Learn a little more about Global Grandmothering . . .
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Do you realize that you and George Clooney are cut from the same cloth -- at least in one important respect? You are both interested in making the world a better place - and are doing something about it - he with his recent commitments at the U.N. Summit on Refugees, you with your support of Global Grandmothers -- and probably lots of other things you do! Thank you for supporting children worldwide and for trusting us as a guide in your charitable giving. Mini Report to Members
Global Grandmothers is 5 years old. Can you believe it? Here are some highlights 5 years out. |
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Nick Kristof signing Diana's book, November 2014 (He told me he "loved the idea" of Global Grandmothers.)
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We now have 163 members in 22 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 countries outside the U.S.. This is thanks to your spreading the word to your friends, to your family, and to college classmates (thank you Smith College Class of '66!).
We are also grateful to Pulitzer Prize- winning authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn for championing our organization in A Path Appears, their 2014 book. Many of you joined Global Grandmothers because of that inspiring read.
We published our first newspaper article this year, a simple explanation of Global Grandmothers. Click here to take a look.
Group giving this year. Since last fall's newsletter, we held our first in-person events for fund-raising, hosted by the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter.
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Global Grandmothers San Mateo Shoreline Walk, November 2015, benefiting Save the Children's Child Refugee Crisis Appeal
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The Bay Area chapter sponsored three walks and a tea, raising $8000 for Save the Children, Nurse Family Partnership, and Nepal Youth Foundation. This, of course, does not include the donations you made on our website or independently.
The Ongoing Crisis for Syria's Children
The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter is hosting a walk for Save the Children's Syrian Children's Relief Fund. If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area on October 8, join us for a walk along the Crystal Springs Reservoir in San Mateo and get a chance to hear Save the Children staffer Ashley Holt. Click here to register and donate. Despite horrifying conditions, Save the Children has helped more than 3.8 million people in the region, 1.6 million of them inside Syria: - 130,000 people with clean water
- 34,500 children with a place to learn
- 3,500 emergency patients with care each week
- 145,000 people with warm clothes and shelter
- 16 centers supporting traumatized children.
Save the Children is working to bring hope and services to Syrian children, especially to the 250,000 children it estimates are trapped in Syria's besieged areas. Your gifts help make that possible.
Please click on the donate button below, and give generously.
Thank you for joining us to make the world a better place for children.
Diana McDonough
President
Global Grandmothers |
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Newsletter's Table of Contents
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New members speak . . . "I just gave to one of my favorite charities, No Kid Hungry, for my granddaughter's birthday. My donation was sparked by your Global Grandmothers!! Hope all is well with you and GG is thriving!" - Lynne Berentson, New York, New York
"It feels wonderful to give to Global Grandmothers, knowing that you have contributed to a thoughtfully-selected program that will make a difference in the lives of children and are honoring your own grandchildren at the same time. The beauty of the idea is that you do not skimp on a gift to your own grandchild and you let them know of the pleasure to be derived from giving to others less fortunate than they are. It is a classic example of winning all around!"
- Gail Kern Paster, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Grandmother of Zoe (13), Max (11), Jamie (9), and Ryan (9)
"Thank you for the warm welcome. I read about your organization in a book called A Path Appears. There was a list of organizations that do great (reputable) charitable work. Your organization looks like one I can get behind. Although I am not officially a grandmother, I like to think I'm just about there. My son has a wonderful girlfriend who came to our family with three really cute kiddos. I would like them to see that it isn't all about getting, that giving is really what it's all about."
- Julie Held, Pownal, Vermont
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Why We Give
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Mary with grandsons
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by Mary Bevernick, Treasurer. Mary is a retired educator who lives in Boulder Creek,, California.
This is my first opportunity to share some of the interesting things that come across my desk, which I hope to do now and then. But first --
No fee for us when you give on our site.
