Archive for category: Advocacy

Information and news on advocacy.

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John Legend: Singer, Songwriter, Humanitarian

johnlegend
As a nine-time Grammy award winner, John Legend is well known as a singer, songwriter, and humanitarian. His vocals have earned him a multitude of worldwide fans and a string of Top 10 platinum-selling albums. His most recent release, Wake Up! (2010) is a compilation of music from the 1960s and ’70s including songs with underlying themes of awareness, engagement, and social consciousness. Legend, while a talented musician, seeks to be an agent of change in society. He is a member of several boards including Teach for America, Stand for Children, and the Harlem Village Academies.

As he spoke to a crowd of interested attendees in Southern Indiana, Legend focused on education equality and social awareness. Legend was inspiring, motivating, and very real in his comments. Early in his career, Legend had the opportunity to travel to Africa and it forever changed his life. He realized that his position in life granted him a platform to spread awareness and raise the standard for education and community involvement. Legend tirelessly works to promote education equality, which he believes is key to raising people out of poverty. By providing access to quality education for all individuals, we can ensure that being poor is not a life sentence but that there are opportunities to escape poverty and improve one’s life.

Legend gave the audience several tips on how to get involved in fighting for education equality from right where they sit.
His ideas included:

1. Join local boards and organizations working to improve education

2. Tutor students in local schools.

3. Encourage others to invest in schools.

4. Choose political leaders who take meaningful action within education.

The evening ended with the challenge from Legend to go and do something. The time for sitting still has passed and now the call to the work for education equality and diminished global poverty has arrived.

– Amanda Kloeppel

Source: Evansville Courier and Press

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World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine

30HourFamine09-1
This April 26-27 is the 30 Hour Famine weekend, and thousands of teenagers across America will go hungry to support children across the world as part of World Vision’s fundraiser. World Vision is a leading Christian ministry serving people in nearly 100 countries, and the funds from the famine go to areas of the globe that need the money the most.

QUICK FACTS:

+ about 112,000 teenagers will choose to fast for 30 hours in the pursuit of learning about hunger and making a real-life difference in the lives of hungry children around the world.

+ Just over 3,000 Famine groups will participate.

+ Millions of dollars will be raised. Remember: $1 feeds a child for a day and $30 feeds a child for a month; compounded, $360 feeds a child for a year.

As a result of this weekend alone (not the whole year), approximately:

+ 11,667 otherwise hungry children will be fed for an entire year.

+ Or, 140,000 hungry children will be fed for a month.

Not only does the famine raise money for the poor across the globe, it teaches young adults about how those people live each and every day and raises awareness of global hunger and world poverty. By participating in the famine, teenagers learn how to advocate and make a difference in the lives of others.

– Katie Brockman

Source: World Vision

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Eva Mendes and Half the Sky

Eva Mendes and Half the Sky

In late 2012, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) created a documentary about women living in developing countries called Half the Sky. This documentary examines the lives of many women in third world countries who have suffered through rape, prostitution, slavery, violent marriages, and other forms of oppression. By interviewing numerous women, Half the Sky is able to construct a common bond that promotes a sense of connectivity for all women and all humanity. Eva Mendes is one of the celebrities participating in this eye-opening project.

While the documentary takes the viewer to many different parts of the world, like Cambodia and Vietnam, Eva travels to Sierra Leone to talk to women about empowerment and to raise awareness of violence against females.

The film advocates women in leadership roles who advocate for women victims of rape and physical abuse. In one instance, a woman, who was abducted at the age of 13 and forced into prostitution, now provides shelter and counseling for girls who escaped from similar situations. Eva Mendes also had the opportunity to interview a particularly inspirational woman who had the courage to press charges against the men who raped her.

Half the Sky focuses on how women are fighting back against gender-based violence and paints a relatively optimistic future. Although in some societies female violence is still the norm, many women are attempting to create and implement the concept of women’s rights. It may be a long battle in some countries, but, as Eva Mendes notes, even small progress is worth celebrating.

It is easy for some documentaries to merely show story after story about women who have suffered from violence; Half the Sky is a different kind of documentary. It shows the viewer that even in the midst of discrimination and struggle, these women are able to overcome their past experiences and emerge ready and eager to help other women. These women refuse to be silent and submissive. That is something that every gender and nationality can relate to.

– Mary Penn

Source: policymic
Video: You Tube

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Springsteen Joins Academy of Arts and Sciences

Springsteen Joins Academy of Arts and SciencesAdd a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences to Bruce Springsteen’s already impressive resume. The rock star/philanthropist was elected to the prestigious and selective honorary society for his philanthropic efforts towards social causes, and now joins the likes of actor Robert De Niro, actress Sally Field, fellow singer-songwriter Pete Seeger and Pulitzer Prize-winning poets Annie Dillard and U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey.

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences boasts the membership of some of the most accomplished individuals in the fields of arts, science, academics, writing, and civil, corporate, and philanthropic leadership. “Election to the Academy honors individual accomplishment and calls upon members to serve the public good,” said Academy President Leslie C. Berlowitz. “We look forward to drawing on the knowledge and expertise of these distinguished men and women to advance solutions to the pressing policy challenges of the day.”

