Tag: Direct Action

For-Profit Charity

googleGoogle.org has been briefly mentioned here before, but now the New York Times provides more information on the organization. The NYTimes requires registration at their site, but you can use BugMeNot to get around that.

Google.org is for-profit and this provides some pros and cons. They will have more freedom with how to spend their money and can invest where it would like to. The example the NYTimes gives is that Google.org can invest in an electric car company to help the environment, as opposed to just planting more trees. They promise that any profits made from their investments will not go to their parent search company – all profits will be for Google.org.

“The company has said it plans to spend the money over the next 20 years, and the Google board recently approved a more rapid disbursement rate, $175 million over the next two years.

“Poor people can’t wait,” Dr. Brilliant said. “Dying people can’t wait for some 20-year plan. It’s not what we’re doing here.”

Ventures that grow out of Google.org could be seen to have a competitive edge because they do not need to show a financial profit. But financial returns from a project like the high-mileage car are not necessarily the aim.

“I think how you count profit is the issue here,” said Peter Hero, president of the Community Foundation of Silicon Valley, a charitable foundation with about $1 billion in assets. “Google.org is measuring return on cleaner air and quality of life. Their bottom line isn’t just financial. It’s environmental and social.””

Kids get to interview UN officals

A group of young journalists will get the opportunity to ask UN officials tough questions. The kids will also have the chance to express what it is like to be a child around the world to the delegates to policy makers. I hope that the UN listens.

“The 11 young journalists, from all 4 continents, will be making speeches at the Day of the General Discussion on the Rights of the Child and are expected to interview UN committee members and state representatives. Their reports and observations will be sent back to their countries and communities.

The journalists from Canada, Colombia, El Salvador, Ghana, India, Kenya, Norway, Senegal, Sweden and Zimbabwe, will join 22 youth delegates from other agencies at the UN’s Palais Wilson on September 15th.

“I want the Committee members to know just what Children’s Rights means for me, and millions of young persons like me, and I want to take back everything I learn and accurately inform and educate everyone in my country” said 12-year-old Sibonile, from Zimbabwe.”

Introducing……Nikki

coffee in canadaI’d like to introduce everyone to our newest writer Nikki! She made her first post yesterday about the Madrid fashion show. Please give her a warm welcome.

Nikki hails from Vancouver, British Columbia and loves Canucks and coffee. Originally from Africa, Nikki has travelled the world making a difference doing all sorts of journalistically good things. She doesn’t like how the mainstream media concentrates on the negative aspects of reality and she wants to change that. She also doesn’t like celery.

Look forward to great posts from Nikki!

Help Darfur

blue hat dudeDarfur is a region in trouble. For years there have been killings and other tragedies. Obviously this is not good news at all – in fact it’s the opposite of good news. Today’s good news about Darfur comes from people wanting to help the region through action. Show your support online by wearing a blue hat!

The Global Day for Darfurwas originally conceived by a group of NGOs who were concerned about the international communityÂ’s slow response to the crisis in Darfur. ItÂ’s truly global: the day will see peaceful demonstrations, rallies, marches, exhibitions and concerts in cities around
the world including Abuja, Addis Ababa, Berlin, Cairo, Hong Kong, Khartoum,
Kigali, London, Melbourne, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Toronto, Paris and
Vancouver.

Dating Volunteers

hand and heartEd Igoe writes in to tell us about a way to help people while helping yourself (if your single):

There are, scattered around The United States, a group of organizations who have found a win-win-win situation. They are the Single Volunteers.

These groups act as a loose liason between single (as in unmarried) adults and organizations in need of volunteers to run events like charity walks, public television fund drives, and community events. They have no operating budget, no elected officers, and no offices. Volunteers pay nothing to join or participate. Their administration exist strictly in cyberspace. Volunteers check a web page (edited by a volunteer) and send e-mail to a (volunteer) team leader to sign up for events.

Win #1: The single adults get to work alongside other single adults.

Win #2: Events get staffed with free helpers.

Win #3: Charities benefit from the free help and events.

This is definitely one area where the news is good. People working for others. The web page I list above is just one of the “SV” (Single Volunteers) groups, this on being based in the Baltimore/Annapolis area of Maryland.