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Beth Larsen, Sedona Arizona

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Rebuilding New Orleans Green - help American Express decide where to spend this year's Member's Project Money.

09-21-08
Beth Larsen, Sedona Arizona

Help American Express decide which of 25 worthy causes they will award with 2.5 million dollars in funds. You can vote to place one of these into the top 5 until September 29th, 2008. Final results will be announced October 14th.

Re: Project: Rebuilding New Orleans Green

In reviewing these projects I was struck by the breadth and scope of the offerings. For the purpose of these funds, I felt that the Rebuilding New Orleans Green project had the necessary components for me to put it in first place on my list, and not because other projects were not also worthy.

I do think that charity begins at home, and that this project not only meets that benchmark but also addresses more than one burning issue: 1) it will help our neighbors in New Orleans on the long road to recovery 2) it promotes green building and sustainability, which need to be high on our list of priorities as individuals, as a nation, and as members of the global community and 3) it would bring a welcome private funds augmentation to already-strained government funding of the gulf area. It also speaks to the American dream of homeownership.

I am not from New Orleans or the Gulf Coast, but visited there in November 2006 with the NAR Convention. My colleague and I stayed an extra day to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity at the Musician's Village, and were apalled by the level of devasation still apparent more than a year after Katrina. I understand that there is still much to be done. New Orleans is a unique American city, and we would lose so much by not preserving it.

Other great causes such as Alzheimer's education and research (which I support for personal reasons) and Kiva.org (which was new to me but of all these projects seems the most innovative and has tremendous potential) are already well into the top 5 (#1 & #2 respectively). Another that has merit is the project studying new uses for generic drugs (although I personally try to avoid synthetic remedies wherever possible, their logic is sound and could make meds more affordable).

Green Building, sustainability, the environment and New Orleans need our attention RIGHT NOW.

If you want to learn more, you can vote here...or browse for another project to support.If you're not an American Express cardholder, you can still learn about some fascinating projects, and maybe you could be an angel and share the information with someone who is.

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