Give Well: Our Choices Shape the World

City Year

2007-07-01T04:25:00.000-07:00

Hi group. Welcome back.

The blog took an unexpected hiatus, but I hope to be back here with more regularity.

In the next few days, I'll update you about some of what's been happening; for now, I wanted to pass along an opportunity for anyone who might be 17-24 or know someone that age who is looking for an exciting volunteer opportunity.

I took part in a work day in September with City Year Louisiana, part of a national Americorps project for young people who dedicate a year of their lives to an ongoing service project in a handful of cities. In New Orleans, the group was helping with the post-Katrina recovery. We were in town one day when they had a communitywide cleanup effort at a local school, and I was really impressed with them. In addition to doing some actual work, the group is intended as a leadership training. From what I saw, it's effective.

Anyway, here's the 411. This specific information is for the New Orleans project, but City Year also has projects in the following places: Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbia, SC; Columbus, OH; Detroit, Little Rock, Los Angeles, New Hampshire, New York City, Philly, Rhode Island, San Antonio, TX; San Jose, CA ; Seattle, South Africa, Washington, D.C.

More later.

As we head into the summer, we are on rolling admissions for applicants for next year. We have 35 positions open for 17-24 year olds and corps members earn a $4726 education scholarship and a weekly wage of $200 in the program. We are accepting applications from applicants across the United States. The positions start in September.

We welcome your referrals of individuals and also organizations that we should be contacting.

Thank you for your support, have a great week!

Kind regards,
Reneé Di Pietro

_____________________________
Reneé Di Pietro
Recruitment Manager
City Year Louisiana
161 N 3rd Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Office: 225-389-0078
Fax: 225-389-0086
rdipietro@cityyear.org

Make Something Real – A Difference.
Take a year to change lives.
Take a year to change your life.

http://www.youtube.com/cityyear

To download an application, visit our website:
http://www.cityyear.org/getinvolved/joincorps/

Community Radio Begging

2007-04-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again in the Tampa Bay area. We just made it through another fundraising drive from our local NPR station; now it's the community station's turn.

Believe it or not, I used to enjoy listening to the pledge drives, though it can be painful to hear people with such dignified voices straining the bounds of co-worker chit-chat and scolding listeners to "do their part."

Last night, I was listening to the local community radio station on the way home from work. The various shows are responsible for raising a certain amount of money each year to stay on the air. I caught the tail end of one show that had not made its goal, and the hosts were pulling out all the stops in begging for those last few pledges, even promising to clean the homes for any "heroes" that might call in and put them over the top.

This particular show plays far-out experimental music, some of it local, gives away tickets to local shows and CDs of local bands, brings in local artists to chat about their music, etc. Some of the names they called out to thank for pledges turned out to be friends and longtime fans of the show. You could tell these guys had really connected with people over the years.

I suppose the reason I bring this up is because I was really awed by how much these guys had formed a bond with the community. In fact, that's true of a lot of the shows on that station. I was reminded of how important it is to nurture those community ties.

Pledging your time, money and talents to people and causes you feel close to is a lot easier than curing cancer or "feeding the poor." It's hard to save the world but far easier to sponsor a neighbor for a charity walk or cook at the local homeless shelter once a month.

A close second to the public radio pledge drives: the Sally Struthers, "Won't you please help?" appeals. Classic. And effective, based purely on anecdotal evidence.

Indiana Jones to the Rescue

2007-04-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting back story to yesterday's news about the Sudanese government allowing UN peacekeepers to deploy in Darfur.

If the UN troops are able to stop the genocide, people may have director Steven Spielberg to thank.

Spielberg is serving as an advisor to the Chinese government for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Schindler's List director has drawn criticism for not speaking out against the Darfur genocide and working with a government that has openly supported Sudan. In addition to providing military and economic aid, China has resisted efforts to sanction Sudan for the violence in its Darfur region.

Actress Mia Farrow started the campaign to pressure China into intervening to end the Darfur crisis, calling on corporate sponsors of the Beijing games and Spielberg to lobby Chinese officials to intervene.

Spielberg wrote Chinese President Hu Jintao, condemning the violence in Darfur and asking him to help bring an end to it.

