As we approach the holidays, which many people consider the Season of Giving, American donors facing the greatest recession in thirty years are seeking new solutions.  This heightened economic awareness has charged the philanthropy sector with the task of informing and heartening their donors, in order to ensure the annual funding they count on so dearly. In light of the recent financial crisis, patronage is in danger of dropping rapidly, as we saw in 2001, when yearly contributions from middle-class Americans were reduced nearly 33%. We can only imagine how this year’s downturn may effect giving. So if you are going to give, you want to give well! There are several sites online, namely Givewell.net and Charitynavigator.org, that provide a user-friendly way to learn about the financial health of non-profits, so that your giving will go the furthest this season.

In a time where consumers have lost confidence in major American companies, we must find innovative messages to reach those who give, and seek trustworthy organizations to support. The problems facing the vulnerable have not lessened in our current environment, if anything our populations are at greater-risk, and need has increased. Charity Navigator provides a comprehensive evaluation of over 3,500 charities to provide you with access to learn about each organization’s fiscal efficiency, by cause.  If you are seeking ways to give, some of the top-rated charities to support include:

·     Children for Children, a New York based charity that encourages community involvement and social responsibility in young people.

·     Asha for Education, a secular, international charity dedicated to change by focusing on basic education in the belief that education is a critical requisite for socio-economic change.

·     The Fisher House Foundation is a unique private-public partnership that supports America’s military in their time of need.

Here at YBR, we try and remember Winston Churchill’s adage: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”, and hope that you too can find a way to give to those less fortunate this year.

I was in a crowded bar on Bowery, choosing to experience the moment with others, rather than to watch quietly at home. I was compelled, as many others on November 4^th,to rejoice or to cringe amongst friends and strangers. If anything, a national election emphasizes just how common our destiny is, and how heavy the implications are of what we can refer to as a shared future. Huddled in a dark room, it was often impossible to make out the faces in front of me, or to recognize whom the voice screaming to my left belonged to. But the fervor that erupted and the open show of emotion that followed struck a chord, a resonance with the notion of community or nation. Whomever you voted for, one thing is clear across the board, people were invested, not just in their personal desires, but in what either candidate would mean for the country writ large. This investment came through record voter turnout, in the emphasis on grassroots campaigning, in the palpable angst regarding poll data, and in people’s oft-unsolicited willingness to discuss their viewpoints.

With an economy that all can agree is unstable, and a war that, for or against, could have been handled better, Americans saw no other option but to commit, not just their vote to the candidate that embodied their hopes for the future, but their time and energy as well. The call to civic obligation was felt far more intensely on a national level than perhaps it’s been felt in quite some time, as candidates repeatedly reminded that this election was about us, that they could only win it with our donations, and our eager voices on telephones, and our willingness to cross state lines and rally support. We far surpassed the diminished expectations of American civic mindedness, and wore our activism proudly on lapels and politically charged status updates on Facebook. But after it’s all said and done, what now? If either candidates stump speeches are to be believed, the election was about us, and what happens after should still be. We can garner support for a candidate, find money to donate, and time to give, with the hopes that the person we put in office will steward the country. We can certainly take that same motivation and willingness, invest in the public good, and apply it with the same earnestness on November 5^th and beyond.

When we talk about the civil rights movement we often set aside figures like Martin Luther King, and Fannie Lou Hamer, and Thurgood Marshall, imbuing them with the strength and perseverance that in truth belonged to thousands; people willing to register black voters, despite the promise of violence, willing to rally, and stay up deep into the night organizing in church basements and college campuses. The best we as a nation have ever been able to accomplish came at the sacrifice of individuals, bent toward a common cause, and buttressed by a strong sense of the words community, and citizen.

“E Pluribus Unum”, “Out of many one.” Whatever our personal feelings regarding the outcome of the election, we can all agree that times will demand a slightly more earnest understanding of what a citizen is, of how strong the linkages are between our individual fates, where our own lives overlap, and how important it will be to not just reach “across the aisle” but down it. It will mean raising social capital as well as financial. It will require a renewed sense of civic duty that goes beyond the support of candidates, to the support of each other, through volunteering and community building. With the coming of a new president, in a new age, we can be new citizens. We are more than capable of it. 

