Does Welfare Make the Road to Self-Reliance More Difficult?

Professor of Social Work, Dr. Chack-Kie Wong, conducted an interesting qualitative study where he found many welfare recipients desire self-reliance, but often times recipients find many challenges literally trying to escape the welfare system. Although Dr. Wong’s research was conducted in Hong Kong, it is of noteworthy global importance since many welfare recipients face similar stigmatization. Handing Out Hope focuses on making the transition to self-reliance as painless as possible. You can help.

Engaging a World Rife with Dinscontent and Worry: How We Can Be Our Own Best Hope

In a recent article by Nicholas Kristoff for NYTimes.com’s ‘On the Ground’ blog about giving and it’s health benefits, Kristoff makes note that many people are apathetic or wary about giving. Whether giving back to their communities, or charitable giving in general – and I would add – participating in their societies as a whole, people often become caught up in the process rather than appreciate the experience. They begin to look upon it as a chore and at times, done almost begrudgingly.

In the hustle and bustle of life, with all of our daily stresses, compounded by external foes, which we have no control over (lay-offs, debt, recession, natural disasters like Haiti- to name only a few foes on many minds of late) we often times don’t think that making connections with others, helping our fellow man, can actually be rewarding not only to the recipient but to ourselves as well. Kristoff adds, “I also hope that young people won’t wait until retirement to find a cause; this is something that can animate your career, not follow it.”

In a time when “Millennials” or “Gen Nexters” are growing up with reputations of self-entitlement, they are also growing up in what reports have called the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Many are still at a point in life when optimism rules – According to the PEW Research Center for the People & the Press “Fully 76% of young adults believe their personal financial situation will improve over the course of the next year, compared with fewer than half of those ages 30 and older.”

Just as Ksritoff alludes in his Sunday Column, that the 65 year-old Black woman on dialysis, but who is respected by her family and is very involved in her community and giving, lives a happier life than the 36 year-old, successful and wealthy but stressed-out and lonely commodities trader, so too should we take a look at ourselves and remember what’s important: family, friends, connections with people, community engagement, giving.

At a time when traditional measures of success, like wealth and status have been rocked by a shaky economy and failing industries, perhaps we can take a hint from this and remember to help each other, and in turn give ourselves back a little hope.

If you want to find a way to give hope back, and engage your world so that people can help themselves and build upon their own futures, you can find more information HERE.

Before Deadly Earthquake Hit Haiti, A Deadlier Water Crisis Remained

The Huffington Post reported today that before the earthquake in Haiti hit, Haiti already had been plagued by a much greater crisis.  With approximately 10 Million citizens, Haiti reports that in recent years half of all the deaths of its citizens are related to the lack of clean water.   If something is not done to address this crisis, then 5 Million of the current 10 million citizens will stand to die due to this crisis.  This estimated death toll would clearly exceeds the current death toll in Haiti that stems from the recent earthquake.  Haiti is not the only nation struck by a water crisis; reports show that 1 billion people in the world do not have access to clean water.  More has to be done, more can be done!

Providing clean water to those in need are just some of the projects that Handing Out Hope has on it’s radar.  If you’d like to help us fund such projects, click here.

Does Relief Aid from U.S. to Haiti Get Into the Right Hands?

Wednesday, 01/27/10

Close to $2 million flowing into Haiti in relief aid from around the world and $379 million of that comes from the United States and most of that is not going directly into the hands of the Haitian goverment. Condidering the government corruption the country suffers from this is actually a good thing. The president himself, Rene Preval, made sure in a press conference last Wednesday, to annunce that most of this money is going directly to NGOs. “Just under one penny of each dollar is going straight to the shattered Haitian government, whose president is sleeping in a tent while struggling to organize an administration that was notoriously unstable even before the earthquake….” reports the Associated Press. With a reputation for being listed as one the world’s most corrupt countries, Americans would like to be assured that their donations are being handled and used in the best way possible to help victims of the Haiti earthquake, reports AP, in the Jan. 27th article, “Haiti govt gets 1 penny of US quake aid dollar.”

If you’re interested in helping people around the world who are in need and want to make sure your money not only gets into the right hands but also makes an exponential impact, visit our Keep Hope Alive campaign page.

(Editing by G. Guereque)

Two Birds with One Stone – A New Way to Promote the Gift of Giving and Marriage Equality…?

Tuesday, 11/10/09

Gay couples are coming out in a big way. They are letting it be known that they are a couple, giving to charities and foundations, together. Last week Boston Opera supporters attended a benefit and met coupled co-chairs, Daniel Ludden and John Fiske III and Stephen M. Weiner and Donald G. Cornuet with delight. Surely no one is surprised that gay couples are great supporters of the arts; what is perhaps a new trend, though, is that they want to not only be recognized (versus stay anonymous) but they also want to be recognized as couples who give. Gay couples want this recognition to encourage other gay couples to give as well, reports The Boston Globe. Perhaps also a way to get the face of gay marriage out there, and encourage other gay couples to be out there also will provide exponential value to the arts, philanthropic causes and gay marriage.

(Editing by G. Guereque)