give and tell

"Clean, Sexy Water"

2009-07-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof writes on my favorite charity, in an article titled "Clean, Sexy Water."

The next two months, I am going to embark on a series of articles focusing on the need for clean water around the world. I will share about meeting Scott Harrison, founder of charity:water, personally; planning an art show to benefit this charity; and what I've experienced as the growing attention paid to the global water crisis.

Statistic: The average American uses about 150 gallons of water per day. The average third world person struggles to find 5 gallons of water per day.

How a slice of pepperoni pizza and a large coke changed it all

2009-05-17T00:10:00.001-07:00

A few years ago I decided that I would make every attempt to give whenever someone asked for change on the street. At the time, it seemed radical and maybe a little foolish. But it has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in recent years and has really shaped my personal philosophy on money and philanthropy.

The first time I responded to someone’s request was one December night eight years ago. I took a friend for a snack downtown as our friends secretly prepared a surprise birthday party for her. As we walked down the main street, a middle aged man standing with hands crossed in front through frayed gloves, politely and eloquently asked whether I had some change to spare.

I prepared to shake my head, look away, and silently pass by with kindergarten-trained instincts not to talk to strangers. But she stopped. So, I stopped. And she gently asked “It’s Victor, right? I’ve seen you around.” Feeling a little guilty for waiting to just pass by, I fished out all the change I had in my pocket. Full of trepidation, I nervously watched the conversation continue. “Who is this person? How does she know him? What did she have in mind?”

She met him through some volunteer work with the homeless. Towards the end of the conversation, with warmth like talking to an old friend, she asked what he needed then if she could buy him some dinner. A slice of pepperoni pizza and a large coke. We brought him two slices and an extra large.

Shortly after that experience I started a habit of keeping a folded one dollar bill in the front fold of my wallet, precisely for occasions like this. Those one dollar bills led me to fascinating conversations with strangers including trading recipes with a former chef, hearing about different wars from veterans, talking to a former psychologist, diffusing arguments with people suffering from dementia, hearing women escape from abusive relationships, and much more. I’ve learned that circumstances can lead anyone (including me) to similar positions, so why not be generous when one can?

One dollar turned into five dollars, because what can anyone buy with one dollar anymore? And now, I dedicate $50 a month just for unplanned generosity including cash, meals, and other needs. I have and continue to learn so much about the needs of the poor, how charity leaps off your checkbook to the very street you live on, and how transforming even small gifts can be.

"What If" Charge: What if the next time someone asked you for change to spare, you asked for what? What if you give that person a dollar or treated them to a slice of pizza and a large coke?

Microfinance in China, Helping the Rural Poor

2009-05-02T10:38:00.001-07:00

Several months ago, a young individual shared a story with me about his experience giving a microloan to China. Through Wokai, an organization facilitating microloans to the rural poor, he made a small contribution to help another person living in Inner-Mongolia. Wokai are the Chinese words for “I start” and demonstrate their commitment to enable the poor to help themselves. I invited him to write this contributed article sharing about his enthusiasm for Wokai.

Editor, give and tell

"I was first introduced to Wokai when I attended a talk by Courtney McColgan, one of the co-founders of Wokai. Wokai is a Kiva for China, connecting lenders in the first world with micro-borrowers in rural China through the Internet. Courtney and her co-founder Casey initially intended to spearhead the formation of Kiva China, but soon realized that Kiva would have regulatory difficulties expanding into China. They decided to form their own organization instead. Many thousands of dollars, months, and the formation of a Chinese on-shore corporation later, Wokai officially launched in the fall of 2008.

"When considering which organizations to support, Wokai has risen into the top of my list for the following reasons:

1. Money lent to a Wokai borrower will be recycled into a new loan of the lender's discretion. Although lenders will not be able to repatriate their money due to regulatory issues in China, this means that contributions will have years to change many lives!

2. Every gift, however small, is a very efficient use of capital. Because the loan amounts requested are small (hundreds of dollars), every marginal dollar contributed to a borrower has a large impact.

3. Wokai's operations are currently focused on Inner-Mongolia, which just so happens to be where my father's family is from."

Contributing Author

Links:
[1] Wokai. http://www.wokai.org
[2] “About a gift that keeps on giving” yGive, giveandtell.

Disclaimer: The information presented here is based on the contributing author's research and experience, and in no way reflects the official opinion of Wokai or Kiva.

