Companies are responding to the crisis in Haiti and supporting the recovery efforts of the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince last week. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that U.S. companies pledged more than $43 million dollars within the first 72 hours after the earth quake, and many more have donated since then. Baudville has also joined the cause.

Baudville’s Helping Hand, Baudville’s charitable fund, has made a $5,000 donation to Partners in Health (PIH) to assist with medical care in Haiti. PIH’s mission is to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care. The organization has had a presence in Haiti since 1985, and currently operates 8 medical facilities in the country.

Partners In Health will be integral in the medical care of the relief efforts. Because PIH is a primary healthcare provider in Haiti, patients are flooding their sites outside of Port-au-Prince for help and medical care. Donations to PIH will assist with their earthquake relief efforts and provide medical care to those wounded in the quake.

For more information about Partners in Health and to donate to their Haiti relief work, please visit www.pih.org. Together, we can make a difference.

Since we added product reviews to our website, we've really enjoyed learning how customers are using our recognition products to celebrate the achievements of their employees. We'll be sharing some of their stories on the blog because we believe one of the best sources of ideas for employee recognition is from your peers who are practicing it.

Kelly, a Human Resources Manager from Wyoming, provided a review of our You Made the Difference Character Pin. This theme is great for healthcare organizations! 

"We use this pin in our healthcare facility as part of our employee of the quarter program. The employee of the quarter as well as the finalists receive this pin. I have had great feedback on it because it isn't the typical 'above and beyond' type of recognition. As a leader in our facility I like that it actually lists the behaviors that make the employee special."

As Baudville’s copywriter, I am painfully aware of the number of themes we have that relate to making a difference (if you’ve ever had to write repeatedly about the concept of making a difference without saying making, a, or difference, then you know what I’m talking about).

But there is a very good reason we have so many themes of this nature. There are so many ways that a person can make a difference, whether it’s volunteering for a non-profit, working as a caregiver, or having significant impact in a business setting. All people in all situations have the power to affect the world around them in a positive way, which means our customers need to have choices when it comes to thanking these folks.

So, we have Making the Difference, You Make the Difference, Making a Difference, You Make a World of Difference, and You Made the Difference. We also have one called The Power of One that has a "you make a world of difference" tagline.

Inside these four walls, we giggle about the redundancy (or maybe it’s just me alone in my cubicle); but it’s actually very serious business. When you think about it, it’s pretty profound that there is such demand for this sentiment. In fact, this Saturday is National Make a Difference Day—a whole day dedicated to (here it comes) making a difference! The organization that instituted this holiday focuses on the philanthropic aspect, but since we know that making a difference can take so many forms, we like to promote them all.

Wondering how you can get involved? One way is to participate directly in volunteer efforts in your community. The Make a Difference Day web site has a project finder for activities already going on in your neighborhood. Or, you can organize your own project and use their idea generator to help you get started.

You can also consider every day Make a Difference Day, and focus on the little things you can do all the time to create positive change. At work, in your neighborhood, at school, for the environment, on the political front, on the other side of the world, or even by smiling at the right person at the right time—there are opportunities everywhere!   

Finally, possibly the most significant way you can do your part is to encourage (and thank) those who make a difference. That’s not why they’re doing it, but that doesn’t mean we all don’t appreciate the efforts any less. And guess what? We have just the thing…

  

--------------------------

Allison is Baudville’s one (and only) Copywriter. She’s been writing for a variety of media for more than eight years, so if she tells you she has been there and done that, she probably has. Before embarking on a career in writing, Allison worked as a department manager where she used Baudville products to motivate her team. She’s what we call a true believer!