As we move into the Centennial year of the National Park Service, we all want more support for our parks—more stewards to continue protection of our parks’ natural and cultural resources, more engagement with visitors, more educational opportunities, and more funding. In order to grow this support for our nation’s oldest park, Yellowstone National Park’s two nonprofit partners have decided to merge. Yellowstone Park Foundation and Yellowstone Association’s respective leaders explain why and how they decided to undertake this merger.
We aren’t effective health and environment donors if we aren’t also supporting the innovation and commercialization of truly safer alternatives to toxic chemicals. To address this situation, Rachel’s Network Member Alison Carlson and her Forsythia Foundation studied how to invest in scaling green chemistry solutions—also known as “benign by design” solutions or safer alternatives. Thus, Safer Made was born.
The recent Indonesian forest fires have been called the worst disaster in 20 years – for people, for wildlife, for Borneo’s rich rainforest, and for the Earth. Rachel’s Network Member Caroline Gabel writes about how she’s worked with a small nonprofit in nearby Malaysia to develop alternative economies that could serve as a model for Indonesia, where human activities are wreaking havoc on the forest.
When work isn’t tied to a title, how does society measure it? Can we find a new definition that includes shades of grey as our work evolves over the course of our lives? Can we include a definition of work that encompasses our philanthropy and volunteerism, our civic responsibilities, and the maintenance of important relationships? Rachel’s Network Member Brooke Borgen says “yes!”.
Since the beginning of time, music has been a catalyst for change. Today, music is linked to academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity. Rachel’s Network Member Sarah duPont is using music and the arts as a positive force in Benin and the Amazon Rainforest.