Roses, 5 gallon buckets, and Ethiopia

2009-01-02T16:14:00.000-08:00

What do roses and five gallon buckets have in common in Ethiopia? Water. Last month, I attended an event where the speaker showcased a compelling story about water use in Ethiopia. In an example highlighting the intersection of water and jobs, he told a story from his visit near Debre Zeit about women who walk for miles to fill a 5 gallon bucket with unfiltered river water. Just a few miles down, the same water was being used to water greenhouses filled with roses belonging to large, multinational corporations. In a matter of days, these rose farms export, auction these roses in the Netherlands at one of the largest rose auction houses, then ship the roses across the world to their final destinations.

While the juxtaposition of one well-resourced and the neighbor in need is not new, this example and pictures made me think about the importance of water access. Although water for drinking is a forgettable portion of global water use, clean drinking water has huge public health and quality of life benefits. One of my favorite charities of 2008 has been on a campaign to bring clean drinking water to the 1.1 billion people in the world without it.

Feature: charity:water
A few months ago, I bought the most expensive bottle of water of my life - $20 for a 0.5 L. But in return, I was given the promise that the funds would go to provide one person with clean drinking water for 20 years. Not too bad when you put it that way. I fell in love with charity:water through photographs - a toddler holding up a glass of dirt-brown water, a woman with hands cupped filtering leaches out of the water, a hospital with muddy water from a faucet, a well being built, crystal clean water and smiling children. More here. charity:water works with local organizations to build the infrastructure needed for clean water access.

How did they start? Scott Harrison, a New York event planner and consultant, took time off to be a photojournalist on a Mercy Ship and returning heartbroken, founded an organization with their first initiative for water access, charity:water. That was three years ago. Last September, charity:water hosted a multi-million dollar campaign to build 333 wells in Ethiopia. I contributed enthusiastically. Consider hearing about their stories in Bangladesh, Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Hondorus, India, Kenya, Liberia, Milawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, or others.

Links:
[1] "Is your water footprint bigger than your carbon footprint?" giveandtell.
[2] charity:water. http://www.charitywater.org

Disclaimer: The information presented here is based on the author's research and experience, and in no way reflects the official opinion of charity:water or charity global, inc.

Your own foundation for $50

2008-12-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

Today, I started my own foundation, named it, and seeded with $50. That’s right, for $50 USD, or more specifically 500 rand, one can start and name their own Giving Foundation with the GreaterGood for South Africa’s South Africa Social Investment Exchange. So it’s not a foundation in the traditional tax-exempt sense, and it’s not a stock exchange in the traditional Wall Street sense either, but it is a different and terrific way of giving.

Who is GreaterGood for South Africa, and what is a social “stock” exchange?
GreaterGood for South Africa is a four year old online giving marketplace based in South Africa. In their own words, “GreaterGood South Africa brings good causes and committed givers together in meaningful and innovative ways to end poverty in South Africa.” By bringing donors and volunteers together they have been able to quantify their impact since their launch as having donated over 16 million rand (about $1.7 million USD), about 45,000 volunteer hours, and over 500,000 surplus or second hand items.[1] But what I found really intriguing was their social “stock” exchange called the South Africa Social Investment Exchange (SASIX).

Briefly, SASIX “makes carefully selected social development projects available as investment opportunities with a social return.” One can browse funding opportunities by geography, sector (for example food security, environment, HIV/AIDS), and risk (based on, for example, concept, design, capability, control, sustainability). With so many options one can identify a giving opportunity matching many personal values. Once a project has been identified, and if it is not fully funded, one can give by “investing” in “shares” of the project. A share can be a fixed cost at say 50 rand ($5 USD), and a project might be for example 230,000 rand (about $24,000 USD) to refurbish the psychiatric ward of a hospital. A project is fully funded when all shares have been purchased. And “shareholders” are updated regularly with detailed reports.

Setting up a Giving Foundation
More interestingly, a donor has the option of setting up a Giving Foundation – an individualized and personalized charitable fund set up by a family, individual or business. A major benefit for South African tax-payers is tax-efficiency – tax benefits upfront while donations can be distributed throughout the year. But for those outside South Africa, it’s still a fantastic and easy way of discovering, contributing and following projects and charitable donations.

One of the things I appreciate most about this organization is their effort to quantify impact. Knowing how to describe impact has been one of the major challenges and opportunities facing many charities and there is growing demand from donors for comparable metrics of impact. I think GGSA and SASIX are onto something unique not only in how they calculate these metrics, but also how they present it in an accessible way for the new donor or investor.

A low cost to enter
For just 50 rand ($5 USD), one can own a share of a project, and participate in something really special. I find it worthwhile that my small gift can be ever so slightly redemptive for a country historically overlooked by parts of the world. Consider exploring opportunities for greater good in South Africa.

[1] Annual Report. GreaterGood South Africa. April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008.

