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Older Americans Face Increasing Risk of Hunger
More than 15 percent of Americans over age 60 – some 9.3 million men and women – experienced the threat of hunger in 2012, according to a report just released by the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger. From the start of the recession in 2007 to 2012, the number of older people threatened by hunger has jumped 49 percent. The report, based on statistics from the 2012 Current Population Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, says the following groups of older Americans …
How to Be a Charitable Cheapskate
It’s the kind of news story that makes national headlines every year or two: A person of seemingly modest means secretly amasses a small (or not so small) fortune while leading a frugal lifestyle, only to reveal that wealth by giving it all away to charity. The latest jaw-dropper came from 98-year-old Jack MacDonald of Washington state. He died in September and left a surprise fortune of $187.5 million to Seattle Children’s Research Institute, the University of Washington School of …
She Gives Donated Flowers a New Life
Heather Lawson was admiring the gorgeous floral arrangements on a reality-TV show about weddings when it hit her: After the big event, the flowers would be going into the trash. As she pondered that thought, Lawson, a lawyer with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., had an epiphany: recycle the flowers into mini-bouquets and arrangements to give to people who would enjoy them in hospitals, nursing homes and shelters. And so the charity Petal Share (“Share …
Be Aware of “Breast Cancer Awareness” Scams
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month – time to think pink. But also take a clue from those theme-hued ribbons and other merchandise. Your desire to support the search for a cure for the second-biggest cause of cancer death among women can be the perfect opening for charity scammers. The same thing can happen when natural disasters and other in-the-news events prompt the opening of hearts and wallets. Sign up for the AARP Money Matters newsletter There are lots of legitimate …
A Pianist Who Plays for Charity
What did you do this summer? Hit the beach? Visit the in-laws? Take the grandkids to Disney World? Ask Mark Damisch and the 57-year-old Chicago lawyer will tell you he spent five weeks on tour playing piano concerts in Scandinavia and Russia to raise money for worthy causes. Damisch’s exhausting schedule – 21 concerts in six countries – isn’t for the faint of heart. But he’s a pro at marathon travel. (He was in Copenhagen, Denmark, when we spoke.) This …
Buy Pink and Support Breast Cancer Research
October is officially Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many people are supporting their family, friends and others who have encountered the disease with the purchase of products that align with the cause. With pink being the official color for the cause, many retailers are generating limited edition pieces emblazoned with tints and shades of the hue while also donating all or a portion of the sales to the initiative. Here are a few items worth considering. Scarf Vera Bradley – …
