Tag Archives: March Goodness

by | March 25, 2010 · 12:27 pm

PPI’s Own Sweet Sixteen

This integrated team of Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot girls knows the power of teamwork to overcome obstacles.If you’re like we are here at PeacePlayers International, you spent a good portion of last weekend with one eye on the action in the NCAA National Basketball Championships, where the ability of basketball to inspire us all is on full display. Well, PeacePlayers International is in our own competition right now, and we need your help to bring home the win.

March 30th marks the end of March Goodness, a contest where a select group of nonprofits are competing for grants based on their ability to raise funds through the Razoo network. The top three organizations in our bracket will each earn a corporate-sponsored cash donation for its work. Right now, PeacePlayers International only needs about 50 more donations to earn a grant! Even better, if PeacePlayers International comes out on top, it will not only earn an immediate cash grant, but move on to a second round of the competition, with up to $10,000 available for winning nonprofits! That’s roughly enough to support the participation of thirty more Arab and Jewish children in our program in the Middle East!

Here’s how you can help:

  • Forward this message to anyone you know who might support PeacePlayers International’s work. Post the link to your Facebook Wall, your Twitter account or whatever other tools you use to communicate with your friends and family.
  • Keep your eyes on the leaderboard to track PeacePlayers International’s progress toward its goal!
And, thanks to March Goodness’ corporate sponsor D.C. United, one lucky donor to March Goodness today, March 25th, will win a DC United prize packet, featuring:
  • 4 tickets to a D.C. United home game,
  • 4 D.C. United scarves, and
  • A mini-ball autographed by a D.C. United player.

We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, but, believe it or not, nearly 2,000 people in the US have joined our community of believers that basketball can bridge divides, develop leaders and change perceptions. Together, we know we can close the gap.

Thank you very much for your support! Contact Communications and Development Associate Brian Cognato with any questions.

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by | March 22, 2010 · 3:07 pm

A Big Week for the Sixth Man

Leah Haberman, just one of the volunteers taking action in her own community to support PPI in recent days.

“The Sixth Man” is what we call our special blog for all of PeacePlayers International’s volunteer supporters. Over the past several days, “The Sixth Man” has been extremely active, as have PPI’s Sixth Men and Women – the volunteer activists who support PPI by taking action within their own hometowns. Among the latest news:

  • Led by PPI – Middle East Fellowship alumnus Danny Ourian, the Harlem Wizards and Safe Haven Hoops, a New York youth basketball organization, put on a night of “Trick Hoopz and Alley Oopz” to benefit PeacePlayers International at Columbia University’s Levien Gymnasium on Sunday, March 22nd. A great time was had by all, as the Wizards dribbled, jammed and danced – yes, danced – to support PPI. PPI owes a special thanks to Danny, as well as fellow alumni David Lasday and Mike Vaughan-Cherubin, for their hard work on PPI’s behalf.  Look for more information soon!
  • Theresa Verzosa, a former volunteer with PeacePlayers International in South Africa, raised funds for PPI – SA with her run in the National Half Marathon in Washington, DC. Joined by PPI – South Africa Fellowship alumnus Lael O’Shaughnessy, Theresa not only finished the half-marathon, but successfully reached her goal of raising $2,000 for PPI – SA! Check out her project page here.
  • PPI was thrilled to receive support from Leah Haberman, a young activist preparing for her Bat Mitzvah later this year. Learn more about Leah and her effort here.
  • PPI inducted the Irish Club of La Jolla High School into the Sixth Man and Woman Hall of Fame. Read about their accomplishments here.
  • Thanks to Razoo, PPI is currently in a heated battle known as “March Goodness.” In March Goodness, nonprofit organizations compete to earn small donations – as low as only $10 – with corporate-sponsored cash prizes going to the organizations that collect the most. PPI’s down right now, but far from out. Help us mount our comeback!

