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General
LINKS YOU LOVE!
Tell us about links you love. Are there links you think we need to have cited here? Please let us know, contact sue@spiritualbookclub.com
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See Jane
See Jane seeks to engage professionals and parents in a call to dramatically increase the percentages of female characters -- and to reduce gender stereotyping -- in media made for children 0-11. See Jane founder, Academy Award winner Geena Davis, says, "By making it common for our youngest children to see everywhere a balance of active and complex male and female characters, girls and boys will grow up to empathize with and care more about each others' stories."
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Links that Serve Kids in Chinese Orphanages
Half the Sky Foundation
Chinese orphanages are made better places to live by this organization that works to set up infant nurture programs, pre-school programs, and programs for older kids. Also, Half the Sky sends groups to China to work on orphanage improvements. You can sponsor a child through this organization as well. |
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www.philiphayden.org
Just go to this website. I'm impressed by the work they do.... |
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Improving Lives of Global Women
Volunteer Organizations that Make a Difference
www.timeforGod.org
This is a great organization if you want to discern your calling in life while getting fascinating work experience. |
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Businesses Making Change
Bibi Russell Productions
Who inspires you? Bibi Russell inspires me. She is from Bangladesh, was a fashion model, now is a fashion designer employing 35,000 weavers. She is giving back to her own community in all sorts of ways and when I met her at the World Spirit Forum, I was very impressed with how she is doing all of this. Go to her site, she'll inspire you too :-) |
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Tarsian & Blinkley
Gorgeous clothing made by Afghan women at a good wage. Sarah Takesh, founder, says if she could tell the Afghan women one thing it would be, "Amass as much dignity as you can for yourself. Be vigilant of it at all times." Thankfully, businesses like this one help give women dignity by employing them and giving them a living wage. Pass the word along :-) |
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Education Elsewhere
www.ikat.org
Want to change the world for the better? Educate girls and it's a fine, fine start! |
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Women Helping Women
Run for Congo Women
Run for Congo women is affiliated with Women for Women International, but focuses on helping Congolese women and their children. Women for Women International operates sponsorship programs in 8 countries recovering from conflict. We can sponsor women in the Congo to support their efforts to rebuild their lives. For $27/ month, and a $30 initiation fee, sponsored women receive financial support for their basic needs and participate in Women for Women International support groups and training. Participation in the program helps them not only monetarily, but also in building a support network in their own community. |
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The Enterprising Kitchen
The Enterprising Kitchen (TEK), a nonprofit social enterprise, provides workforce development and support services to women who are working toward self-sufficiency and economic independence. Within the context of a business where we manufacture natural soaps and spa products, under the brand name "Choices from the Enterprising Kitchen," women receive intensive workforce preparation and skills development including: paid employment, work and life skills training, individualized career planning, high school equivalency preparation, technology training, financial planning and a variety of other support services. Located in Chicago, our enterprise enables lower-income women who have been unemployed and underemployed to maximize their individual potential and move into sustainable employment after 6-12 months. The Enterprising Kitchen was founded in 1996 and in 2005 relocated to a larger, more efficient training and production facility located in Chicago's Ravenswood industrial corridor.
TEK uses only the finest ingredients and purest essential oils to ensure the best experience and value for our customers. All products are manufactured in small batches onsite at the Chicago facility. Each product includes the mission statement on its label and is signed by the woman who packages it. Choices from The Enterprising Kitchen represent the renewed ability for women participants to make better choices on the road to self-sufficiency as well as the opportunity for TEK customers to choose to purchase these exceptional natural products, which directly support women. The Enterprising Kitchen is a member of the Fair Trade Federation. TEK products are sold in over 300 stores across the U.S., online and at TEK's Chicago facility.
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Women for Afghan Women
Women for Afghan Women (WAW) is an organization of Afghan and non-Afghan women from the New York area who are committed to ensuring the human rights of Afghan women.
WAW promotes the agency of local Afghan women through the creation of safe forums where Afghan women can network, develop programs to meet their specific needs, and participate in human rights advocacy in the international sphere.
