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CARE has Issues
2007-08-16 15:42:00
CARE, one of the world?s biggest charities, is walking away from some $45 million a year in federal financing, saying American food aid is not only plagued with inefficiencies, but also may hurt some of the very poor people it aims to help.CARE?s decision is focused on the practice of selling tons of often heavily subsidized American farm products in African countries that in some cases, it says, compete with the crops of struggling local farmers.?If someone wants to help you, they shouldn?t do it by destroying the very thing that they?re trying to promote,? said George Odo, a CARE official.My Thoughts: While I think CARE is an awesome charity - I have to disagree with this, in "some" cases? Government corruption is what hurts these countries.Under the system, the United States government buys the goods from American agribusinesses, ships them overseas, and then donates them to the aid groups as an indirect form of financing. The groups sell the products on the market in poor countr...
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Help for Darfur
2007-08-15 14:51:00
Photo: Chinese peacekeepers prepare to depart for their UN mission to Sudan.France, Denmark and Indonesia offered Wednesday to contribute to a joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force for Darfur .Acceptance of the new 26,000-strong force marked a major turnaround for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's government, which had resisted for months a push to send U.N. peacekeepers to the western Darfur region, where over 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million been chased from their homes in four years of fighting.The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved the force, which if fully deployed would be the world's largest peacekeeping operation.The new peacekeeping force will take over from the beleaguered 7,000-strong African Union force now in Darfur.France offered to send soldiers and participate in the chain of command, as well as take part in reconstruction and humanitarian efforts, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said. He did not say how many troops France might c...

A Challenge for our time
2007-08-14 15:42:00
Child prostitution is now a worldwide crisis.Worldwide, it is estimated that up to 1,200,000 children per year are brought into the child prostitution and human slavery industries.In the United States alone, it is estimated that 17,500 women and children per year are imported for this heinous work. Human trafficking is an industry so lucrative, that the U.S. intelligence community estimates it will surpass the business generated by the illicit trade in guns and narcotics within the decade. Child trafficking is an epidemic that is growing exponentially. Unfortunately, response to this pandemic and awareness of this issue has not kept pace. It has been said that ?Evil prevails when good men do nothing.? Will you help fight for those who cannot fight for themselves? ZOE Children?s Homes is a division of ZOE, an international Christian organization. The Children?s Homes were launched to proactively rescue children who are at risk of being sold into human slavery and/or child prostituti...
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Make a Difference
2007-08-13 15:55:00
With an extra $1,000, you could invest to make a profit -- or you could invest to make difference in someone's future, according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance, which offers these tips for putting your money to good use - Help teachers help students. Classrooms with limited budgets can now go to DonorsChoose.com, a Web site that connects donors with small schoolroom projects.A $1,000 donation can provide a computer to one classroom, or be split up among multiple classes, offering dress-up clothing to kindergarteners in one city and a digital camera to third graders in another.Do good with a donor-advised fund. Instead of the $10,000 minimum contribution required by most mutual fund companies to open a donor-advised fund, many community foundations allow you to start one for $1,000 or less. The program invests your assets, and as they grow, you have more oney to give. When your fund is large enough to make a grant -- that threshold is usually $10,000 -- you then recommend which ...
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Jordan helps Educate Iraqi Children
2007-08-12 18:30:00
UNICEF welcomes the Government of Jordan 's recent announcement that itwill open all public schools to Iraqi children. They and their families have fled violence from neighbouring Iraq and have encountered numerous obstacles as they resettle. Many have lost a parent, a teacher, their friends and their place in communities. A large proportion of Iraqi children living in Jordan had not attended school for years.For the first time, when Jordanian public schools start classes on 19 August, they will open their doors to these children, regardless of whether they possess a residency permit or not. Previously, formal education was available only to Iraqis holding residency permits.Education is a right for all children, including those in emergencies.Schools restore a sense of normalcy to children whose lives have been disrupted by violence and/or displacement, and provide the forum to deliver interventions beyond education.UNICEF has been supporting education of Iraqi children in Iraq and ...
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Weekend Fun #7
2007-08-10 23:26:00
Another great week come and gone, one thing I have learned.. yet again is not to let other people's problems affect how you live your life. Be willing to help if they ask, but don't let their issues consume you to the point of driving you crazy!I have missed 2 weeks of basketball, I am hoping to resume next week.____________________________________ _______________________One of my all time favorite 80's TV shows.. was Family Ties. I still enjoy watching old episodes.. and I found one of my favorite episodes on YouTubeIt's called "The Real Thing" and so here it is.. in 8 Parts. For all of you who believe in True Love :)Part 1Part 2Part 3Part 4Part 5Part 6Part 7Part 8 ( The End )________________________________________ ___________________Have a Great Weekend !!!

Uplifting Athletes
2007-08-09 18:24:00
The Penn State Football Uplifting Athlete s fifth annual Lift For Life event was a tremendous success. Nearly 3,000 Nittany Lion fans joined kidney cancer patients from across the country and gathered in Holuba Hall on the Penn State campus to support the football student-athletes as they competed in a strength and conditioning competition to benefit the Kidney Cancer Association.The event was planned by current members of the football team to raise funds and help raise awareness for this rare disease. The university chapter has received over $75,000 in donations so far this year, increasing the total raised to more than $225,000 since 2003.Penn State Football student-athletes began the fight against kidney cancer in 2003 when they learned four team members had fathers battling this deadly disease. Only about 30,000 Americans are afflicted with kidney cancer each year, qualifying it as a rare disease. Consequently, kidney cancer struggles for attention and desperately competes for re...
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The Little Engine That Could
2007-08-08 14:37:00
Last month a Japanese railway company put the world's first environmentally friendly hybrid train into commercial service - a move designed to help curb global warming, a company official said.The train is powered by a diesel engine and electric battery that gets recharged by energy created from braking at curves and when entering stations, East Japan Railway spokesman Shinichi Harada said.The new technology helps reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter by up to 60 percent, compared to conventional trains, Harada said.It cuts fuel consumption by up to 20 percent, and also runs more quietly."It is our responsibility to help reduce global warming by running environmentally friendly means of transportation," Harada said.Resources: Forbes NewsTags: Hybrid, Train, Railroad, Global Warming, Environment
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Teaching Kids to Give to Charity
2007-08-07 14:16:00
It's never too early to teach our children the reality of hunger in our local communities and the important role they can have in helping to provide for families in need.Stephanie Nelson, an everyday mom says - "This summer I am teaching my 11-year-old son to buy food and personal-care items for our local charity. Not only is he learning the math and budgeting skills to stretch his weekly charity budget of $3, but he will also realize how easily a small amount of money can help others."The types of items that charities need most tend to be nonperishable, high-protein items like canned tuna, meats, beans, milk and peanut butter. They also need items like canned fruit and vegetables, rice, pasta, pasta sauce, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo and deodorants. Fortunately, these are all coupon items.Look for "buy one, get one free" offers in your grocery ad and match them with coupons from the newspaper. Stephanie - "When my son began his charity shopping, I gave him one of my Extra Bu...
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Empowering Nepali Women
2007-08-06 16:13:00
When 29-year-old Radha was married, she was shunned by her husband and in-laws, forbidden to enter their home and forced to live in a cow-shed.While working as a daily wage labourer to support her year-old daughter, she discovered that her husband had remarried in Kathmandu."I accepted as destiny my husband?s regular beatings and my mother-in-law?s indifference while she goaded him to abuse me,? Radha recalls. "I began to think that even the gods had abandoned me."Due to existing patriarchal attitudes in many communities, sexual abuse and gender-based violence are thought of as a private and shameful matter. Women and children are often silenced by their very own families.Radha gained the courage to seek justice when she joined 53 other women for a three-day orientation on creating a Village Paralegal Committee."During the training I learned my husband was bound by law to provide for me, and that I had a right to a share of his property," Radha says.UNICEF initially created the comm...
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Weekend Fun #6
2007-08-03 18:40:00
I hope all of you had a fantastic week, I sure did. I used to think that complexity was something I wanted to avoid, something that would cause me stress but I have learned that having a little complexity in your life.. has it's rewards... no chance for boredom to set in.. always an adventure around every corner. After all... isn't that what life is supposed to be about?So lesson for the week, if you are married or single, spice your life up with creative Complexity!______________________________ _____________________________Now for a trip down memory lane, lately I have been so damn tired of all the crap on the radio ( New Music ) it is just pointless! So I have been filling my MP3 player up with 80's and 90's tunes, stuff that actually had substance and well, wow it brought back a flood of great memories. Here is such a song, one that I really loved at the time and still do. _________________________________________ __________________Here's another episode of JetSet .... ch...