Last week, a senior Chinese official went to Sudan and asked the Khartoum government to drop its opposition to the UN peacekeepers. China, it would seem, doesn't want anything to mar its moment in history.

I find this story remarkable on many levels.

It's easy to grow impatient at the pace of change, especially when people are being senselessly killed. What good does it do to have some Hollywood personality speak out? What good does it do to boycott Company X for some tangential link it has to a genocide? How does it help end the suffering for me to talk to friends and acquaintances about what's happening?

This sequence of events, which I have abridged for the sake of brevity, reminds of us several key lessons for dealing with any situation, especially ones that seem insurmountable:

- Real change takes time.

- Our creativity and intelligence can find solutions where none seem to exist.

- Violence isn't the only means to end violence.

- Everyone, no matter how intractable, is accountable to someone and has interests that may offer an opening for negotiation.

- It's important to stick by our convictions and to give our best efforts for noble causes, even when our efforts seem not to be effective.

I'm including a few links to relevant stories in case you want to read more about the "Spielberg back story."

"Stars Push China to Act: Campaign prompts Darfur diplomacy" (Chicago Tribune)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0704120740apr13,1,4542626.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

"Hollywood vs. China: The power of bad publicity may bring relief to refugees at Darfur" (Newsday)

http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/opinion/ny-vpdar145170357apr14,0,4442791.story?coll=ny-opinion-print

"Darfur Collides with Olympics, and China Yields" (The New York Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/13/washington/13diplo.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1176904952-CCmj7OrSg2M8tDWItLGjkw

Updated Darfur Q&A

2007-04-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

The Manchester Evening News today published a good Q&A on the Darfur crisis that provides a good overview of what's happened in Sudan to date:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1004/1004603_darfur_crisis_qa.html

Personal Mission Statements

2007-04-16T08:23:00.000-07:00

Last week was a tough one for people at my newspaper, which announced layoffs. If you have been following the newspaper industry even a little, you know that fewer people are reading them, turning instead to TV, the Internet or nothing at all for their news.

Anyway, as you might imagine, people were pretty bummed out, even the people who didn't lose their jobs. "How can we keep from looking over our shoulders?" people asked. "How can we stay focused?"

My answer, as it has been for the past couple of years, is to have a personal mission statement. Here's mine, though I've never actually written one out formally: My job is to help build a sense of community and give people the information they need to participate intelligently in the public process.

Pretty simple, right? If people don't feel like they belong to a community, they don't care about what happens around them - maybe about events that effect their personal quality of life or property values. And if they don't have the information to take part int he public process, they can't exercise their rights as members of a republic.

That sense of purpose was born of my experiences in the nonprofit sector. As part of my job, I would help organize fundraisers - pulling together committees, setting up the planning meetings, printing up information, etc. In the end, after months of work, we would usually raise 10, 20, 30 thousand dollars. Pretty good, I thought.

Then, one day, a board member came in. A colleague had mentioned the other day that he sat on a foundation board and that they needed to give away some money - I think it was $10,000. Our board member mentioned out agency, and a handshake sealed it: All we had to do was send a letter asking for the money. What took us months to raise took this guy all of 10 minutes.

Again, as I said yesterday, I think there's more to fundraising than just raising money. You also build a sense of shared purpose and raise awareness. At the end of the day, though, you need to bring in enough money to stay afloat.

That handshake deal helped propel me into journalism. I realized I could have a larger effect by shaping the public dialogue - hopefully, putting good ideas into the minds of kind souls with the money and influence to really make a difference - politicians, wealthy philanthropists, captains of industry, etc.

These days, I still believe we need to reach the decision-makers with such information. I've also learned we need to make believers of ordinary people, who buying power, votes and voices can move the decision-makers one way or another.

Final CROP Walk Update

2007-04-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

I received a call last week from the Lakeland CROP Walk director, who told me we raised $25,000, with another $2,000 expected. Three-quarters of that will go to Church World Service to support its international hunger relief efforts; the rest will be split among three agencies here.

Cities across the country will be holding CROP Walks in the coming weeks; in fact, my old stomping grounds of Chapel Hill, where I first learned of CROP Walk, is holding its walk today.

