A World We Dare to Imagine - Part 3 (PITCH)

The H.O.P.E. Organization (Healing Our People Everywhere) 

Thomas Carlyle once said, “He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope has everything.” All around the world, there are so many health issues that need to be addressed. Now, is the time to step up to heal our people and work towards creating a healthier, disease-free world.

MISSION

To create a world where everyone has the health care needed to live life to his or her fullest potential. The H.O.P.E. Organization strives to spread hope to people all over the world through the positive impact we make on the health of the people we are serving. 

WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WE DO

As a Global Health and Global Medicine majors, I have had the opportunity to learn about the numerous diseases and health disparities that exist around the world. Seeing this made me want to go out and do something to reduce or even get rid of these health issues. At the H.O.P.E. Organization, we deliver medicines and supplies, as well as provide volunteers and medical training wherever needed. We also work hard to promote wellness, in addition to responding to disasters and health crises around the world. We are passionate about what we do because we are committed to healing the people of our world, so they can live healthy lives full of hope. 

WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE

The H.O.P.E. Organization focuses on three main areas:

• Disasters and Health Crises
• In the case that a disaster strikes or a health crisis is to arise, the H.O.P.E. Organization is ready to respond with our emergency response team who will then work with the local health facilities to provide support.
• Infectious Diseases
• There are still infectious diseases out there affecting populations around the world. However, the H.O.P.E. Organization is here to try and implement different programs that will focus on prevention and treatment. We will put more focus on neglected tropical diseases that tend to be ignored, but are still creating a problem. 
• Chronic Diseases
• Similar to infectious diseases, chronic diseases are also very persistent and continue to grow as a problem. We want to create programs in different countries that can provide education to the public on how to better take care of themselves and manage their diseases. We plan to do so by providing medical training to local healthcare professionals so that they are better equipped to care for the people.

REASON WHY ANIMA MUNDI DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS SHOULD SUPPORT US

Anima Mundi Development Partners should support the H.O.P.E. Organization because we are dedicated to providing long-term solutions to the various health problems around the world, as well as spreading hope to people everywhere. By supporting the H.O.P.E. Organization, AMDP can help us further expand to other countries in need, and provide even better medical help.

Extra Credit!~

With this upcoming week being the last week of summer classes, this weekend I was busy studying for finals and preparing for presentations. However, I decided I deserve a break from all that studying and ended up going to Koreatown with a friend for dinner on Saturday.

One of my favorite foods is fried chicken, especially Korean fried chicken. Because of this, my friend and I went to The Gangjung, which is a small restaurant with really delicious Korean fried chicken. I think I’ve been to this place so many times and have tried almost all of the different flavors they have for their fried chicken. However, when my friend and I went this weekend, we were struggling to decide on what to order. Somehow, we ended up getting the Original Gangjung with rice cakes. In my opinion, this is one of the best flavors since you can never go wrong with the original.

After dinner, we still had room for some dessert and ended up getting boba. Once our tummies were full, we headed for MacArthur Park to go see the KX Festival. This was a small music festival where a lot of local artists got the chance to come out and perform and show what they've been working on. It was a very fun experience for me since I got to see some of my favorite artists, as well as discover new ones that I would like to listen to more in the future. All in all, I had a fun study break! :)

A World We Dare to Imagine - Part 1

One of the reasons I decided to become a Global Health major, as well as do a progressive degree in Global Medicine is because I’ve always been interested in the health of others around the world. I originally wanted to go into the field of global health in order to learn more about the diseases and illnesses around the world, as well as the health disparities that may exist. I want to be able to help communities in different countries to address the disparities they may face and make efforts to establish programs and such to counter or reduce these disparities. 

I think through the opportunity to take various global health/medicine classes, I’ve gained more knowledge about this area. Just last semester, I took a class on child and maternal health. After taking that class, I realized how vulnerable this population was. Because of this, I knew I wanted to do something about all the various health issues mothers and their children face, whether they are from the U.S. or another country.

Next semester, I plan to take a class on clinical nutrition. The reason I decided to register for that class is because I wanted to learn more about nutrition. Being here in Los Angeles, I realized how hard it is for people to get access to the fresh, nutritious food that is necessary to be healthy. Part of the reason is because L.A. is a food desert. One way I saw people try to tackle this problem is by creating an organization that goes into local elementary schools and plant gardens. In doing so, they are teaching the children about nutrition and how to eat healthy, as well as providing them with nutritious food to eat. 

Essentially, my vision for the future is a world in which there are no more health disparities around the world, essentially a healthy, disease-free world. Regardless of knowing that such a vision is very far out there and maybe even unattainable, I am still very motivated to go after this vision. My dream is to one day create a non-profit organization that will bring more awareness to the various health disparities and global health problems, in addition to providing basic health necessities to all the countries in need. 

RANDOM 2

Wow, I can’t believe summer is almost over. This is my first time staying in L.A. for the summer, and I guess I can say it was totally worth it! From taking classes and working at the USC Bookstore to interning in Downtown L.A., it’s been a summer full of fun experiences. 

When I first told people that I would be taking four classes over the summer, everyone’s reaction would be full of shock. Four classes… 16 units…. all in one summer. Basically, I was taking a semester’s worth of classes in just 2 ½ months. I was a bit nervous at the beginning of the summer, but now that I’m reaching the end of all my summer classes I don’t think it was as bad as I originally thought. I was able to learn some valuable things that I feel will help me a lot in the future. And, on top of that, I got the chance to meet so many new people through all my classes. 

I think my favorite part about this summer would have to be my internship. I’m currently interning at Studio 5A (ST5A) or 5A LABEL located in Downtown L.A. ST5A is a recording and mixing studio. You’re probably wondering why someone with a Global Health major is interning at a music studio, right? Well, why not? I was hired as one of the summer interns to help write new bios for their artists. In addition to that, I get to learn a little bit about music production, which is something I’ve always been interested in. So far, my experience as an intern has been so cool! I’ve had the chance to meet so many amazing people that I’ve only seen online. And not to mention, the studio’s dog, Elroy, is the most adorable dog ever! I’m excited to see what’s to come for the remainder of my internship this summer.  

*By the way, go check out Justin Park’s and Demie’s music on YouTube! (They’re amazing!) :D

Born on Third Base - Part 2

Although not really having the chance to carefully read the entire second half of Born on Third Base by Chuck Collins, I still liked the messages he was discussing. I really like how Part VI – “The Invitations” was a call to action for all the readers. Collins starts this section of the book with 10 elements that are necessary to implement a program that could tackle the inequality issue. After having spent most of the book addressing the wealthiest 1 percent, he goes on to address the 99 percent and provide recommendations that could help reduce inequality and increase their power. 

I also like the message about “the 1 percent that lives inside us”. It’s important to take a step back and realize that while we do have problems of our own here in the U.S., most of us still have privileges and advantages compared with others around the world. I think society should be more open-minded and realize that there’s more problems out there than just the ones we are dealing with. I feel like in doing so people can better appreciate what they already have, even if it’s not the most. 

Last, but not least, Collins message to “proceed with empathy”. He brings up a good point that the wealthy often appear to have so many perks, privileges, and comforts, which makes it hard for society to see the “wounds” that may lie underneath. In order to work together to solve this problem of inequality, people must learn to share their stories and listen to the stories of others. “It is hard to hate someone when you know their story” (229). That is why it’s important to build connections with one another. In addition, it might take some different strategies to fix this problem of inequality. 

AMDP Investment Proposal

TO:                 Clark Hansen, CEO, AMDP 
FROM:         Paula Nguyen, Research & Development, AMDP 
DATE:         July 11, 2018 
SUBJECT: Investment Opportunity: SoapBox Soaps

As a member of the Research and Development Department of AMDP, my duty is to identify potential companies for AMDP to invest in. At AMDP, we look for companies that are committed to doing business in a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, and profitable manner. After extensive research, I recommend investing in SoapBox Soaps. As a mission-based personal care company, I believe that SoapBox Soaps aligns with our core values. This won’t just be an investment in another company, but rather an investment in a movement. 

