Posted by Andrea L. TaylorDirector of Community Affairs in North America, Microsoft
When Gloria Pulido lost her job, she lost her only source of income and ended up living in her car with her teenage son. As Gloria looked for community resources to help get her life back on track, she discovered the Microsoft Elevate America state voucher program.
Through a partnership between Microsoft and California, she was able to take no-cost Microsoft Office training and a Microsoft Office Specialist certification exam, which she successfully passed. By combining these new skills with her existing experience she turned a part-time job into a full-time position, and, more importantly, a new home.
Gloria’s story is one of those included in a newly released report that shares the lessons we’ve learned from launching the Microsoft Elevate America voucher program in 32 states and the District of Columbia.
Posted by Brad SmithSenior Vice President & General Counsel, Microsoft
Our state continues to face significant economic pressures, and even as the recession recedes, Washington’s employers and families still must confront increasingly intense global competition.
Microsoft has grown up here – Washington state is our home, and we want to see the state continue to be successful. It’s clear that Washington needs a balanced strategy, with measurable goals, to ensure citizens benefit from both solid economic opportunities and a great quality of life.
To that end, I’ve worked with other members of the Washington Roundtable to develop the Benchmarks for a Better Washington campaign.
Posted by Rob BernardChief Environmental Strategist, Microsoft
In the 40 years since the first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, the annual event has become a time not only for individuals, but also for companies, government agencies and organizations of all sizes to affirm their environmental commitments.
At Microsoft, our environmental efforts occur 365 days a year. To add our unique contribution to the celebration of Earth Day, we wanted to take this opportunity to reflect and share our thoughts on how trends in information technology can help address the pressing energy and environmental sustainability challenges facing the world.
One of the things we’re most excited about is the shift to Internet-based computing services (cloud computing), which offer dramatic new ways to save energy and reduce the environmental impacts of IT.
Posted by Bill HarmonAssociate General Counsel, Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit
As you may have seen on CNN or from one of many other media and online reports, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher’s DNA Foundation launched an innovative and interactive digital campaign this week that enlists the public’s help in the fight against child sex trafficking.
The campaign features videos of well-known celebrities sending the message that “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls”. With this campaign, the DNA Foundation aims to help change the social dynamics that enable the child sex trade today. Child sex trafficking is a difficult topic, one that many people would prefer to look away from, so we commend DNA Foundation for this daring approach that will get people talking – and thinking.
Microsoft works with advocates, governments, law enforcement, academics and industry stakeholders, including the DNA Foundation, around the world to combat technology-facilitated crimes against children.
Posted by Andrew KoSenior Director of U.S. Partners in Learning, Microsoft
Starting tomorrow, we celebrate the 23rd annual Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), which runs from April 15 to April 17. GYSD is the largest service day in the world and the only one solely dedicated to children. More than a million youth in all 50 states and in more than 100 countries will actively make a difference in their community this weekend.
InterroBang is a Microsoft U.S. Partners in Learning socially-networked, service-learning game built in partnership with Nuvana, the Corporation for National and Community Service, Youth Service America and ePals. Since November 2010, more than 20,000 students in over 72 countries have submitted thousands of completed missions (known as deeds) that show how they have helped their local communities while also learning valuable educational lessons about history, the environment, world culture and more.