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.

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)