Aaron Rodgers and State Farm are tackling the needs of families and communities in the aftermath of California's deadliest wildfire on record.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was born and raised in northern California's Butte County, where the recent Camp Fire devastated thousands.
To date, that wildfire — the deadliest and most destructive in California history — has killed at least 85 people, destroyed 14,000 residences and ravaged 153,000 acres in Butte County alone. The entire town of Paradise, a town of 26,000 people 15 miles from Rodgers' hometown of Chico, burned to the ground. While the fire is now 100% contained, the daunting work of cleaning up, rebuilding and recovering emotionally and physically from the blaze is just beginning.
[rebelmouse-image 19397729 dam="1" original_size="700x467" caption="Bird's Eye view of Butte County during the Camp Fire. Photo by NASA/Wikipedia. " expand=1]Bird's Eye view of Butte County during the Camp Fire. Photo by NASA/Wikipedia.
So Rodgers posted a video to Twitter on November 21 to express support for the victims and send out a fundraising call. "I personally reached out to my friends and the mayor of Chico to find out how to be of the most help," Rodgers says in the video, "And raising money for both the immediate needs and the long term recovery is what's needed most right now."
Rodgers also donated $1 million of his own money to help the recovery and rebuild efforts in partnership with Northern Valley Community Foundation.
In response, State Farm's social responsibility program, Neighborhood of Good, pledged to donate $1 for every retweet of Rodgers' video and mention of #Retweet4Good, up to $1 million.
As a longtime partner of Rodgers, State Farm was inspired by his willingness to offer support in this way, and were compelled to meet his altruism.
State Farm has a rich history of community involvement and being a good neighbor. The company's Neighborhood of Good program helps people "turn caring into doing" by identifying local opportunities where people can give back. This call to action seemed like the perfect way to propel that mission forward.
Please take a minute to watch this and if you can, take a few seconds to retweet this using the #retweet4good All… https://t.co/K4jeKNIGPM— Aaron Rodgers (@Aaron Rodgers) 1542814173.0
In just 9 days, Rodgers' tweet was viewed over 8.3 million times, and the initiative raised $365,000 for wildfire relief and recovery.
Although the retweets didn’t reach 1 million, State Farm Neighborhood of Good decided to up the donation to a full $1 million.
A follow-up video on November 23 with the same #retweet4good hashtag received an additional million-plus views and 22,000+ retweets.
Thank you, you are beautiful people. Please keep retweeting, 2 days to go for the $1 match from @StateFarm… https://t.co/Q0XuerqKfI— Aaron Rodgers (@Aaron Rodgers) 1543030285.0
But the generosity didn't stop there. These philanthropic endeavors inspired other big businesses to give back well. Walmart also decided to donate $1 million to the Camp Fire recovery efforts after seeing the response to Rodgers' tweet.
Whether they're celebrities, heads of companies or everyday individuals, when people work together, they can do incredible things.
Most of us want to help make a difference in our communities, but we don't always know where to start. Neighborhood of Good helps bridge that gap by making it simple to find local needs and inspire people to take action for causes they care about.
The need in the wake of California's deadly wildfires is great, but people in this country have proven time and time again that they are willing and able to step up and meet that need. It doesn't have to take a huge amount of effort to do so — lots of small actions, like a simple retweet, can make a big impact.
If you'd like to donate to Aaron Rodgers' wildfire fund, go to his fundraising page on the North Valley Community Foundation website. And if you'd like to learn more about how to volunteer in your local area, check out NeighborhoodofGood.com.
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.