as you enter into the weekend...

give some thought to what you can do for others....no, you may not have $150,000 to donate but you do have something for the food pantry, a check you can drop in the mail, or click on one of the links below; (they are always listed on my blog on the left side column, for they are helping the world a little at a time)...kiva, worldwide loans to entrepreneurs - heifer org., training people around the world - and the hunger site, where you can send children to school, supply clean water to a village, fruit trees and food to areas around the world...

i think i'll skip that cup of mocha and put $4.00 into the plastic container at the grocery store to help one of their own who is fighting cancer...

and the winner is....

just wanted to give you an update on the american express grant contest...

kiva came in at a very respectable 3rd - after just 3 years of it's creation...they were awarded $300,000 to fund their loans to entrepreneurs around the world...with over 25,000 votes! They will be able to do so much good with this grant - thanks amex. for making it possible.

i checked their site this morning - and found this greeting...and honestly had to read it several times before it sunk in...

"Thanks Kiva Lenders! You've funded EVERY loan on the site!!

To date, Kiva has enabled lenders to send $46,168,910 to the working poor around the world.
Currently, we are experiencing a traffic spike and all previously fundraising loans have been fully funded. Our team is working with Kiva's Field Partners around the globe to approve new loan applications every day."

there are NO MORE LOANS to give....who would've ever thought that would be the case? certainly not them...it's stunning....with all the exposure that kiva received during this time - they received many new lenders, and are in the process of making dreams come true...for every 28 seconds a loan was given this week...

2 people started this company - 2 young people wanting to make a difference in the world, it's a very powerful thing - and it gives me hope for the good that the future generations will bring...

http://www.kiva.org/

kiva needs our help...

you know i just love kiva.org - i've blogged about them, given them loans and have their link on my blog at all times...it's their birthday and i got an email from them asking for our help to celebrate this 3rd birthday with them...but there is something we MUST do FOR THEM...

look at what they have done in just 3 years!!!

"Thanks to the help of Frontline viewers, we raised $1 million in our first year. By Year 2, we reached $10 million (thanks Oprah viewers!). By our 3rd birthday, we've passed $40 million and supported over 90,000 entrepreneurs. What can you get Kiva for our birthday? $1.5 million! "

and now they are asking for our help... any of you American Express customers? that's what they are needing right now... there is a promotion going on right now with American Express - and the winner will receive a 1.5 MILLION Grant from American Express... this is an on-line contest by American Express - hey thanks for that big guys! but you DO have to be their customer - which i am not - so will you cover for me?

kiva has already won 100,000 in this promotion - but they are going for the 1.5 million...

what do YOU do? if you have an american express you just log on to the site and vote for kiva (link below) - they have made it into the final top 5 - and all votes for the final contest have been set back to '0', so if you have already done this - you need to do it again for this final round...

let's do what we can to help kiva - 1.5 million will help 60,000 entrepreneurs throughout the WORLD, whether it's to start their own business or send their children to school or even for small home repairs...

as you know - i'm a starving artist - but i do all i can do for kiva...it is the only organization that i know of that ALL proceeds go to the individual; i loan money to a person to purchase seed for their farm - they get the $, and eventually pay me back. it's an amazing story of individuals with small amounts helping other individuals with small amounts...in this time, this economy we must try not to forget the people who have less than ourselves, as we tighten things around our own homes lets remember to still give to others who are needing more than ourselves.

check out their stats:

Kiva Is and Has:
36 months old
$44,913,200 raised
98% repayment rate
93,676 entrepreneurs funded
342,944 Kiva users
149 countries represented

if you want more info. on kiva - here is their link... kiva

don't forget to vote for them, we only have 1 WEEK to make this happen!

link to vote: american express, vote for kiva

spirit of the entrepreneurs....

my mom just emailed me....commenting on her competition with diane sawyer and christiana amapour to be my best friend... you are so funny mom! they haven't called yet!

i had mentioned the heifer organization in the blog below and mom said that i should look into kiva... and that she had just lent money to Rose Nakato in Uganda. my mom and i are supporters of heifer so early this morning i am looking up kiva and reading the amazing stories that surround the organization (started by a husband and wife), and the entrepreneurs and the dreams that the people have.

after looking at kivas site i see that they have had great support in getting the name of their organization out there through the media, and one can never thank the media enough when they give you this helping hand. so i am sure many of you have already been introduced to them, but if not i am adding them to my "give" column that you can find on the left of my blog.

the dreams of an entrepreneur are the same, resulting in the same ending hopefully. success at their ideas, self sufficient and able to help others along the way. another trait of an entrepreneur is their belief in their idea, their energy and hard work to make it happen. you've head the words "american dream" a million times i'm sure.... but if you break it down, the dream is the same as all entrepreneurs... making something out of nothing...

and yes, i have the heart of the entrepreneur....starting my first home business when i was 20. and to this day a "no" will never stop me, i will just keep putting one foot in front of the other marching on. but we are looking at our $'s in other countries with kiva... where an opportunity can make the difference between poverty and self sufficiency... no esteem to wonderful esteem... and of course, the success of one will benefit many... instead of a donation, they are asking for small amounts to be made as loans...

last month, sara, my assistant, gave up flour for 40 days for her religious beliefs... if you new sara her entire diet consists of flour, so it was a huge struggle for her. i figure if i give up my ice cream i will be able to help fund someones dreams.... i give up something negative in my life and create a positive in somebody else's life.... that's a win win....

i've added a video if you are not familiar with kiva org., it's an amazing story....here is a direct link to their site too... today, i feel good, i'm helping Chhoeun Smaunh in cambodia buy a horse and silk...and i know the feeling of his heart... thanks mom!

this is a link to the video.... it is 13 minutes long, and so inspiring...

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=604752752

here is a direct link to the kiva site...

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=home

don't forget, heifer and kiva are great gift ideas for those people who have everything... i have given my dad bees and my mom eggs to help people in south america...just to name a couple...