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Children overcome hurdles
2007-08-02 15:30:00
Mathew Wood, who suffers from language and development delays, is all smiles with his special needs camp counselor Kim Shaw. Thanks to funding from President?s Choice Children ?s Charity, Wood was able to spend last summer and this summer attending Camp Skoka.The President's Choice Children's Charity is dedicated to helping children who are physically or developmentally challenged. They help children with disabilities like, Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy and Muscular Dystrophy.To learn more about this great Charity and how you can help, please Click HereTags: Children, Disabilities, Charity, President's Choice,
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Think Cure
2007-08-01 15:16:00
At a pre-game ceremony, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced theformation of a new charity to raise money for research toward finding acure for the disease. ThinkCure , a play on the Dodger motto, "Think Blue," will raise money for City of Hope and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. "It's a big thing for us," said Stephen Forman, director of the hematology and bone marrow transplant division at City of Hope. "It's really going to fund the best research going out of both places that will have the best impact." Team owners Jamie and Frank McCourt will match the first $1 million collected. Other fundraisers also are now in the planning stages, officials said.ThinkCure, launched in July 2007 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the McCourt family, the City of Hope, and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, is a charity whose purpose is to raise funds to support cancer research, and whose mission is to find a cure for cancer.Tags: Cancer, Dodgers, Baseball, MLB, Children, Charity,

True Meaning of Islam
2007-07-31 14:52:00
Queen Rania on Thursday joined an on-line interactive discussion as part of the Washington Post/ Newsweek On Faith series titled "Muslims Speak Out". She started out with a traditional greeting of Islam , "peace be upon you""I welcome the opportunity to engage in this conversation, and I am glad to think global readers are interested in Islam, a religion shared and cherished by millions of men and women around the world. I hope that this exercise challenges perceptions that Muslims are somehow different?strange?a breed apart. The other." "All faith, after all, is based on an intensely personal, private relationship with God. And I believe that if we are to build true understanding among and within our societies, we must approach each other as fellow human beings, not representatives of one religion or another.""Perhaps that is why I have never been preoccupied with defining ?the true meaning? of Islam. To me, Islam is an amalgam of virtues that guides my interactions with the world. ...
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Get Iraqi children back to school
2007-07-30 16:38:00
UNICEF and UNHCR issued a $129 million joint appeal aimed at getting tens of thousands of uprooted Iraqi children back in school. Warning that a generation of Iraqis could grow up uneducated and alienated, the two UN agencies presented a plan to support host governments such as Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon in providing schooling for an additional 155,000 young Iraqi refugees during the 2007-08 school year. Altogether, more than 2 million Iraqis have fled to nearby countries ? primarily Syria and Jordan ? to escape continuing violence in their homeland. About 500,000 of them are of school age and most currently have limited or no access to education. Jordan announced on Thursday it would give all Iraqi children in the country access to Jordanian schools.The Agencies will work with the ministries of education and other partners in each country to support expansion of the absorption capacity of public schools; to reintegrate those who have dropped out of school ? particularly girls...
More About: Children , School , Back , Back to School

Weekend Fun #5
2007-07-28 00:18:00
Welcome to another weekend fun post. I am actually enjoying these breaks from the serious and yet, important other blog subjects I post about. These posts give me a chance to express my other side which is fun and often times a bit "crazy" :) I will be leaving soon to go play my weekly basketball game which of course I am SURE I will come out victorious!______________________________ _____________________________Can't find a way to make some extra money? How about Ebay!No kidding, while surfing I happened across this auction on ebay Buy a Can of Mountain Dew ( The Soda/Pop)Last time I checked it was up to $61.00 with 19 bids... for a freaking can of soda!!!!!Crazy!!!________________________ ___________________________________While surfing this week, I was gonna post another of Zadi's Jetset vlogs but I decided.. nah, you can wait till next weekend.. this week I decided to post another video.. something closer to my personal tastes...something I am learning, which is called Frees...
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India's First Female President
2007-07-26 14:33:00
India's first female president was sworn in on Wednesday.The 72-year-old Patil, dressed in a white and green saree draped over her head, took the oath of office inside parliament's packed and ornate central hall, promising to uphold the constitution and devote herself to the people of India.She then received a 21-gun salute."Today India stands at the threshold of a new era of progress," she said. "We must make sure that every section of society, particularly the weak and disadvantaged, are equal partners and beneficiaries in the development process."She vowed to eliminate the practice of aborting female babies and to empower women, who are often treated as second-class citizens.But her words may count for little given her lack of power and the manner of her accession to the job.Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, the most powerful politician in the country, then billed the appointment as a historic day for India's women.This seems like an awesome step in the right direction, I only hop...
