February 12, 2015

   

      

 

'Charity begins at home' rings true, especially in February.

 

After all, in this month we celebrate our own nation's greatest presidents and the persons nearest and dearest to each of us.

  

So I was especially struck by the focus on U.S. poverty in the recent PBS mini-series (and book) A Path Appears, and on what Save the Children, famed for its efforts around the globe, is doing here at home! You may have had the same reaction.

    

Here are some facts to ponder:

• 1 in 4 children in the United States is growing up in poverty.  For a family of 4, that means less than $24,000 a year.
• If the Central Valley of California were a state, it would be the 12th most populous and have the highest percentage of people living in poverty of ANY STATE.

Save the Children works in the poorest US counties with a one-to-one weekly home-visiting program for mothers with children, from pregnancy through age 3, and then forges connections with the school. 

Jennifer Garner visits Save the Children Programs in California

The home-visitor brings books, models developmental activities, and offers support on health and other issues (see the video above).   With this kind of early intervention, 80 percent of the preschoolers in Save the Children programs score at or above the national average on pre-literacy tests.

Your support can help this very effective, underfunded program.  Make a Valentine's Day gift to Save the Children by clicking here. 

Click the button to the right to give to any Global Grandmothers recommended charity, and to print out a gift card.
And have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Diana McDonough

President

Global Grandmothers  

 

P.S. To nurture a love of justice in your grandchildren, consider a book that takes a look at African-American heroes of the Lincoln-era like Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman.  Clck here to review possibilities.  The books are informative -- and inspiring!