WAW raises funds for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, particularly schools and health facilities for women and children. Recognizing that the ability to earn their living is fundamental to the empowerment of women, WAW supports the development of vocational training programs for women in Afghanistan who have been denied access to education and professional training.
The inclusion of women in all decision-making processes is a requirement of a democratic society. WAW advocates for the representation of women in all areas of life in Afghanistan: political, social, cultural and economic |
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Women for Women International
Women for Women International operates sponsorship programs in 8 countries recovering from conflict. We can sponsor women in the Congo to support their efforts to rebuild their lives. For $27/ month, and a $30 initiation fee, sponsored women receive financial support for their basic needs and participate in Women for Women International support groups and training. Participation in the program helps them not only monetarily, but also in building a support network in their own community. |
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Christian Mission
Explore Faith
We are a community of faith dedicated to sharing our beliefs and experiences with anyone seeking answers to spiritual questions. Launched in 1999, explorefaith.org is a non-profit organization with a growing list of Partner Churches that support its mission and development. Explorefaith.org and its associates are deeply committed to ongoing spiritual formation for people of all ages and all backgrounds, living in countries around the world. |
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Wicker Park Grace
For those of you in the Chicagoland area, or visiting Chicago, check out this emerging faith community. Of their community, they say this: "Wicker Park Grace is a welcoming community which seeks to grow in spirit, mind, and heart. Our community is centered in a generous and dynamic Christianity. Not everyone who participates in Wicker Park Grace events is a Christian, or considers themselves a follower of Jesus, and that's okay with us. We want to be a community that is actively engaged in this diverse and beautiful world." |
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Sustainability
Big Picture TV
Here you can see streaming video of talking heads sharing their ideas about how to make the earth a better, more sustainable place...sharing their ideas on a variety of topics.... |
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World Conservation Union
The World Conservation Union supports and develops cutting-edge conservation science; implements this research in field projects around the world; and then links both research and results to local, national, regional and global policy by convening dialogues between governments, civil society and the private sector. |
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Spirituality in a Global Context
Belief Net
All sorts of spirituality goodies here including Belief-O-Matic... enjoy! |
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European SPES Forum
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The European SPES Forum is an international network of individuals and organisations with the overall aim to make spirituality accessible as a public good to as many people as possible. It focuses on experience based spirituality that succeeds in making a connection between day-to-day activities and the inner quest for meaning.
The SPES Academy was founded to realise this mission by organising conferences, workshops, action-oriented research and the publication of a series of cahiers. The European SPES Forum launched the youth project 'Imagine Europe'.
The mission is expressed in the key word of SPES, being on the one hand an acronym for 'SPirituality in Economics and Society' and, on the other hand, the Latin word for Hope, the virtue that sustains our belief in a better future. Spirituality is deliberately defined in broad and pluralistic terms so that the Forum may bring together people from different spiritual backgrounds and traditions. The Forum defines spirituality as people's multiform search for meaning interconnecting them with all living beings and to God or Ultimate Reality.
Within this definition there is room for differing views, for spiritualities with and without God and for an ethics of dialogue. The Forum stands for a spiritual-based humanism which, among others, European 'personalist' philosophers have defended on philosophical grounds.
