News
Politics
Do you know the political slant of your portfolio? Every election cycle, US businesses pour hundreds of millions of dollars into campaigns, parties, and politically affiliated groups. Some of that money is reported, some isn't. Now a movement to get corporations to disclose voluntarily their political contributions is gaining ground. Read more...
Francis Portnoy suggested that we post a link to the Center for Political Accountability: their Transparency section let you look at the Center’s reports rating public companies’ disclosure of their political contribution policies and practices. If you own stock or buy services from one of these companies it’s interesting to see this aspect of how your money is being used. Check it out...
Delightful
Problem-solving via simple, useful design is a great delight, and a source of optimism in itself. If you are like me, new and surprising ways of looking at every-day issues gives you faith in the power of human creativity. Take a look:
Shout Outs
Contest
If Not Now is looking for ideas for a contest. We'd like to encourage people to think about how to work together across generations, so we'd like a cartoon or film clip that will carry our message and gain viewers. Any ideas for the specifics of the topic? If so, please tell us your suggestions in the Forum section. And, while we're on the subject, kudos to Dave Schlafman for his video entitled The Sky is Falling. It's wonderful; take a look.
Goods
For so many reasons we need to stop turning objects into garbage. By now we've collected a LOT OF STUFF, and it ought to be moved along to people who can make use of it. Please don't throw your no-longer-pleasing goods away, instead, please send us ideas about how to get objects to people who can use them, and take a look at www.freecycle.com.
Across Generations
A promising new organization focused on one of the building-blocks of peace is starting. Read More….
We reach across generations for our own pleasure as well as to create strong bonds and habits of cooperation, problem solving and support. It's great to help our own children, and really wonderful to help each other's children. Often it's nice to be involved with people our own age at the same time. For some ideas take a look at the following:
We'd like to know about your experience of intergenerational partnerships via the Forum section.
In the face of devastation, earthquake survivors are starting schools. Read this story from China…
Support
GIVE AWAY OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY - because you don't need to have it to give it . Just clicking on TheHungerSite.org will result in a donation — you don't have to buy anything.
Free Rice is a lovely site where answering vocabulary questions results in donations of rice. It’s free, and it’s fun. Much better than solitaire!!! Try it.
Blood Donations Drop in Summer--Give if You Can.
Around the World
Myanmar is allowing some foreign aid workers to enter remote areas hard hit by the May 3rd cyclone. To get aid to survivors you should take a look at ActionAID.
Quote Of The Day
“To help others is to help ourselves. ” — Zhang Xiaoyong
Young Voices
It's also instructive to look at TakingItGlobal.org. Reading the Discussion Board posts provides a fascinating window into an international conversation between young adults.
Honor
Dr. Campoverde
The Guatemalan Project was born in response to Hurricane Mitch which devastated Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Eastern region of Guatemala in December, 1999. The hurricane, followed by landslides, river floods, and torrential rains, had washed away the houses of the most economically deprived people, and the people of El Triunfo had been “relocated” to a farm eleven miles away from their original location; most of them did not know each other. International assistance poured into Honduras and Nicaragua, but very little was sent to Guatemala. The Life Foundation sent a team to Guatemala to including Dr. Campoverde, a professor of Social Work. Now, in honor of Dr. Campoverde’s retirement from Florida Atlantic University, and her move to the village of El Trufino to continue her work, find out about The Guatemala Project and this generous and determined woman. Read about it...
Guilds
GUILDS will be informal user defined groups focusing on a particular problem such as homelessness, microfinance, or global warming etc. Guilds might be solely educational/conversational, or might choose to take on a specific project. You can start a Guild in one of two ways:
1] Use the Forum page to start a conversation and rally support.
2] Use the “Contribute News” tab to post a “Shout Out” or a link to your own Blog.
Guild members can post interviews with experts, and can use If Not Now to create connections.
Housing stability is an issue with far-reaching ramifications: There's no guild formed yet, but if you want to learn more here is a great Interview with an Expert.
“Affordable rental housing is going to be rented to people earning no more than 80% of the area median income. But in a high income area like Boston, that could be folks earning up to $60,000.00 a year.” Read more...
Jobs
The world of service work and volunteerism is undergoing a transformation of unprecedented proportions driven by the greatest demographic shift in our nation's history, the baby boomer generation.
Here are a few really interesting organizations that are hiring:
Here are a few great resources for volunteer opportunities:
And if you'd like to volunteer to help If Not Now please contact us. We are looking for Guild Leaders, Interviewers, and Researchers.