Read the story of the Salwens, an Atlanta family that decided to take the dramatic step of selling their house and donating half the value ($800,000) to The Hunger Project in Ghana. Although most of us are not in a position to do something that life-altering, this family's journey to giving back, chronicled in their book, The Power of Half, challenges us to think about what we can do without in order to make a difference for someone else. We'd love to hear your thoughts.
Help Earthquake Victims
Imagining the horror and devastation of the earthquake in Chile so soon after the disaster in Haiti is overwhelming. However, if your children are old enough, have a conversation about what your family can do to help -- perhaps host a fundraiser or give up something that matters to you for a month (going out to eat?) and donate the money to a relief group. The Hufffington Post has gathered a list of organizations that need your support. To support Chilian earthquake victims, go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/27/chile-earthquake-relief-h_n_479426.html If you'd like to donate to Haitian relief, go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/haiti-earthquake-relief-h_n_421014.html
Rewarding Altruism
Check out the thought provoking piece in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune by columnist Gail Rosenblum about the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day promotion. What do you think? Do programs like these expand our volunteer pool and introduce new folks to the value of community involvement? Or do they send the message to our children that you do good deeds for a reward? We'd love to hear your thoughts.