New Year, Same Goal: Design with a 2nd Purpose

Back again after disappearing there for a while (sorry). Just to wrap up for December, a donation was made to Feeding America in the name of each client with whom I worked in December. "The nation's largest domestic hunger-relief charity, with network members supplying food to more than 25 million Americans each year..." (Feeding America)

CORRECTION: December's actual recipient was Share Our Strength "Over thirteen million children in America face hunger and food insecurity. Share Our Strength is dedicated to making sure no child in America grows up hungry". Regardless, both organizations are worth looking into!

Now in 2010, this month's 10% of design jobs will be donated (early to address the immediate need) to Haiti's earthquake child victims via Unicef.

The new year brings a perfect opportunity to update your package design, launch a new product, refine your brand image, or introduce a new marketing plan. The economy seems to be turning back toward the sunny side, so drop a line and see if we can work to have your company ready for the demand on the horizon.

All the best to my current, past and future clients in the new year! Thank you for business and support.

October Updates (and Fall Discount)

Hey all, August/September's Design w/ a 2nd Purpose efforts resulted in a sizable donation to Feeding America. You can contribute too by shopping at Macy's this fall.

With the economy showing signs of improvement, and the end of the year approaching, evaluate your product lines or brand image for a fresh start! Drop a line for a quote on packaging, business branding, advertising, and other graphic needs! Mention "FALL09" and get 15% off!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Nick Zynda Design will be closed the week of November 9th-13th. All messages and emails will be returned Monday Nov. 16th.

Drop a line now if you have any questions!

UPDATES Design w/ a 2nd Purpose (where did the time go?)

As summer was slipping through our grasps I lost track of time and its about time to check in again on the Design w/ a 2nd Purpose program:

July '09
10% of design job profits from July were donated to the San Diego Foundation, supporting the community needs in and around San Diego County. As a livelong Southern California, it was good to support the community around me. Thank you to all the clients who contributed to this donation.

August '09
Somehow I missed updating the August efforts. 10% of August profits have been rolled into September (see below).

September '09
Wow, autumn is upon us, its harvest time, and September is Hunger Action Month. For these reasons and more, 10% of design profits this month (and last month) will be donated to Feed America.

UPDATE: Our portfolio of Kiva.org investors (from June '09's donations) are paying back their loans -- already providing enough for another loan, this time to a family in Mexico. More to come soon!

As I continue this program, I would like to open this up to this blog's followers: recommend your charities and non-profits! If it seems like a worthy effort, the organization will receive a donation in an upcoming month. Comment on this blog entry or email me nickzynda@gmail.com

Design with a 2nd Purpose: JULY

Thanks goes out again to all my clients who, knowing or not, contributed to the donation made in June. Funds were invested into the Kiva.org system, providing loans to individuals and groups in Nicaragua, Bolivia, Togo, Lebanon, Moldovia, Azerbijan (and 15% to Kiva itself). The cool thing is that these loans should be repayed after the term of each loan, at which point the funds will be reinvested to other entrepreneurs in 3rd world countries. Read more about micro-loans.

Of course, thank you to my clients as well for their business -- an entreprepeur myself, your business keeps me going as well!

On we go into July, I've chosen to bring the donation home. Born and raised in, and a current resident of, San Diego County 10% of completed orders will be the San Diego Foundation, one of the top-rated multi-faceted public service organizations in the San Diego area. I hope you'll join me in the support of this local charity and receive professional design services at the same time!

Design with a 2nd Purpose: JUNE

The first month was a success: the 10% donation was applied to Heifer International's "Where Most Needed" fund -- in a value equivalent to 5 flocks of chicks, ducks or geese; 3 colonies of honey bees; or a 1/5 share of a cow!

Due to the response, we'll keep this promo going through June.

June's humanitarian effort will be Kiva: "Kiva lets you lend to a specific entrepreneur, empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty." The cool thing is that the 10% that is lent at the end of June will be re-paid, at which point it will be re-lent to a new borrower. Whatever funds are lent will remain in the Kiva system as long as I can keep re-lending it.

Again, as a client you will receive 10% off the cost of new jobs in June, and 10% of the job value will be donated to a non-profit or charity.

Design with a Second Purpose

Starting May 15, 2009 Nick Zynda Design will offer a new feature to give back to clients and those in need. In response to the current financial state which has hit businesses, individuals, and non-profits, each new job quoted will include a 10% discount to the client, and a 10% donation to a monthly non-profit or charity.

This month 10% of your job will go to Heifer International,with the goal "to help end world hunger and poverty through self-reliance & sustainability."

Check back often for up-to-date information on Nick Zynda Design's efforts to give back, and see which non-profit/charity will benefit from your job! Or drop a line to suggest a worthy organization for next month...

The Nick Zynda blog is back!

Well, I accidently deleted my blog -- awesome -- here's a quick rundown of what I posted:

My website has been up for 6 months, and I've attracted 40,000 hits. Thanks for visiting!

I have a new office number, finally in my home area code: 760.849.4372

Stickee Buns, a company I designed logos and packaging for, showed my work on national television. First on The Today Show, then on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. Enjoy!

...I'll be sure to use more care when making changes to this blog in the future...