Two new countries to lend to

Just made two loans, one to Nepal and the other to Lesotho. First time lending to both countries.

New Kitten

I went to the local SPCA yesterday and adopted a new kitten. She's 11 weeks old and adorable. I am hoping she'll play a lot with my other cats.

The Pasadena SPCA has a new cat house that has several communal cat areas. It's very beautiful. And it was nice to see empty cages.  I choose which kitty I wanted a head of time because there was no way I could look into their eyes and decide.  So I went there hoping to bring Harley home. And I did. And she's now curled up beside me.

Kiva

Joined one of my Kiva groups in trying to get a loan funded, also chose a loan from a microlender I haven't loaned to in a while.

Helping Ferel cats

I made a donation today to a wonderful group in British Columbia, Canada that is saving feral cats. They have a very ambitious goal to care for the current cats and reduce future generations by neutering. They are taking in pregnant cats and finding homes for the  kittens. And they put everything online so you can follow them. Lots of live web cams.

http://www.tinykittens.com/cats

Helping delegates get to Philadelphia

I've been donating a lot lately to Sanders delegates to help fund their trip to the convention. Not sure how many I've funded, I've not kept track.  One is supposed to send me postcards.

It's hard not to help encourage and support people who have such passion and are willing to donate time and effort into making things better for everyone.

Kiva loans

Made 3 more kiva loans to microlenders I haven't loaned to yet. Slowly getting through them all.

Two more kiva loans

I made 2 more kiva loans today. Lending to new microlenders. I need to make more money so I can have more money to lend through kiva.

Team Rubicon - One of the best Non-profits.

Just 'fixed' my monthly donation to TEAM RUBICON.
They are such a great organization, win/win.  Vets helping.

I ran into a member last week at the airport in Calgary, Alberta Canada. He was just coming off the Fort Mac Deployment.  I wish I was wearing my 'I'm in the Tribe' shirt.

Kiva loans

Made 4 Kiva loans to microlenders I haven't loaned to yet.  I have leant to 291/256 field partners.

Kiva loan to Juliet

Made a loan to Juliet in Africa today.
Juliet

uliet is a production worker and an Organic and Fair Trade Certified Oil Palm Farmer who lives in Akim-Asuom in the Kwaebibirem District of the Eastern Region of Ghana, West Africa. She is 34 years old and married with three children, all of whom have a basic education. 

Juliet believes organic oil palm is profitable and helps protect the environment. In this regard, she wants to secure a Kiva loan to expand her oil palm field, in order to create more development and also to be able to continue providing for the education of her children and improve her family’s lifestyle.

Wonderful Words

I got a beautiful card from my cousin today. She's actually my 4th cousin. I met her a few years ago when my sister and her sister planned a 'family' gathering in London.  The sisters had met on ancestry.com.  14 of us trucked over from North America and joined other distant cousins into ancestry.

So while I was there I spoke of my hobby business that I started to help friends feed kids. It sells costumes online. I started it about 15 years ago and have hired over 100 people so far.  We sell to religious people also, we make a lot of monks robes.

I like to buy products from local artisans Made in USA.  So when my cousin told me her son could make wooden crosses for me, we went into business.  He has severe schizophrenia and can't work. But I now give him something to do.

the card reads:
Thank you for giving A this work. It makes him feel like he is able to do something worthwhile with his life.

Words are so sweet to hear. We're all in this together.

And the crosses are beautiful.

Stamp out Hunger Food Drive by Letter Carriers

I put together a bag of food for my letter carrier to pick up at my mail box tomorrow. It's Stamp out hunger day.Stamp out Hunger

Kiva Loan

Made a Kiva loan today with one of my Kiva groups. We get together to do this every Monday.

Rescued Cats back in Africa.

Pictures of the 33 'cats' that were rescued. They will live out the rest of their days in comfort. So happy to see. More pics here

I have 2 smaller cats in my house. One came to stay a few years ago, she was living with a young friend who was never home and they lived in a small space. My Binx cat arrived depressed but quickly got over it living here with all the attention. My other cat Kallie is a rescue from the local SPCA. I got her at 3 months. She was very timid. It's been over a year and she is now rather spoiled. She's currently meowing from another room because she wants me to go play with her.

Fires in Alberta

I made another donation to the Canadian Red Cross for the Fires in Alberta.
The fires are growing.
I'm also working on getting other Canadians Abroad folks to donate with me.

https://donate.redcross.ca/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1951&ea.campaign.id=50610

Feeding refugees.

Made a donation to

PHILOXENIA  

today.  They are feeding refugees.

The name Philoxenia derives from an ancient Greek term referring to the duty of kindness and hospitality shown to guests, foreigners or strangers, and embodies the true generosity of human spirit. We are team Philoxenia, and our mission is to embrace and share this spirit among the growing population of asylum seekers in Europe. We provide hot meals, comfortable spaces and open arms in

stressful environments. We work to provide positive support and inspire a sense of humanity and solidarity that people can carry with them throughout their onward journey.

In 2015, vast numbers of ordinary people have been forced to flee their homes in fear of persecution, violence or death and in search of freedom, justice and dignity. Despite the harsh winter conditions and increased risk of drowning at sea, thousands continue to make the treacherous journey into the EU each day. Government and international aid agencies, though equipped with large scale funding and facilities, are unable to address every need in this volatile environment. We are here to fill the gaps that are left behind. This initiative emerges from the desire to support incoming refugees in some of their daily challenges. We feel that at the end of the day, a simple but warm meal can go a long way. 

Our goal is to provide a warm meal to 1000 people a day. That means, during our first year of operation, we will provide around 356,000 warm meals to asylum seekers throughout the EU. 

Thank you for being kind, the world is so much better because of it.

Fort McMurry Fire

I made a donation today to the Red Cross of Canada to help the people of Fort McMurry, Alberta.  Fire just got most of the town and everyone was evacuated.


Donation link here - Canadian Red Cross - Alberta Fires.   You don't have to be Canadian to donate.

Kiva loan to Madagascar

Made a Kiva loan to Ruffine. My first loan to Madagascar,

Ruffine is a widow, 58 years old, and she had only one son, who is already married. She lives in a busy neighborhood. For a dozen years, she has been selling kitchen utensils at the market: with this business, she has succeeded in meeting family needs. It is also a passion of hers. 

She has been a partner with VAHATRA for nine years. With her previous loan, she had profits she preferred to reinvest as capital. She still wants to take out another loan to purchase kitchen utensils to sell, such as cups, buckets, pots, and tureens. 

Ruffine is thinking about her financial independence. Her goal is to build a house.

Southern Poverty Law Center

I've been donating to the Southern Poverty Law Center for over a decade. They do wonderful work against hate.
 We need less hate in the world.

They also teach tolerance.

We need more of that too.

Sustaining Space

I helped out James in Oregon today with part of a Kiva Zip loan. These loans are for Americans (I think mostly) for their small businesses.  We all need capital.