AMDP Standards

Before I discuss any further about SoapBox Soaps, I want to briefly go over our standards here at AMDP:

Triple Bottom Line

Triple bottom line consists of the three P’s:

• People: Ensuring that all the activities and operations within a company benefits the employees as well as the community.
• Planet: Avoiding any activities that could potentially harm the environment, along with finding ways to further reduce any negative impact on the ecosystem. 
• Profit: Having a clear, long-term strategy focused on sustainable growth and maximizing a company’s profitability. 

Corporate Social Responsibility

Proactive behavior by a company for the benefit of society. Corporate social responsibility allow companies to take responsibility for the social and environmental impacts of their business operations. 

Social Enterprise

Companies that are involved in selling goods and services, but with underlying social objectives that serve as its primary purpose. Essentially, social enterprises aim to balance activities that will provide financial benefit with goals that will benefit society. 

Carbon Footprint

Carbon footprint is a total of all the greenhouse gas emissions you produce through your everyday activities. The reason it’s called a carbon footprint is because the main greenhouse gas involved is carbon dioxide or CO2. To measure carbon footprint, we look at the tons of CO2 equivalent, since there are other gases in addition to CO2 that play a role in global warming. It’s important to take note of our carbon footprint, since it shows how much we contribute to global warming and can help us in figuring out ways to reduce our impact on the climate. Additionally, monitoring and reducing our carbon footprint can help us to become greener. 

SoapBox Soaps

Background

David Simnick first founded SoapBox Soaps in 2010 with the simple mission of wanting to encourage people to change the world through every day, quality purchases. After working for a USAID subcontractor on water aid projects, Simnick was inspired to use the power of business to drive social good. That was when the idea of SoapBox was born. Simnick made his first ever batch of soap in his college apartment kitchen during his time at American University. SoapBox quickly grew into a team of motivated individuals, all of whom are dedicated to providing their customers with quality products that place giving into their daily routine. For each SoapBox product purchased, a bar of soap is donated to someone in need either within the U.S. or abroad, along with proper hygiene education. According to SoapBox Soaps, “Access to soap can change a life, which is why we believe that Soap = Hope”.  

People

SoapBox Soaps goal is to only help, never hurt. As mentioned before, for every SoapBox Soaps product purchased, a bar of soap is donated to a person in need through their partner, the Global Soap Project. To create more of a connection, the Hope Code was created and started appearing on their products in 2015. The Hope Code is an alphanumeric code that’s printed on each label. When consumers enter the code on the SoapBox website, they can see the project the donation is going towards, along with photos. 

While SoapBox Soaps isn’t the first company to have a “buy-one-give-one” mission, it has implemented many ways to improve sustainable giving. For instance, it has collaborated with local organizations in the countries where they give to and provide funds to start soap-making businesses. This helps support the local economy and provide a culturally familiar personal care product. SoapBox also gives soap bars to food banks and homeless shelter. About 50% of soap bar donations are within the U.S., where it goes towards providing health and hygiene to people from all kinds of communities. In addition, SoapBox Soaps also funds research that The Carter Center and the F.I. Proctor Foundation at UCSF are conducting on how water sanitation and hygiene education can help reduce trachoma infections. 

SoapBox Soaps also takes care of their employees. They don’t require 60-80 hour work weeks from their employees. All that they expect is that each employee does the amount of work that needs to be done while having fun and loving what they do, since that is how they have been able to make such a tremendous impact. 

Planet

For SoapBox Soaps, the ingredients that goes towards producing the soaps are very important. With the use of naturally derived ingredients, all soaps are free of gluten, parabens, and other chemical preservatives often used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. On top of that, all soaps are made ethically, so palm oil is not used in an effort to limit the destruction of natural habitats in Southeast Asia. As for the soap bars being donated, these are made from recycled soap bars from hotels that have been shaved down, sanitized, and reformed to make a brand new bar.
Donations of soap bars are also paired with hygiene lessons. By working together with nonprofits that not only make and distribute the bars, but also teach hand-washing etiquette through their hygiene ambassador programs. According to Matt Vasilogambros from The Atlantic, “This soap could save the world…The results have been impressive…The humanitarian relief has affected countries from Thailand and Kenya to Ecuador and Haiti.” To date, 6,000 hygiene lessons have been taught, and over 3 million lives have been impacted. SoapBox Soaps works hard to help reduce deaths from diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections that can be prevented by the simple act of washing hands at necessary times. 

