Speak United

Link Roundup!

Laura Torres — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:40:21 -0500

“In other words, a person who bought a home for $200,000 in the summer of 1988 would have had to wait nine years before being able to sell it for $200,000 again.” Excerpt from Boston Globe article on Boston 28 month housing slump. link

Good news! Money can buy you happiness. But only if you're generous...link

Food Stamp Use Nears Record. link read more »

Weekly Link Round-up!

Laura Torres — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:33:28 -0500

Relevant Local News

1.4 million adults in Massachusetts lack education and skills needed to secure family-supporting job link

Troubles at Jamaica Plain’s English High School demonstrate why we cannot just rely on schools alone to solve problems with youth and education. linkto Bsoton Globe article.

On Philanthropy read more »

Joining a non-profit board? A quick and dirty primer from the Wall Street Journal on what you should do the first 90 days. link
Dislike chatting it up with fundraisers? Jack Shakely of the California Community Foundation writes in this week's NYTimes that you pre-empt the charities and the fundraisers. Give before you get asked and take your philanthropic destiny into your own hands! link

Link Round-up!!

Laura Torres — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:00:27 -0500

The NYTimes Magazine has lots of great articles on the topic of philanthropy this week!

Highlights:

Can celebrities really help advance a cause?

Economists tackle the question: What really makes people give?

Is it possible to show a return on investment when it comes to philanthropy?

In thinking outside-the-box news, The Washington Post has published a radical idea from Michael Goldstein, founder of the MATCH School. In a nutshell Goldstein proposes that we let students drop out of High School and then let them come back when they are ready. Whaaaa?? Click here to get the full story.

There has been a lot of talk about boys being left-behind in education lately. This Boston Globe article explores how “Boys Clubs” have helped raise MCAS scores. Link.

According to this article on cnn.com, most middle-class Americans still cannot afford housing despite drops in pricing. Link read more »

Brain Development and the Toxicity of Poverty

Laura Torres — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:03:16 -0600

At the UW offices there has been quite a lot of talk about the effects of poverty on early childhood brain development. Now it looks like the discussion is reaching the mainstream. Check out this Financial Times article that summarizes why early childhood intervention is so important and why living in poverty is “poison” to the brain. read more »