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Staying Alive
2007-07-25 19:52:00
As part of a new media video contest, ten young people from around the world documented their thoughts and experiences on HIV and AIDS.Their video blogs, or ?vlogs?, are available today from UNICEF and MTV Stay ing Alive and show how HIV affects young people?s daily lives in different ways.Watch the Videos Here and HereTo learn more about HIV and AIDS, and how you can help - please visit Unite for Children, Unite against AIDSTags: HIV, AIDS, UNICEF, MTV, Children, Teens,

Viriditas Spiritual Center
2007-07-24 19:45:00
On my last post "Give us your poor" I recieved a comment from Jayne Sorrels, Director of Viriditas Spiritual Center .The Viriditas Spiritual Center offers services that support the spiritual and physical needs of the poor and people who are experiencing homelessness. They honor the wisdom from all the faith traditions of the world and nurture each person's freedom to walk his or her own spiritual path.Please visit Viriditas Spiritual Center and learn about what you can do, to make a difference in someone's life. Tags: Poverty, Homeless, Poor, Spirituality, Love, Compassion, Inspiration,

Give us your poor
2007-07-23 15:00:00
On any given night in America, anywhere from 700,000 to 2 million people are homeless, according to estimates of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.Give us your poor is a very unique organization that's mission is to create a revolution in public awareness and to dispel myths and inspire action towards ending homelessness in the United States.Give us your poor works to affect change at the policy level, engage volunteerism andcontributions at the individual and corporate levels through media, technology and education; and to funnel support to partner homeless organizations.We used to think of the homeless as drunks or drug addicts, or those who just "gave up" but in fact the homeless are just like you and I, who lost their home to economics or disaster and have no one to help them. Tags: homeless, homelessness, poverty, poor, activism,
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Weekend Fun Episode #4
2007-07-21 06:14:00
Another great week gone by, I have been spending more time with friends lately, I feel like I am finally starting to live a life of balance, till tomorrow anyway.. then who knows! :) I met a couple new friends this week, and lost my one-one basket ball game, but hey I was just having a "tired" day! ( kidding) got my ass kicked actually lol._____________________________________ ______________________Do you like Mario Brothers?How about playing another online game? It's awesome!_________________________________ __________________________How about another episode of Jetset! Have a Great Weekend Everyone!
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Peace One Day
2007-07-20 15:28:00
Actor Jude Law has completed a personal mission to Afghanistan to film UNICEF?s preparations for marking the 2007 UN International Day of Peace .Jude was accompanied by British director Jeremy Gilley whose film, ?Peace One Day?, documented his successful efforts to secure a UN resolution establishing an annual day of worldwide ceasefire and non-violence. The day is fixed in the global calendar on 21 September. Peace One Day is also the name of a non-profit organization founded to raise awareness of Peace Day.Accompanied by UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan Catherine Mbengue, Jude Law, Mr. Gilley and a film crew interviewed children, government ministers, community leaders and UN officials. The crew also filmed schools and visited various UNICEF-supported programs inside and outside the capital. Launched in September 1999 by Mr Gilley, Peace One Day has gained active support from governments and individuals the world over. In September 2001, Peace One Day achieved its primary obj...

Madiba urges fellow Elders to inspire hope
2007-07-19 14:55:00
Nelson Mandela, marked his 89th birthday on Wednesday by launching his fellow elder statesmen on a new venture to reduce conflict and despair.The former South African president was the host and star turn at a ceremony in Johannesburg to announce the formation of a brains trust of world leaders, bringing together the likes of former United States president Jimmy Carter and former United Nations chief Kofi Annan, on a mission to tackle some of the world's most pressing problems."Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict and inspire hope where there is despair," said Mandela as he unveiled the launch of the Elders. Read Complete Article Here:Madiba urges fellow Elders to inspire hopeTags: Mandela, Hope , Inspiration, Motivation,
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Japan Contributes $8.6 million
2007-07-18 14:33:00
Japan has contributed $8.6 million to Southern Sudan, aiding the region?s school-rebuilding efforts following two decades of civil war that devastated the education system there. "With this $8.6 million contribution from the Government of Japan, we have been able to focus on school construction," explained UNICEF Representative in Sudan Ted Chaiban. "We have been able to construct 20 schools in south Sudan and rehabilitate another 20 schools, and the work is still ongoing."Some 850,000 children, 34 per cent of them girls, were enrolled in schools by the end of 2006 ? a major increase from an estimated 343,000 who were in school in Southern Sudan during the war. As more children enrol, more learning spaces and school supplies are needed, making Japan?s contribution an especially timely one.Tags: UNICEF, Japan, Sudan, Children, Schools,
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For Empowered Generations
2007-07-17 15:44:00
