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FEBRUARY 2012
Greetings!
Welcome to our first Global Grandmothers Newsletter for 2012, the second year of our life as an organization! In this issue you'll find:
- President's Message. Facts and figures behind Global Grandmothers.
- Partners in Health. Information on this renowned medical provider, a charity newly recommended on the GG website.
- Mountains Beyond Mountains. A book review of this captivating biography by Tracy Kidder, which traces the life of Paul Farmer, founder of Partners in Health.
Enjoy the newsletter and 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
 Hello Global Grandmothers.
Thank you for joining us in our first year. Your confidence in our fledgling organization means so much. That support shows the timeliness of the Global Grandmothers concept, like the facts below.
About grandparents.
- There are approximately 70 million U.S. grandparents and their number is increasing at more than double the rate of the overall population.
- Grandparents' average real income is rising faster than any other consumer segment.
- In 2009 grandparents spent an estimated $52 billion on their grandchildren.
About global needs.
- 7 billion people live on our globe.
- 1.4 billion people live in extreme poverty.
- 1 billion people are affluent.
About the impact of giving.The good news is that giving makes a difference - world poverty is diminishing. - In 1960, 20 million children died of poverty-related diseases.
- In 2007, 10 million children died of poverty-related diseases.
The death of 10 million children a year is horrifying, but life has improved for many.
When we launched Global Grandmothers website a year ago, we didn't know these statistics. We just felt instinctually that many grandmothers like you recognized the abundance we all enjoy and the poverty of others. To right that inequity you agreed that giving to children in need when we give to our own grandchildren is a good place to start.
Help us continue to make a difference by putting your pledge into action and encouraging your friends to join us. Send them to www.globalgrandmothers.org.
Diana McDonough
President
(Sources: "The Grandparent Economy" by Peter Francese, 2009, grandparents.com; The Life You Can Save by Peter Singer, Random House 2010)
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"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." - Mother Theresa
GG Advisors
Paola Gianturco A photojournalist and former marketing executive, Paola will bring her talent and skills to GG, advising on outreach and future growth. Sarah Pruden
A knowledgable and commiited philanthropist, former school board member and high school college/career advisor, Sarah will
advise GG on charities. Focus GroupsOver the last six months, GG has conducted several focus groups. These groups have helped refine and sharpen the GG message. Based on their advice, GG is piloting a new tagline: "Thinking differently about gift giving, global needs, and grandchildren." Thanks to all who participated, - and what do you think? Let us hear from you.
Email globalgrandmothers@gmail.com
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 follow us on Facebook
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Partners In Health
We are pleased to add Partners in Health to our recommended resources as it has met our criteria, including a four star rating with Charity Navigator. Check out the website, www.pih.org, where the goals, work, and purpose of the organization are clearly communicated.
Access to primary health care, free health care and education for the poor, community partnerships, addressing basic social and economic needs, and serving the poor through the public sector are the five fundamental principles that guide the work of Partners In Health. The primary goals of the organization are: to care for patients, to alleviate the root causes of diseases in their community, and to share lessons learned around the world. Partnering with poor communities to combat disease and poverty has been a successful model replicated in 12 countries.
The website states that Partners In Health is founded on the relentless commitment to improve the health of the poor with 94% of all donations spent on their programs in 12 countries. Currently 13,000 people, mostly local residents, are employed to provide services. All services begin with medical care but expand to address the conditions exacerbated by poverty. The website states, "We listen. We learn. We serve."
If social justice and health care motivate your giving, check out Partners In Health and their work at www.pih.org.
Book Review
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
Looking for a book that is both engaging and inspiring? Mountains Beyond Mountains, a biographical portrait of Dr. Paul Farmer by Tracy Kidder, is the perfect read. You will follow the tireless persistence of Dr. Farmer as he addresses the medical needs of the poor in Haiti while pursuing his relentless commitment to public health policy. From the classrooms of Harvard Medical School to the world of infectious diseases, multi-drug resistant TB, HIV-AIDS - all compounded by crippling poverty - to the formation of a non-profit, you will be captivated by the idiosyncratic, humor-filled genius that is Paul Farmer. Paul Farmer has become a voice and a champion for the voiceless and powerless by providing health care and justice for the poorest and most vulnerable.
From the back cover of the book, "In medical school, Paul Farmer found his life's calling: to cure infectious diseased and to bring the lifesaving tools of modern medicine to those who need them most. Tracy Kidder's magnificent account shows how one person can make a difference in solving global health problems through a clear-eyed understanding of the interaction of politics, wealth, social systems, and disease. Profound and powerful, Mountains Beyond Mountains takes us from Harvard to Haiti, Peru, Cuba, and Russian as Farmer changes people's minds through his dedication to the philosophy that 'the only real nation is humanity.'"
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