ONE CHASES A THOUSAND

The Foundation for a Better Life is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2000 to promote behavioral values which it sees as positive [1]. The Foundation creates public service campaigns to communicate its values, such as honesty, caring, optimism, hard work, and helping others, in an attempt to make a difference in communities. Viewers are encouraged to step up to a higher level and to pass on positive values, with the rationale that these seemingly small examples of individuals living values-based lives may not change the world, but collectively they make a difference. The Foundation communicates its message through television, outdoor advertising, theatre, radio, and the Internet. The Foundation is officially funded by a single donor family, and neither solicits nor accepts monetary donations from the public. It is not affiliated with any religion, rather hoping that "the values we share transcend any particular religion or nationality" [2]. The donor is Philip Anschutz,[3] a billionaire American businessman whose fortune derives from oil, land, railroads, telecommunications, and entertainment businesses[4]. Anschutz is a conservative Christian. The Foundation's public service announcements (PSAs) encourage viewers to "Pass It On" regarding its values. The spots have been viewed over 5.5 billion times, at an average of 2 million times per day, according to Nielsen Media Research [5]. The Foundation's "Pass It On" billboard campaign debuted in Times Square during the fall of 2001 [6]. These billboards continue to appear throughout the country and feature such figures as Christopher Reeve, Kermit the Frog, Andre Agassi, Mother Teresa, Whoopi Goldberg, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Shrek, Michelle Kwan, and a number of everyday heroes who exemplify these values [7]. Posters of the billboards are also sent out to schools nationwide at their request, free from the Foundation [8]. These messages are also being played on over 8,000 screens at the Regal, United Artists, Edwards, and Cinemark Theaters across the United States [9]. The foundations' website combines elements from all parts of the Foundation's media outreach. Inspirational stories [10] and quotes [11] are provided for the 52 featured values [12], and television [13] and billboard [14] advertisements are also available. Individuals are encouraged to nominate their hero and share inspirational stories [15]. Subscribers can also receive daily "Inbox Inspirations," a "Value of the Week," and the monthly "Good Newsletter," via email [16]. The Foundation's objective is to give visitors a variety of uplifting resources and to make them available to teachers, parents, and anyone interested in these positive messages.   From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia