charity

Poverty, Charity, and Motherhood: Maternal Societies in Nineteenth-Century France

tina — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +0000

The women-run organization The Society for Maternal Charity survived more than a hundred years of wars, revolutions, and government changes. Initially the group began because of the number of children being abandoned due to poverty. Not only were these foundlings expensive for the state, but they also had a very high mortality rate. Women’s societies were viewed as more ideal than orphanages and seen as an extension of the women’s domestic sphere.

In following the growth and demise of the Society, Poverty, Charity, and Motherhood: Maternal Societies in Nineteenth-Century France covers the themes of rich/poor, government/private, national/local, stay at home v. working mothers, male v. female-run, and the resentment by the poor/blindness of the rich. The author, Christine Adams, also outlines hot button issues that existed in the nineteenth century: the worthy poor versus the lazy hordes; married women versus single tarts; breast feeding versus wet nurses; and the question of whether or not women were positive influences in society, there to “clean up messes.”

Even after the French revolution women remained barred from politics and civic affairs, but through participation in these organizations they gained valuable skills and leadership training. Many of the societies had large budgets and staff, giving the women executive experience. The Society raised money, lobbied politicians, and ran formidable businesses. Women from the elite classes proved that they could make a difference by going into rough neighborhoods and aiding in situations they had never imagined, let alone encountered.

As Adams illustrates in Poverty, Charity and Motherhood, these maternal societies created many business principles, such as accountability, transparency, and sustainability. The societies understood that a husband’s interests often didn’t align with the wife’s, so aid must be given directly to women.

The Society was eventually brought down because it was believed they were enforcing religious doctrine; the Society insisted women have religious marriages and it required them to act as “proper women.” As a whole the Society was faulted for relying on these religious precepts, though less than fifty percent of the organizations held these beliefs.

As France became more secular and organized, they recognized the potential power of civic organizations and tried to rein them in. They created model statutes and bylaws and required the Society to adopt them. When the Society refused, the funding stopped and the Society died.

Prior to the welfare state, all assistance was charity. By demanding money from the state, the Society made it clear that the State had a responsibility to care for the poor. Adams claims that these societies are the reason that France and other European countries have a much better welfare state, with specific provisions for pregnant women and families, more generous vacations, health care, paternity leave, etc. The women’s Societies should be given due credit.

While the Societies signaled many of the issues that remain today, as Adams points out, they were not strong enough to consider the implications of inequality in their own lives; a different brand of woman had to do that. As with the “club women” of today, they do offer a valuable service: they are training grounds for women’s leadership and they should be given credit for the work they do.

Written by: , October 30th 2010

The Sun Came Out

admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:09:00 +0000

By 7 Worlds Collide

Sony

7 Worlds Collide is like an alt-folk “We Are The World” with admittedly fewer people of color. Headed up by Crowded House frontman Neil Finn, the second release from this international supergroup is an OxFam benefit double album featuring completely new material. After the success of the group’s first outing in April 2001, this newly reconvened and reassembled motley crew of performers has created a mellow collection of rock tunes for a laid-back audience that would rather nod heads and tap feet than mosh and scream.

The question is, inevitably: should I be purchasing this album because I like to pretend my supposedly conscious consumerism aids poor children, or am I really so taken with Kiwi musicians that I cannot pass this up? Do I really believe that Finn is capable of more than penning “Don’t Dream It’s Over?”

The success of this project falls equally on its collaborators. Some of the fellas are Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Pat Sansone, John Stirratt, Mikael Jorgensen, and Glenn Kotche, and Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway. The ladies represent with KT Tunstall, Bic Runga, Lisa Germano, and Sharon Finn. These gendered ratios seem inevitably weighted in favor of the men, regardless of the producer’s plans or desires. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

I once unexpectedly met Jeff Tweedy in a record store. This was during the time in my life when driving twelve hours to a Wilco concert was standard operating procedure, and suddenly faced with my idol in my own city, I burst into tears when I attempted to speak to him. Try to imagine our collective horror. I am quite sure you cannot.

Though my enduring obsession with all things Wilco has given way to a larger array of musical fixations, the songs on this album that do it for me are the Tweedy ones. Another high point is the Tunstall/Runga collaboration. These two beautiful voices have too few opportunities to publicly harmonize.

The rumor is that the recording sessions for The Sun Came Out were a family-friendly affair. It’s important to keep the ideals and message consistent from conception to delivery. If these talented musicians interrupted holidays and honeymoons to collaborate, knowing they were able to bring along their loved ones is reassuring.

You can always send money directly to charity, but if a tangible return on your gift propels you toward philanthropy, consider sampling this indie rock collection. There’s a little something here for everyone.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, August 26th 2009

The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:15:00 +0000

By Jacqueline Novogratz

Rodale

Many well-meaning people and organizations throughout the world have had grand visions for African and Indian aid over the years, but many of these projects and initiatives have not had a lasting impact for the poorest people. Author and Acumen Fund founder Jacqueline Novogratz has written a book that will change the way you think about Africa, India, philanthropy, and probably your own life.