As you probably know by now, I am fine with people "just sending a check." Money is an important contribution. I think there's a lot to be said for getting out there, too, even if it's just for an afternoon. When we walked here, it was so good to be among those 300 walkers and feed off their energy. The sight of that many people walking together, many wearing similar T-shirts, arouses questions. In this case, it's a good thing. As we were walking, I ran into a colleague, who asked, "What's CROP Walk?"

Raising money is important. So is raising awareness and feeding our souls.

Part of the Global Community

2007-04-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

Well, you've probably noticed I haven't been back here in a while. My apologies for that. I've noticed that maintaining a blog either becomes a habit or doesn't; so far, this one has yet to take as a daily ritual, but I promise to keep trying.

I started this hoping to raise my own consciousness about ways to get involved locally and about causes we should be sending our support to elsewhere. In that respect, I have loved this effort. The RSS feeds that appear on the side of the blog have been really helpful in terms of putting news in front of me of the good that people are doing - also, sadly, of the bad.

As someone who works for the mainstream media, we are often accused of "only writing about bad things." Of course, that's not true. Yes. If someone robs a bank, abuses animals or shoots another person, we're going to cover it. But we also write about a lot of good things happening in our local communities.

One of things this blog has reminded me of, though, is that we're part of larger communities, and we can become part of communities we might not immediately identify with, virtual and real. When you read about Darfur or see those images of dead bodies on TV, it's easy to say, "Oh, how terrible. But what can I do?" When I see the news updates appear about what various relief agencies are doing to help, though, it inspires. me. I don't expect to be heading over to the Sudan anytime soon, but I can be part of the solution.

CROP Walk, Redux

2007-03-24T22:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight, my dog and I walked the three-mile loop around the lake near our house. It was the same loop we walked for the CROP Walk, the annual charity event that raises money for local and international hunger relief programs.

Though I've walked that lake many times in the past four and a half years, the CROP Walk was the first time I'd made a full loop. Tonight was the second, and I discovered something interesting: My mind kept flashing back to the CROP Walk, to the people I'd met that day, to why we all were out there, and I became inspired all over again. I passed by our staging area where I signed up walkers, and I started thinking about what we can do better for next year's walk.

Walking the CROP Walk around a lake I frequent was a happy accident, but it's had the effect of creating powerful and lasting connotations for me. I see the lake, and the walk around it, in a different way now. I felt good tonight walking around it, more connected to my community.

We all know how bad experiences taint songs, places, memories. Maybe that phenomenon works the other way, too.

Hidden Benefits of Mentoring

2007-03-24T22:26:00.000-07:00

Don't get scared: I'm not working with another student, but I have been e-mailing with a journalism/history student from my alma mater, who is applying for internships now. The correspondence has been beneficial, and I've found myself learning as much or more as I am offering. The journalism world is changing so quickly, and this student is able to offer me a lot of insights about what's been taught now - a lot of multimedia and specialized reporting - and how aspiring journalists are approaching the work world in a time of such certainty. That's an issue all of us in the field are grappling with, so this student's perspectives have been enlightening.

So, lending a hand down to the next group coming up can have the added benefit of keeping you current.

Lakeland CROP Walk

2007-03-07T11:21:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to get an update about the Lakeland CROP Walk, which was last Saturday. The initial estimates were that we drew about 300 walkers and raised just shy of $30,000. Of that, 75 percent will go to Church World Service, to support its relief programs around the world. The rest will go to three local relief agencies that run food programs.

This was the first year I have ever walked. In the past, I always had other duties on the day of the walk. So, this was a special year. Look for me out there again next year.

I'll post more of an update later this week.

Journalist Distributes Paper on Trees

2007-03-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

Talk about dedication.

Awatif Ahmed Isshag hand-writes a monthly bulletin of updates from her home province of El Fasher in Darfur and hangs them in a tree by her house. Her story reminds me of Paul Farmer; here is someone, faced with an overwhelming and terrible situation, who has found a way to contribute hope and honesty.

