Category: Civil Society

A Fighting Chance against Poverty

A fighting chance against povertyTomorrow is my youngest daughter’s birthday. She turns eight this year. Though I know she dearly loves her dolls, dreams of becoming a lawyer, and her favorite color is yellow, I have never actually met this precious little girl. Maria (not her real name) is my sponsored daughter. My birthday gift to her is a fighting chance against poverty.

Maria lives in one of the poorest nations on earth, in a mud home with dirt floors and few luxuries. Crime and poverty define her town. But Maria is lucky. Each day her belly is full and she has clean water to drink. Medicine keeps her healthy. She wears suitable clothes, and she has a place to go to school. Others are not so fortunate. Continue reading “A Fighting Chance against Poverty”

Social Capital: America’s True Measure of Wealth

Social Capital: America's True Measure of Wealth

The American Dream often comes wrapped in an ethos of prosperity, homeownership, and upward mobility. Turns out that view misses the mark. According to a recent Survey on Community and Society (SCS) conducted by the American Enterprise Institute, most Americans value freedom and family more than the size of their mortgage or the number of digits in their bank account. Likewise, when gauging the nation’s collective riches, it would seem social capital is America’s true measure of wealth.

Social capital is the benefit we bank as a result of the relationships we forge with each other. Civic engagement, social connectedness, and community involvement all contribute to social capital. What counts as engagement? Involvement with volunteer public service groups such as Rotary or Kiwanis, for one. Coaching or supporting athletic teams and groups like Little League, AYSO, or YMCA. Then there’s the local PTA, cultural or hobby organizations, homeowners association, or Veterans groups.

In his bestseller Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse, Timothy P. Carney writes, “Strong communities function not only as safety nets and sources of knowledge and wisdom, but also as the grounds on which people can exercise their social and political muscle. These are where we find our purpose.”

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For Ukraine’s disabled, a wheelchair means dignity

Ukraine is a nation of 44 million people. More than 2.5 million of them have disabilities — 200,000 of those are children. Though the government of Ukraine is required by law to provide its people with mobility aids (wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches), few resources are available to meet this need. The result: many citizens live cradle to grave in isolation, segregated from mainstream society and unable to participate in daily activities most of us take for granted. For Ukraine’s disabled, a wheelchair means dignity.

One organization is working to change the status quo. God’s Hidden Treasures (GHT) is a non-profit Christian ministry founded in 1997 by Nita Hanson, a former computer marketing manager from Southern California. “Our mission is to serve the needs of the poor, afflicted, and orphaned of Ukraine and to bring God’s love through personal relationships in the name of Jesus Christ,” says Hanson. Continue reading “For Ukraine’s disabled, a wheelchair means dignity”

ARTICLE: On Women’s Equality Day, a Nod to the Dual Importance of Equality and Freedom

In anticipation of Women’s Equality Day, a look at the treatment of women throughout the world, focusing on the nations of the Middle East.

(This article originally appeared in Philos Project)

Tomorrow, August 26, will mark the 44th observance of Women’s Equality Day in the United States. The day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution – which granted women the right to vote – but also calls attention to ongoing disparities and continuing efforts toward full gender equality.

To be sure, the gender gap in this country is real. For example, women earn 80 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts. And in 21st century corporate America, only a quarter of CEOs are women.

Still, American women have made important advances in the past 4 1/2 decades, excelling in all aspects of society, including business, academia, politics, athletics, medicine, law, journalism, the arts and the home. Some highlights include:

Continue reading “ARTICLE: On Women’s Equality Day, a Nod to the Dual Importance of Equality and Freedom”