If you’re interested in running the Boston Marathon for The LiGP next year and can commit to a $10k fundraising goal, email Morgan Cirillo, our Head of Storytelling and Stewardship.
Just a reminder that the annual Life is Good Kids Art Contest is only open for a few more days. Children ages 4-17 are invited to draw why they believe that life is good, and every entry earns a $1 donation for The LiGP. Check out the gallery and get your submissions in while there’s still time.
GOT NEWS?
If you have news about a program, fundraiser, or event in support of The LiGP, let us know. We love hearing from you!
