July 16th, 2009
Ronald I. Lappin, a philanthropist who lost most of his personal fortune in the Bernard Madoff scandal has paid $5 million out of his own pocket to restore the retirement savings of employees who lost money in the multibillion-dollar scam.
Read the full story on the Boston Globe’s website: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/07/16/mass_philanthropist_steps_up_for_madoff_victims_1247778483/
By Associated Press
July 14th, 2009
NEW YORK – David Arquette is going to live in a box in New York City to raise money for the hungry.
The 37-year-old actor plans to stay in a Plexiglas box above the Madison Square Garden marquee on Tuesday and Wednesday to raise $250,000 for Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief charity. He’ll stay in the box each day for about eight hours.
Donations can come on site or through text messages or a Facebook page set up by Mars Inc., the company that makes Snickers candy bars.
A Mars spokesman says Arquette will eat during his two-day stay in the plastic enclosure.
Arquette starred in the “Scream” movie franchise.
MSNBC – July 10th, 2009
A Colorado teen grieving over his best friend’s recent death rescues a 5-year old boy from drowning in a river. KOB-TV’s Austin Reed reports.
By Emily Dugan
June 14th, 2009
Juliet Stevenson reads a Nigerian story to children at Salusbury World - the country's first centre for refugee children. Picture by Jenny Matthews
Juliet Stevenson, Michael Palin and the Archbishop of Canterbury are among the first of thousands across Britain to put time aside for refugees as part of a campaign to acknowledge their contribution to the country.
A group of charities – including Refugee Action and the Red Cross – is encouraging the public to carry out one of 20 “simple acts” during Refugee Week, which starts tomorrow. From inviting a refugee for tea, to cooking a foreign dish or learning another language, authors, comedians and actors have helped to complete more than 2,000 acts already, with thousands more expected as the week goes on.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who undertook one of the simple acts by spreading the word about the concept of refuge, said: “Receiving refugees is not a matter of somebody signing papers in some remote office. It’s a matter of making friends with new neighbours; it’s a matter of turning strangers into a part of the community, and that’s done most just by treating them normally, as part of a fabric of the life of this country, this community.”
According to the most recent figures, there are just under 300,000 refugees living in the UK. Sandy Buchan, chief executive of Refugee Action, said: “The Simple Acts campaign is all about people taking one or two small, easy actions that will make a world of difference to the lives of refugees in the UK.”
Refugee Week: Celebrities back campaign to make newcomers welcome with small gestures
Story time
Juliet Stevenson read a Nigerian story to children at Salusbury World – the country’s first centre for refugee children. “I’m appalled by the way asylum-seekers and refugees are treated by our asylum system,” she said. “It’s a cruel and unjust system that infringes basic human rights. I had lots of fun reading to the children at Salusbury World and sharing stories from different cultures. I would encourage anyone to take part in a simple act, no matter how big or small, and to be proud of Britain’s strong tradition of standing up for the rights of refugees.”
Tea with a refugee
Politician and activist Tony Benn had tea with Rose, a lawyer who fled the Democratic Republic of Congo and gained refugee status in the UK five years ago. Benn said: “When people talk about refugees they think of them as people with no qualifications, when actually many are enormously qualified.”
A national dish
Chef Fergus Henderson, famous for his use of offal at the St John restaurant he founded in London, spent an afternoon learning Eritrean dishes with a refugee called Lemlem. “Sharing food from different countries is one of the simplest ways to learn more about other cultures and identities,” Henderson said.
Learning a language
Writer, comedian and actor Michael Palin learnt a few words with Somali refugee Musa. “Communication is so important, and I know from my experiences in other countries that a few words, some play-acting, smiles and laughter can go a long way towards breaking down barriers.”
Picture protest
The comedian and writer Mark Thomas had his picture taken with Tendai (not his real name), a refugee from Zimbabwe. Thomas said: “The fear and antipathy towards asylum-seekers that we see at present is terrible. The scaremongering that often goes on is unwarranted and is completely un-British.”
For more information go to www.simpleacts.org.uk
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My turn: This is a perfect example of how such simple things can make a world of difference to others. It is really neat to see that this campaign has reached such heights that celebrities and government leaders are becoming involved. I think the campaign has been such a huge success because it focuses on such simple acts. Rather than saying “go do community service or something nice this week” the organizers took the time to put together examples of what acts you can do and how easy they can be.
Your turn: Why do you think this campaign has been such a success? What simple acts of kindness do you try to incorporate into your daily life? Are you surprised by how such simple acts can bring so much joy?
Don't Settle For No 