Disclaimer: The information presented here is based on the author's research and experience, and in no way reflects the official opinion of GreaterGood for South Africa.

How to host a philanthroparty

2008-12-19T12:31:00.000-08:00

In a time of economic uncertainty and need for our country, I have been trying to practice deeper gratitude for what I do have. With the holidays approaching, I decided to throw a philanthroparty as way to celebrate the year with friends, and as an opportunity for charitable giving.

A philanthro-what?
This time of the year is one of the most generous times of the year for charities. But charities are not robust to the downturn of the economy, and in fact, many have been disproportionally affected in a time when needs for services are rising. So this month, I chose philanthropy as the theme for my annual holiday party. Instead of a white elephant gift exchange with re-wrapped, unwanted gifts or a secret Santa with uncertain gifts to the stranger, I decided to make this party memorable with something novel.

A different way of giving
Each guest was asked to bring either a $25 gift certificate for an online giving marketplace or a $25 donation to the charity of their choice. Everyone was encouraged to select a cause that reflected something they were personally connected to with examples including international, health and education. One by one, guests took an envelope containing the gift from the Christmas tree. And with each unveiling gift, the donor shared a brief introduction to the cause and why they were enthusiastic about it. The exchange obeyed some of the rules of other familiar gift exchanges. For example, each guest had an option to “adopt” a previously opened charity from another guest, which made the exchange a little lively at times.

To my surprise, a diverse spectrum of charities was represented. They spanned size from a newly started scholarship fund for Thai students to international online giving marketplaces. They covered the globe from China and India to inner city American schools. All had something different to share.

At least one
My biggest hope from the evening was that each guest, including myself, left having connected with at least one charity in a new way. At least one. Whether it was the charity they brought or left with or one shared during the evening, I was glad to see the philanthropic interest of others sparked. I was thrilled to receive an email from a guest the next day sharing that she had left thinking about an international relief agency and had a few enthusiastic café conversations about it that next morning. For myself, I learned new things about the hearts of people I have seen regularly for years and new organizations whose cause to support.

Might you consider doing something different this holiday season, maybe for at least one?

About a gift that keeps on giving

2008-12-14T21:01:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you, but I want every dollar I spend to work hard for me. There is a certain grand satisfaction in knowing that I just helped make the world a better place, and maximizing that effort maximizes that joy.

Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency
I came across a Charity Navigator top-10 list one day that shames 10 charities that are drowning in administrative costs, consuming more than half of your donated dollars for anything not directly related to the mission you intended to support. I got curious about thinking about the most efficient ways to give financially and I ultimately landed at opportunities in microfinance, particularly with an organization called Kiva. Giving to Kiva is wonderfully efficient because 100% of your donation goes to the project you want to fund, and afterwards you can make a separate designation for Kiva if you wish (their suggestion is only 10% of your transaction). Also, once the loans have been repaid, you can relend that money to other projects perpetually.

It takes money to make money
Microfinance is a banking principle of providing financial services like small loans to clients with few or no assets, and in my area of interest to the poor in developing countries. With Kiva, you and several other investors can choose to bankroll any amount of the small business needs of any number of people in a shopping cart style. Once they get their need met, they go and make use of the money and return the loan at low-interest. It is said that credit is an incredibly powerful financial tool, and it is, but it is quite generally unavailable to the world's poor. The poor of the world then are not able to take on costly endeavors that jump-start their small business and bring themselves out of poverty: it takes money to make money. Therefore, microfinance has its place in the fight against systemic poverty.

Give it a spin
Microfinance is an incredibly rewarding experience for me, though admittedly I'm helped by never having experienced a default on my loan (but most people don't, since the average default rate is less than 4%). Instead, I've seen people all around the world make wonderful use of their immense individual resourcefulness and my small, humble, financial contribution. If you're interested in business and investing, and you want to see people do well with just a small kick start, microfinancing just might be the game for you.

Is your water footprint bigger than your carbon footprint?

2008-12-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about how much water it takes to produce the food we eat or the products we buy? I was really surprised to learn that it takes a staggering amount!

"Every drop of water has a purpose"
I had the opportunity to listen to an address given by Frank Rijsberman of google.org, where he began by introducing the idea of a water footprint. Similar to how a carbon footprint is a measure of one's individual carbon impact on the atmosphere, in 2002, experts began talking about the water footprint as a measure of the total amount of water used by a consumer or producer. One can learn more here.