PPI would like to thank Danny, Theresa, Leah, the Irish Club of La Jolla, Razoo and our whole worldwide network of supporters for their outstanding commitment to our cause!

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by | March 17, 2010 · 4:50 pm

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from PeacePlayers International!

Everybody’s a little bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. But remember that the island is more than just shamrocks and Guinness. In this video, we take an inside look at PPI’s efforts to bridge divides between Catholic and Protestant children in Belfast, a city where the vast majority of schools are still segregated along religious lines and huge, concrete “Peace Walls” still divide Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods.

What makes St. Patrick’s Day even sweeter for PPI is that it corresponds with the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year – March Madness! PPI’s set up its own bracket competition  – the organization is giving away a PPI prize pack and needs your help to get over the top in an online giving contest.

The competition is totally free, but PPI is asking those who participate to consider making a $10 donation to its “March Goodness” campaign in lieu of an entry fee. “March Goodness” is a competition among nonprofits to try to generate the most online donations over the course of March Madness, with corporate grants up to $10,000 as prizes. The total amount raised doesn’t matter this round – only the total numbers of donations received – so even a small contribution can make a big difference.

Click here for all the info.

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by | March 16, 2010 · 8:03 pm

Join PPI’s Bracket Competition!

A shot falls in a PPI - SA's Tournament of Champions. The same drive on display in the NCAAs this March motivates ball players all around the world.

Swept up in the usual excitement this time of year? Looking for a way to participate that means more than usual, that puts the money so often lost in a March pool to good use? Well, PPI has set up its own bracket competition and is inviting its staff, alumni and other friends of the organization to participate – that means you!

The competition is totally free, but PPI is asking those who participate to consider making a $10 donation to its “March Goodness” campaign in lieu of an entry fee. “March Goodness” is a competition among nonprofits to try to generate the most online donations over the course of March Madness, with corporate grants up to $10,000 as prizes. The total amount raised doesn’t matter this round – only the total numbers of donations received – so even a small contribution can make a big difference.

PPI’s offering a prize pack with some PPI gear and a framed photo from its work abroad to the top bracket among those who participate in March Goodness. So don’t just sink your money in the office pool when you look to join the fun this March, use it to further the improve the futures of children in some of the world’s most deeply divided communities.

Click here to join PPI’s bracket competition. The password is “Peaceoo1.” To support PPI in March Goodness, click here.

Help more young people in the Middle East, Northern Ireland, Israel and the West Bank, and Cyprus find their "One Shining Moment" with PPI.

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by | March 15, 2010 · 1:29 pm

Help PPI Make a Splash in “March Goodness”

The brackets are set. The teams are ready. It’s that time of year again.

Drop a dime. A single $10 donation can help do big things for PPI.

If you’re as big a hoops fan as we are here at PPI, for the next couple of weeks, you’ll likely have one thing on your mind. From Spartansburg, South Carolina (home to first-time dancer Wofford) to the sunny shores of Santa Barbara (home of The Gauchos), there’s no better time for basketball than March Madness.

We here at PPI recently joined our own version of March Madness. It’s called “March Goodness” and is organized by Razoo, a website that helps connect donors to worthy organizations. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be competing against 15 other nonprofits in the “East” regional – whoever gets the most unique donations of $10 or more wins. And with winning comes a bonus donation from Razoo’s prize pot, to help us continue bridging divides through basketball all over the world.

Please, take a minute and head over to the March Goodness page, and make a one-time $10 donation to PPI to support our effort. Then, tell your friends and family and get them involved. We’re seeded 14th in our region, but everyone knows March Madness is all about the upsets!

P.S. Want to get creative? Why not consider donating your friends’ or office pool to PPI? Instead of collecting money for a pot, ask everyone participating to make a $10 donation to PPI. You can track our progress throughout the tourney, and, you can watch all this month’s games knowing that you’ve helped make a difference through basketball. Besides, the guy who just picks which mascots he likes better wins every year any way…

Just as a reminder, here’s what you’ll be supporting:

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