Last week, my husband had the “unfortunate luck” of being involved in a fender-bender. It started off as your average, run-of-the-mill accident: he had inched out past the stop sign to check for oncoming traffic and the driver behind him began to accelerate and rammed into my husband’s large bike rack. They both backed up into the quite suburban street to assess the damage. My husband’s bike rack was torqued way out of alignment, but thankfully no damage to the bumper. The other man, who was driving an old beat-up sedan, sustained the worst. The bike rack completely tore into his front bumper and dented in the front part of the car’s hood. Easily a couple grand to repair.

When I first got the call from my husband, we went through the normal drill of questions: are you okay, is anyone hurt, what happened? Once I got the sense that he was okay and no major harm was done, I began to ask the next round: did you get his insurance information? Will he pay for the damage? Can he pay for his car’s damage? “Well,” my husband started squirmishly, “he doesn’t exactly have insurance. And I don’t think he can afford to pay for the rack.” I could feel my sense of calmness turn to impatient bitterness and my eyes rolled. “Great! How lucky are we to get hit by an uninsured driver? ” But then he went on, “He was really apologetic and I could tell he was having a horrible day. He said he was racing off to pick up his granddaughter from school because there had been a threat on campus and all parents were called to pick up their students immediately.” [There was, indeed, a man with a gun who stumbled onto the local elementary school.] “He was an older man and I could tell he was really shaken up by the fact that he was late to pick up his grandchild. So, I just took his number real quick and let him go. But, I told him not to worry about it and that we’d get it fixed ourselves.” My tail went between my legs.

Suddenly, I too felt overwhelmed that I had initially felt angry toward this man who had rear-ended my husband. We weren’t the unlucky ones; he was. My mind began to swirl with thoughts of compassion, sorrow and sympathy for this older gentleman who was obviously a little down on his luck. He lived not more than two blocks from us and, yet, he was obviously living in a far more desperate situation — without car insurance, without money to fix his car, and with little means to take care of his grandchild(ren). And, given the local economy, possibly without a job. In comparison, we are fortunate enough to be able to fix the damage to the bike rack (which is a vital part of my husband’s job) with little out-of-pocket expenses. And, we have the good fortune to know that we do have good car insurance if, for any reason, we are in a more major accident.

My mind continued to swirl about this man, about whom I knew so little, but for whom I felt so much. It reminded me that his situation is not unique, but that it is a representation of many citizens today who are unfairly forced to make critical decisions between: paying for car insurance, health insurance, home insurance, food, gas bills, electric bills and essential needs for their children/grandchildren (e.g., clothing, school books). As everyday Americans brace for an economic recession, there are unfortunate ones who are bracing for even more desperate times. Food lockers and goodwill stores report that their shelves are more empty than ever; people are simply not donating as much as they have had in the past. And what’s terrible about this is that it comes at a time when there are more people than ever who could benefit from these donations. Good people who are struggling to find a job, feed their families, and provide a good quality of life for their children.

At a time when it is very easy to get caught up in thinking about “watching out for yourselves first,” this fender-bender reminded me to watch out for others, too — especially those who are a little more down in their luck than we are. It has reminded us to give just a little more, as well as count our blessings. We plan to donate more to our local food bank this season than we have in years past. We generally pack our lunches for work, and our plan is to “pack” at least two extra lunches (or dinners) each week for someone else. The costs will be minimal to us, but could potentially be huge for the food bank.

Of course, for the grandfather’s sake, I honestly wish this would have never happened – and that we could do more to help him repair his car. But, we pray that something good will come of this unfortunate situation – and something that will benefit far more people than the “harm” it caused to him and us.

Have you ever imagined your grandmother using a web camera, or your grandfather receiving legitimate medical care via the Internet? Such is the field of Telemedicine, an emerging area in modern medicine. Telemedicine (tele = Latin root meaning far) utilizes modern technology such as the Internet and robotics to monitor and provide universal healthcare. It is especially useful in geriatrics, targeted at elders living in rural communities.

At least 20% of the American population (~sixty million) lives in rural, isolated communities where medical care is limited. A medical provider’s biggest challenge is in reaching and administering proper care to these patients. In many cases, it is simply too costly for the frail and sick to travel and commit to medical appointments, particularly if they lack the proper transportation.Studies show that psychiatry is one of the greatest uses of telemedicine. The aging population in rural communities is not only isolated from medical care, but often times from social and emotional contact. This often results in moderate to severe depression and a dramatic decrease in the quality of their lives. For many of the isolated elderly, leaving their homes is difficult and overwhelming.

