January Newsball 2018
Playing Catch-Up with the Life is Good Playmakers
The First Few Days of the new year tend to be a time when many of us make resolutions to do stuff—or stop doing stuff—that we think will make our lives better. By February, most of us have abandoned them. Personally, I’m still staying up too late, eating too many donuts, and doing too few sit-ups. Abs are nice, but have you tried a marble crueler lately? Rather than beat myself up for my suspect willpower, I’m choosing to focus on my New Year’s REVOLUTION and strengthen my Attitude of Optimism instead.
We define optimism as our capacity to see and focus on the good in ourselves, in others, and in the world. We believe that what we focus on grows. Now, that doesn’t mean that we ignore the pain, hardship, and challenges that life sometimes throws at us. It simply means that we work hard to not lose sight of the opportunities that are present—though often hidden—in each and every obstacle. As my friend Steve Roberts taught me, everything is a gift, including the things that break our hearts and frighten us to our core. Because every situation—like cancer, in Steve’s case —presents us with an opportunity to grow our capacity to love and our capacity to navigate fear.
Choosing to see and focus on the good in ourselves, the good in others, and the good in the world is not always easy. It is, however, revolutionary. It changes everything: Our perspective, our resilience, our health, our capacity, and most importantly, our actions.
Thank you for seeing the good in The Life is Good Playmakers (LiGP) and for working with us to keep this Optimism Revolution going strong.
Love & Peace,
Steve Gross, MSW
Chief Playmaker, Life is Good Playmakers
GOOD PROGRESS
Our Work in the Field
Teaching Superpowers
The end of 2017 wrapped up a full semester of Teaching Superpowers at UMASS Boston. Program leaders from The LiGP developed and co-taught a course with Professor Anne Douglass on the science of building resilience in early education. Undergraduates enrolled in the course offered through the College of Education and Human Development explored the LiGP practice and philosophy. They completed their semester by presenting their own plans for building optimal environments for children to connect, engage, and explore in their classrooms and care settings.
Wu Yee Children's Services
Earlier this month The LiGP traveled to San Francisco to guide members of the leadership team and frontline staff at Wu Yee Children’s Services through three days of Playmaker workshops and retreats. Wu Yee, one of San Francisco’s largest providers of Head Start and early education services, operates in 13 different neighborhoods and improves the quality of care delivered to thousands of children ages three months to five-years-old. The LiGP is grateful to partner with and help support the childcare professionals at Wu Yee who continue to dedicate their careers to the healthy development of children in the Bay Area.
Texas Children's Hospital
The month wrapped with The LiGP traveling to Texas Children’s Hospital to deliver two Playmaker 101 workshops to more than 100 employees from Child Life and frontline care teams. Texas Children’s Hospital is consistently ranked as one of the best children’s hospitals in the country and has partnered with The LiGP to further nurture their commitment to exceptional patient care by investing in the professionals who deliver that care each and every day.
GOOD GROWTH
Our Work to Raise Support
Share the Love
For the third year in a row, MetroWest Subaru in Natick, MA selected The LiGP as their hometown charity for their Share the Love campaign. From the middle of November to the beginning of January, vehicles bought or leased at MetroWest Subaru resulted in a $250 donation to our cause. On average, this campaign raises more than $60,000 each year to spread the power of optimism and help kids heal from the traumas of poverty, violence, and illness. Thank you to the customers, staff, and leaders at MetroWest Subaru for sharing the love with The LiGP and kids in need!
Life is Good T-Shirt Art Contest
My best friend, chicken nuggets, sloths, being cancer-free, mom, dad, brothers, sisters, books—just a few of the many things that remind us why life is good, according to our kids. Next month Life is Good will launch their third annual T-Shirt Art Contest. Encourage the kiddos in your life to engage their creative superpowers! For every entry, a $1 donation will be made to The Life is Good Playmakers.
Request official entries for your home, school, and community organizations
Larry H. Miller Foundation
The Larry H. Miller Family Foundation is committed to “going about doing good until there’s too much good in the world.” So, when a member of the extended Miller Family, Jason Hawks, learned about The LiGP after reading about Life is Good Co-Founders, Bert and John Jacobs, he was inspired to reach out. After connecting directly with The LiGP, he presented a proposal to the Miller Family Foundation for a $10,000 grant to further The LiGP mission. The proposal was approved and the grant was received just before the end of 2017! The LiGP is so grateful to Jason and everyone at the Larry H. Miller Family Foundation for reaching out and investing in our work.
Learn how the Miller Family continues to lift others through giving, service, and kindness
GOOD PEOPLE
Our Playmakers
“It wasn’t until I finished all of my accreditations and moved to Connecticut that I uncovered this statistic from the CDC about the leading cause of death for children with autism being drowning. At first, it made me sick to my stomach as a Mom, a teacher, as a caring person who loves the water. Then, it started to fuel my passion.”
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!
