Community Improvement & Economic Development

We felt compelled to pass along this fantastic article from The American, which touts itself as “the new business magazine for people who think.”  Written by Alex Halperin, it details a visit with Andrew Youn, founder of One Acre Fund and 2006 Echoing Green Fellow.  Halperin gives us a look into Andrew’s organization, while describing life as a farmer in Bungoma and the rising trend of microfinance.  This combination makes for a fascinating read which celebrates Andrew’s fine work.

Did you know that approximately one-third of the workforce in the United States is comprised freelancers and temporary workers? Despite this, worker benefits are mostly reserved for full-time employees. That means millions of hard workers are not protected. For many, that means no health insurance or paid vacations. That is where 1996 Echoing Green Fellow Sara Horowitz comes in.

So, you already know Google revolutionized the way we use the internet, but did you know they are changing the world of philanthropy as well? Through Google.org, the company has promised to contribute “1 percent of Google's equity and profits in some form, as well as employee time, to address some of the world's most urgent problems.” With a multi-billion dollar enterprise, that’s a whole lot of potential.

Have you ever wanted to join global leaders at the World Economic Forum to voice your opinions on the problems facing the economic and social sectors today? Now’s your chance.

1993 Echoing Green Fellow, Maya Ajmera, president of Global Fund for Children, was recently interviewed and featured on Anderson Cooper 360. The program also featured Ocsar Award winning actress Mira Sorvino, who considers Ajmera her hero:

Echoing Green Fellow, Sarah Ludwig, was featured in today's New York Times for her work with the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project sub-prime mortgage lending in New York City neighborhoods.

“There’s no question that if you live in a predominantly African-American and Latino neighborhood you’re going to be paying more for your mortgage"