Check out the Washington Post story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/03/AR2007030301415.html?referrer=email

Fundraising Gripe

2007-02-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

I am so impressed with the efforts of Doctors Without Borders, which provides medical care and other efforts to disaster areas around the world, that I agreed to become a regular donor a little while back. In part, I decided to do so after receiving a mailing that said setting up a regular donation would reduce fundraising costs - no need to send me slick mailing appeals, etc.

So, perhaps you'll understand why I was a bit peeved to receive a fundraising letter in the mail yesterday.

I called and was told they would take me off the list but that I might still continue to receive solicitations for the next four to six weeks. Apparently, it takes that long to take me off the list.

How disappointing. But I so admire the work the group is doing. I just want my money to go to the people who need it, not fundraising. While I know that's a part of the mission, they could at least take me off the list and e-mail me special appeals. That costs next to nothing.

Tornado Updates: NonProfit Sector

2007-02-27T14:17:00.000-08:00

I received this update today from Church World Service, which continues to impress me with its range of activities:

"There isn't damage everywhere but the damage that is there is extensive," says Church World Service disaster recovery specialist Lesli Remaly-Netter. Two tornadoes in six weeks have killed 21 people and caused severe damage in Lake, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties.
One of the most heavily hit communities is Spring Hill, on Deland's south side. "

The biggest hurdle to rebuilding here is people are going to have to take out (federal) loans," says Bo Davenport, a Deland Rotary Club recovery worker. "Some people on the south side can't afford it."

Also of concern are central Florida's migrant and seasonal farmworkers. While damage does not appear to be widespread in farmworker communities, many laborers in the region do not speak English, have limited incomes, or may be hesitant to ask for assistance.

CWS is seeking funds to assist recovery needs in the region and has provided 1,000 CWS Blankets, 1,035 Health Kits, 500 Baby Kits, and 300 Emergency Clean-Up Buckets.

Link: www.churchworldservice.org

Tax Man Makes Me Feel Guilty Too

2007-02-14T08:31:00.000-08:00

I went and saw my accountant this morning: time to do the taxes. As we have no children or dependents and make a comfortable living, we can claim very few deductions. I'll admit, I felt like a terrible human being as the accountant ran down the list of possibilities. Every "no" that came from my lips sounded like an indictment.

"Any dependents?" No.
"Do you take care of anyone - parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, cousins?" No.
"Did you take anyone in last year?" No.

My charitable contributions seemed too meager in that light, and there I was, grubbing for every penny's worth of deduction I could legally claim.

Where was all my money going?
Why hadn't I given more?

Of course, part of my concern was self interest, but this annual review also seemed like a black-and-white accounting of my priorities. Especially for Americans, we get real when it comes to money. Where had I "invested" last year? I must admit, I wasn't entirely proud of what the numbers showed.

Don't be too hard on me: We paid the IRS more money than I care to remember. Imagine what that could have done for charity.

Florida Tornadoes Update: FEMA Reversal

2007-02-12T13:28:00.000-08:00

A bit of news: FEMA has reversed its denial of aid to Volusia County, one of four hit by tornadoes and storms on Christmas Day. Volusia, the county where Daytona Beach is, was hit hardest on Dec. 25 and then hit again by the storm a few weeks ago. After the second set of storms hit Florida, the governor asked FEMA to reconsider its earlier denial of aid. FEMA decided to reverse its decision in Volusia but not in regard to the other Florida counties hit by the Christmas Day storms.

Amazing what a little political pressure and the eyes of a watchful nation can accomplish.

Florida Tornadoes: How to Help

2007-02-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

First of all, we are OK. We suffered no damage from the storms, which moved through to the north and east of us.

For those outside Florida, your best bet for helping is likely the Red Cross (www.redcross.org) or The Salvation Army(www.salvationarmy.org). You also can donate through Church World Service, which is providing health and baby kits and other aid through local faith organizations, farm workers groups and local aid agencies.

For an update on Church World Service efforts, go to http://www.churchworldservice.org/news/archives/2007/02/625.html.

In Florida, the local chapters of the Red Cross are leading the recovery efforts. I will put in a shameless plug for my employer, which has organized contact information at http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBAMQ6LPXE.html.

You might also talk with your pastor or head of whatever organization you might belong to about assisting with debris removal, supplying clothes, toiletries and other necessities or helping victims relocate temporarily.

Check back here for more updates. We'll get you up to date on the latest efforts.

P.S.: Remember, as with all such natural disasters, lots of helping hands are reaching out now, but these folks will need help down the road, too. I'll try and post updates as time passes about what the needs are and who is helping. If you work with Habitat for Humanity and like groups, you might consider Central Florida for a rebuilding project.

Darfur Suggestion: Stop "Blood Oil" From Flowing

2007-02-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

J.D. Bindenagel writes an interesting piece in today's Chicago Sun-Times, where he compares the situation in Darfur to that depicted in Sierra Leone of the 1990s in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie, "Blood Diamond." In Sierra Leone, the war was being financed by so-called "blood diamonds" sold on the black market. South Africa, the United States and other countries negotiated a system to certify where the diamonds came from, thereby cutting a major source of the rebel groups' funding.

Bindenagel, who negotiated for the U.S. in those talks, argues that oil is functioning today in Sudan in the same way those black market diamonds did in Sierra Leone and urges world leaders, especially those in the U.S. and China, to take action.

At Loggerheads Over Cheap Drugs in India

2007-02-01T08:14:00.000-08:00

If you've been tracking the news feeds that appear to the right of this blog, maybe you noticed this headline from Doctors Without Borders: "Quarter of a Million People Urge Novartis To Drop Case Against India."

Drug-maker Novartis is challenging a provision of Indian law that narrowly restricts patents to innovations. This has blocked pharmaceutical companies from securing as many drug patents as they would like in India, thereby allowing for cheaper generic alternatives.

The availability of cheap generic drugs, especially those used for treating AIDS, has been a significant issue for years. What happens in India will have repercussions across the globe.

Hundreds of activists protested in New Dehli Monday, the same day the case was being heard in Chennai. A ruling is not expected for weeks.

For more:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070129/india_novartis.html?.v=1
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/29/business/novartis.php

(Doctors Without Borders press release - includes links to a timeline and a petition)
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/pr/2007/01-29-2007_1.cfm

(For Novartis' side)
http://www.novartis.com/about-novartis/corporate-citizenship/india-glivec-patent-case/index.shtml

Routine: It Can help

2007-02-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

It's been a week since my last post. My apologies. I wish I had a good excuse, but laziness is the true reason. Perhaps I'm also too lazy to come up with a better story.

This has gotten me thinking about the power of routine. Sure, we gripe about things feeling "routine" after a while. Routines can sap us of our creativity and initiative. Things become stale.

I get that, and it's as true for me as it is for you.

But routines can become good habits, too - exercise, for example, telling somebody you love them every night, even when your heart isn't full of passion. Some routines can be good.

Volunteering also comes to mind. Being of use to someone was never so easy for me as when I volunteered at the Inter-Faith Council's homeless shelter. My job was not complicated: Once a week, I helped new "guests" get set up, handed out soap and towels and razors and talked with the people staying there. After a while, it became a standing engagement - every Monday night. My life grew around it.

In recent weeks, I have been reminded of the value of such routine. Right now, my only volunteer work is signing up churches for this month's CROP Walk. I make the calls when I can. No schedule. That's fine. I have averaged 2-3 hours a week worth of calls for the past couple of weeks, though I have not reached as many people as I would have hoped.

It's easier to give in to our weaker natures without a routine holding us in place, though. When we slacken, our routines hold us close to what's important.

Valentine's Day Suggestions

2007-01-25T04:12:00.000-08:00

Well, our first heavily commercialized holiday of the year is approaching, and that means an opportunity to mark the occasion with a truly thoughtful and compassionate gift.

Of course, there's no harm in making a donation to a worthy cause and cooking your sweetie a romantic dinner, planning a special evening, etc. Be informed, but don't be stupid, guys.

Here are a few suggestions:

Raise Money for Breast Cancer Research

The best place to start is Susan G. Komen for the Cure (note the new name) http://cms.komen.org/komen/index.htm.

In the next 25 years, 10 million women are at risk of dying from breast cancer if a cure isn't found. This organization funds breast cancer research and treatment and organizes local events, such as the Komen Race for the Cure, to raise money and awareness.