Evidence has proved that telecommunication via Telemedicine with the aging population has positively impacted their social, physical and emotional states, increasing their overall quality of life. Widowers living alone tend to have poor sleeping patterns and high rates of depression, resulting in unhealthy mental states and a decreasing physical well-being. Telemedicine has proven to be a positive outlet for this population to maintain visual and oral contact with another human being.Nurses, physicians and caregivers focus on increasing self-efficacy among these patients, teaching them that they are capable of reaching their own goals. Self-efficacy correlates to better self-care (sleeping, eating, smiling, etc.), lower health risks, more physical activity, and an overall improvement in the quality of life. By video-conferencing with an elder in a remote area of the country, more frequent therapy sessions are attainable.

Robert Wood Johnson’s Long Island Hospital looks to Telemedicine to treat elder patients in hopes to reduce their reliance on emergency department services and nursing homes. Home patient stations consist of a video monitor, high-res camera, blood pressure machines, and various monitoring devices. Healthcare providers typically check in three times a week. This service empowers elderly patients to take health care into their own hands and increases self-efficacy.Telemedicine not only empowers our aging population, but it allows our loved ones to remain within their homes and communities, without a need to travel far distances for proper medical care. Cost savings, patient education, increased quality of life, confidence in medical care, and early diagnosis are positive benefits of this emerging technology.

The current economic crisis has created a sense of helplessness, uncertainty, and fear.  Just about everyone knows someone who is worried about what will happen next, how long the recession will last, and what the implications will be for us and our communities.  The financial bridge under many of us is broken.  This is particularly destabilizing for retirees and those soon to retire. People continue to lose jobs by the tens of thousands each week placing families on the brink of economic disaster.  Add the continuing mortgage mess, and we have a perfect storm fueling the demand for all kinds of short-term and long-term assistance.  Now is the time to shore up community resources to make a difference to the lives of those who are feeling hopeless.  These are tough times, our food banks and pantries are being emptied every day, people are reducing their intake of medicines due to affordability, and calls for counseling services are rising steeply.  Be a part of the solution by giving generously of your time, talent, and resources. Stretch as far as you can to lend a helpful and hopeful hand to neighbors, strangers, and friends.   Together, we can make a difference.

While traveling through the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee last week, I ventured upon a trail leading to the Mt. Cammerer Lookout. It was a long and arduous trek (12-miles roundtrip) up the Appalachian Trail, through deep forest cover, fall foliage, rocky summits, along the mountain ridge line and eventually to a peak where a 70-year fire lookout building stood. I knew very little about the Lookout prior to the start, other than that it was an amazing vista point with 360 degree views of the Smokies. It’s said that on a clear day, one can see Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

When I arrived at the Lookout, I was not just blown away by the incredible views, I was equally impressed and awestruck by its history. The Lookout had been constructed in 1937 as a result of President FDR’s New Deal legislation that established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was a national work relief program for young men, mostly from unemployed families, and which put them to work in conservation projects, including prevention of soil erosion, impounding of lakes, and projects in city parks, state parks and national parks. Initially, most of the men came from small towns and rurual areas, but as the project expanded, more and more city men joined the ranks. It became one of the most popular – and successful – New Deal programs following the Great Depression. As the unemployment rate fell and organized labor increased, so did the need for the CCC. This, coupled with the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, led to a stop in federal funding of the program in 1942. However, many states today, including California, Montana, Washington, and Minnesota, still have successfully operating CCC programs.

As I stood in the Lookout, I admired the fine work of these young men who had hand-carried hundreds of tons of quarried stone, glass and lumber up six miles of steep mountainside. It took nearly two years to construct and the building was then used as fire lookout for the entire region for nearly 40 years before being replaced by modern fire prevention technology.  It was chilling and made me think a lot about today’s environmental issues and our economy.

