Vivian Wagnery • May 30th, 2017

MarySue Hansell is president and COO of A Better World.

In this exclusive interview, Hansell provides some insights into the principles underlying her firm's Facebook game, A Better World.


MarySue Hansell
President of A Better World

TechNewsWorld: Describe the vision of A Better World.

MarySue Hansell: We saw that there was a lack of kindness, a lack of empathy, and negative thinking, and we thought it would be nice if we could use technology to do something about it.

We thought Facebook offered a wonderful opportunity to use a large technical platform to create a virtual world that would have a big impact, with a game that emphasizes positive thinking and good habits.

Basically, we wanted to combine the popularity of video games and the Facebook platform, and we were all avid followers of positive psychology, which is a science that shows that you can increase your well-being by doing things like altruism and expressing gratitude. We wanted to use those basic scientific principles.

The activities in A Better World increase happiness and improve well-being. You might ask, why gaming? Studies show that games form habits, and they influence behavior. Unfortunately, a lot of the game offerings are negative, but games can support positive values -- especially when they're fun.

We wanted to put good habits -- expressing gratitude, being charitable, saying positive things -- at the center of our game. We wanted to harness gaming for good.

TNW: What are some of the activities in A Better World?

Hansell: In the game, you do good to feel good and have fun. There are many different venues. You can post what you're grateful for today, and you can see what your friends are grateful for. You can post a photo, or put a personal message in the Gratitude Grotto. All the different do-good venues earn you positive energy.

To do some of the jobs in the virtual world, you earn do-good gold, and with the do-good gold you can purchase items in our stores. We have many stores in our game. In those stores, there are also things that cost real-world dollars. You can have fun, and have a positive impact.

To date, we've had great traction. We've had 4 million players do 40 million good deeds, and they're not only virtual. There are also real-world good deeds that people are posting. They can send letters to sick kids.

We have an API with CURE International with hospitals all around the world. Our players can actually send children notes and get-well wishes, and they can be presented to the children in their beds via an iPad.

Every month we assign a do-good goal for the player population, and every month we have a charity of the month, and when the players meet those goals, A Better World donates to that charity. We have about 24 charities that we partner with to date.

TNW: Who is playing A Better World? What are the demographics?

Hansell: There are players in over 100 countries. We're mainly on Facebook, but we are raising funds to expand, and we want to internationalize.

The lower limit of the age range is 13, and it goes up to 65-plus. Grandparents enjoy playing with their grandchildren. We, as mothers and grandmothers, want to promote it because there is no violence -- these are good habits that you want your children and grandchildren to have.

TNW: What has your experience been as a woman in the tech field?

Hansell: Just being a woman in business was a tough row to hoe. You had to really have a stern face and know what you wanted to do. Meanwhile, you had to be very agreeable and pleasant to deal with.

Then, as the technological things happened, you wanted to be on the cutting-edge. If you were great in technology, you would be promoted sooner, since you would stand out.

Today there are so many women in business and technology. I just think it's wonderful, and I think the better-trained everyone is, the more advancement they will see.

Even though I have a very sensitive husband and son, a lot of the games that are out there are so violent and very masculine. A Better World skews feminine, but it can be enjoyed by both men and women. It's a do-good game, and we've had a big impact.

A Better World today announced Mindful Coloring, a new feature that encourages both fun and stress reduction. This popular trend, which experts say promotes relaxation, is now available for all players of A Better World, a popular social game on Facebook that rewards players for doing good deeds while helping to raise money and awareness for charities.

Players can color a variety of positive and festive imagery in a way that focuses attention and helps them stay in the present moment. The feature is designed to be fun and colorful while also having a calming effect. Experts have found that mindful coloring can be a good alternative to meditation. Coloring pages are available for free to all players, and specialty holiday packs can be purchased separately.

“We’re so excited to bring mindfulness into A Better World in such a fun and relaxing way. Especially during the busy holiday season, mindfulness can reduce stress and help us live in the present moment. Coloring is also great fun, and we can’t wait to see what our players come up with,” said A Better World Chief Product Officer Gregory Hansell.

Mindful Coloring is just one of the uplifting activities players can do in A Better World. A Better World is an uplifting, virtual world game that encourages positive actions, positive thinking, and social causes to brighten the world. A Better World rewards players for doing good in the real and virtual worlds. The more good players do in the game, the more Do-Good Gold and Positive Power they gain, which lets them customize their experience. A Better World’s social impact mechanics are based on sound Positive Psychology science that shows when you do good, you feel good. Learn more at Facebook.com/ABetterWorld.

A Better World is currently raising funds to develop a mobile version of the game, as well as translate A Better World and share it across the globe. Accredited investors can go to ABetterWorld.com/Investor to learn more.

About A Better World: 
A Better World is a social game on Facebook that encourages doing good deeds while helping to raise money and awareness for charities. Over 40 million good deeds have been done in A Better World by more than 4 million people in over 100 countries. Find out more at ABetterWorld.com.


BetterWorldians Radio today announced that John McConnell, founder and President of Cristo Rey Philadelphia, is a featured guest on the online show and podcast (BetterWorldiansRadio.com). BetterWorldians Radio inspires listeners with the people and ideas that are making the world a better place.

McConnell told listeners how his own excellent education inspired him to find a way to offer the same opportunity to young people in need in Philadelphia. Cristo Rey is a network of 32 college preparatory high schools, serving more than 10,000 students across the United States. Students take part in a rigorous academic program, as well as a Corporate Work Study Program, that provides students with real world work experiences and funds the majority of their education. At Cristo Rey Philadelphia, 100% of students were accepted into a four year college.

McConnell expressed gratitude for the hard work of many individuals and organizations that serve Cristo Rey students. “Cristo Rey is a pretty extensive collaboration of a lot of different entities in Philadelphia, all for the purpose of doing good for these kids,” said McConnell.

BetterWorldians Radio is co-hosted by the family team that created the popular social game on Facebook called A Better World. It rewards players for doing good deeds while helping to raise money and awareness for charities. Co-host Ray Hansell announced that Cristo Rey Philadelphia is the Charity Partner of the Month in A Better World for the month of September. When players complete 250,000 good deeds in the game, the Hansell family will release funds to provide transportation to work study programs for Cristo Rey Philadelphia students.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Cristo Rey Philadelphia to help give students in need a chance at a brighter future. Cristo Rey is offering a glimpse of a better world for students who otherwise wouldn’t see it,” said Hansell.

Listen to the episode featuring John McConnell and more at BetterWorldiansRadio.com.

About BetterWorldians Radio: 
BetterWorldians Radio is an online show and podcast available at BetterWorldians.com. BetterWorldians Radio is brought to you by the 501(c)(3) BetterWorldians Foundation and is co-hosted by the family team that created the popular social game on Facebook called A Better World. BetterWorldians Radio is produced in Wayne, PA.

About A Better World: 
A Better World is a social game on Facebook that encourages doing good deeds while helping to raise money and awareness for charities. Over 40 million good deeds have been done in A Better World by more than 4 million people in over 100 countries. Find out more at ABetterWorld.com.

About John McConnell: 
Mr. McConnell is the head of the school’s leadership team and represents Cristo Rey to the Philadelphia community. He retired as a partner at the management consulting firm Deloitte in order to lead the founding of Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School. Mr. McConnell is a graduate of Georgetown University and earned a Masters in Business Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

About Cristo Rey Network: 
As the largest network of high schools in the United States whose enrollment is limited to low-income youth, the Cristo Rey Network delivers a distinctive approach to inner-city education that equips students with the knowledge, character, and skills to transform their lives. From freshman year, Cristo Rey schools establish a culture of high-expectations by blending rigorous academics, four years of professional work experience, Catholic moral values, and support for students to and through college. Cristo Rey Philadelphia opened in 2012.

To read the original release go to: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/09/prweb13689905.htm



By: Linda Stein

With his parents, Ray and MarySue, Gregory Hansell, who has a background in technology, nonprofit organizations and business, started the the Facebook game “A Better World” that showcases people’s good deeds in 2010. Instead of raising virtual farm animals or killing imaginary space invaders, “we wanted to unleash that power for good,” said Gregory Hansell, 38, the chief product officer, who lives in Wayne, with his wife, Samantha and two young children.

The family was sitting in the Great American Pub trying to come up with a name for the game, when Gregory Hansell said, “We need a name that makes it sound like we’re trying to make it a better world, because that’s what we’re doing. And my dad said, ‘Well, how about A Better World?’ And, ding, that was it.”

Read the full interview: http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2016/08/31/main_line_suburban_life/life/doc57c59a97e0f87015547086.txt?viewmode=fullstory



WAYNE, PA (PRWEB) AUGUST 01, 2016

BetterWorldians Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, was recently founded by the Hansell family, creators of the for-profit social game on Facebook called A Better World. BetterWorldians Foundation has a mission to make the world a better place by encouraging the best in everyone. BetterWorldians Foundation focuses on promoting positive thinking, positive values, and positive actions.

“At a time with so much negativity and conflict, the world needs to shine a light on all the positive things that are being done in the world. BetterWorldians Foundation focuses on planting flowers rather than pulling weeds. We believe that bringing attention to all the kindness, positivity, and charity being done in the world can encourage a common culture of empathy, respect, and decency. We will highlight many areas of goodness, including altruism, wellbeing, philanthropy, and faith and spirituality, just to name a few,” said BetterWorldians Foundation CEO, Gregory Hansell.

BetterWorldians Foundation promotes its message through BetterWorldians Radio, a podcast that features the people and ideas that are making the world a better place. BetterWorldians Radio recently released a special episode called “Best of BetterWorldians Stories,” which features several of the non-profit founders included in BetterWorldians Radio’s more than one hundred episodes.

“On BetterWorldians Radio, we feature guests who are impacting millions of lives, as well as less well known people who are making a big difference in their own corner of the world. We’ve chatted with non-profits such as World Vision, Operation Warm, and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, as well as experts, authors, and entrepreneurs like Dr. Stephen Post, Dr. Robert Emmons, and Tom Ziglar. We want to be the voice of positivity to uplift our listeners and remind them of all the good being done in the world,” said Chief Operating Officer MarySue Hansell.

BetterWorldians Foundation is asking for donations to support the BetterWorldians Radio podcast, as well as future projects such as articles, videos, and blogs.

Go to BetterWorldians.com to donate, listen to the podcast, and learn more.

About BetterWorldians Foundation:
BetterWorldians Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to make the world a better place by encouraging the best in everyone. BetterWorldians Foundation promotes this message through BetterWorldians Radio, an uplifting podcast that features the people and ideas that are making the world a better place. Learn more at BetterWorldians.com.

About A Better World:
A Better World is a social game on Facebook that encourages doing good deeds while helping to raise money and awareness for charities. Over 40 million good deeds have been done in A Better World by more than 4 million people in over 100 countries. Find out more at ABetterWorld.com.