Microfinance a Working Solution to Global Poverty » Oak Brook http://www.opportunity.org Opportunity International Fri, 17 May 2013 16:28:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 Taking a Bite Out of Poverty with Cookies for Change http://www.opportunity.org/blog/taking-a-bite-out-of-poverty-with-cookies-for-change/ http://www.opportunity.org/blog/taking-a-bite-out-of-poverty-with-cookies-for-change/#comments Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:31:03 +0000 Deanna Giolas http://www.opportunity.org/?p=24483 Read more...]]> The kitchen at Opportunity International’s U.S. headquarters was filled with the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked cookies; this was no ordinary day in the office. As the Cookie Monster sang recently, “You got cookie, so share it maybe,” and sharing was the theme of this cookie contest fundraiser organized by the summer interns. “Cookies for Change” tapped into employees’ love of sweets, their generosity and their competitive spirit to aid in Opportunity’s fight to empower individuals in extreme poverty with life-changing loans. When the idea was first proposed, I never imagined a few cookies could spark so much enthusiasm for giving.

Cookies for Change fundraiser

Cookies for Change fundraiser

To spread the word, colorful e-mails were sent out to all employees to enlist contestants to bring in two dozen of their favorite home-baked or store-bought cookies for the competition, and to donate to the online fundraiser on Opportunity’s website.

On the day of the event, the excitement in the office was palpable. The kitchen was filled with people eager to taste the goodies and use their funds to support the cause. Each of the 13 batches was placed in front of an envelope bearing a contestant number and a description of the cookie. Everyone in the office was encouraged to sample each cookie and place donations in the form of cash, check or IOU into the envelope of their favorites. At the end of the day, the cookie that raised the most money was crowned the winner! Former intern and new Young Ambassadors manager Allison Kooser took a bite out of the competition and received first place with her creative and scrumptious pretzel, chocolate and sea salt cookies.

Just a few of the cookie contestants

Just a few of the cookie contestants

Extra cookies were also available for purchase throughout the day for anyone wishing to take a few for the road. Meghan Cutherell’s delicious pumpkin cream cheese and chocolate caramel whoopee pies flew off the trays and into the mouths of happy customers.

All in all, this fundraiser was a great success. We raised a total of $442, including off- and online donations, and our fundraiser is still going online.

Meghan and her very popular whoopie pies

Meghan and her whoopie pies

The fundraiser’s low operating costs and creativity make it fun and easy to replicate in your own office or organization! If there’s one thing “Cookies for Change” has taught me, it is to never underestimate the power of the sweet tooth.

To see all our online fundraisers, or to start your own, visit opportunity.org/fundraiser.

]]> http://www.opportunity.org/blog/taking-a-bite-out-of-poverty-with-cookies-for-change/feed/ 0 Have You Gotten Our Note? Volunteer Thank-You Day in the Office http://www.opportunity.org/blog/have-you-gotten-our-note-volunteer-thank-you-day-in-the-office/ http://www.opportunity.org/blog/have-you-gotten-our-note-volunteer-thank-you-day-in-the-office/#comments Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:44:38 +0000 Opportunity International http://www.opportunity.org/?p=22491 Read more...]]> Two weeks ago, two groups of Opportunity volunteers came by our office in Oak Brook–an afternoon and an evening shift–to help staff write thank-you notes to you. If you made a tribute patch this Mother’s Day on our Global Opportunity Quilt, you’ve probably already gotten a hand-written note from one of our wonderful volunteers. We’re all so grateful to you for supporting our work and helping to empower mothers all over the world! Check out a few of the photo highlights from our thank-you day:

