Now, that the holiday season has approached, the idea of wasteful spending is unappealing to many people. More people than ever want to do good and make a difference. Enter Mercy Corps.
With a mission of turning poverty, natural disasters, and conflict into opportunities for progress, Mercy Corps help people improve their lives. What does that mean to you? It means you can do a lot of good for less than the price of that latest gaming system or big screen TV you have your eyes on.
- For $45 you can improve sanitation in a far off village by donating a latrine.
- For $58 you can help a child soldier overcome the scars of war through counseling, schooling, and job opportunities.
- For $18 you can help feed a family who has been affected by a natural disaster.
- For $29 you can help a farmer grow an acre of rice.
Want to learn more, visit Mercy Corps online. Oh, and if you have design talent, why not enter the Good poster contest to promote alternative giving? The winner will be featured on the Good homepage and on the cover of the Good magazine. For submission details, click HERE.
Now go forth and do good, my friends.
Theses are great ideas~! Affordable, too =) I would like to add that socks and underwear don't sound like a bad gift this year!~ The nice side of a down economy is the wonderful feeling of appreciation that surrounds our friends and us. Beautiful post, Amber~! Grateful to know you~!
ReplyDeleteHi Anita! Thanks for stopping by ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis year is all about practicality and philanthropy, isn't it? It's a pity that it takes an unstable economy to get people in touch with the things that really matter. After all, we can all only have so much "stuff" and, in the end, that is hardly an accurate measurement of someone's character.
Here's hoping you have a magical holiday season, Anita!
Dear Amber - one of the purposes of my film What's in the Heart is to point out the extreme poverty among our Native American neighbors. The film focuses on the PIne Ridge reservation in South Dakota where unemployment is 85%. Children hate the summers because there's no food at home. Elders die each winter because of the extreme temperatures.
ReplyDeleteWhat people don't know is that Native people relinquished millions of acres of land and immeasurable natural resources in treaties. They did not lose them in a war. Our country is wealthy and powerful because of the land and natural resources.
There is a dirty little secret that most people in our country don't know about and that is the US government is not living up to its' trust responsibility as outlined in 494 treaties (contracts) with American Indians. In these treaties they were promised "adequate care and protection" by means of housing, education and healthcare. The Indian Health Service is underfunded by every administration by 50%, which results in Indians living much shorter lives full of preventable suffering.
I write as often as I can to encourage people to not only give abroad, but to our own Native Americans who kept their end of the bargain in the nearly 500 treaties. The outreach and engagement for the film is to shine a light on this immoral and failed aspect of our government, but to also focus on remarkable Native people who against many odds are helping to heal their communities.
Thanks for letting me have a moment on my soap box!
Thanks again for all your efforts in encouraging me to "keep on keeping on" with social media.
Together, we can make great things happen for those who suffer needlessly.
Kitty
Kitty, somehow this comment didn't show up in my email so please forgive the late response. I just stumbled across it.
ReplyDeleteThe work you're doing is so important and, actually, the plight of Native Americans in one that has always resonated with me. I completely agree with you that giving to causes "at home" is of paramount importance. There is so much suffering here in America, in our own back yards.
I hope you can raise awareness through your film. And, please feel free to reply and include a link to the film's Facebook page. Best of luck with your efforts and thank you for being a voice for those who need it.