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MAY 2012
Greetings!
The month of May brings spring flowers and warmer weather. It's the month that also includes Mother's Day. I know that the traditional family of the 1950s has been replaced by many types of families, but I think I'm safe in saying that almost all grandmothers are mothers also, so Happy Mother's Day to all!
This newsletter will introduce you to additional charities doing wonderful work on behalf of children. In this issue you will find:
- President's Message. GG's annual review of charities for chidren.
- Introduction to our new recommended charities: Camfed, Nepal Youth Foundation and Polaris Project.
- Introduction to additional GG advisors: Each advisor brings their unique talents to GG and we are grateful to them.
- GG member highlight: Meet Maureen Burness who shares her thoughts about how GG fits for her.
Enjoy the spring and the newsletter. Let us hear from you about topics of interest, books worth noting, and members whom we can highlight.
Kate Parnes
Editor
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President's Message
Dear Global Grandmothers. 
If you're like me, you want to give to help people in need, especially children, but you're confused by all the choices. Warren Buffett solved that problem by giving to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
My problem, and probably yours, is not quite the size of Mr. Buffett's, but just like him, I want to make sure my money is well used!
The Global Grandmothers Board is committed to help all of us solve this dilemma by researching and recommending effective charities for children. Our website, on the "Ways to Give" page, lists charities we have vetted based on recognized criteria. All have received four-star ratings from Charity Navigator and are endorsed by other charity rating services. We promise to review all of them annually, or more often as necessary, to make sure they continue to meet our standards, and the pressing needs of the globe's children.
We have just finished our first annual review and as a result are adding three new charities to the site, which are described below. We are also removing one, Child Family Health International, as it no longer has a Charity Navigator four-star rating.
We hope you'll revisit our website, www.globalgrandmothers.org, and find these new choices worthy of your support.
Thank you for joining us.
Diana McDonough
President
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"Children are the world's most valuable resource and it's best hope for the future."
- John F. Kennedy
GG Advisors
Kari RodgersA mother of three, Kari has worked for twelve years in the communications industry. After five years at home with her young children, Kari is now advising GG on communications and marketing straegies.
Lynda StorekAn educator of forty years, and a grandmother to eight grandchildren, Lynda brings her creative energy to developing the GG Kids' Page, soon to be on the website.
Jayne McDonough
A licensed architect, Jayne now works as a graphic artist designing websites, logos, and publications. Our GG website, logo and associated graphics emanate from Jayne's creative mind.
Coming soon... We are excited to announce a new addition to the GG website - the "Kids' Page." Here we will include suggestions for activities to share, great books to enjoy together, and internet resources to explore - all promoting global awareness.
Let us hear from you.
Email globalgrandmothers@gmail.com
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Recommended Charities: Update
We are delighted to announce the addition of three new recommended charities - Camfed, Nepal Youth Foundation, and Polaris Project. Two of these three focus on human trafficking and indentured servitude/forced labor. Acknowledging this critical area, we will also be adding "Prevention of Exploitation" as an area of interest on our website.
Camfed, the campaign for female education, was established in 1993. Camfed fights poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa by educating girls and empowering women to become leaders of change. Today, the organization works with 3,667 schools in rural parts of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana and Malawi. We like this organization because of its focus on African girls.
Based in Sausalito, California, the Nepal Youth Foundation brings together the resources of generous donors in the developed world, and the opportunity to improve the lives of destitute children in Nepal. Education, rescuing girls from indentured servitude and providing a safe home for abused children define the work of this organization. We like this non-profit for its holistic approach to caring for children, providing help ranging from housing and health care to life-enhancing services, like education and counseling.
Polaris Project was named after the North Star that guided American slaves toward freedom along the Underground Railway - and is
dedicated to a world without slavery. Its major focus is in the United States and Japan where it combats human trafficking, sex trafficking and forced labor. We like this organization for its 24-hour hotline available to assist trafficking victims, including children and youth, and to dispense and receive information on trafficking issues.
Read more about these three newly recommended organizations and review their
websites for a broader understanding of their mission, projects and accomplishments.
Member Spotlight
Maureen Burness
Sacramento, California
Maureen Burness is a woman of commitment! She spent her career in the field of special education and carried this passion into her personal life, establishing a foundation for children with special needs, Newly retired, and a new grandmother, becoming a Global Grandmother was "an easy fit." Every year, she and her husband make a commitment to donate a portion of their income to charities. The fact that GG has vetted specific charities that support children in need has been helpful to them, as they make their choices. Maureen's grandchildren are very young but she is pondering how to involve them as active givers as they grow. Becoming a Global Grandmother has helped her become more alert to issues of poverty impacting children worldwide and she hopes to promote that awareness in them. Thank you for joining us, Maureen!
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Camfed - 
Nepal Youth Foundation - 
Polaris Project -