The first shift of awesome volunteers in our conference room. Our instructions and welcome note on the whiteboard Blank thank-you notes, ready to be filled! More than a few goodies to sustain us Staff members Steve Nelson (right) and Michael Okleme (center) visit with volunteer Linda. Hard at work Staff member Sarah Tesch takes a break to lead the group in our Poverty IQ quiz. Volunteer Lynn (left) and Sarah The evening shift extends their workday by helping us out. ]]> http://www.opportunity.org/blog/have-you-gotten-our-note-volunteer-thank-you-day-in-the-office/feed/ 0 Not Just Global, But Local: Opportunity-US Staff Day of Service http://www.opportunity.org/blog/opportunity-us-staff-day-of-service/ http://www.opportunity.org/blog/opportunity-us-staff-day-of-service/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 17:41:04 +0000 Opportunity International http://www.opportunity.org/?p=22070 Read more...]]> For 364 days of the year at Opportunity, our focus is global–global communities and the global issue of chronic poverty–but we also know how important it is to give back to our local community. So on Friday, May 11, Opportunity-US closed our Oak Brook, Ill. office to give back to the community with our annual service day. We spent the day out at two churches in the western Chicago suburb of Warrenville, where we did groundskeeping and weeding, cleaned out vans, organized the youth group classroom, and donated food and school supplies, all for the Quest program. Quest is a program of Warrenville Youth & Family Services (WYFS), an agency providing local at-risk junior high and early high school youth with academic support and tutoring, as well as life skills training. (WYFS is part of Outreach Community Ministries, a family of faith-based, community service organizations in local DuPage County.)

We had a great time giving back to youth in our community. Here are just a few highlights from our day:

WYFS staff gives us instructions for the day Cleaning out youth group vans International Business Development's Mary clears brush with the tractor Online community specialist David designs a poster for the kids Weeding on the Grace Church grounds Our Director of Planned Giving, Chuck, hauls away branches SVP Dennis cleans the church hallway Finance department's Renee and fundraiser Sarah repaint SVP of Finance, Rick, works hard with the wheelbarrow Genzo, Director of Knowledge Management, determined to fill the trailer to the brim We found a sweet thank you message on the board when we arrived Opportunity staff members outside the church at lunchtime ]]> http://www.opportunity.org/blog/opportunity-us-staff-day-of-service/feed/ 0 Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam Visits Opportunity’s Microfinance Operations in Ghana http://www.opportunity.org/blog/illinois-congressman-peter-roskam-visits-opportunitys-microfinance-operations-in-ghana/ http://www.opportunity.org/blog/illinois-congressman-peter-roskam-visits-opportunitys-microfinance-operations-in-ghana/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:18:03 +0000 Opportunity International http://www.opportunity.org/?p=12612 Read more...]]> Over the years, Opportunity International has had the honor of hosting a variety of congressional delegations and international dignitaries. Congressman Peter Roskam, a Wheaton, Ill. Republican and House Chief Deputy Whip, traveling with Democratic Congressman Bobby Rush, spent the early part of this week in Ghana, leading a bipartisan fact-finding mission focused on trade, energy and other social and economic issues in Africa. As reported in TheDailyHerald.com, part of that mission included a meeting with officials from Opportunity International Ghana in the capital city of Accra, including head of human resources, Effie Cook.

“Microfinance services help provide steady incomes for families all over Ghana – empowering Ghanaians to create better lives for themselves and their children,” said Roskam. “These small loans assist poor entrepreneurs who are starting or expanding a business. Breaking the cycle of poverty that millions in underdeveloped countries around the world suffer from is incredibly difficult and important. I applaud locally-based Opportunity International for their valuable continued work.”

“Opportunity was pleased to welcome Representative Roskam and other members of Congress to Ghana,” said our CEO Bill Morgenstern. “Having the opportunity to meet with congressional leaders in-country is a key step in building greater awareness within the U.S. of how Opportunity is helping individuals achieve financial freedom by gaining access to the financial tools they need to expand their businesses, create jobs and build thriving communities.”

For more on Opportunity’s microfinance work in Ghana, including our education finance initiatives and our work with the IDP Rising Schools Program, our agriculture finance program, our partnership with the Millennium Villages Project (MVP), and more, read the Opportunity Blog.

Effie Cook, an instructor in Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women Emerging Leaders Program, met with Rep. Roskam this week in Ghana. Watch a video interview with Effie Cook about Emerging Leaders:

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