With the unemployment rate on the rise and the financial sector crumbling, and with all the discussion about energy conservation and environmental protection, it made me ponder the reality of a new “New Deal” program. What if the federal CCC was resurrected? Could it be as successful as it was in the 1930s? One of the hallmarks of today’s state-operating CCC programs is their focus on sustainable practices to protect, preserve and conserve the environment and to provide young people (both boys and girls) with jobs that teach them lifetime skills and prepare them for careers in a variety of sectors, both private and government. Our government is in the process of a bailout plan and certainly looking at many strategies and solutions to help America’s suffering economy. And, I hope that they will look at our history – especially the Great Depression when the economy was far more unstable than today – and consider programs such as the CCC as a possible solution to help our country recover.  I hardly believe it is THE solution, but it merits consideration as it could bridge two gaps in addressing energy and environmental concerns along with the increasing masses of unemployed Americans.

For many students, returning to school in the fall means new school supplies and new clothes for the school year. But not for all children – especially those whose parents cannot afford what some consider basics and others consider luxuries.

Recently, I met Elijah, 4, and Tyrone, 9, both students in Lancaster County, VA, who participated in the Peninsula YMCA’s Bright Beginnings program. Bright Beginnings provides school supplies and new clothes for children who qualify economically, based on Virginia Department of Social Services standards.

Elijah was both excited and a bit shy as stepped of the Y’s school bus to begin his shopping at the local Wal-Mart. At 4, he preferred to ride in the shopping car, rather than walk beside it push it. He quickly told me his favorite color was red. As we looked for school shoes, he spotted a pair of red and black basketball-type, lace-up sneakers. Luckily, they were his sized, and they fit. Bingo!! His eyes lit up.

From the shoe department, we moved toward the jeans. His mother had made a note that he especially needed jeans, boy’s jeans, size 7 slim. On the way to the jeans, we found a red and black hoodie for the cooler weather. We purchased three pairs of jeans, shirts to match, underwear, socks and a belt. After the shopping cart was full of his new clothes, Elijah wanted to push it, with a little help.

Each of the 160 kids in the Bright Beginnings program received $100 to spend on new school clothes at the local Wal-Mart with the shopping assistance and guidance of an adult volunteer. The volunteers carry calculators so they can get as close to $100 as possible. Elijah’s bill was $100.48.

After dropping Elijah back with other volunteers for a snack, I met Tyrone who told me he really didn’t like shopping. He was a bit distracted, looking for anything but clothes. But we managed to spend just a few cents shy of the full $100, filling the shopping cart with items similar to Elijah, but in sizes appropriate for a nine-year-old.

Lancaster County, Virginia, population 11,000, a county of haves and have nots, where homes on some roads –  incredibly – still  do not have indoor plumbing while wealthy, water-front estates at the ends of those roads have all the amenities and more. Driving down some streets is a study in stark contrasts between the very rich and the very poor.

There are many vulnerable children here, like Elijah and Tyrone. In fact, more than 50 percent of the county’s more than 1,400 students qualify for free (mostly) or reduced cost lunches, one of the highest rates in Virginia. One-third of all high school students drop out before graduation. Fully 12 percent of the county’s population is below the poverty level with 75 percent of all parents working outside the home either part- or full-time.

It was fun and rewarding to shop with Elijah and Tyrone to find new clothes for the school year and to watch other volunteers shopping with their children.

As they left the Wal-Mart with their parents, who had come to pick them up, they were also given a backpack filled with school supplies for the year.

They seemed ready to meet the new school year with their peers and teachers.

There has always been something about this time of year that excites me about education and the start of the traditional school year. New backpacks stuffed with books that are more advanced than the books toted around previously; new teachers and classmates to encourage learning, cooperation and team building skills; and either the return to the school cafeteria after a 3-month hiatus or a new lunchbox stuffed with a smooshed PB&J and healthy snacks that were avoided all summer in lieu of sugary lemonade, ice cream and pizza. To me, the start of the school year always marked a decisive period of new beginnings, new challenges and new lessons. In short, it marked a period of growth and progress not just for me, but for all of society. Students were learning and, in turn, preparing to become the future leaders of our country at all levels of society.

Unfortunately, as I have read the national headlines these past few weeks, I have lost most of this enthusiasm. This year, as our younger generations make the trek to the school bus stops, they are more hungry, more impoverished, more sick, more inactive and more unprepared than ever before to learn well and be successful students. School districts everywhere are reporting that their numbers of students enrolled in the national free or reduced meal programs are at their highest, especially with more schools having to increase the cost of meals due to extensive budget cuts. Many school foodservice staff report that older students will not finish their meals, but take it home so that they can share it with younger siblings who are hungry at home.