Go the extra miles:

Participate in the Race for a Cure with your special lady. Check here for dates: http://cms.komen.org/komen/NewsEvents/FindAnEvent/index.htm?ssSourceNodeId=505&ssSourceSiteId=Komen

Help Abused Women Escape Violence

Many communities have safe places for women and children to go to escape abusive partners, and if you live someplace that doesn't - well, get busy! Your local agencies can always use your help (money, time, goods and services). Note: A lot of battered women's shelters and crisis hotlines don't use men as volunteers. That doesn't mean there aren't ways to help, though.

If you don't know what agencies work in your local community, here are a few national groups to start with:

Family Violence Prevention Fund
http://endabuse.org/

National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE (7233))
http://www.ndvh.org/

National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-HOPE)
http://www.rainn.org/

Do Not Call

2007-01-23T09:21:00.000-08:00

After making an online contribution to Doctors Without Borders last month, I received a slick mailer from them yesterday, containing some project updates and, of course, a plea for more money.

As you can tell from this blog, I respect Doctors Without Borders and plan to keep on contributing. But it really bugs me when agencies behave that way. Years ago, moved by a speaker from Covenant House - the center for runaways that started in New York - I sent them some money. They started bombarding me with lots of expensive mailers. There was always some kind of "emergency appeal" included. They called, too, and I finally told them I would never give them any more money. Ten years later, I still receive an occasional solicitation.

Thankfully, in yesterday's mailing from DWB was information about making regular contributions that, supposedly, will allow them to cut down on solicitations. I hope that proves to be the case. As a donor, you want as much of your money as possible to go to programs. I am optimistic about DWB and will keep you posted.

As someone who used to send out solicitations for a nonprofit, I understand the thinking: The most likely people to provide sustained funding are the people who already have given. And you always need more money for ongoing operations because many grants only cover new programs. So most organizations cultivate their donor databases and hit up their base on a regular basis.

So, if you're going to give, be prepared for more solicitations. I get that. I also get that some groups even sell their donor lists. There's a lot of money to be made from selling mailing lists. But I also know there's a breaking point - for big-money donors and the little guys, such as me.

Agency News

2007-01-22T16:08:00.000-08:00

To make my life simple and help ensure I follow through with my philanthropic commitments to myself, I've decided to make monthly contributions this year to two charities: Church World Service and Doctors Without Borders.

In the coming weeks and months, as I learn more about these groups, I will share my impressions as a donor. In the meantime, I've included two feeds on the right that will keep you up-to-date about their efforts around the world.

Bugging Their Better Natures

2007-01-22T15:50:00.000-08:00

So, I began my task for the local CROP Walk committee today: calling local churches and bugging them to sign up for the walk next month. This is the kind of thing I hate to do. I hate to be bothered and especially hate to be a bother.

But this is how things get done. I have never been such a person, but every successful grassroots effort I have known has had one or two dynamos that simply badger people until they agree to help.

Now, it's my turn to badger, though I will be doing so in a more light-hearted fashion.

I made my first round of calls today -10 churches. My goal is to contact 20 churches each week, leading up to the walk, which is more than a month away. I was reminded that such work can be useful, too. One woman told me her church wanted to participate but that she had been waiting for the materials. Another woman was on board and just wanted to share stories about a couple of efforts that mattered to her. In fact, turns out we have a mutual acquaintance in North Carolina through our past efforts with CROP Walk.

What a terrific reminder those two calls were. Yes, grassroots efforts need a nag - someone to summon our nobler energies. They also should be fun and rewarding and enhance our relationships. That's a big part of why I got involved in the first place.

P.S.: I can't let you go without a gentle nag: If you haven't signed up for a CROP Walk in your town or want more info, go to http://www.churchworldservice.org/CROP/index.html

CROP Walk

2007-01-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

Each spring and summer, communities across the country host CROP Walks, which raise money for local and international hunger-relief programs. Typically, 25 percent of the money goes to local agencies, and the rest goes to Church World Service, which runs relief efforts across the globe.

When I lived in Chapel Hill, I helped organize the local CROP Walk for several years, though I never walked.

