Pro Bono Service Provides Value to You and Your Firm
You get internal and external value, via:
- Making the world a better place for everyone
- Recognition for having an innovative giving strategy
- Positive influence on your community or planet
- Personal, brand, and company visibility and reputation
- Leadership role and experience through philanthropy
- Team-building opportunities and connecting to your community
- Attracting recruits who recognize your company offers opportunities to give back
- Demonstrating your and your company’s core competencies
- Connecting with prospective and current clients, customers, or alliance partners
- Demonstrating commitment to the community
- Fostering innovation and getting real experience
Jim and his firm, MediaFirst, are proud to be involved with these nonprofits.
Communities rely upon the involvement and leadership of citizens. Our nation and the planet require informed advocacy. At MediaFirst, we consistently strive to learn more about the world we live in and take part in making the world better for all.
Fostering Community & Community Goals
We help charitable organizations selected by the staff through:
- Helping existing partners operate more efficiently and effectively
- Building local community relationships
- Targeting issues and causes
- Supplementing the capacity of partner organizations to better achieve their mission
- Giving programs that reach current and new partners
- Verification of giving efficacy of supported non-profits
Father Christmas Cup. The Father Christmas Cup, Inc. holds an annual fund-raising event to provide comfort and financial support to local families who have lost a parent within the last year. The Father Christmas Cup is based around an annual soccer tournament consisting of local soccer players and compassionate volunteers, many of whom have ties to the beneficiary families. MediaFirst has sponsored the Father Christmas Cup for many years and now provides marketing, PR and social media support for the benefit tournament and non-profit organization. Like Father Christmas Cup on Facebook.
Amnesty International: Worldwide, Amnesty supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, freedom of conscience, and an end to torture.
Creative Commons develops, supports, and stewards legal and technical infrastructure to maximize digital creativity, sharing, and innovation. https://creativecommons.org/
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF.org)
Youth Soccer. Mr. Caruso served as an assistant coach for Boys Under-12, U11, and U10 Select Soccer teams. For two and one-half years, Mr. Caruso helped an Olympic Coach and World Cup player as assistant coach and manager. This team attained a southeast rank as high as 17th. Mr. Caruso coached youth soccer clinics, emphasizing individual player development, enjoyment of the game, appreciating our cultural differences, and the individual skills that build player confidence. He holds a US Soccer National Youth Coaching License. He has served as head coach for youth teams from age U-8 to U-19. Jim has also participated in events and fundraisers for Soccer in the Streets
International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) supports a ban of landmines through an international treaty, the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, for which it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its efforts. ICBL is a global network covering 100 countries that works for a world free of antipersonnel landmines. Previously we supported Clear Landmines, a Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) program: Every year more than 20,000 people are killed or mutilated by landmines. Notably, children are about 45% of civilian casualties.
The vast majority of victims are civilians and not soldiers. Year after year, Landmine Monitor has reported that civilians account for 70 to 85 percent of casualties. This is not just during a conflict – most of the countries where casualties are reported are at peace.
High Meadows School: Mr. Caruso served as a member of the board of directors of this extraordinary pre-K through eighth-grade school. He led the first annual campaign for fundraising (establishing an ongoing annual campaign), developed a template for school Press Releases and issued a press release when High Meadows was awarded a Goizueta Foundation Grant.
Kiva: Loans That Change Lives. Kiva empowers individuals to lend to an entrepreneur across the globe. By combining microfinance with the internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people connected through lending. Kiva promotes dignity, accountability, and transparency. MediaFirst’s staff made more than 27 loans in more than 14 countries, of which more than 26 have been repaid in full. There have been no defaults or delinquencies on any loan. See an example on the Kiva lender page of our CEO, Jim Caruso.
National Kidney Foundation of Georgia: Noelle Rutecki and Jim Caruso developed a brochure, which presented of giving opportunities. This work was performed for Sue Hughes.
Rugby: Mr. Caruso is a long-term member and supporter of the Atlanta Renegades Rugby Football Club (RFC).
Men’s Soccer Over-30 League: MediaFirst created and maintained a league Web site for Over-30 and was instrumental in organizing Over-40 and Over-50. Mr. Caruso ran an adult Over-30 team, many-time season and tournament champions. He orchestrated the founding of Future Stars, an adult soccer club, Future Stars fielded several adult teams in various leagues and in tournament competitions in Georgia and beyond, winning in Orlando and Charleston. Mr. Caruso was asked to serve as mentor and chair for the founding of a new youth summer soccer camp, Future Stars Soccer Camp and wrote the announcement press release. In 2012, MediaFirst supported the three-time national champion, Veterans Cup winners FC Georgia United with a press release.
Education & Job Coaching: Previously, Mr. Caruso served on the boards of the: Education Information and Referral Service (EIRS), which became the Career & Education Information Center. The organization provided learning and career information for adults.
Early in his career, he was a member of the board of directors of the Bluegrass Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) and Metro Industries. As a board member of the Bluegrass ARC, Jim spearheaded efforts to refurbish a facility for the Growing Together Preschool (GTP), which enabled expansion of program offerings, notably an integrated program that mixed normal and developmentally disabled children and allowed this pre-school to be spun off as an independent non-profit organization. He conceived of the plan and spearheaded board approval for funding a new home for the preschool, enabling expansion of the program. The efforts involved renting and renovating a dilapidated, two-story house owned by the city. Read the nice story of the community coming together at a time of federal and state budget cuts and the loss of their former facility.
Roswell High School: Jim developed a Press Release for a local youth wrestling program: Roswell Junior Hornet Wrestling Tournament 8 Jan 2005.
Wikipedia is the world’s largest, most popular encyclopedia. It is online, free to use and free of advertising. Wikipedia contains more than 30 million volunteer-authored articles in over 287 languages. Donations pay for staff salaries and technology. Wikipedia and its sister projects together reach 530 million people every month. Donate.
Arcadia Power
Environment & Sustainability: For every kWh, we use with our local utility, Arcadia matches it with Green-e certified renewable energy certificates (RECs) for an equal amount of wind energy. The RECs track off-site renewable energy production from Arcadia’s partner wind farms. Arcadia Power’s mission is to change the way America consumes energy and convert from fossil fuels to renewables. Arcadia Power provides any individual or business an easy and affordable choice to use 100% Wind Energy. Choose clean energy through Arcadia Power, you match your usage with renewable energy produced across the country and join a community dedicated to sustainability.
Pet Adoption
A supporter of pet adoption programs from the Atlanta Humane Society, Fulton County Animal Services, and other local organizations.
Sierra Club
If your firm is interested in publicizing a nonprofit collaboration or event, feel free to call Jim Caruso at 404.788.0188 to discuss your project.