On a more organisational level, the Forum functions as an interface and a network for three target groups:
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- academic centres interested in research on the social meaning and impact of spirituality
- values-driven organisations engaged in social and economic activities (companies, non-profit organisations, public services)
- interested individuals, especially students preparing for their professional and social lives
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Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly Multifaith Calendar
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, a public television show in the U.S. has a "multifaith calendar" which lists most world-wide faith celebrations during any given month. Worth a look.... |
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Spirituality Network in Germany
www.provinz-online.de is a German spirituality network. There will be a relaunch of this site soon, but they are a source for great spirituality programs in Germany. |
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The Council for the Parliament of World Religions
These folks work diligently for peace by helping the worlds' religions dialogue together. Click on their site to see some of their work. They hosted a huge event in Barcelona, Spain in July 2004 which prompted all sort of new connections in the world. They are based out of Chicago, IL and their history goes back to the late 1800's and the World's Fair (the Columbia Exposition). The December 2009 assembly will be gathering in Melbourne, Australia. |
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World Spirit Forum
WSF holds an annual World Spirit Forum before the World Economic Forum to look at the role of ethics and spirituality in business, etc. |
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www.adamandeveit.net
Go here for good reading on religious tolerance, for discussions on religious issues in the media, etc. |
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Links that Serve Kids
Dorje Association
The Dorje Association's efforts are cool in so many ways... for example:
*working to deliver healthcare with the help of Buddhist monks
*helping the lives of orphaned children
*links between spirituality and health for all involved with these efforts
Volunteer Team Mission: |
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Identify needs of the local people. |
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Provide basic medical care to local residents. |
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Establish a network of charitable medical stations in areas of acute need. |
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Offering Trainings on Health and Clinical Treatments |
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Provide health education and medical training. |
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Create a conduit for medical supplies and financial assistance. | More to come on these exciting efforts! |
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Haiti Children
Urgently needed in this project: *One ambulance *Thirty computers *One transportation van for handicapped kids *Office furniture, *One dump truck *One pick-up truck If you can help with any of these items, please email them at haitikids@aol.com Susie Scott Krabacher has a fascinating life story but more gut-wrenching than her own life story is the story of the kids in Haiti as you can see from the slide show at this site. |
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Keep a Child Alive
Keep A Child Alive is a unique campaign that offers you the opportunity to provide lifesaving AIDS medicines directly to children and families with HIV/AIDS. For just a dollar a day-or a monthly contribution of $30-you can help save the life of a child or a parent who can't afford essential treatment and care. A dollar a day. That's spare change for most of us. Probably less than you spend on coffee each morning. A lot of us can come up with $30 just by skipping dinner out-or ordering in-one night a week. And making a small change in your own life can make an incredible change in someone else's. It can actually save a life. |
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Kids with Cameras
Poverty and dignity so often do not go hand in hand. I'm thankful for this organization which insures, like Bibi Russell with "Bibi Productions," that the element of dignity and integrity remain for those "being helped" by a project. "Kids with Cameras is a non-profit organization that teaches the art of photography to marginalized children in communities around the world. We use photography to capture the imaginations of children, to empower them, building confidence, self-esteem and hope. We share their vision and voices with the world through exhibitions, books, websites and film. We are committed to furthering their general education beyond photography either by linking with local organizations to provide scholarships or by developing our own schools with a focus on leadership and the arts." |
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Peter Hesse Foundation
The Peter-Hesse-Foundation "SOLIDARITY IN PARTNERSHIP for ONE world in diversity" was created on December 7, 1983 in Düsseldorf, Germany, to sustain private initiatives aiming at giving deprived children in Haiti a chance. In the course of the years, a learning-process led to a widening and deepening of the engagement. The Foundation's full name is significant for its program today.
Informally, Peter Hesse has been engaged in Haiti since the beginning of 1981 - at first privately, later as a German Foundation with the help of the "Deutsche Welthungerhilfe (DWHH)". From November 17, 1988, the Peter-Hesse-Foundation is formally recognized as a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) by the State of Haiti. After a 5-year learning process, the Engagement concentrated on Montessori preschool teacher-training and on helping to open pre-schools.
In the spirit of help for self-help, the Peter Hesse Foundation assists Montessori graduates to open Montessori schools for at risk children, if the local community provides support to enable the school to become financially sustainable.
The Foundation will train teachers, provide Montessori materials, furniture and, in some cases, renovate or construct a building for the functioning of a school.
So far, the PHF has helped over 50 schools in different parts of Haiti.
The Foundation also provides ongoing technical support, in-service training and site visits to the established schools. Visits are made to individual schools according to the amount of technical help that the school needs.
