I hope you all do not mind, but I would like to take a break from my usual ramblings of sports, pop culture, and history to talk about something a little more serious and a lot more important.
If you have had the opportunity to peruse this blog, you know that the link on the right entitled "What Makes Her Great" takes you to the web page for a great non-profit organization, Artists for a New South Africa ("ANSA"). My incredibly amazing Better Half works for this organization, who's purpose is to help children in South Africa who have been orphaned by and/or are infected with HIV/AIDS.
I am also sure that many of you out there have seen the American Express Members Project commercial. It features Shaun White, Alicia Keys, Martin Scorsese, Sheryl Crow, Andre Agassi and Ellen DeGeneres, who talks about her bathing suit bursting into flames every time she goes swimming (if you haven't seen it, go here). The long and short of it is that American Express is looking to help fund a worthy program created and run by one of its cardholders.
Over 7,000 projects were originally submitted by cardholders, including ANSA. Cardholders had an opportunity to vote on which project they felt was the most deserving of the money, and American Express recently narrowed it down to the Top 50 projects. ANSA's project made it into the Top 50 (and was actually ranked as high as #2 at one point, currently #8). American Express cardholders now have the opportunity to vote again for the project they think is most deserving. On July 15, 2007, the projects will again be narrowed down to the Top 25 and voting will start anew.
ANSA's project is entitled "Help Children Orphaned by Aids;" it is project number 6841.
There are 1.2 million AIDS orphans in South Africa, more than any other nation. This vast crisis cannot be solved by traditional solutions. This groundbreaking, collaborative project empowers communities to care for orphans in their midst and prevents more AIDS deaths through education and treatment access. It meets urgent needs of orphans including food, clothing, medicine, and counseling, while developing sustainable solutions for each orphan family, through legal and social services, scholarships, growing food gardens, water projects, respite care, and much more.
This program was originally developed by Americans working with leading African AIDS and child welfare experts and is implemented by local organizations and community members. The pilot program has operated successfully for 3 years in 3 communities, served over 5,000 orphans, and built permanent capacity within each community to care for their orphaned children. You now, American Express cardholders and non-cardholders, have the opportunity to help bring this proven program to other children and communities in desperate need.
If you are an American Express cardholder, I urge you to visit the Members Project website, register, and vote for this deserving project. If you are not a cardholder, you may not be able to vote, but you can still help. I urge you to spread the word about this amazing project to your friends and family so that they can vote if they are a cardholder and so that they too can spread the word.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, I truly appreciate.
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