It’s the end of a not-so-great year, so if you’ve got some excess funds here are a few worthy causes that happen to have crossed my screen and might improve our collective future. I’ve steered away from the same old. None of these are tax-deductible causes, but they all are worthy investments of small amounts of cash burning a hole in your pocket:
1. Open Planet: “an innovative travel series exploring sustainable projects around the globe. The series follows inspiring projects which investigate a new and creative way of empowering communities worldwide; grassroots movements that are tackling poverty, illiteracy and changing the way we perceive social cooperation.” I don’t know these folks, but it sees to me they are trying to do something good, starting in Nepal:
2. Kiva: a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world. I’ve had people tell me Kiva is a Ponzi scheme, but the stats are good:
| Total amount lent through Kiva: | $511,245,550 |
| Kiva Users: | 1,556,438 |
| Kiva Users who have funded a loan: | 1,029,658 |
| Borrowers funded through Kiva: | 1,202,651 |
| Number of loans made through Kiva: | 650,551 |
| Kiva Field Partners: | 237 |
| Countries where Kiva Field Partners are located: | 73 |
| Repayment rate: | 99.02% |
| Average loan size: | $412.03 |
| Average loans made per Kiva lender: | 10.12 |
3. Music
a. Peter Kogan’s Cornucopia: Original compositions written in tribute to jazz greats Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Milt Jackson, Mary Lou Williams and Wayne Shorter. Performed by an octet of some of the finest Twin Cities jazz musicians. David Schiff, music professor at Reed, writes “Jazz is beautiful! Sit down and savor the tracks on this album, all composed and arranged by Peter Kogan aka the much-esteemed Timpanist of the Minnesota Orchestra.” Peter is locked out of his day job, so did this night music. I walked to school with him from first grade until eleventh and enjoyed breakfast with him Thursday. Music doesn’t get more pleasing than this!
b. But if you don’t like jazz, try Oliver Caplan’s Illuminations: “With memorable melodies, and colorful interplay, American Composer Oliver Caplan’s debut album Illuminations shines with deep, resonant romanticism. A heartfelt reflection on beauty and growth, Illuminations calls audiences to experience the intricacies of imagination and metamorphosis.” Oliver is my cousin (first, once removed). A Dartmouth graduate, he makes some great sounds!
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