I am soon heading to India to meet with foundations, educational institutions, and philanthropists to investigate how The Life You Can Save may be able to promote effective giving in the growing philanthropy movement there. Many excellent local players already exist in this arena, but TLYCS may be able to play an important partnering role. Our vision is to work with organizations, retail and corporate groups, and individuals to identify and promote charities within India that are addressing the great need there for highly effective poverty interventions. One advantage of of this idea is the ability to ask local donors to support poverty alleviation work being done in their own country—rather than the usual TLYCS model of encouraging donors to give globally—as the cost-benefit ratio for effective charities within India already offers great “bang for one’s buck.”
Among other topics I will be discussing in India is the possibility of using Giving Games in universities and companies as a means of encouraging donations to highly effective Indian nonprofits and educating participants about “effective giving.”
Our Board has published a couple of blogs recently that I'd like to bring to your attention. Frances Kissling, Jotham Musinguzi (not a Board member), and Peter Singer wrote a very interesting piece, Is it Time to End the Population Taboo. Although Paul Ehrlich's predictions about this problem were overly aggressive, population growth is an extremely serious issue about which all of us who are concerned about extreme poverty need to be aware. On a related note, we will be posting a blog on this topic by Brad Hurley, one of our very talented contributors, on World Population Day (July 15th); Brad will particularly be looking at the work that some of our recommended nonprofits are doing to improve access for the global poor to family planning and to empower women. Another piece you may find interesting is Why Times Square? in which I discuss a marketing experiment we are running with Village Enterprise.
Finally, I would like to introduce a new member of our team. Angela Kalayjian CFP®, TLYCS's Director of Growth Initiatives, is an expert on Planned Giving and can help facilitate such donations to any of our recommended non-profits or to The Life You Can Save itself. Planned gifts such as bequests, gifts of appreciated stock or gifts from retirement plans can be an advantageous way to provide future or current support for effective poverty intervention work. Give Angela a call (415-948-3039) or email if you have any questions about this type of gift.
Do Good. Feel Good.
Charlie Bresler
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