Next month, my wife and I will be walking in the Lakeland CROP Walk, and I've signed on to help recruit churches to the effort. Churches provide much of the organizing muscle and walkers for these events. So even though local organizers have done a good job of reaching out to local churches, you can't ever have enough. For those of you who live here or have been through Central Florida or any southern town, you know how many churches there are to hit up.

Those of you who know me know how ironic it is that I'm the one trying to recruit churches. Of course, the fact that I'm not affiliated with any particular church, denomination or belief system might help me win acceptance in virtually every quarter.

Here's a short blurb on CROP Walk from the Church World Service Web site:

CROP events were begun almost 60 years ago, with the collection and shipping of grain contributed by Midwest farmers--central to Church World Service's work in helping to feed starving people in devastated post-World War II Europe and Asia.

Today CROP Hunger Walks are the only events that raise awareness and funds to address both international and local needs.

For more information or to find a walk in your town, go to http://www.cropwalk.org/

Bill Richardson in Darfur

2007-01-11T06:53:00.000-08:00

If you've been following the Darfur news feeds, you've probably noticed a lot more activity lately. That's because New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a possible Democratic presidential candidate, has been in Sudan, trying to broker peace between President Omer Hassan Al Bashir and rebels. Yesterday, Richardson announced that the government and rebels had both agreed to a 60-day cease fire and that the United Nations and African Union would begin peace talks March 15.

So far, Al Bashir is continuing to allow U.N. troops into Sudan.

Like all of us, I'm hopeful - though perhaps a bit skeptical - that these negotiations will yield positive results that will bring an end to the killing.

What I find interesting is that Richardson has chosen Darfur as the stage to to try and boost his stock as a presidential contender. Success would significantly burnish his foreign policy credentials and instantly elevate him as a statesman. Even should he achieve something short of a total solution, he will be able to claim a moral victory.

Even though we're not hearing a whole lot about Darfur in the States, perhaps more people are concerned about what's happening there than we might suspect.

Keep the faith. In the meantime, groups such as Doctors Without Borders, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Oxfam International and the International Rescue Committee could use your help.

Darfur: Updated News Sources

2007-01-08T06:15:00.000-08:00

As we noticed last week, there's not a lot of news about Darfur coming out of traditional news outlets. That said, I've changed the news feed to Google and seem to be getting a bit more. We'll see if that continues.

Here are a few other places you can go for updates:

U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
http://www.irinnews.org/frontpage.asp?SelectRegion=East_Africa&SelectCountry=Sudan

Sudan.net
http://www.sudan.net/news/news.html

BBC News (Africa)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/default.stm

Can I Mentor You?

2007-01-08T05:56:00.000-08:00

This has been an ongoing comedy that keeps on giving, so I thought I'd share the story.

About two years ago, I signed up to be a mentor through my local school system. I went through the training and the background check (Yes, I passed it.) and was assigned a student. The first student didn't want to be there. His mom had signed him up for a mentor, and he didn't think he needed one. Eventually, his guidance counselor decided we were both wasting our time and told me not to bother.

I tried another. The next student was legally (though not totally) blind and resisting going to a school for the blind. I don't remember exactly what happened with him, but I remember having a very bizarre conversation with his mother.

Next up: a student at our local school for the arts. A jazz fan and saxophonist, very smart, very motivated. He simply stopped coming to our weekly meetings - even though the mentoring program he's in offers a healthy scholarship if they stick with the program. I guess a free ride to college just wasn't worth it if it meant talking to me for a half hour every week.

Final victim: An e-mail mentee, arranged through my alma mater, the University of North Carolina journalism school. This relationship was actually going well, with us e-mailing back and forth each week. I was at my mentoring best, I felt. Then, about three weeks into things, he e-mailed to say he had decided to give up journalism. He had decided he wanted to be a public relations person for a sports team. Actually, I didn't think this was a bad decision, but it seemed to confirm a pattern:

I'm cancer when it comes to mentoring.

Now, the local mentoring program I work with is supposed to be combing its files for a student desperate enough to meet with me. Pity the poor child.

Philanthropic Resolutions

2007-01-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

Considering this is the time of year when many of us resolve to be better people, spend more time at the gym or be nicer to our mothers, I decided to make a short list of my own - with a philanthropic bent.

