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I wasn't surprised to see Stephen, Brandi and Cameron in the finals. The three of them grew as givers as the competition progressed, so they earned their spots. But picking a winner was hard for me. Brandi and Cameron definitely gave Stephen a run for his money.
Brandi understood simple acts of kindness. It was like she was giving out rays of sunshine! I know I've said it before, but you don't have to do huge things. I believe in that so wholeheartedly. Given that this show was a competition with different rules each week, Brandi showed that she could come up with every type of giving.
And Cameron was a dynamo! After his turning point in Atlanta he seemed unstoppable. His ability to raise money and execute when it came to corporate donors was remarkable, especially given his age.
We deliberated a long time before making the final decision. But I feel very comfortable with our decision that Stephen was the winner. He was like a shining star from the very first challenge. But I didn't know what he was going to get! When Oprah told the contestants, she told the judges too. And it was a million dollars with a twist—Stephen was asked to use half of that money to give back. It's incredible, and I'm so proud to be involved with a show like that.
For me, what's been especially wonderful has been receiving emails from people all over the country telling me about the wonderful things they've started doing in their own communities. Since I've worked in the nonprofit world for so long, I have a pretty vast knowledge of organizations that do good work. I'm so glad that now I can be a resource for people who want to start their own Big Gives. That's been the greatest pleasure for me, so thank you.
I thought this was a really critical challenge for Stephen. He is such a wonderful guy and clearly he is an incredible giver. But, as he said himself during this episode, he hadn't been very involved in local charities before this competition.
I went to Stephen's fundraiser for the Northern Westchester Shelter and I got to meet his wife and daughters. I was so amazed by the girls—they could have had posters of the latest teen idols hanging on their bedroom walls but instead they have maps of Africa with pushpins of all the places that they support. That's some great parenting. But, Stephen had never really realized that there were people in need in his own backyard, and that he doesn't have to head to Africa to give big.
That's what this challenge was about – showing the givers, and our viewers, that people in need are everywhere. By the end of the challenge, Stephen absolutely understood that. All the givers did, and I hope that everyone watching at home will too. I say it time and time again, but I think it bears repeating: You don't need to be rich to give back. You don't need to travel around the world. Everyone has the power to be a big giver, and that's what's so exciting. Giving is empowering, and it's accessible to everyone.
One episode to go! I'm sad this season is almost over, but so excited for the winner to be revealed. Who do you think will be the biggest giver? Tune in next week to find out!
This episode resonated with me on a very personal level. While it was filming, I too was in the midst of helping to fulfill the wish of a dying parent. A friend of mine was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive sub-type of breast cancer, in 2005. After her diagnosis, a group of women helped her start the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation in hopes of raising awareness and supporting research about detection and treatment of the disease. When I got involved, the foundation was having trouble raising money, so I offered to use my resources as a fundraiser to help. In June 2007, I helped throw the foundation's first fundraiser and we raised $235,000.
There were two beautiful things about this event: first of all, the organization used the money in such a smart way. They held the first ever triple negative breast cancer symposium. Secondly, my friend was able to attend the event, and she died two months later knowing that the foundation she dreamed of was finally thriving. Her wish was fulfilled.
I consider myself tremendously blessed to have been a part of that moment, and to maybe have played a small part in ensuring that she died with a little bit more peace of mind. So while the contestants were filming Operation Big Dreams, I was working on the Triple Negative fundraiser in my home, and I was going through the same things they were going through. For me, it was a moment of "There before the grace of God go I." That could've been me my friend was the same age as I was, with a daughter the same age as mine. I imagine Stephen may have had those same sentiments when he met Mike here's another family man with daughters, it just as easily could have been him. It's an incredibly powerful experience.
To everyone who watched the show tonight if you have a family member or a friend who is having health problems, see if there is something you can do to fulfill a wish for them or to lighten their load. That might just mean taking their child to ballet class or hosting a play date. It could be anything. But do whatever you can to grant them that sense of peace. You won't just be helping them, I can honestly promise that you will be a changed person for having done it. There's nothing more meaningful than helping someone through their final days.
