Youth Design

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

On Thursday, November 13, 2014, Youth Design held its second annual Designer Carnival Event at the W hotel. Youth Design, which was piloted in 2003, is a Boston based non-profit organization, geared towards preparing a diverse group of urban high-schoolers to realize their full creative potential, live their dream and become the next generation of designers.

The event supports Youth Design’s powerful mission to help change the course of these student’s lives by encouraging them to pursue a higher education and fulfilling careers. Youth Design is the leading program in Boston, that “focuses on addressing the critical socioeconomic needs of urban youth”, Zoey Gulmi, a writer and founder of Style by Zoe writes, “by teaching them highly marketable design skills”. Youth Design hopes that the next generations of “Youth Designs” will develop the necessary skills to achieve financial stability and sufficiency. And how better to work towards this goal, than by getting today’s professional design community involved and utilizing them as mentors.

The arts play such a crucial role in our society. The importance, however, goes unnoticed by too many. Frankly one could say that the arts are mostly just taken for granted. As a society, the arts keeps us grounded and complete us a human beings – they allow us to be available in the moment and be vulnerable. They allow us to communicate and express our emotions in the most genuine of forms. Furthermore, they bridge cultures and bring people together. Additionally, a recent study conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts has found that “lower-income students have higher academic results, college aspirations, and civic participation when they are engaged in the arts for long periods of time”. Due to this, Youth Design has made it their purpose to give back to Boston’s future by teaming their students up with exceptional mentors each year to support their endeavors and offer their expertise.

An organization that is devoted to nurturing our youth in an effort to better both themselves and our society as a whole, is as inspiring as it is motivating and in the words of this year’s mentor of the year, Jay Calderin, “One should never stop learning. Being involved in a perpetual education and nurturing a boundless curiosity are the only ways you will evolve as a designer.”

To learn more Youth Design and their mission, take a look at their website.

from Frank Azar Gives http://ift.tt/1AOShIV

from WordPress http://ift.tt/1uChpdI

When You Need A Personal Injury Lawyer

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

Though you may have heard successful stories of people working directly with insurance companies after a personal injury, it is often more than worth the money to hire a personal injury lawyer. Having legal guidance for the complex array of legal rules and incentives is invaluable. If you’re dealing with any of the following situations, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have professional counsel.

The amount you’re compensated for an accident is directly tied to the severity of your injuries, recover time, and the amount of your medical bills. As your potential compensation rises, so does your potential range of compensation widen. If you’re dealing with severe injuries, you’ll definitely want to spend the money to have a lawyer on your side to make sure your compensation is on the higher end. So too with long-term or permanent injuries. Assessing the worth of an injury like this requires experience in order to get the most you can, particularly if you don’t know how long you’ll be out of commission.

In the last couple decades, there has been a significant rise in claims involving toxic exposure. Contaminants are increasingly found in the environment (air, soil, water, etc) as well as in our food and other household products. The trouble is that exposure is often difficult to prove. An experienced lawyer will often be able to provide the required scientific data, which is necessary to penetrate the defense of major chemical corporations and their expensive legal counsel.

Surprisingly to many, medical malpractice suits are one of the most complex. If your injury is the result of professional carelessness or incompetence by a healthcare professional, you’ll definitely want someone on your side with specific experience. Hospitals, doctors, laboratories – the medical world will be very prepared.

If you’re working without a personal injury lawyer and the insurance company simply refuses your claim, it’s not too late to hire a lawyer yourself. Thought the lawyer fee will cut into your ultimate compensation, it’s much better than nothing. Better still, hire a lawyer from the get-go and avoid the extra time and grief of dealing with insurance companies on your own in the first place.

from Frank Azar Personal Injury http://ift.tt/1vGH3UY

from WordPress http://ift.tt/1v5GKjS

Frank Azar – Injured Parties Turn to 123 Lump Sum For Fast Money

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

A growing number of injured parties are looking for ways to collect money from a structured settlement resulting from personal injury lawsuit. In southern Florida, one of the companies attempting to expand this type of transaction is 123 Lump Sum, according to the Sun Sentinel.

