#Sponsored: Small Changes Change Lives + Giveaway

While working with Toyota and Food Bank For New York City, as a sponsored Meals Per Hour Ambassador, I was given a bird’s eye view of Sandy’s destruction and its aftermath.

As part of the ongoing relief efforts, Toyota partnered with Food Bank For New York City to bring food to areas that were most impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The program – coined Meals Per Hour – activated a team from the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC), which shares Toyota know-how with nonprofits and other organizations to help them do more with less.

Focusing on a mobile food unit and a distribution program in New York’s Sandy affected area, Toyota sought to increase the number of meals that were given out in per hour. Through small, powerful changes, the team was able to increase the number of emergency meal boxes from 25 to 450 per hour!

So, why TSSC?

The Toyota Production System was created to help Toyota streamline their processes. Yet, over time, Toyota discovered that it could be applied to any industry anywhere. Using this newfound knowledge, Toyota created TSSC to help others by sharing TPS know-how externally.

How did Toyota do it?

By identifying improvement opportunities and making positive, sustainable changes that allowed workers to truly work smarter – not harder – and do their job more effectively. They committed to working with Food Bank For New York City to identify opportunities for improvement and maximize their operations so they could serve more meals with complete integrity

Aside from the positive impact on the respective community, the project inspires something bigger:

What small changes can we make in our own lives that would better ourselves, our community, and our world?

It sounds like a big challenge but proven through this project, even the smallest of changes can have tremendous impact. For example, changing the way we packed food boxes at the Metro Distribution Center allowed us to serve more people more food. Ultimately, we didn’t just improve process, we improved lives.

Captured in this documentary by the critically acclaimed filmmakers Supermarché, you can see what changes we made and more importantly, why these changes mattered.

Pledging their ongoing support, for each video view, Toyota will donate one meal to Food Bank For New York City, up to 1,000,000 meals by July 19.

GIVEAWAY

Toyota wants to help YOU create change by hosting a giveaway on Latina On a Mission worth $500!

• Two (2) Bloggers will have a chance to win a $150 gift card.
• Four (4) Latina On a Mission readers will have a chance to win a $50 gift card.

Join us. Share the video with your friends, family and networks. Together, we can donate up to 1, 000, 000 additional meals to Food Bank For New York City. While you’re at it, enter to win by following the instructions below.

Good luck! / ¡Suerte!

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MANDATORY ENTRY:

Readers:

Watch the video above, than leave a comment answering the following question:

What small changes can you make that would better your life or your community?

[Example: Lower commute time to have more time to volunteer; Create meal plans to have more time for family] 

Go to Extra Entries for more chances to win!

Bloggers:

After watching the documentary above, create a blog post, that answers the following question:

What small changes can you make that would better your life or your community? [Example: Create an Editorial Calendar to have more time to network/mentor]

IMPORTANT: Include the following disclosure in your post: This post was created for a chance to win a $150 gift card on Latina On a Mission [Insert link to giveaway]. Once published, enter your link below for a chance to win. Blog post can be written in English or Spanish.

Go to Extra Entries for more chances to win!
 

 

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EXTRA ENTRIES: After completing MANDATORY ENTRY, you can get more chances to win by completing any or all of the extra entries below.

• Follow @MsLatina on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway. Provide me with the tweet URL in a comment. One tweet per day till the giveaway ends. CLICK TO TWEET.

• Share this post, or one of the blog posts noted above, on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Stumble Upon, or Digg. Each “share” gives you ONE (1) extra entry and can be done daily. In a comment, let me know which post you shared, including the shared URL and your username, if applicable. Make sure each “share’ is entered in a SEPARATE comment below. Note: If I cannot verify the post was shared, your entries will be invalidated.

• Tell a friend to watch Toyota’s video! For each friend you invite to watch the video you receive ONE (1) extra entry. Provide me with the tweet URL in a comment. CLICK TO TWEET. Make sure to add your friend’s Twitter name!

• Donate Your Social Voice! Click to add your voice to “1 View = 1 Meal”.

[pinit]********************Giveaway ends July 19, 2013 at 11:59 A.M. ESTOpen to US residents only********************Void where prohibited. Must be 18 years or older to participate. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be randomly selected and notified via email. Winners have two (2) days to respond before another winner is selected. Entries/Comments must follow the submission guidelines to qualify. Prize is non-transferable. Disclosure: LOAM is a sponsored Toyota #mealsperhour Ambassador. However, this in no way guided the Author’s voice.