Posted by TheGiveInitiative
Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:09:00 GMT
There is recent news that everyone can feel good about. Unicef reports that the world's child mortality rate has dropped by more than 25% over the past two decades.
While groups like Unicef receive a lot of funding from governments and large donors, they don't discount the impact that small donations can make. Providing funds or materials to supply vaccinations, mosquito nets, medications, or just food can help struggling third-world countries raise a healthy generation of kids. And it can cost less than a trip to the grocery store.
Unicef reports that like most major charities, it has seen a 10% decrease in overall contributions. However, the number of donors has increased. Where big budgets get pulled back, individuals can make a big difference.
I am reminded of the efforts companies like Amazon took part in after the Tsunami a few years ago. Within days they had raised over $14 Million from small donations, averaging less than $50.
A lot can be done when a everyone does their part.
Tags charity, donation, giving, unicef
Posted by TheGiveInitiative
Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:25:00 GMT
Whether you like reading C.S. Lewis or not, he has a way of delivering a message that at least gets you thinking. I recently read a short definition on Charity, or Alms written by him, take it for what it's worth:
Some people nowadays say that charity ought to be unnecessary and that instead of giving to the poor we ought to be producing a society in which there were no poor to give to. They may be quite right in saying that we ought to produce this kind of society. But if anyone thinks that, as a consequence, you can stop giving in the meantime, then he has parted with all Christian morality. I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them. I am speaking now of 'charities' in the common way. Particular cases of distress among your own relatives, friends, neighbors or employees, which God, as it were, forces upon your notice, may demand much more: even to the crippling and endangering of your own position. For many of us the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for money, but in our fear—fear of insecurity...Sometimes our pride also hinders our charity: we are tempted to spend more than we ought on the showy forms of generosity (tipping, hospitality) and less than we ought on those who really need our help.
Obviously C.S. Lewis is a well-know Christian author, however, regardless of religous belief, I believe he makes some valid points here. Are we giving enough? Are we giving to those who really need the help? Why are we giving?
Give it some thought.
Tags charity, charity
Posted by TheGiveInitiative
Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:20:00 GMT
This week on This American Life, the stories centered around the theme of "Kindness of Strangers". Three of the stories revolved around acts in which generosity and kindness was expressed, and one was an example of severe unkindness between two neighbors.
As demonstrated by the stories, kindness fufills many purposes. It can give us an ego boost, make up for something in our past, or just brighten someone's day. Kindness improves the quality of life for the giver and the receiver.
Not suprisingly, the act of unkindness has the opposite effect. The problem is that it destroys more quickly and deeply than a postitve moment can rebuild. A single act of kindness is usually insufficient to make up for all the negative acts we encounter.
So how do combat this imbalance?
We need to give more and give often. Its the only way to tip the scales in the favor of kindness.
Posted by TheGiveInitiative
Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:52:00 GMT
Two new studies confirm that when times are tough, Americans pull together. A recent study from the Rand Corporation found that more people provided financial assistance than received it, with 30% of American households giving $500 or more to friends or family. Even among those who were struggling themselves, 29% came to the aid of others. The most frequent givers: parents. Likewise, a report by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) found that, despite financial difficulties, more people volunteered in 2008 than in 2007. Like the Rand study, the CNCS report said Americans are lending a hand close to home: 20 million people reported working with neighbors to solve a community problem, up from 15 million the year before.
Assistance from friends and family can have a profound psychological effect beyond the temporary impact of a few hundred dollars or a few hours of volunteerism. “The economic crisis has made us all more aware of our own vulnerability,” says Robert Kenny, associate director of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College. “Just knowing someone is there for you can be as valuable as the assistance itself.”
— J. Scott Orr (Parade Magazine, Aug. 23 2009, http://www.parade.com/news/intelligence-report/archive/090823-american-generosity-survives-recession.html)
Posted by TheGiveInitiative
Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:36:00 GMT
We have created a simple TGI Badge you can place on you blog, or any other site you want. Just take the provided html code (found below) and paste it into your sites html code.
It's pretty easy to do on a blog. As an example, if you are using Blogger:
- Simply go to your site layout options
- Click on "add a gadget"
- Select the "html/java script" option
- In the main content area copy and paste the provided code (found below)
- Click "Save"
- Go check out the incredible TGI Badge on your blog...wasn't that easy?
Here is the code (You can also find this on our website: http://thegiveinitiative.org/pages/about-us):
<a target="_blank" href="http://thegiveinitiative.org" title="TGI">
<img border="0" width="220" alt="The Give Initiative, give anonymously" style="width: 220px; height: 130px;" src="http://thegiveinitiative.org/tiny_mce/0000/0182/generic_badge.png" height="130" title="Give Badge"/>
</a>
Which will give you this:
Tags Badge, Share
Posted by TheGiveInitiative
Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:01:00 GMT
Below is a newly created Jar. We encourage you to take a look at it and see if you can help out.
The Jar location is: http://thegiveinitiative.org/give/jar/marynshope
Maryn Nicole Cella, born on October 20th 2005 was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in June, 2009. The name of this tumor is "Diffuse Paltine Glioma". Maryn's parents were told that she would have 9-12 months of life even with radiation therapy.
Maryn and her parents are moving mountains to find a miracle and save their sweet angel. They are blessed with a community of generous neighbors, family members and friends willing to pitch in and help in this time of need - and they are thankful to everyone!
Maryn is an incredibly brave child. Each day she goes to radiation therapy, she has a smile on her face and enters the radiation room to be sedated with little or no fear. We are amazed at her perseverance and willingness to think of others even when at the hospital.
Maryn epitomizes what we should all try to be with the way she is caring for others and putting others concerns first.
Maryn loves little stuffed animal toys and to play with her four sisters. Maryn also likes to watch her favorite cartoon called, "Calliou". Maryn loves the color pink and is always wanting to color in her coloring books.
Tags Diffuse, donation, Glioma, Hope, Maryns, Paltine
Posted by TheGiveInitiative
Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:30:00 GMT
Is it just us or is there really something to helping someone out anonymously? A recent testimonial we received stated the following: “If you give to get noticed, rather than simply to help others, are you really giving? The Give Initiative is a brilliant idea about how to give and help others the right way.”
We understand there is a time and place for all types of giving. A lot of the times a true need can not be met without people knowing about it—obviously there is nothing wrong with that. However, we hope people have, or will take the opportunity to try helping someone out without them ever finding out. If you've never done it...do it now. We promise you will like it.
Remember, "There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life—happiness, freedom, and peace of mind—are always attained by giving them to someone else." -Peyton Conway March
Posted by TheGiveInitiative
Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:57:00 GMT
Welcome to The Give Initiative. We have created this site to provide an easy way for people to help each other out. You can use the site to give to someone specific, contribute to an individual jar, or find a charitable cause.
Pretty cool, right? We know.
Be sure to tell all your friends how cool we are too. Become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or send a tweet about us, skywrite a message above your house, or send each friend a nice personal note on frilly paper. What ever you decide is cool with us.
