$248.52B Contributed in 2004....where did it come from?

Of the $248.52 Billion that was given in 2004 - here are the stats:

76% came from living individuals - the majority of that money (60%) went toward religion (nothing new). But I think it is interesting to note that msot of that goes to upkeeping religious facilities, supporting their operating costs, and clergy salaries. Education, health and science received the next chunk of that (13%), Human Services came in third (9%), Arts and culture received 3%, and Social Welfare received the least at 2%. The remaining 13% is classified as other.

11.6% of contributions came from foundations - of that almost half goes to education (25%). Health receives about 20%, Human services (16%), Public Affairs/Society Benefit (13%), Arts and culture (13%), and International Affairs gets 3%. The remaining again is classified at 12%.

Foundations that gave over 40% to support this portion of our society that is falling through the cracks are - Verizon Foundation (40%), Wells Fargo Foundation (40%), and Washington Mutual (a whopping 75%!)

A really cool Super Bowl spot launches effort to give girls self esteem

You know, my favorite ads of the year are those that pop up during the Super Bowl! This year is no different....

Dove, yes, Dove...the beauty products company out of Greenwich, Connecticut...has developed a campaign to raise self esteem in girls. The program consists of outreach programs, and pr efforts including a spot during the Super Bowl on Sunday Feb, 5th. "The heart-tugging 45-second spot, created by Ogilvy & Mather and airing during Super Bowl XL, draws attention to the issue of self-esteem. It suggests ways adults can make a difference in how girls feel about themselves. Self-esteem issues will be brought to the forefront as the public will hear little girls speak big truths about their feelings. All throughout the spot, the voices of the members of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County Chorus from Long Island, New York can be heard singing a version of "True Colors."

And, by ther way, did you know that Dove has a Dove Self-Esteem Fund, which was developed to help raise self-esteem in girls and young women. In the United States, the Fund supports uniquely ME!, a partnership program with Girl Scouts of the USA that fosters self-esteem among girls ages 8 to 17 through educational resources and hands-on activities.

Check out their website at http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/