As you can tell I was deeply affected by this episode. How could you not be? But I also can't wait for next week, when things lighten up a bit with a drop-in from John Travolta! I just love that the celebrities are all coming out to support our Big Give mission. I always say, service is the rent you pay for living. And it's so cool that society is beginning to embrace that!
I loved this episode because we witnessed a turning point for a contestant. Cameron went far in the beginning because, given his business background, he was smart and organized. In a competition like this you have to be efficient with your time since everyone is always up against a clock. But in the early challenges, Cameron didn’t show as much heart as some of the other contestants and there were times when the other judges and myself were conflicted. We were judging not only on raising money but whether or not the givers connected with the people they were helping. Did the giver understand the person's struggle or was it just about having the most impressive reveal? And, until Atlanta, we weren't convinced Cameron was making those heartfelt connections.
But I had the pleasure of interviewing Cameron at the toll booth and first of all, he did a really good job managing the toll! I think everyone in America, after watching what it takes to be a toll booth worker, should have a newfound respect for that job–-you have to be very organized and a quick thinker. But what I was more impressed with was that he really bonded with Beverly, who couldn’t have been more different than him, and that he went back to her home and made those same connections with her daughters. And that's the moment I saw a change in Cameron, and in elimination the judges told him that. Plus, the way Cameron brought the challenge full circle when he went back and paid the tolls for the other cars is what made the judges fall in love with him – he had moved from strictly a business person to someone who saw the whole giving back big picture. That was a turning point for him.
I made an unexpected connection of my own during this episode. I got to visit Rachael at Palmetto Senior Center. When I got there, Rachael was quilting with a group of women in their 70s and they wanted me to try to quilt. I don't spend very much time with elderly women, and I don't quilt that often either. Yet all of a sudden, I was having so much fun quilting and talking with these firecracker women that I had to admit to the producers that for a second I forgot my job because I was having so much fun!
It just goes to show that you really never know who you will connect with. So many of us only expose ourselves to others in our same social, professional or financial situation. But giving back is the perfect opportunity to start making connections that we wouldn’t otherwise pursue. And those often turn out to be the most lasting and the most life-changing relationships, because they open our eyes to a whole new world.
As moved as I was by this episode, next week's really is a heart-wrencher. But I will say that the givers are charged with making miracles happen – and it was a challenge that was incredibly close to my own heart. I'll blog about that next week, but you need to tune in next Sunday first!
Throughout my entire career people have been asking my advice on how they can give back. Everyone wants to helpthey just don't know how to do it, or where to start. I'm sureI hope!that some of you are watching Oprah's Big Give and feeling inspired to start giving yourselves. What I've been telling people for years, and what I'll tell you, is that it's most important to find your passion. You can volunteer in so many areasyou can work with kids, the environment, animals, mothers, anything. Find what you're passionate about and get involved. Youre going to have a better time volunteeringand it will mean more to youif it's your passion and platform. In terms of time, if you're able to volunteer once a month that is fantastic! And I ALWAYS tell parents to get their children involvedyou're never too young to start giving back.
I also wanted to tell everyone a little bit more about the big give party I threw that was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. First of all, I gave that party because I saw that Oprah.com was asking viewers to throw their own big give parties. It wasnt until after the producers found out I was giving the party that they asked to tape it, which I wholeheartedly agreed to in the hopes that it would encourage others to do the same. It was my friend Erica's idea to collect the shoes, and it was a brilliant idea because it showed how something so simple could go so far. We collected 60 pairs of shoes from our guests. It didn't ask too much of people but it is such a basic necessity, that it really had a big impact on those who received them. This is the kind of thing I hope Oprah's Big Give fans will try to do themselves while watching the show on Sunday nights.