In January, Springsteen was named MusiCares, Person of the Year. The nonprofit organization was set up in the ’80s by the same entity that gives out the Grammys — the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science.

The new class will be inducted at an October 12 ceremony at the Academy’s headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

– Katie Brockman

Source NJ

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Instagram to Fight World Hunger

Instagram to Fight World HungerOne of the most common types of pictures posted on Instagram is food.  We love to share what we cook, what we eat, and what we enjoy. One charity has decided to capitalize on the idea of sharing pictures of your food.  Food Share Filter, a new app, is the first supportive Instagram filter. The idea is to use Instagram to fight world hunger. The app was created by DDB Spain and all money raised goes to support a Salvadoran charity called Manos Unidas.

Manos Unidas is a non-profit organization working with the Association of the Catholic Church in Spain. The charity works to promote development in the third world. They focus on working to eradicate the structural causes of hunger, disease, and underdevelopment such as injustice, prejudice, and inequality.  Geographically, Manos Unidas works in Africa, Asia, American, and Oceania to assist in development causes there.

The filter can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play store. Once downloaded, anytime a user post a picture of food, they can add the filter #FoodShareFilter.  This immediately adds the message, “This picture helps millions of people not to suffer hunger.”  It is an easy way to raise awareness in posting photos that would normally be posted.

The #FoodShareFilter is available in both English and Spanish and costs$0.99 in the Apple Store and $1.16 in Google Play.  The app was launched late last week and all proceeds from the purchase of the app go directly to the charity.  Check it out and download the app to start raising awareness on world hunger!

– Amanda Kloeppel

Source: WkBW Eyewitness News
Photo: Goodnet

Fight World Hunger With Your Smartphone

Fight World Hunger With Your Smartphone
Listen up smartphone users! It’s never been easier to fight world hunger.

Taking food shots with your smartphone and sharing them on Instagram or Twitter has become a huge craze. This new app, the first supportive Instagram filter, lets you post those photos and help a good cause to fight world hunger.

The aim for FoodShareFilter, an app created by DDB Spain, is to raise money for an El Salvadoran charity called Manos Unidas. The charity promotes development and preventing hunger in third-world countries.

All you have to do is download the filter from the Apple Store or Google Play, take the picture, and post it using #FoodShareFilter. The income from each app download is donated to the charity.

In addition, every time a user takes a photo of their food and applies #FoodShareFilter, it immediately adds the message “This picture helps millions of people not to suffer hunger,” and shares it on your Instagram page. That way, you raise awareness while posting photos.

Although FoodShareFilter is in Spanish, an English version is also available.

FoodShareFilter was launched late last week. It is available in the Apple Store for $0.99 and in Google Play for $1.16.

– Katie Brockman

Source WKBW
Photo FoodShareFilter

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Kellogg Commits to Create Brighter Futures

Kellogg Commits to Create Brighter Futures

Breakfast giant Kellogg is committed to creating brighter futures for global citizens and outlines plans to accomplish that goal in its 5th Annual Global Corporate Responsibility Report.  W.K. Kellogg aspired to not only create breakfast cereal but to improve people’s lives through food and philanthropy.  Each year, Kellogg highlights their efforts at creating brighter futures through their Global Corporate Responsibility report. This report outlines Kellogg’s efforts aimed at the marketplace, workplace, environment, and community, as well as their global efforts to fight world hunger.

Breakfasts for Better Days is Kellogg’s global hunger initiative. According to the report, 1 in 8 people around the world face food insecurity each day.  Through Kellogg and Kellogg’s Corporate Citizenship Fund, the company has committed to donating 1 billion servings of cereal and snacks to children and families in need by 2016.  Breakfast is what they do best and by providing servings of breakfast to children around the world, Kellogg is playing a role in fighting global hunger worldwide.

In addition to the work being done to fight global hunger, Kellogg is also committed to reducing water use and waste to landfill in their plants. The UK plant was able to reduce its water use by 26% in 2012. They have launched new products with higher fiber, protein, and nutritional content and will continue to create food that is healthy to improve the health of all citizens.  Lastly, to further promote breakfast and hunger relief programs, Kellogg’ has donated $52+ million in cash and products to organizations worldwide.

Kellogg is committed to being socially and fiscally responsible in the world of business and it is striving to use its platform as a breakfast manufacturer to fight global hunger and improve the lives of global citizens. The full report is available here. Kellogg will make a one-time donation of up to $10,000 to the Global FoodBanking Network for every person who provides feedback on the report. Simply send an email by Nov 1, 2013, to corporateresponsibility@kellogg.com.

Check out the report and send an email. It’s an easy way to contribute to the cause through advocacy and involvement and encourage businesses to continue to fight global hunger.

