Hopedance

by Sally Carless

This is an amazing time to be alive. It can be immensely painful to have an open heart, as it is now possible to learn – in graphic detail – about terrible suffering around the globe, often as it is happening. The flip side is also true: we are able to know about so much more magnificence than was ever possible before. There are so many people and groups doing wonderful, courageous, beautiful things every day, and the Internet helps us connect with each other.

About Power of the Heart

Power of the Heart is an international community focused on the ideas of “grassroots philanthropy” and activism. It’s about compassion, action, and change, and the power of an open heart. The basic idea is that you don’t have to be rich to be a philanthropist, and that when your heart is touched by something in the world, you can do something that will make a difference.

It feels good to give. Wanting to help is a natural response to suffering. So often we see or hear of something that touches us. Our hearts open, and we feel inspired to do something. Then, we pull back – either because we don’t know what to do, or we feel that our small amount of money or our effort won’t make much difference, or we don’t have a sense that our money will be used well, or we don’t have time, or perhaps we’re afraid to give “too much” because we need to save for our retirement or our kids’ college fund, or… There are so many reasons. The good news is that none of that has to get in your way. There are ways to make a difference that are quick, easy, satisfying and fun.

The “hub” of the Power of the Heart community is the website (http://poweroftheheart.ning.com ). Although still in its early stages, we already have members from six countries, varying in age from the teens through the sixties. We have activists, students, educators, spiritual leaders, people who have created projects and people who want to support them. Some people join because they want to make a difference and to make connections with kindred spirits. Others have created their own service projects, and Power of the Heart provides them an opportunity to publicize their work. Some featured projects include: Whispering Seed (a village-based sustainable living and learning center and home for children who have been orphaned, abused and neglected along the Thai-Burmese border), Amman Imman (dedicated to supplying permanent sources of water to the people living in the Azawak Valley, West Africa) and The Children’s Peace Home and Hindu Vidyapeeth schools in Nepal.

Members have their own personal page where they can post a bio, photos, and videos. They can network with each other, create projects or fundraise together, comment on the forums and blogs that already exist or create their own. Members can also share their fundraising successes with each other. The site has a chat room, along with international clocks, so that someone who wants to know more about a project in Nepal can coordinate a time to chat with the project coordinator, or people working with orphans in Thailand can share ideas with someone doing the same thing in Romania.

Membership is free, and it only takes a few minutes to join. (A note to computer/Internet haters who may already be starting to cringe: don’t worry – you don’t need to go online to participate in Power of the Heart!)

Power of the Heart is not a foundation. We do not collect any money. We provide information and resources, and people make their own decisions about where to give their time and/or money. The site provides information on organizations that members know about – often because they have met or visited the founders. People wishing to donate to any of these causes can know exactly where their money is going, and they can be confident that what they give will make a tangible difference.

Grassroots Philanthropy – Basic Assumptions:

1. Most of us have more “extra” money than we realize:
I live in a rural area, and – since I’m very content here – I rarely go into the larger cities and shop. When I do, it’s a mind-blowing experience to go to a big store and see all the “stuff” on the shelves: so attractively packaged, calling out to all of us, begging us to take it home – to fill up our closets and storage units – assuring us that we’ll finally be happy if we buy this or that. And so often we do.

What if, the next time you’re tempted to buy that next really cool thing, you donate some or all of the money instead? Or, if it’s just too good to resist, how about if you set a percentage aside? How many times do you buy a cup of coffee, or buy lunch rather than packing something from home? If you’re a smoker: how much money could you save if you smoked just one less cigarette a day, and set that money aside? Or, if cookies are your thing, how about if you match the money you spend on cookies with a donation? Even $3 a week is $12 a month. If four of your cookie-loving friends did the same, in a month you would have $60, and in a year: $720. (So, you can just keep on eating those cookies, and make a difference with every bite!)

“Let’s Not Go Out to Dinner Together.”
What if you and a group of friends were to have a simple pot luck at someone’s house, pool the money you each would have spent at a restaurant, and at the end of the evening go online and donate it to the project of your choice? What if you made it a special monthly event? What if your various sets of friends started doing the same thing? And what if people in the neighboring community had the same idea?

2. There are many places where a little bit of money can go a long way:
I’ve traveled quite a bit, and when I come home from a place like India or Thailand, I am always shocked to see the amounts of money we fritter away on a daily basis – money that, in a place like Nepal, would make a huge difference in someone’s life. It’s unbelievable how far our “disposable” cash can go. Ten to 15 dollars may not seem like much, but it can make a difference in someone’s life. For example, $15 can buy medicine for 10 people for six months in Nairobi, Kenya. In Tanzania, $25 can provide schooling for one street child for a year, while $20 will educate 10 children in Ethiopia, and $48 will equip a classroom in Afghanistan. Sarah McLachlan created a moving video called “World on Fir.” These stats – and some of the inspiration for Power of the Heart – come from that video. You can watch it on the Power of the Heart website.

3. Fun and friends are important!
You are likely to raise much more money – and make your grassroots philanthropy a life-long practice – if you do your projects with friends, and think of creative things to do. This isn’t about being a martyr. Have fun!

Power of the Heart is about possibilities. It’s about compassion, action, and change. It’s about empowering people to make a difference. You don’t have to be rich, famous, knowledgeable, or even an adult; all you need is an open heart. I invite you to check out the website, and tell your friends about it. When we join together, there truly is no limit to what we can do.

To learn more about Power of the Heart, visit http://poweroftheheart.ning.com or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

About the author: The founder of Power of the Heart, Sally Carless is also a musician, writer, gardener, and the founding director of Global Village School (www.globalvillageschool.org ).