A total of 190 young people from Amman volunteered yesterday to take part in a project aimed at fostering youth participation in community work. Entitled "For Empowered Generation s", the project, carried out with the support of the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), seeks to develop youth potential and awareness, in addition to increasing their contributions to community service.The project was launched by Her Majesty Queen Rania, the chairperson of the Jordan River Foundation (JRF), which the QRFCC functions. Over a period of one month, the volunteers will carry out maintenance work on three public schools and gardens. The voluntary work will include painting, cleaning and carrying out repairs, in addition to cleaning, mowing lawns and laying yards. During the launch, the Queen praised the enthusiasm of the volunteers and their readiness to commit themselves to such community-based projects.Tags: Queen Rania, Jordan, Volunteering, Teens,
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The Harry Potter Alliance
2007-07-16 14:34:00
Are you a Harry Potter fan? Who isn't right? Well, this is a great organization I found out about, by visiting Britt Bravo's blog Have fun - Do Good.The Harry Potter Alliance uses examples of Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore to spread love and fight the Dark Arts in the real world.Genocide, Poverty, AIDS, and Global Warming are just some of the subjects that the HP Alliance works to erradicate.The HP Alliance is dedicated to bringing together Harry Potter fans from everywhere to spread love and fight the Dark Arts in the real world and they need your help!"As long as there are those that are aware that the weapon we have is love and that more than ever, it?s time to use that weapon."Find out what you can do, and join the Harry Potter Alliance.Tags: Harry Potter, Poverty, Aids, Global Warming,
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Weekend Fun Episode #3
2007-07-14 01:45:00
Another week come and go, wow they do go by very fast don't they? I hope everyone had a great one and TGIF!!! :)My weekly basketball game was kinda-sorta canceled by my opponent but hey, theres always next week right?Have you noticed there never seems to be anything to watch on TV these days? I guess it is a good thing, it allows me to spend more time with friends.. and time doing things I really enjoy like, playing bball, and keeping in shape.So Let's see...___________________________________ ________________________Baseball Fan?Do ya like baseball? Me personally I find it kinda slow, but that coming from a guy who enjoys watching tennis and golf, which most people think is kind of slow.....however - if you are into baseball, then I happen to know a special blog by a VERY PASSIONATE baseball fan. Who? None other than Alyssa Milano Check it out *Touch* 'em All______________________________________ _____________________Wanna Play Pacman?...Knock yourself out!________________________...
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Bloggers for a Better World
2007-07-13 14:24:00
My blog has been selected for the "Blogg ers for Positive Global Change" award by Survivors Can Thrive. The award is also a meme, I am to select a few blogs which promote positive global change.I don't usually participate in memes but this one I think is a great way to bring to attention the many blogs out there trying to propel Positive Change in the world.There are many great blogs doing that but since I did have to select a few here are my choices.How I changed the world Today - A passionate blog, written by a passionate woman named Julia who gets up in the morning determined to both change the world and to have one hell of a good time.The Good News Blog - A cozy blog by Jose who believes, We are all tired of bad news... so why not to make an effort to make the good news to shine over the bad news?Look to the Stars - Inspiration for a better world. - They publish news about how celebrities are helping to make the world a better place, and we tell fans how they can get involved ...
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Queen Rania Speaks to Arab Women
2007-07-12 14:38:00
Her Majesty Queen Rani a of Jordan, honorary president of the Arab Women Labour Affairs Committee (AWLAC), underlined on Wednesday the need to increase job openings for women and raise their awareness about joining the labour market.During a meeting with the AWLAC members, she stressed the importance of cooperation among Arab countries to expand women?s participation in the labour market."Although investments of Arab countries in women?s education issteadily growing, the yielded benefits are still low." the Queen toldthe AWLAC officials. "This is evident in the low percentage of women in the workforce," she said.In 1997, the ratio of women in the workforce reached 14.2 percent, up from 7.7 per cent in 1979. The Kingdom?s well-trained and highly-skilled labour force is viewed as a valuable asset to thecountry and to the region.Stressing the need to intensify efforts to enhance women?s participation in the workforce, the Queen acknowledged that this drive requires time and a change in ...
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Real Girl of the Year 2007
2007-07-11 14:15:00
Ellen Wildman, 13, of Geneva was recently selected as one of three winners from more than 14,000 entries in the first Real Girl of the Year Award, sponsored by American Girl, where parents were asked to pen an essay on their daughter's community service and volunteer activities.For the last three years, the Geneva Middle School South student has held ?Ellen?s Excellent Sale,? a garage sale to raise money for the Lazarus House homeless shelter in St. Charles.A family work visit to the homeless shelter a few years ago inspired Ellen. She was amazed to find families with children her age living in a homeless shelter just down the street from her own house, and was determined to help them.Ellen went through her room and decided to sell off some of her extra clothes and toys to raise money for the shelter. Ellen also hatched the idea of having a bake sale and selling her ?famous? brownies.Q: Why is holding "Ellen?s Excellent Sale" every year so important to you?Ellen: I like getting the...