Today, in the middle of a season of giving, numerous bloggers are coming together in a collaborative effort spearheaded by Paloma Contreras of La Dolce Vita to bring awareness to a very deserving charity, Pencils of Promise.
Pencils of Promise, a 501(c)(3) organization established in December 2008 and based in New York, partners with local communities and organizations to build schools in developing nations for some of the world's most impoverished and undereducated children, a designation that fits some staggering 75 million children worldwide.
Last December, the Pencils of Promise team visited a small village in Laos where the annual family income averages $400; by July 2009, they had built a new school for the village children who began attending classes a short two months later on September 1. What started as a small project by founder Adam Bruan to build one school has turned into something much more; this month, Pencils of Promise will open its third school.
The foundational belief of the organization is: No ripple of effort is so small that it should be viewed as insignificant. The first school they constructed is an example of this as it was funded by 2,000 individual contributions of less than $100 each.
Think of the enormous impact we could have if each person who reads a blog post on Pencils of Promise today donates something; remember, "No ripple of effort is so small that it should be viewed as insignificant." If you are willing and able to give more ($35 buys wood for bookshelves, $50 buys pencils/pens for one year, $75 buys 40 books for the school library, and so on,) it would be greatly appreciated. We hope you will find it in your heart to make a donation to this worthy cause today. Together, we can make a difference.
Image Credits: Nick Onken-- a photographer who has donated his time to Pencils of Promise.
If you would like to stay informed about the difference Pencils of Promise is making be sure to become a fan on their Facebook page.