Often the process of attempting to gain compensation due to an injury can be lengthy, and plaintiffs can see their financial needs grow exponentially during that time. Companies like 123 Lump Sum buy up settlements and provide victims with the quick infusion of cash that they may need.

According to president, Andrew Savysky, 123 Lump Sum does not simply buy out entire annuities on a whim. “We try to understand our customers current financial needs and design a transaction that fit those needs.” he says.

Many financial analysts argue that structured settlements are usually best for the injured party, and that a settlement purchase should be only a last resort to address pressing needs. The state of Florida requires a judge to approve of all structured settlement purchases in order to ensure that they are in the best interests of the consumer. 123 Lump Sum has actually been an industry leader in promoting just these sort of consumer protections, and were proponents of a 2001 law that enforced consumer protections.

123 Lump Sum has seen a jump in business in recent years. They are seeing revenues of $30 million annually and they employ 100 people. Much of their success rests on their approach of catering their transactions to the particular needs of their customer.

To read more about the purchasing of structured settlements from personal injury cases, read the original article at the Sun Sentinel.

from Frank Azar Personal Injury http://ift.tt/1r6cuGa

from WordPress http://ift.tt/1r6fBhj

Frank Azar – Charity Golf Event To Assist Veterans’ Employment Programs

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

Earlier in the month, Agility announced on BusinessWire that it would host the seventh annual Paralyzed Veterans Golf Open, which raises funds for Paralyzed Veterans of America’s employment assistance program, Operation PAVE (Paving Access for Veterans Employment). The unique event pairs disabled military to play golf alongside veterans, military officials, corporate sponsors and other supporters of Operation PAVE’s mission to help veterans overcome employment challenges.

(Image: National President Bill Lawson at the 2012 Paralyzed Veterans Golf Open, source PVA)

This year, the charity event will feature an adaptable Golf Clinic for veterans with disabilities, let by Anthony Netto, PGA golf pro and founder of the Stand Up and Play Foundation. In addition, the event will include a showcase of adaptive golf cart technology that lifts players into a standing position, allowing them to play even if they are paralyzed.

Since its start in 2008, the annual Paralyzed Veterans Golf Open has raised $2.2 million for Operation PAVE and helped open rehabilitation centers in Chicago, Tampa, and San Antonio. The vocational rehab centers address the high unemployment rates for veterans by providing free one-on-one job counseling and placement assistance for veterans, their families, and their caregivers. They also specialize in assisting disabled veterans on their path to re-enter the workforce.

The charity event will take place on June 9, 2014, and will serve as a beacon of hope for veterans seeking assistance nationwide.

from Frank Azar Gives http://ift.tt/1AUTNoA

from WordPress http://ift.tt/1mlrIFT

Frank Azar – GM Plans Compensation Fund For Victims of Defective Vehicles

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

The long road to compensation for those injured or killed in accidents involving defective GM vehicles may be finally coming to an end. As reported in a recent blog post on the West Virginia Legal Examiner, GM has been working with the Center for Automotive Safety, as well as lawyers for the plaintiffs in drawing up the terms of the proposed plan. As it stands, there will be no monetary limit to the fund, and payments will be offered to claimants who had already settled out of court prior to the 2014 recall of the vehicles.

Claimants seeking payments from the fund would be required to prove that the air bags in the vehicle did not go off, a stipulation that is giving critics of the plan pause. How plaintiffs can be expected to prove that the air bags did not engage is anyone’s guess, but some are hoping that claimants whose vehicles powered off would benefit from presumption and be accepted.

The fund will open until the end of 2014 according to recent reports, which has some accusing GM of trying to hurry the process along before the Department of Justice and the NHTSA complete their investigations. Those findings may have relevance upon plaintiff’s claims and critics hope that GM allow victims to wait for results before having to accept payment.

The company has indicated that the fund will only exist to provide payments to parties who were injured or killed due to the defective vehicles, and will not be providing payments to individuals looking for compensation for economic matters. Claims based on complaints of the depreciation of the vehicle’s value will not be considered valid under the current plan.