Profit

SoapBox Soaps hit $1 million in sales at the end of 2014, and has tripled in growth every year since 2010. It currently has distribution in Target, CVS, Whole Foods, and other various retail stores across the country, as well as online. As stated by Linda Casey from BXP Magazine, “SoapBox Soaps wants to be the change”. Moreover, as a socially minded brand, SoapBox has evolve its marketing and branding strategy, which will help with sustainability.  

Recommendation

SoapBox Soaps has demonstrated rapid growth for being a startup, and shows signs of even further growth in the future. With its present business model of supporting local economies while providing soap and hygiene education, SoapBox Soaps can be seen to be different from other “buy-one-give-one” companies. What it needs now is AMDP’s support to continue its commitment of spreading hope. I highly recommend investing in SoapBox Soaps and joining the movement towards making a positive difference around the world. 
 

References

"Brand Spotlight: Soapbox Soaps." Influenster.com. N. p., 2017. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.influenster.com/article/brand-spotlight-soapbox-soaps

Commerce, SoapBox. "Soapbox Soaps: Clean Strategy Making A Global Difference." U.S. Chamber of Commerce. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.uschamber.com/above-the-fold/soapbox-soaps-clean-strategy-making-global-difference

"Hope Code Helps Soapbox Connect Customers To Its Mission - Technical.Ly DC." Technical.ly DC. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://technical.ly/dc/2018/03/29/hope-code-helps-soapbox-connect-customers-mission/

"How We Give." Soapbox. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.soapboxsoaps.com/pages/how-we-give

Promotions, Bank et al. "What Is Your Carbon Footprint - How To Calculate & Reduce It." Moneycrashers.com. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.moneycrashers.com/carbon-footprint-definition-calculate-reduce/

Radcliffe, Brent. "Social Enterprise." Investopedia. N. p., 2014. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-enterprise.asp

Responsibility?, What. "What Is Corporate Social Responsibility?." Business News Daily. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4679-corporate-social-responsibility.html

"Soapbox Soaps | B Corporation." Bcorporation.net. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, https://www.bcorporation.net/community/soapbox-soaps

"Soapbox Soaps Hits $1M In Sales And Expands Product Reach." Elevation DC. N. p., 2015. Web. 2 July 2018, http://www.elevationdcmedia.com/innovationnews/soapboxsoaps_05012015.aspx

"Soapbox Soaps Wants To Be The Change." BXP Magazine. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, http://www.bxpmagazine.com/article/soapbox-soaps-wants-be-change

Vasilogambros, Matt. “This Soap Could Save the World.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 2 Dec. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/12/this-soap-could-save-the-world/437697/.

"What Is A 3P Triple Bottom Line Company?." Smallbusiness.chron.com. N. p., 2018. Web. 2 July 2018, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/3p-triple-bottom-line-company-4141.html

Born on Third Base - Part 1

From what I have read so far from Born on Third Base by Chuck Collins, I have started gaining a new perspective on social inequality. I found what Collins had to say about the relationship status between U.S. people and the super-wealthy was quite interesting. People “feel enraged, admiring, and wish to be the object of…[their] own anger” (9). This quote really stuck out to me for some reason. Society tends to fawn over those who are rich and even worship celebrities and such with great fortunes. Yet, society also sees those that are most endowed as being greedy and selfish, and even hold resent towards the rich. But why does it have to be that way? I think it’s important for both sides to gain a better understanding of the other side, in order to work together to reduce social inequality. 

This is why I think Collins makes a good point when he brings up this concept of empathy. In order to bring about change to this issue of inequality, there is an empathetic barrier to change. In my opinion, society’s attitudes need to be changed. This current mindset that society has was acquired from historical systems of racial and class advantage, as well as from huge economic and political distortions in the economy. In order to solve this issue, everyone needs to work alongside one another to attain economic justice. 

I have enjoyed reading this book. I think some of the concepts discussed in the book are things I have seen in real life, but now it is put into words in a way that I can understand the impact that it’s making. I’m looking forward to seeing how the second half of Born on Third Base will be, and what other things Collins will discuss about.