Christmas in Yardley, Newtown & Bucks County.
Yardley, Bucks County, pond in winter.
Writing this post on Christmas eve, I thought I would take a break from talking about the real estate market, and focus on the holiday season in Yardley, Newtown, and all over Bucks County, Pa.
As you can see from the few photos that I have posted, with snow on the ground, Bucks County presents a beautiful picture, at this time of the year.
To all who celebrate Christmas, I wanted to say, that I hope you enjoy a very merry Christmas, with your loved ones. I hope that the holiday season finds you and your families, in good health, and that you enjoy the spirit of the season, together.
One of my favorite columnists, Nicholas D. Kristoff , who writes in the New York Times, had a wonderful list in his column today, of relatively unknown charaties, that do amazing work, all over the world. I realize that there are so many, worthwhile charaties, and that it is always difficult to single out a few, but I thought that the work that these particular charaties do, often in relative obscurity, was worth mentioning, espcically this time of the year.
So here is the list:
Acumen Fund - They bring a venture capital sensibility to aid work by investing money in for profit businesses that treat the poor as customers. This reflects a trend of using business mechanisms to fight poverty.
Afghan Institue of Learning - This is an aid group run by Afghan women. They now serve 350,000 Afghan women and children annually. They focus on education and self reliance.
BRAC – This is an antipoverty organization in Bangladesh, which is branching out to Afghanistan and Africa. It emphasizes organizing village women and promoting education, health and microfinance.
Developments in Literacy - This group builds modern schools in Pakistan, particularly for girls.
Deworm the World - This group takes on a problem that we, in America don’t even think about. Most kids in poor countries, have intestinal worms. The sad part of this issue is that it takes one pill a year, which costs 50 cents, to protect a child!
SOIL - This groups aim is to improve sanitation and public health in Haiti. It is run by two American women.
Sustainable Health Ventures - This is a group whose mission is to help girls in poor countries, with sanitary products and medicine.
The Worldwide Fistula fund - This group is dedicated to correcting a chlidbirth injury that basically subjects a women to a life of pain and misery. A $450.00 surgicalk repair generally solves the problem, but for most of the developing world, that is a sum that is way beyond the reach of virtually everyone.
So, there you have it. Lesser known charaties that are tackling global poverty in innovative ways. Giving, is a wonderful way to recognize the spiritual nature of this holiday season.
Merry Christmas, to all who celebrate.
Snow covered bridge over the canal, in Bucks County
Bucks County winter scene