Cause Marketing/Corporate Partnerships

Southwest Airlines announced the first 10 winners of its ticket giveaway to nonprofit organizations focused on community initiatives.

The first 10 winners are California ReLeaf, Mujeres Latinas en Accion, Hispanic College Fund, Nellie’s Youth Village, Project Sanctuary, VotoLatino, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, The National Veterans Transition Services Inc., HMEA and TechACCESS, and FIRST. 

Buffalo Trace Distillery wants to give a piece of history to charities. It’s offering nonprofits 174 bottles of Kentucky straight bourbon aged for 11 years in its Millennium Barrel and bottled on Dec. 31, 1999.

Nonprofits have until midnight New York time tonight, July 26, to request a bottle of Millennium bourbon. If chosen, organizations must auction it off for charity by Dec. 31. More than 150 charities have signed up, and Kris Comstock, Buffalo Trace’s brand manager, said the bottles could fetch bids of $1,000 each or more.

Charitable giving by America’s biggest companies will probably be flat in 2011, after a sharp rebound in 2010, according to a Chronicle of Philanthropy survey of 180 of businesses.

Cash giving rose by 13 percent, a relief to charities after the recession caused a decline of 7.5 percent by companies in 2009.

Seventy-four of the 107 companies from the Fortune 500 that provided projections said they expect this year’s giving to remain about the same as last year’s. Twenty-seven expect total giving to increase, while six expect a decrease.

The Boys and Girls Club of Eden, Be-A-Friend Program Inc./Big Brothers Big Sisters of Erie County, and Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services joined more than 60 nonprofit organizations over the last 16 years to receive the keys to a new Ford passenger van, compliments of the Western New York Ford Dealers’ Ford Friendship Express Program.

Southwest Airlines celebrates the airline's 40th year of service and commitment to the communities where its customers work and live by giving 40 deserving nonprofit organizations the chance to win 40 roundtrip tickets each. Nonprofit organizations focused on community initiatives that concentrate on education, diversity, military, environment, or families facing serious illness will share their stories and explain how they will use the 40 tickets to achieve their missions in the community.

CafeGive announces the 'Giving by CafeGive' platform providing businesses a powerful way to showcase their social giving strategies, build momentum for their philanthropic activities and communicate directly with their consumers in a fun and engaging way. The online platform includes applications that run on websites or Facebook, allowing companies to raise awareness for their social giving practices and to promote consumer participation in campaigns.

The first marketing application, 'Reward for Donation,' allows companies to quickly set up and promote a comprehensive social giving campaign that collects and distributes donations and rewards consumers for their participation.

As the national teen unemployment rate hovers at 24 percent, Bank of America is partnering with 95 nonprofit organizations to put 230 civic-minded high schoolers to work across the country this summer as part of its Student Leaders program. Funded by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, the program matches local nonprofits with Student Leaders for a paid, eight-week internship.

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) has been working to support children’s literacy and fight this discrepancy since 1966. RIF has partnered with Macy’s in the latest “Be Book Smart” campaign to raise 1 million books for underserved children across the country.

Macy’s customers can donate $3 at any register to help provide a book for a child and receive a $10 off coupon through July 31. Macy’s will donate 100 percent of every donation to RIF.

Sam’s Club announced that it is raising public awareness of health and wellness issues and pledging up to $2 million to four health-focused nonprofits through its 2011 Giving Made Simple campaign. Beyond raising awareness, the 2011 Giving Made Simple campaign allows Sam’s Club members and associates to direct a portion of the company’s donations to four health-related nonprofit organizations. Members and associates can vote in clubs July 9 and 10, and online every day beginning July 5 at SamsClub.com/givingmadesimple and on facebook.com/samsclub through Aug. 1, 2011.

Williams-Sonoma Inc. was recognized as St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's Corporate Partner of the Year during the presentation of the ALSAC/St. Jude Volunteer Appreciation Awards on June 24. St. Jude honored partners, volunteers and donors from across the country at the annual event.

Williams-Sonoma has raised more than $15.5 million for St. Jude through the annual Thanks and Giving fundraising campaign since 2005. In 2010, Williams-Sonoma Inc. associates collected $4.1 million during the campaign through its Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, PBteen, West Elm and Williams-Sonoma Home stores, catalogs and websites.