Starfish Impact enjoys inviting friends in the community to join us as we continue the tradition of pausing to create space for gratitude. In addition to highlighting what we each are grateful for this season, we also invited our friends to share their favorite holiday gifts and we love the ideas. Read on to feel the holiday spirit, possibly find a new go-to gift for the holidays, and take the time to think about gratitude in your own life.
“As we wrap up our 5th year of programming at Angel City Sports, I am most grateful for our amazing coaches and volunteers who help ensure our adaptive sports programming is FREE for all kids, adults and veterans with physical disabilities who are interested in living a healthy, active life.
I am interested in supporting the disabled community in as many ways as possible, and one unique way is to buy holidays gifts made by people with disabilities. Check out this Holiday Gift Guide published by Emily Ladau for more info!”
Clayton Frech, CEO & Founder, Angel City Sports
@AngelCitySports
“I am so grateful for those rare and special individuals who choose to give of themselves and their resources to help nonprofits in the service they provide.
My favorite gift this year is “employment” at Inner-City Arts. Our Social Enterprise model offers jobs to high school students not only in the summer, but during the holiday season when those extra dollars really help out!”
Bob Smiland, President & CEO, Inner-City Arts
@InnerCityArts
“We’re incredibly grateful for philanthropic individuals and organizations who work with us and share our passion for addressing the needs of our aging population by utilizing the power of youth.”
Harrison Ma, Chief Executive Officer, The Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s
@TheYouthMvmt
“I’m extremely grateful to have people near me and in the world who are dedicated to creating a more equitable society.
My favorite gift would be the gift of social impact mentorship.”
Nihal Satyadev, MPH, Chairman & Co-Founder | Medical Student, The Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s
@TheYouthMvmt
“This season, and every season, I am grateful for the brave of heart and the strong of back. I am continually grateful for people in my life, that work hard every day to be mindful parents, compassionate leaders and enlightened activists. I am grateful for continual access to food, water, warmth and love. I am grateful to the earth for providing a true home, and for all of the people who worship and tend to the earth so that we may go on living in beauty.
For holiday cheer, I always give an abundantly full basket (ideally the basket made by a fair-trade women’s co-op) filled with all the fruits of my labour from our organic family farm: juicy apples, Asian pears, elephant garlic, fig jam, and dried lavender.”
Rebecca Berman Bloch, Trustee, The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation
“I am grateful for the open hearts and open minds of the volunteers, funders and employer partners that join Defy Ventures in supporting those currently and formerly incarcerated individuals who seek to transform their lives and to receive a fair chance at giving their best to our society.
This holiday season, my favorite gift to give is a sweet potato pie from Queenie’s Creole Pies, a business founded by a Defy Entrepreneur in Training.”
Andrew Glazier, CEO, Defy Ventures
@DefyVentures
“I’m lucky to both work and be friends with many people who care passionately about building a better world for future generations. That generosity of spirit, that other-directedness, that deep care that people show for one another, for other beings, and for the planet fills me with gratitude.
I always love giving books, and three of the ones I’ve enjoyed the most over the past couple of gift-giving seasons are Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Down to Earth by Bruno Latour, and The Library Book by Susan Orlean.”
Shlomy Kattan, Ph.D., Vice President, Stakeholder Relations, XPRIZE
@xprize
“I am grateful for people who are willing to stand up for themselves and others, even when it hurts. And for my wife and kids for loving me beyond reason.
My favorite gift this season is a donation to a social justice cause in their honor!”
Shane Murphy Goldsmith, President and CEO, Liberty Hill Foundation
@LibertyHill
“I am forever grateful for my entire life team of family, friends, and coworkers. They are a major source of inspiration and positive force in my life, and have put me in a position to work on my dream of building products that have the opportunity to impact millions of people around the world. Thank you, team!
My favorite impact gifts to give over the holidays are trees and carbon! Donating on someone’s behalf is a great support the environment, our planet, and have a little fun along the way!”
Matt Baer, Founder & CEO, KeyoCoin: A Social Good Traveling Platform
@KeyoCoin
“What am I grateful for this season? Love and hope. I feel grateful to be surrounded by the love of those I am surrounded by daily, as well as the community of HATCH family that I am fortunate to intersect with throughout the world, throughout the year. And hope. One of my favorite quotes is from Dr. Jane Goodall – “Without hope, people fall into apathy. There’s still a lot left that’s worth fighting for.”
What is your favorite gift to give this year? Love and hope. To give it is to receive it. To instill it in others is to spark a movement. And right now, it’s an all hands on deck moment in time.
Yarrow Kraner, Creative Alchemist & Founder, HATCH & H360.ai
@YarrowKraner
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