With the rising costs of gas, many districts nationwide have reduced the number of routes, leaving many students and parents struggling to find a reliable source of transportation to and from school. A recent survey in Chicago found that more than one-third of students from grades 5 to 8 reported being “too scared” to go outside and feel robbed of their “freedom to play.” Yet, with dwindling resources, many schools are forced to cut back on recess time and/or limit PE classes to once a week or every other week.

And nationwide, community programs that donate free backpacks filled with school supplies to needy families have reported that they have been unable to keep up with the demand, giving away substantially more backpacks than ever.

The spiraling downturn of our economy has, no doubt, begun to have a dramatic impact on American families, especially those who were already struggling to make ends meet. But, for our children, its impact is deep and threatening. Time and time again, research has shown that students perform better in school when they have good nutrition, regular physical activity and less external stressors at home. And with American schools already struggling to meet sufficient test standards under the pressures of dwindling budgets and fewer resources, how can schools fulfill the needs of students who do not have adequate nutrition, activity and support at home? I would hardly be surprised if this year’s test scores also end up setting new records – for lowest ever.

With the upcoming elections, there promises to be much debate about foreign policy, the oil crisis, energy and environmental issues, and perhaps the biggest discussions on the issue of healthcare. But, education also deserves more than its fair share of time at the debate podiums and in Congress. Our children – our future leaders – just might be the all-around, biggest losers of our crumbling economy. And, in due time, that could really catch up to us.

Today, Earth’s Elders launched their new web site with enhanced functionality including helpful new resources for elders, students, educators, and caregivers. Earth’s Elders is a non-profit educational organization committed to improving the lives of the youngest and eldest among us by bringing them together and the website is a great interactive venue to do just that.

Some highlights of the site:

* You can view pictures of and read stories about our supercentenarians – the world’s oldest elders – 110 years or older.
* Elders and youth alike have the ability to share stories and pictures through the online Postcard
* Many resources – both local and national – are posted for elders, students, educators, and caregivers to provide them with extensive knowledge and options for issues ranging from elder care to learning how to make connections with our elders
* You can also find out what Earth’s Elders has been up to, where they’re going next or even book a speech with the founder, Jerry Friedman.

Start making your meaningful connections today and help Earth’s Elders achieve their goal of creating one million connections between the youngest and eldest among us.

The act of giving large and small is motivated by making a difference to improve situations.  Hannah’s story is about a twelve-year old American girl, residing in Vietnam, who saw an East Meets West (EMW) Documentary “Dreaming of An Ordinary Life,” a film about EMW’s Operation Healthy Heart and the young critically ill children whose lives are being saved by the program.  Moved by the film, Hannah set in motion a plan to sponsor a surgery for a child costing approximately $1500.  On her summer vacation last year to Portland, Oregon, Hannah began talking to everyone she knew about her mission. She went door-to-door and fundraised at churches to spread information about the program. “Hannah’s hope was if everyone she talked to were to donate one dollar, then she would have a lot of money”.  After collecting $1, 600 for Operation Healthy Heart, a matching birthday gift for her 13^th birthday by her parents and a Nike Corporate match, Hannah returned to Vietnam with over $5000 helping to save the lives of three children who needed life-saving heart surgeries.  The joy of helping was also rewarded with a personal connection to thirteen year old Nguyen Thi Anh Thu when a local TV station wanted to film one of the children that Hannah was saving.  The Thu family, living in a remote village, cultivates rice on their small plot of land from which they earn about $31 a month.  Their income barely feeds the family and they did not have the means to treat their daughter’s heart condition.  Thu’s parents were surprised to learn that a 13 year old was raising funds for their thirteen year old, and the two are now fast friends.  Thu is doing well, able to experience the joys of a normal childhood and wants to be a doctor so that she can help children like herself.  Hannah continues to raise funds for Operation Healthy Heart.  Go to eastmeetswest.org for more details about this program and the East Meets West Foundation for Learning, Healing and Health.

Hannah’s story reveals the power of what one child can do when struck by compassion and the motivation to help.  It also exemplifies the role that parents can play to encourage and support their children’s efforts and the extra plus of corporate giving.  Hannah’s words best describe the potential for making this world a better place. “I am just an ordinary person.  But if all the ordinary people would just help one person, the world would be an extraordinary place.” Hannah also happens to be my godchild and I am so proud of her.