1. Find a charity or two I can give to on a recurring basis. Right now, I've settled on Doctors Without Borders, one of the main NGOs working in Darfur. Not only will my Catholic guilt nag at me less, this will help at tax time. Those of you with no dependants will understand.

2. Start volunteering again. This is tougher than it sounds. A lot of agencies are too swamped to call you back or require excessive amounts of training (mostly useless). I spent six months stocking cans for the local food bank last year and flamed out as a mentor (again). How is that possible?

Anyway, I'm looking for something different, hopefully something that will let me meet different people in the community. As always, suggestions are welcome.

Little News on Darfur

2007-01-03T10:58:00.000-08:00

If you check out the news feed on Darfur today, you'll notice that all the items are versions of the same story. Up until today, the news feed was showing stories from Dec. 31. In fact, I thought I had set up the news feed incorrectly because the stories never changed. Now I see what's really going on: There's very little reporting going on about Darfur.

With this in mind, I'll scan the sites of some of the NPOs working in Darfur periodically for updates.

Does anybody remember whether this was the case with Rwanda? My recollections are that the reports came in waves, mostly tied to the levels of fighting.

As a journalist, I can't say this is terribly inspiring or, alas, surprising.

This brings up an interesting issue: Where do you go for news and information on issues that fall outside of the interests of the mainstream media? When you find alternative news sources, how do you decide whether they are trustworthy?

I came across this today while listening to NPR. Democracy Now had a program about Rudy Giuliani and brought in two independent journalists who had documented what they deemed his "failures" in responding to Sept. 11. I'd never heard much of that information before, but neither had I heard of those two journalists. So, on one hand, I was glad to be hearing a different perspective, but I'm also skeptical about accepting that information as the gospel truth before doing my own research.

A Good Read on Haiti

2006-12-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

If you've been wondering what ever happened to Haiti or just want to be inspired, pick up Tracy Kidder's book, "Mountains Beyond Mountains:The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World."

OK, I'll admit that I'm a little late to the party, considering the book came out in 2003. But it's still timely in a lot of ways.

"Mountains Beyond Mountains" tells the story of Paul Farmer, a Harvard-trained infectious disease specialist who found his life's calling amid Haiti's poverty and suffering.

If this were a work of fiction, I'd be tempted to say Farmer's character is a little unbelievable. His vision and purpose seem too pure and unwavering, and it's hard not to feel like a total slacker when stacking your life up against his. Personally, though, I drew a lot of inspiration from him and found a lot of other "models" in the book for a life of service - even if you're not willing to completely give over your life to the cause.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Mountains-Beyond-Quest-Farmer-Would/dp/0812973011/sr=1-3/qid=1167507919/ref=sr_1_3/102-9730725-2894512?ie=UTF8&s=books

Here's a link to Partners in Health, the organization Farmer and some friends set up: http://www.pih.org/home.html

All I Want for Christmas

2006-12-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

The idea for this site came from a question many of us heard and asked a lot in that past couple of months: "What do you want for Christmas?"

Invariably, my answer is, "Nothing."

That's a truthful answer, but it frustrates people. Even more frustrating is my other response: "Make a donation to a worthy charity."

That really gets them.

Even worse has been when I've made a donation in honor of a loved one instead of buying that coveted CD, book or gizmo. That really goes over well.

Honestly, though, how many of us need another anything? Wouldn't that 10 or 15 dollars make a better gift in the hands of a capable service agency that knows how to stretch a buck? Imagine if we asked everyone who gives us something for the holidays to send $10 or $15 to our favorite charity. How many lives could we save?

So, for starters, this site is intended as a resource for frustrated gift-givers, who simply want a simple answer to a simple question. Here, you'll find plenty to guide you in making good choices, whether for Christmas, a birthday, bar mitzvah, anniversary or everyday occasion.

I hope this site also will encourage us to think more seriously about the choices we make - specifically, with our time our money. Most of us are good souls who want to help, but it always seems as though we don't have the time or money to make a difference. As most of us know from our 401Ks and children, though, even small contributions add up over time.

So, when next you're asked, "What do you want for (fill in the blank)," just point people here. We'll help you find a good answer to that question.