Novogratz, who had been an international banker, knew she wanted to make a difference in the world. Like many of us, though, she wasn’t sure how. The Blue Sweater traces her quest across the globe and back, and her strong personal conviction that poverty can be alleviated through educated philanthropic investment. Novogratz illustrates in detail, sometimes painfully, sometimes hilariously, the many lessons she learns along the way, and why many traditional types of charity just don’t work in poor countries.

The Blue Sweater is not a lecture, but a rich narrative describing the people, places, and experiences (emotional and intellectual) Novogratz discovers on her journey. She brings African and Indian landscapes to life in full, vivid color, and describes the inspiring and frustrating people she encounters with equal candor. Readers with a travel bug, beware; this book will make you want to visit the places Novogratz describes, running water or no.

Beyond its practical value as a modern day look into effective philanthropy, or its aesthetic value as a beautiful story, The Blue Sweater is a paradigm-shifting book about interconnectedness and the new necessity of a global perspective. It’s also about granting self-respect and purpose to those with nothing in a practical, detail-oriented, and well-planned way. The Blue Sweater is an inspiring reaffirmation of the goodness in the world, in people, and in the dream of dignity, purpose, and plenty for all.

Written by: Jennifer Wedemeier, June 23rd 2009

Come for a Cause Kit

admin — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:42:00 +0000

Babeland

From the moment I laid eyes on the Come for a Cause Kit, it was love, or at the very least lust, at first sight. An adorable vibrator, a three-pack of latex protection, and AAA batteries all in one shiny little bag made my heart flutter—but not based on the content alone. The Come for a Cause Kit benefits not one, but two organizations. The condoms benefit Planned Parenthood, while the Papillon vibe proceeds go to Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Charity has never felt so good.

On the safer sex front, never before have I seen such a successful attempt at a stylish repackaging of condoms as in the case of Proper Attire Color. Not only was I unembarrassed to tote these rubbers around, I was almost hoping someone would accidentally discover them in my purse. The modern and bright package design is female-friendly without the “pinkification” so common in today's marketing. Gorgeous is not something most people would describe a condom wrapper as, but Proper Attire is quickly broaching on this territory.

The Papillon vibrator packs a surprisingly strong punch for a toy of its size. Lightweight and discreet, the purple vibe is great for first-timers and experienced users alike. The two-speed vibrator and is waterproof and proved itself durable after many trial runs. While the Papillon is perfect as part of the Come for a Cause kit, purchasing it with intentions of it being one's main source of battery-powered pleasure may not be the wisest decision, though it deserves a position in one's artillery of toys.

Written by: C. Janssen, April 17th 2009

Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential

admin — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:17:00 +0000

By Dan Pallotta

Tufts University Press

In Uncharitable, Dan Pallotta demands nothing less than a complete overhaul of the way charity is understood and expected to function. He traces America's nonprofit ideology back to the Puritans, for whom charity was a form of self-denial used to counteract and assuage their guilt about their unabashed self-serving capitalist pursuits. Ever since, he argues, charity has been kept separate from capitalism and held to different and damaging standards.

He takes issue with the fact that many standard practices at for-profit companies, the very practices that allow them to grow and succeed financially, are generally seen as off-limits to nonprofit organizations. These include paying executives market-rate salaries, taking risks, planning according to a long-term vision instead of just short-term needs, advertising prominently, and allowing investors to receive a return on their investment through the stock market. If nonprofits were permitted to engage in similar practices, he argues, they would be able to make much more money and have a much better shot at achieving their long-term goals of ending homelessness, finding a cure for AIDS, and so on.

Whether or not you agree with Pallotta's argument that the non-profit sector should have access to the tools of free-market capitalism, it's hard to deny his claim that charities are held to a double standard and often judged on the wrong criteria. The book's most persuasive chapter concerns the common donor concerns about overhead, fundraising costs, and what percentage of their donation "goes to the cause." The measure of so-called efficiency drives the assessments and ratings of influential watchdog groups like the Better Business Bureau and Charity Navigator, and often ends up completely replacing questions about what organizations are actually accomplishing through their programs. While Pallotta acknowledges that most of his visions for an improved nonprofit sector are impossible without a widespread change in ideology, something we can all start doing today is concerning ourselves with outcomes rather than percentages, and doing the most good rather than having the fewest expenses.

In case you're wondering how Pallotta's ideas would actually function in the real world, the book is supplemented by a case study of Pallotta TeamWorks, the author's company that produced AIDS Rides, breast cancer walks and other large-scale fundraising events that raised hundreds of million dollars for charity before being forced out of business by the public outcry about its unorthodox approach to fundraising. PTW came under fire for its "slick" advertising and brochures, high expenses, risks that usually succeeded but occasionally failed, and the fact that it made a profit. Amazingly, despite the huge amounts of money being raised for vital AIDS vaccine research and more, activists and news outlets consistently painted PTW as a parasite taking advantage of charities, and the company eventually lost its contracts and was forced to cease operations. Unfortunately, the result of its closure was the loss of massive amounts of charitable funding that has not since been replaced by other revenue streams.

Uncharitable is a visionary work that will change the way you think about charity, how nonprofits operate, and what they could accomplish under a different set of rules.

Written by: Kiri Oliver, March 4th 2009