At our party, we asked local business to donate their services to get into the big give spirit. That's the other thing I really want to encourage viewers to do. When I asked these people to help, there were no plans for the party to be filmed. They didn't help so that they could be on TV. They helped because they support good causes. So throw a big give party and ask your guests to bring shoes, or canned foods, and then ask your local retailers get involved. It's a win-win situation, you end up having a fabulous party, you raise money or goods for a great cause, and, if you get local businesses to help out, it can cost you absolutely nothing. What could be better?
Regarding last night's episode -- first of all, Kim was as sweet as pie and we just loved her personality, but it got to the point where we didnt understand why she didn't buy a navigation system! And Eric was obviously a smart man, one who had a metamorphosis based on his own life experiences, and he'd been really strong in previous challenges. But for the elimination, we had to remember not to judge on previous challenges. And in this case both Eric and Kim made mistakes we couldn't overlook.
One of the moments I loved in this challenge didn't make the final cut, but you can watch it in the deleted scenes section on Oprah.com. Rachael did something really smart she bought generators for Florida residents who live in mobile homes. Usually, if you live in a mobile home and there's a storm, you're out of luck. You can go without power for days. So Rachael bought a generator for a big group of people who were affected by Hurricane Wilma, so if that should happen again they'll still have light, they'll still be able to cook. I remember thinking, "Wow, that's a great use of money." She really thought about that. When you put thought and care into a give it really shows.
When I was asked to be on "Oprah's Big Give," I hadn't heard about the show yet. I was at home, it was about 7:30 at night, and I was on my way upstairs to feed the kids when the phone rang. I answered, and the voice on the other end was Oprah! So, naturally, I said "Hi, Oprah. Let me go get Chris for you." And she said, "No, I'm calling for you." She was on the phone with the production team, and they told me all about the show and asked if I wanted to be a judge. I was in shock for four days!
I spent the weekend thinking about whether or not I would do it—not because I didn't want to, just because being a judge on a television show was so out of the realm of what I've done. Plus, I'm a mom and a wife and I wanted to be sure I could fit it in my schedule. But then Chris told me that if I want to do it, I should just do it. Plus, he had just finished doing a movie, so he was great and totally played "Mr. Mom" while I worked.
Then, after the initial shock wore off, I was in awe of the show's concept. And then, once I arrived on the set for the first day and met the contestants and really understood what the show was going to be, I just felt so much pride. It's the television version of what I do everyday in my own life—I spend an awful lot of time speaking on behalf of giving back. And one of my big things that I always say is that you don’t have to be rich to give back. If you take an honest look at other people's lives, there's always something you can do to help. What I was so proud of with "Oprah's Big Give" is that we were able to get that message across.
I first met the contestants in the airport hangar, and we, as judges, really didn't have a lot of time with them. We met them briefly, but we didn't get to speak with them. But here's what I knew immediately: It was the most energetic group of people I'd never seen in my life! We were cracking up at how excited they were—especially when they met Oprah!
There isn't one person who stood out so much that I thought, "They will go far." But once we got to the first elimination, and we read the info on what each team had been up to, we could see who was hardworking, who put their own contacts to use, and who was creative. And of course, we were also looking at whether they actually addressed the needs of the individuals they were helping. By the first elimination, I thought I could see some stars. Brandi stood out for me—she's just so super cute and peppy and sweet. She has that personality that really jumps out at you. And Carlana, of course, is also awesome. She does some amazing things—she's in a wheelchair and she flies a plane!
I was definitely worried about the first elimination. But there was a strict criteria we had to judge by—creativity, leadership, presentation and accomplishment—so that helped us in the first judging. It was difficult the first time because everyone was new, both the judges and contestants. For me, Eric and Stephen were the absolute winners of that first challenge. And there was no doubt that Marlene was going to get kicked off. She has a great personality—you'd want her on your team to cheer you on and keep you pepped up, but not to do the work.
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