This site is about possibilities. It’s about compassion, action, and change. It’s about empowering people to make a difference. You don’t have to be rich, famous, knowledgeable, or even an adult: all you need is an open heart.
It feels good to give. Wanting to help is a natural response. So often we see or hear of something that touches us. Our hearts open, and we feel inspired to do something. Then, we pull back - either because we don’t know what to do, or we feel that our small amount of money or our effort won’t make much difference, or we don’t have a sense that our money will be used well, or we don’t have time, or perhaps we’re afraid to give “too much” because we need to save for our retirement or our kids’ college fund, or… There are so many reasons. The good news is that none of that has to get in your way. There are ways to make a difference that are quick, easy, satisfying, fun, and you’ll barely notice the money is missing. Sound interesting? You’ve come to the right place: explore our site, make friends, exchange ideas, and make your mark on the world.
1. The effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations.
2. Love of humankind in general.
3. Something, such as an activity or institution, intended to promote human welfare.
That sounds like us, don’t you think?
1. Most of us have more “extra” money than we realize:
I live in a rural area, and – since I’m very content there – I rarely go into the larger cities and shop. When I do, it’s a mind-blowing experience to go to a big store and see all the “stuff” on the shelves: so attractively packaged, calling out to us, begging us to take it home – to fill up our closets and storage units - assuring us that we’ll finally be happy if we buy this or that. And so often we do.
What if – the next time you’re tempted to buy that next really cool thing – if you donate some or all of the money instead? Or, if it’s just too good to resist – how about if you set a percentage aside? How many times do you buy a cup of coffee, or buy lunch rather than packing something from home? If you’re a smoker: how much money could you save if you smoked just one less cigarette a day, and set that money aside? Or, if cookies are your thing – how about if you match the money you spend on cookies with a donation? Even $3 a week is $12 a month. If four of your cookie-loving friends did the same, in a month you would have $60, and in a year: $720. (So, you can just keep on eating those cookies, and make a difference with every bite!)
“Let’s Not Go Out to Dinner Together” - what if you and a group of friends were to have a simple pot luck at someone’s house, pool together the money you each would have spent at a restaurant, and at the end of the evening go online and donate it to the project of your choice? What if you made it a special monthly event? What if your various sets of friends started doing the same thing? And what if people in the neighboring community had the same idea?
2. There are many places where a little bit of money can go a long way:
I’ve traveled quite a bit, and when I come home from a place like India or Thailand, I am always shocked to see the amounts of money we fritter away on a daily basis – money that – in a place like Nepal, would make a huge difference in someone’s life. It’s unbelievable how far our “disposable” cash can go. Ten to fifteen dollars may not seem like much, but it can make a difference in someone’s life. For example, $15 can buy medicine for 10 people for 6 months in Nairobi, Kenya. In Tanzania, $25 can provide schooling for one street child for a year, while $20 will educate 10 children in Ethiopia, and $48 will equip a classroom in Afghanistan. (Amounts calculated from http://worldonfire.ca/donations.html.)
If you haven’t already done so, take a look at the World on Fire video. Also, visit our featured organizations to learn about groups – including several from Power of the Heart – that can turn small amounts of money into life-sustaining actions.
(With thanks to Steve Hargadon's Classroom 2.0 Ning Community)
This is an amazing time to be alive. It can be immensely painful to have an open heart, as it is now possible to learn – in graphic detail – about terrible suffering around the globe – often as it is happening. The flip side is also true: we are able to know about so much more magnificence than was ever possible before. There are so many people and groups doing wonderful courageous beautiful things every day, and the Internet helps us connect with each other.
Just as we are now able to get up-to-the-minute coverage of wars and tsunamis, the voices of peace and compassion have the opportunity to be heard like they never have before. In the days before the US attacked Iraq in 2003, there was the largest mobilization of voices for peace in the history of the planet. Tens of millions of people in dozens of countries all stood together to say NO to war, and YES to peace.
This site is for me, because my heart hurts a lot less when I feel like I can do something that makes a difference. This site is for you – so that you can find ways to act and to be when you run into something that touches you deeply, or threatens to break your heart wide open. This site is for us all, so we can find and support each other. This site is for the planet, because when we join together, there truly is no limit to what we can do.
• Inspiration, kindred spirits, a place to explore and expand your ideas
• Information: Creative ways to raise money - places to give it to, where you can know it will make a tangible difference - and a way to share your results
• A way to publicize causes and organizations you care about
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Sally Carless
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