The Poor Man’s Banker

“I did something that challenged the banking world. Conventional banks look for the rich; we look for the absolutely poor. All people are entrepreneurs, but many don’t have the opportunity to find that out.” —Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank

“Each of us has much more hidden inside us than we have had a chance to explore. Unless we create an environment that enables us to discover the limits of our potential, we will never know what we have inside of us.” —Muhammad Yunus, winner of Nobel Peace Prize 2006

Makin’ It Right in New Orleans

“The first responsibility is to help those that are the most vulnerable. And we failed – and failed miserably.” —Brad Pitt, Make It Right

Learn how to help make it right at www.makeitrightnola.org

Drink & Care at NYC Happy Hour

Meet people that like to volunteer. Click link for tix to “The Art of Caring” Happy Hour.

All proceeds will go to New York Cares (nycares.org).

When: Thursday, September 27th. 6:30pm – 9:30pm.
Where: ULTRA (in the Flatiron at 37 W. 26th Street)
Dress Code: None

All about WE.

“Studies show that when we families eat together three or more times a week, teens are half as likely to try cigarettes or marijuana, one-third less likely to try alcohol — and it lowers risk for substance abuse by 70 percent.” —Maria Shriver, Honorary Chair of Family Day (September 24th) for California.

Maria Shriver, First Lady of California.
www.firstlady.ca.gov/

Vote for your favorite PEACE group…

…in the Peace Primary (peaceprimary.org). Of twelve groups promoting peace, one will win $100,000 to amplify their message in the 2008 election. The Peace Primary is your chance to make the peace issues you care about a priority in 2008.

The Contenders:

American Friends Service Committee
Women’s Action for New Directions
Union of Concerned Scientists
TrueMajority “Build America, Not More Bombs.”
Refugees International
Peace Action & Peace Action West
National Religious Campaign Against Torture
Global Green USA
Genocide Intervention Network
Faithful Security
Citizens For Global Solutions
Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

From Aerosmith to PETA

Long before her nude veggie ad (which can be seen at www.peta.org): “I’m very uncomfortable with my body, and I’m not interested in people seeing it on screen.” —Alicia Silverstone

After her nude veggie ad: “If you ever have a chance to meet a cow, pig, turkey, or goat, you will see that they are just as cute and funny as your dogs and cats and that they, too, want to live and feel love…I’ve been vegan for 10 years, and it’s the single-most important and helpful decision I have ever made.”

—Alicia Silverstone, clearly unafraid to change her mind for her favorite cause

Learn about People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) at www.peta.org.

Downstream

“When we cast our bread upon the waters, we can presume that someone downstream whose face we will never know will benefit from our action, as we who are downstream from another will profit from that grantor’s gift.” —Maya Angelou

How You Use It

“Unless you choose to do great things with it, it makes no difference how much you are rewarded, or how much power you have.”
—Oprah Winfrey

What’s a pushke?

A pushke is the Yiddish equivalent of a cardboard Unicef box. It is a little can or jar or box kept in the kitchen to collect money for charity. The money from the pushke is given away regularly & usually anonymously. Everyone in the house can contribute to it & decorate it.

Tzedakah

Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for charity. In Judaism, giving to the poor & needy (even if you yourself are poor & needy) is an obligation. Tzedakah is one of three acts that gain Jews forgivenness for sins. The other two acts are teshuvah (repentance) & tefilah (prayer).

Levels of Tzedakah (from the lowest to the highest–as organized by Maimonides):

Giving begrudgingly
Giving less that you should, but giving it cheerfully
Giving after being asked
Giving before being asked
Giving when you do not know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient knows your identity
Giving when you know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient doesn’t know your identity
Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity
Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant