When every day brings fresh horror stories about the state of the American economy--stories that could easily be summed up by the phrase The Greatest Transfer of Wealth From the People to the Wall Street Ruling Class in the History of the Nation--it's easy to lose sight of those nearly-forgotten human beings around the planet who never had any wealth or power to begin with.
Hungry, malnourished children are quiet little things, aren't they? You don't see them on the news too often, and they don't make a lot of noise and fuss--no, they just sort of slip away, dying silently in parts of the world where famine or political strife, oftentimes in tandem, can tear through a country hurricane-like, leaving its most vulnerable citizens with no sustenance and little hope for help.
Fact: Hunger and malnutrition kill more people, worldwide, than do HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria--combined.
There are lots of ways to help, though. I'm calling your attention to a project sponsored by American Express, in particular, one organization that has been selected and stands to gain critically-needed funds, if enough people vote for it. Read, on, and then go here to vote for International Medical Corps* [You needn't have an Amex account to vote; simply follow the links and sign in as a guest--Ed.] :
International Medical Corps has been matched to one of the Top 25 in American Express’ Members Projects, ‘Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children.’
Chosen out of 1,190 projects, “Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children” is now eligible to receive up to $1.5 million in funding. The project with the most votes receives $1.5 million, 2nd receives $500,000, 3rd $300,000, and 4th and 5th $100,000. The funding – made possible by your votes – would bring a vital lifeline to hungry and malnourished children around the world.
We need your help between now and September 29th. Voting is easy and doesn’t cost a thing! In just a click, you can save the lives of thousands of malnourished children. Click here to vote.
For severely malnourished children, we offer a step-by-step treatment program that gives them what they need to recover, including nutrient-dense food supplements like the peanut-based product, Plumpy'Nut. Our comprehensive monitoring system saves more than 90 percent of children being treated in our feeding centers. Being one of the Top 5 would mean our nutrition could reach more children around the world who need our help.
International Medical Corps is an extraordinary and vital organization, readers--one I hope you'll agree is worth the moment of your time it'll take to nip over to the Amex site and vote for them today. And tell your friends. Thank you, as ever.
*About International Medical Corps: International Medical Corps (IMC) is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs.
Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in underserved communities worldwide.
By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, IMC rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.
Also at Cogitamus.
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