Each year during the "Grandes Vacances" -the 5 week school vacation- the Foundation conducts workshops and seminars to allow teachers to create learning materials, revise teaching techniques and exchange teaching experiences. This period is also used for special interest seminars such as using the internet, teaching French as a foreign language, gardening, environmental friendly practices and techniques in art and other subjects that are pertinent to raising the competency of teachers. |
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Save the Children
Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating real and lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. It is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, comprising 27 national Save the Children organizations working in more than 100 countries to ensure the well-being of children. |
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Storybook Project
Storybook Project is a way to maintain that link between inmate mothers and dads with their kids through books. It's truly a win/win for everyone involved and lets kids get to hear their parents read to them, via a tape, while their parents are in prison. |
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www.savekids.org
Site works to save kids from malaria and other tough diseases. A friend involved with malaria prevention works with this and www.rotarymalaria.org |
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Water
WaterAid
WaterAid is an international NGO dedicated exclusively to the provision of safe domestic water, sanitation and hygiene education to the world's poorest people. |
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Peace
Peace for Nepal
Hoping there will peace around this globe, including Nepal, which is currently in such turmoil. Sushil Koirala, one of the men behind this site, is a true inspiration. |
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Retreat Centers
A Place to Retreat and Regroup
Should you find yourself near Hamburg, Germany, and wanting a time to regroup spiritually, look at the programs offered at Sandkrughof... |
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Things Political
Sudan Advocacy Action Forum
The Sudan Advocacy Action Forum (SAAF) was organized as a Christian grassroots effort to coordinate advocacy efforts on behalf of the people of Southern Sudan. With the expansion of the genocide to Darfur, our advocacy efforts broadened to include all the oppressed in Sudan. Dedicated individuals with complementing skills have come together to increase advocacy efforts and outreach. Our goal is to help obtain a just and lasting peace in Sudan, with Matthew 25: 35-40 as our basis. Approach: Pray, Act and Give. We lobbied Congress and the President for passage of the Sudan Peace Act and public recognition of the plight of the Southern and Darfur Sudanese. By letters, e-mails, phone calls and meetings, we address issues such as the need for our government to monitor the situation in Sudan related to human rights abuses, adherence to the tenets of the Peace Agreement between the Government and South and to implement the Comprehensive Sudan Peace Act provisions as needed. We urge the UN Security Council to take stronger actions in demanding the government of Sudan end the genocide in Darfur. We endeavor to inform the general public through our web site, advocacy events, speaking engagements, and involvement of the media. We send periodic updates and requests for action in E-mail "Alerts." In an effort to be effective in the post-conflict reconstruction period SAAF is working to ascertain the best way to work with the Sudanese to rebuild South Sudan. For Further Information visit www.sudanadvocacy.com and/or contact: Bill Andress, Moderator of SAAF at BillAndress@ureach.com, or bobbie-frances mcdonald at oldanew@aol.com |
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The Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy
The Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy is a U.S. ecumenical research center, drawing upon the theological resources of the churches and other sources of expertise. Its goal is to discern and study the relationship between Christian faith and critical issues of public policy, and to enable the churches to contribute more fruitfully to public dialogue and action. |
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Science and Spirituality
The Templeton Foundation
If you like the intersection of science and religion, of science and spirituality, then go to this site. This is one of my favorite sites on the web because it has vast amounts of information, it's a site with a great deal of depth (in all senses of that word). Go to this site and check it out. Look at all they are doing. John Templeton, founder of the Templeton Foundation, had a big vision. I, for one, am glad he did. |
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Spirituality and Film
The Hartley Film Foundation
The Hartley Film Foundation's mission is to produce, cultivate, support and distribute the very best documentary film, video and audio programs about world religions, spirituality, ethics and well-being. Check out their site. They have films which make you think hard about what you believe and what it is you stand for in the end. I'm impressed. |
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Interreligious and Spiritual Work
Temple of Understanding
The mission of the Temple of Understanding (TOU) is to achieve peaceful coexistence among individuals, communities, and societies through interfaith education. Our programs emphasize experiential knowledge and dialogue as a means of connecting people of all ages across a spectrum of religious traditions. Our goals are to
foster appreciation of religious and cultural diversity
expand public discourse on religion and spirituality
educate for global citizenship
create a more just and peaceful world
Founded in 1960, the Temple of Understanding is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit and a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. |
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Groups Where YOU can get involved
Groups that Do Fine Work in the World
Organizations in Central Illinois Worth Knowing About
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