Stats on Giving

From Mint.com's blog. Some interesting stats on giving.


budget planner – Mint.com

December Kiva Loans

If Palestine is a country or not depends entirely on who you ask... so I asked Kiva and found Fatenah, a grocery store owner in the country of Palestine. Thank you Kiva for answering this question and helping me find my first December loan.

Fatenah has increased her business substantially through previous loans and has been able to help her husband start a business of his own, though she is still the main provider for her family of 8. She has requested this loan of $3000 to help her prepare for a busy holiday that is fast approaching.

The second December loan went to Mariam in Tanzania.

Mariam requested one loan of $150 to help her grow her restraunt business. currently $1 is 1,300 Tanzinian shillings... definately taking advantage of exchange rates for this one. Mariam is a single mother of three and works 13 to 16 hours a day.

Lisa Kristine

While exploring wine country over the summer, I ventured into a little photography studio in Sonoma which turned out to be the highlight of my trip (beside the Roche Chardonnay I discovered, of course). Lisa Kristine has made a life for herself by traveling the world and taking the most amazing photographs. I had seen her work before, but only in small doses. Walking into this studio was a much more enveloping experience. I was surrounded on all sides by huge, vibrantly colored images of people and places that I cannot wait to see for myself. She does an amazing job of capturing an image, or a lifestyle which many of us have yet to see, and will probably never fully experience or understand: yet in that image my heart is there... or very badly wants to be there. I love her work, I think she is amazing. So next time you're in Sonoma (or Santa Fe, or Sausalito) check out her gallery (The website is cool... but doesn't compare to being there...).

The Hunger Site

I know I've talked about The Hunger Site before... But just as a friendly reminder; It's so easy to go to the site once a day and click to give a donation to help fight world hunger, fund breast cancer research, promote literacy, or help many other causes. If you want to do more than click, you can brows the stores which are full of free trade items, and items that help local economies, or go to the 'do more' section and pay a midwife's salary for one week ($25) or buy food for families in need (starting at $1). There are so many options and so many amazing resources you can provide for people who do not have the options that we have here. In the spirit of the holidays, lets do a little giving :)