Like

For the last three or four years, it has been part of my routine to visit six web pages the first time I log onto the internet each day. The pages are all connected, so it only takes a few seconds of my time. Recently a seventh page was added, which is fine with me since all the pages feature charitable endeavors I am happy to support.

It begins with the The Hunger Site. I visit this page and click on the button that says “Click Here to Give – Its free.” Each time I do, the Hunger Site’s sponsors donate the equivalent of 1.1 cups of food to the hungry. I then move on to the next page, which is in support of Breast Cancer, and click to support free mammograms. And so it goes. It costs me nothing but a few seconds of my time each day, which I am more than happy to give.

Like just about everyone these days, charities including The Hunger Site and its affiliates have recently discovered facebook, so one can now click on the like button to show the world one’s support for your favourite cause. Recently I began to notice a peculiarity about this, and finally took time to check out my observations. What I discovered is a large discrepancy between the number of people who have publicly declared their support for each page. The numbers are listed below.

The Hunger Site 86,736 people like this site.
Breast Cancer 313,393 people like this site.
Animal Rescue 325,645 people like this site.
Veterans (new) 39,589 people like this site.
Child Health 12,985 people like this site.
Literacy 11,251 people like this site.
Rainforest 46,538 people like this site.

Now, I understand about the power of marketing, and that the folks who work in support of breast cancer have done a great job in getting the word out. I also know that the thought of animals being abused pulls at people’s heart strings. I certainly do not mean to suggest that any of these causes is more or less important than any other, but isn’t it odd that 25 times as many people like animal rescue compared to those who like child health or literacy? Does it not seem peculiar that nearly 4 times as many people befriend the breast cancer site compared to those who support the hunger site?

Whether or not these numbers really mean anything, I cannot say. I do know, however, that hunger means something as does breast cancer, animal rescue, child health, literacy or any of the other causes. The point is not just about the numbers of people who “like this site” or that. The point is that there is an easy, low cost way to help.

Can I invite you to adopt my little routine, and click on each of these buttons every day? To make it easy, you can click Here.

You might even "like" it!

Posted by Carman

Bracelet

I’m still seeing lots of folks with various coloured wrist bands—I’m choosing to call them bracelets, if that’s ok. Most recently I had dinner with a women wearing a white band. “It’s for Make Poverty History” she shared with us at our shared table. “It’s my third one; I’ve worn out two already.”

Here’s the place she’ll order a new one when this one wears out.

One of the bloggers I follow recently went on a real rant about all the Pink! that surrounds us. Pink ribbons, pink clothing, pink facebook pages, pink comic strips. She was a breast cancer survivor and was downright furious that the whole “pink campaign” had become so commercial and phony. It reminded me of the criticism that Oprah’s Buy Red blitz generated a year or so ago. Do you remember why we were encouraged to choose all things “red” when we went shopping at The Gap, or Old Navy, or Banana Republic or the I-store? Me neither! Which was exactly the point.

This blogging cancer survivor had all kinds of suggestions for ways to make life better or easier or more comfortable for actual cancer sufferers. She had little regard for those of us who choose to buy a pink kitchen appliance and pat ourselves on the back.

Which brings me back to my friend with the white bracelet. Her I deeply respect. Because she’s a board member for Niagara Falls Community Outreach. She’s active in her community to feed the hungry and house the homeless. She knows the local politicians and lobbies them regularly for better policies to deal with the issues poverty creates. She’s currently busy raising funds to ensure those living with less, or with nothing, have a refuge where they can get a meal or a bed for the night. But she’s also taking a long look and campaigns for those whose values line up with hers, the elimination of poverty.

“We have no excuse to still have this much poverty in a country as rich as ours. I’d be happy to start with the children,” she said. But it’s clear she’s not willing to stop there! She really doesn’t care if we notice her white bracelet. It’s just to keep her focused.

If you’re wearing a similar band, of whatever colour, my question to you would be “what are you doing to make that wish come true?

Posted by Marion