– Amanda Kloeppel

Source: Wall Street Journal
Photo: Kellogg

Tina Knowles Advocates “Miss a Meal” Campaign

Tina Knowles Advocates "Miss a Meal" Campaign
With Beyonce on her way to “complete world domination” this year, her mother, Tina Knowles, is focusing her attention on more altruistic endeavors with a new anti-hunger campaign called “Miss A Meal.”

The project — a partnership with Houston, TX non-profit Bread of Life Inc. — aims to feed millions of Americans by encouraging people to skip a meal and donate the money they would have spent to feed those who are less fortunate.

Knowles, who tapped her daughters Beyonce and Solange to get the word out about the campaign, said missing one meal is a small sacrifice for many.

“When we say ‘we are starving,’ we have to remember that there are people who are literally starving,” Knowles said in a release. “If everyone fed one person, one meal, we could make a huge difference.”

The good deed is not new for the Knowles, despite what critics, including actor Harry Belafonte, have said.

“I was 13 and my sister Solange was 8 when we started donating and serving meals to the homeless after church,” said Beyonce on her family’s longstanding partnership with Bread of Life. “There were people from all walks of life, even children, who needed a meal. We learned that we are all three paychecks away from poverty. It was a lesson in humility for all of us.”

In a written response to actor Harry Belafonte, who accused Beyonce and husband, Jay-Z, of turning their backs on social responsibility, the singer’s camp released a list of her charitable acts, including co-founding a multi-purpose community outreach facility in downtown Houston where recovering heroin addicts from around the country can study cosmetology.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an estimated 85.1 percent of American households were food secure throughout the entire year in 2011, making hunger a popular cause among do-gooder celebs.

Last year, actor Taye Diggs teamed up with Kellog for the company’s annual “Share Breakfast” campaign, while rapper 50 Cent partnered with the United Nations to provide one meal for every bottle of his Street King energy drink that was sold.

– Katie Brockman

Source Huffington Post

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High School Students Fight World Hunger

High School Students Fight World Hunger
For the fourth year, more than 200 Ottawa Township High School students became part of the solution to world hunger.

Each year, students in the school’s Freshman Academy have been asked to come up with solutions to the problems of world hunger and limited access to clean drinking water, said teacher Pamela Cronkright.

“Students research local and international organizations and then choose which one they want to help,” she said. They sometimes raise funds for the organization; often they volunteer at a local organization or “create and present a public service announcement”encouraging others to get involved.

Preliminary totals show this year the students raised more than $12,000, volunteered more than 250 hours, and created public service announcements seen by thousands, Cronkright said.

Students can select from a list of organizations, or suggest one, to send the money they have raised.

Triplets Sam, Matt and Emily Poundstone, of Marseilles, with the help of their family, held a pancake breakfast that brought in $565 for the Marseilles Food Pantry.

Officially, it was Sam and Matt’s project. Emily and a friend saved their lunch money to raise $50 more in contributions.

Silver Young, Bethany Crum, Shelby Leonard and Sarah Lyons held a bake sale outside Handy Foods. Rachel Thrush and another student sold candy bars, which raised $150.

Cronkright said one non-auditory special needs student programmed a presentation into a speech machine and went homeroom to homeroom and gave his “talk” while his aide held his poster. He collected $83.

Students decided to send most of their funds to charity: Water, a global nonprofit organization, builds wells to provide drinking water in developing nations, and Heifer International, another global nonprofit, provides livestock, seeds, and trees to those in need.

Locally, in addition to the Marseilles Food Pantry, students volunteered or raised money for the Community Food Basket, Illinois Valley Public Action To Deliver Shelter, and the Ottawa YMCA.

Tom Hart, another Freshman Academy faculty member, also led this year’s World Hunger Awareness Project, but shifted the credit to Cronkright.

“She was the one who came up with this idea,” Hart said. “I’m just following along.”

– Katie Brockman

Source My Web Times
Photo The Wild

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LGBT Communities in Developing Countries


The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is partnering with the Swedish International Development Corporation Agency, the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Institute, the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law and Olivia Companies to combat discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities in third world countries.

Together, these groups will contribute $11 million to protect LGBT groups against violence and discrimination and allow them to expand to include more people. USAID will also become more involved in the political processes of developing countries and help pass anti-violence and anti-discrimination laws.

Currently, homosexuality is illegal in over 80 countries and territories, seven of which enforce the death penalty for people caught in same-sex relationships. USAID and its partner organizations hope to change this. As Hilary Clinton said in a 2001 speech, “gay rights are human rights.” Now that President Obama has spoken in support of the gay rights initiative, advocacy groups and USAID have the backing they need to push the agenda forward.

When training begins at the end of May, we will begin to see the LGBT community become more involved in the political process. USAID and its partners are starting their program in Colombia, where the local mayor and the head of the city’s welfare agency, a transgender woman, will attend the training event.

There are 19 countries where it is illegal to discriminate against homosexuals and about 12 countries that permit same-sex marriage. These countries include Argentina, Canada, Spain and South Africa. As more LGBT leaders are elected and gay people become involved in politics, it is likely that more countries will be added to this list.

– Mary Penn

Source: Washington Blade