In July the Global Grandmothers Board decided to eliminate the $1.00 fee from each donation that comes through Global Grandmothers. We don't want to charge any fee, not even $1.00. Of course, PayPal deducts a small amount, but that's the cost of doing business. So when you donate through our organization, rest assured that every penny of that donation will go to the charity you have chosen and the cause they are championing.
Creative Links...
Why a $97 donation? One day I noticed that we had received a donation of $97 for a specific charity. $97, I thought, why not $100? I emailed Shirley, the Global Grandmother in question. Here's why: This was a linked gift on the occasion of her mother's birthday. Her mother was turning 97 years old. So $97 was the donation. How cool was that? I was wishing I had thought of that and that I had a mother who was still around at the age of 97.
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Leni with her daughter
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Italians bearing gifts. Recently I came across a donation from a man in Italy with whom Global Grandmothers had no previous connection. In the "Occasion for Linked Gift" section he said, "Ask Leni."
It turns out that the man and his wife were visiting from Italy. They had rented a house in Berkeley, sight unseen of course, that was not livable. They turned to the neighbors for help - and the neighbors happened to be Leni, a Global Grandmother, and her spouse.
There was no reasonably-priced room available, so Leni and her spouse took the pair in for a few nights. They wanted to pay but Leni refused to take their money. When the couple protested, Leni suggested a donation through Global Grandmothers. And that's exactly what their guests did.
As a result, two of our recommended charities each received $200! And Leni and spouse now have a standing invitation to visit Rome, complete with accommodations. The ultimate win-win!
More stories coming. I can't tell you how thrilling it is to receive linked gifts and to discover creative links. That's enough for now. But don't worry. I will have more stories to share.
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Annual Charity Research Update
We annually review the charities we recommend to make sure they continue to meet our standards and add to their number to maintain a range of outstanding choices for our members. Sarah Pruden, our charity chair, oversees this for us. For the minimum standards our charities must meet, click here. This year we added:
CAMFED - www.camfed.org Camfed (the Campaign for Female Education) supports girls in sub-Saharan Africa with education and on to new lives as entrepreneurs and community leaders.
Child Aid - child-aid.org Child Aid provides literacy training and resources to rural, indigenous communities in Guatemala, Nurse-Family Partnership provides low-income first-time moms in the U.S. with home visits by a registered nurse from pregnancy to the baby's second birthday. Click here for more information.
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Amazon & UNICEF Help You Give
1. Log on to smile.amazon.com and designate a charity. Thereafter . Amazon will give .5% of each purchase you make to that charity, as long as you do it on "smile." All our recommended charities, as well as Global Grandmothers itself, are among the many you can designate. The same Amazon merchandise is available on smile as on the regular site. Sign up for this. It costs you nothing and benefits our charities! 2. Don't forget UNICEF's Change for Good Program. If you went traveling recently and have foreign coin or currency sitting around, put it to good use by mailing it to: U.S. Fund for UNICEFAttn: Change for Good Program125 Maiden LaneNew York, NY 10038
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Bay Area Chapter's Upcoming Events
Walk the Walks on three Saturdays, Oct. 8, Mar. 18, and May 6. Planned walks for all ages with a donation from participants to support a critical area of need for kids. Click here for details on Oct. 8's Sawyer Camp, San Mateo Walk.
Tea and Talk, Saturday Nov. 5, 2-4 p.m., Sarah Pruden's home, Sausalito. Come, and learn about CAMFED, the Campaign for Female Education, working in sub-Saharan African countries.
Global Grandmothers Celebrates Heart, Sunday, Feb. 12, San Francisco. Join us for brunch and fun/fundraising for Global Grandmothers. |
A final request - please take our Survey Survey - it's short! Tell us how we're doing - what you like and what we can do better. We promise, it won't take long. Click here to complete. |
Thank You . . .
for all you do for children --and for reading to the end of the newsletter!
Warm wishes for a delightful fall. - The Global Grandmothers Board
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