At this event, I learned that water consumption for drinking comprises only a tiny fraction of overall water usage. And in fact, using water for agriculture to produce the crops we eat makes up the overwhelming majority of what water is used for. Would it surprise you, as it did me, that every calorie in a meal you ate today took 1 liter (L) of water to produce? So the lunch that we ate today which might easily have 1000 calories took 1000 L of water to get to your plate. Or that a can of coke with its water-expensive sugar, aluminum, manufacturing and transporting takes orders of magnitude more water to produce than the 12 fluid ounces one drinks. It's important to point out that one's water footprint is geographically specific, but for me as an average consumer, the illustration was clear that there is surprising and unknown water costs to things we see every day.

Why care about water at all?
There is increasing concern about the crisis of water, which includes not just the scarcity of drinking water, but much more. Forthcoming will be a companion article titled "Water: the blue gold?" that will give a better description about the need, and share about opportunities to give to charities making strong efforts for water.

But I also thought about a small decision I could make to reduce my water footprint. This week, it meant buying groceries from a local farmer’s market. And by doing so, I hope it will reduce the costs of water in delivery and support local, climate-appropriate crops.

Why I Give to the Fight Against Lung Cancer

2008-12-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

A recent New York Times article featuring the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer published inspired me to share about why I give to the fight against lung cancer.[1]

Lung Cancer, really? Tell me more.
Earlier this year, I asked the question “Which diseases impact Americans the most?” After some brief research I learned, perhaps not surprisingly, that the leaders of mortality in America were heart disease and cancer.[2] But several things about cancer did surprised me.

Cancer led in person-years of life lost (PYLL), the years of life lost due to early death from a particular cause or disease.[3] And most surprisingly, cancer of the lung & bronchus (what an under-campaigned disease!) leads all cancers in PYLL by an overwhelming amount, almost triple the runner up female breast cancer.[Figure 1] Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death in men, and second in women.

Figure 1: Lung cancer leads in person-years of life lost. Source: National Center for Health Statistics, CDC. Cited in: Cancer Trends Progress Reports 2007, National Cancer Institute. Updated: June 1, 2008.

Why do you give to fight Lung Cancer?
I give to the fight against lung cancer for two reasons. First, it is a cancer that historically and continues to have relatively low five year predicted survival.[Figure 2] While treatment and survivorship of other cancers have increased over time, cancers of the lung & bronchus remain relatively unchanged in the past few decades.

Figure 2: Lung cancer survivorship is low. Five year relative survival rates. 1974-2000. Source: Cancer Trends Progress Report – 2007 Update. Figure L1. NCI. Accessed : June 1, 2008.

Second, I wonder if the fight against lung cancer could use more research funding. The National Cancer Institute’s Office of Budget and Finance showed that relative to other cancers, lung cancer received fewer research dollars than other extreme PYLL cancers. For example, in 2007 lung cancer received less than half of what breast cancer received, despite having nearly three times the impact. Personally, this juxtaposition challenges my attitudes towards lung cancer. Why does it seem easier for me to rally for the cause of a mother’s, sister’s or daughter’s breast cancer than another family member’s lung cancer? Could lung cancer, whose most common cause is long term tobacco exposure, be stigmatized as a consequence of vice and seem not as worthy for charitable giving?

Table: Research dollars (millions) disbursed by the National Cancer Institute, sorted in descending order of person-years life lost. Source: Office of Budget and Finance. 2007 Fact Book. NCI. Accessed: June 1, 2008.

This year, my convictions for attention to lung cancer were affirmed as major philanthropists gave generously to impacting the disease.[4] Hurray!

Where can one give? Two opportunities.
In recent months, I have been supporting two organizations selected to target long-term and short-term impact. The first is the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Over the past few presidential administrations, government funding for research has grown to be very competitive. Government funding for research is an intensive, peer-reviewed process, whereby experts rank and decide which projects and investigators to fund. Advances in research are important to the long-term development of understanding and treatment of diseases and conditions. Interested donors can give to the NCI Gift Fund, with a research designation for “lung cancer.” Details can be found here and here.

A more immediately impactful opportunity is the Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids. I believe one significant to positively impact the lung cancer battle is through supporting teen smoking cessation programs, and programs supporting teenagers. Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids is a national advocacy and education organization based in Washington DC. They target the prevention of adolescent smoking, smoking cessation, and reduction of exposure to second hand smoke. More details of the organization and how to give can be found here and here.

References:
[1] “New Cases of Cancer Decline in the U.S.” New York Times. Nov 25, 2008.
[2] Kung et al. “Deaths: Final Data 2005”. National Vital Statistics Reports 56:10. April 24, 2008. CDC.
[3] Center for Health Statistics, CDC. Cited in: Cancer Trends Progress Reports 2007, National Cancer Institute.
[4] “Billionaires Back Antismoking Effort.” New York Times. July 24, 2008.

Disclaimer: The information presented here is based on the author's investigative research and in no way reflects the official opinion of the New York Times, National Cancer Institute, Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids, or other cited organizations.

"Your Care for Tree": A Poem.

2008-11-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

This short poem is a companion art entry following the Nov 15, 2008 post “Trees mean more than paper.”

Of all the things this world decrees,
and all the pains’ and sorrows’ plea,
“Why trees?” she asked of thee.
“Prithee share your care for tree.”

Behold, beauty stretched ‘ward sky,
and majesty draped where would I
meet no verde lovelier to eye
than that for which a tree supply.

And purposed its life, filled will be.
Weathering storms for you and me,
Sequestering carbon in the free,
and providing justice in economy.

Tree. Thou need not hug one to agree
“elegance” and “mission” names be.
Threatened. “Action!” is this day’s decree,
lest our world without a tree.

Trees mean more than paper

2008-11-15T13:00:00.000-08:00

Interest Reignited
Yesterday, my concern for trees and forests was renewed after learning about the fires burning in Santa Barbara and other parts of southern California.[1-2] If you’ve spent any time in Santa Barbara, perhaps you’ll sympathize with the destruction of such a beautiful place and the awful image of fires pouring like lava over the mountains in the horizon. I read an emails with disbelieving eyes about terrible fires that have ravaged lands, destroyed homes and offices, and forced the evacuation of families. Those who were lucky had a few minutes to collect a few irreplacables before fleeing. Many have already lost their entire homes. Let’s hope for the residents of Santa Barbara and other southern California residents impacted by recent fires.

Global Green Loss
A destructive event like this leaves a devastating and complex impact on the environment. Sadly, the disappearance of forests has been ongoing and worldwide. Last month, a BBC article citing an EU-commissioned study made the bold statement that the “global economy is losing more money from the disappearance of forests than through the current banking crisis.”[3] Experts estimate the annual loss at $2-$5 trillion per year, more than double the losses of the financial sector by the date the article was written.

What can be more saddening is that the poor are disproportionally affected. The rural poor who fight starvation, unproductive land and lack of water, resort to slash and burn tactics clearing forests for agriculture. But this very act further degrades the land. Deforestation and poverty are inextricably linked.

Feature: Floresta
I have recent enthusiasm for a charity whose mission is to break this cycle of deforestation and poverty, through “healing the land and its people.” Floresta reforests, educates and trains, and develops local communities in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Tanzania, Mexico, and America.[4] Last month, I received a picture of a Haitian village of 37 about 40 miles south of Port au Prince that I helped to support. Since 2002, Floresta has been training these residents in new agricultural methods and providing microfinance loans. I was further reassured of their commitment to the cause when I read the thank you letter in my hands was made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper and printed with soy-based ink.

[1] General information can be found at: “Montecito Tea Fire.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montecito_Tea_Fire and also
[2] Chawkins, Steve; Sahagun, Louis; Weiss, Kenneth R. (2008-11-14). "Montecito fire consumes 111 homes", Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 15 November 2008. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sbfire15-2008nov15,0,3157160.story
[3] Black, Richard. “Nature loss 'dwarfs bank crisis’”. Oct 10, 2008. BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7662565.stm
[4] Floresta. http://www.floresta.org/

Inauguration

2008-11-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome reader! Timeless kindergarten memories fondly include classic stories of show and tell, whereby we shared about something that really excited us or something of special value to a roomful of peers. Decades later, fueled with a developing interest in philanthropy, the authors of this blog present “give and tell: love, live, give” – a blog sharing our philanthropic interests, how we’ve responded to needs and causes we care about, charities we’ve supported, experiences we’ve had, and philanthropic news to an audience of like-minded peers.

What can I expect to read?
Our hope is that everything you read will be worthwhile and never dry. All topics will be related to philanthropy, which besides financial giving also includes giving of time, skills, and other resources. All anecdotes are first-hand experiences of the authors, so readers can expect writing with integrity. While we make no claim to be experts in the areas we are philanthropically connected, all our articles will be evidence-based and sources referenced when appropriate. There will be a diversity of article types including feature articles, news, discussion, and occasionally art.

Who are the authors?
Two authors hereby known as Devoted to Giving and yGive will be your companions. Devoted to Giving has a special heart for health and healthcare, with other interests including the environment, international relief and social justice. yGive has been growing passionate about issues concerning social justice, the environment, and education since investigating more deeply the profound impacts on these topics by world affairs today.

The time is now

Therefore, we invite you to join us in this journey of learning more about the world around us, exploring how we can partner with each other and with worthwhile institutions in making this a better place for us, for the less fortunate, and for those who are yet to be.

Givingly yours,
Editor