In the plan as it currently exists, payments going to claimants may range from $20,000 to several million dollars.

Read more at West Virginia Legal Examiner or the Wall Street Journal.

from Frank Azar Auto Accidents http://ift.tt/1wsi3BC

from WordPress http://ift.tt/1spPNZU

Frank Azar – Golf Tournaments A Boon To Charities

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

Charity golf tournaments have been on rise in recent years, meaning big money for the charities they support. In a recent article, the New York Times reports that the number of these organizations has grown to such extremes that organizations have to attract affluent golfers.

According to a survey conducted in 2011 by the National Golf Foundation, 143,000 charity golf events in that year that raised approximately $3.9 billion. But these tournaments mostly serve as a way for charities to attract new supporters and to also market their message. A representative from the World Golf Foundation indicated that 60 percent of the charities reported that their golf tournaments were very important to the success of their organizations.

The likelihood that the average recreational golfer will play in an amateur tournament of some kind is very unlikely. However, according to the representative of the World Golf Foundation it is very likely that one of those golfers will play in a charity tournament. 12 million golfers played in at least one charity tournament in 2011, a significant number considering that only about 25 million golfers play the game in U.S. Recreational golfers tend to be an older and more affluent crowd which makes them very desirable for attracting financial support.

The attraction of golf as a social event and the allure of playing on golf courses one might not otherwise play on is helping to raise revenue and awareness. Even high profile cultural organizations are finding golf tournaments to be a very important part of their fund raising operations. The Lincoln Center will host its third annual golf tournament at the end of June. Each of the previous two event raised roughly a half-million each.

from Frank Azar Gives http://ift.tt/1qqf584

from WordPress http://ift.tt/1rYV5ve

Frank Azar – Google’s Impact Challenge Supports Charitable Innovation

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

The latest blog post from Frank Azar:

Google will contribute roughly £3.2m to 10 British charities that participate in the company’s Impact Challenge. The money will be given to UK nonprofits to develop and implement ideas meant change lives for the better throughout the world, ITPRO reports.

The ten charities chosen will each be given £200,000 in the Impact Challenge, an initiative from Google Giving developed to to inspire and facilitate innovation within the world of nonprofits as a way to do more good, faster. Of the ten chosen, one will be shortlisted by the public, while another three will be listed by a panel of expert judges. Each of these organizations will see their prize fund increased to £500,000.

In addition to funding, Google will provide mentoring for all 10 organizations in tandem with Nesta, an innovation charity. The charities run the gauntlet of charitable aims, from technological innovations, to curing social ills, and even biology research. Google and Nesta are looking to mentor charities that are looking to tackle an array of social issues but all look to, “To make a better world, faster.”

“We hope in the future to continue developing and supporting the charity and community sector to embrace digital technology and use it to create far more social impact at even greater scale,” Nesta said.

The organizations represented at the Impact Challenge cover a range of causes. Among those firms that have been shortlisted is Kew Gardens, a group looking to eliminate the threat of malaria around the world through the use of wearable acoustic sensors that detect mosquitoes. The Royal National Institute of Blind People develops smart glasses to help those with the sight impaired take advantage of what little sight the do possess. WeFarm helps geographically isolated farmers from all over the world the chance to connect with others and access crowdsourced data.

“Google’s Impact Challenge shows that innovation is crucial to success,”said panel judge Peter Jones, “You can’t stand still…These are non-profits doing great things that have a real impact on society.”

The Royal National Institute of Blind People is developing smart glasses to help those with limited vision make use of the little sight they have, the St Giles Trust has created an app that will allow for ex-offenders to be rehabilitated and WeFarm’s initiative is to help farmers in remote locations across the world connect with others via crowdsourced information.

Judge Peter Jones said: “After an inspiring process, we’ve unearthed ten exceptional projects from ten exceptional charities.

Read more: http://ift.tt/1sCYGDk

from Frank Azar Gives http://ift.tt/1mJNy0d

from WordPress http://ift.tt/1sD2MeP