Today is Sunday, August 29th, the fifth-year anniversary of the devastating and historical natural disaster hurricane Katrina. It's an emotional day for a lot of people with ties to the city. So many never returned home, like my Dad. So many likely never will, like me.

It took one surgery, two clinical trial procedures and 760,000 donated cells to save Chicagoan Renae Jacob's life. But it would not have been possible without one very special woman: a casual friend named Anne Branson.

I met Renae this summer in June. We were both taking a grant writing class at Spertus Institute. During the part where everyone introduces herself, I mentioned that I write this blog and quipped, "So if you have news about charities or know anybody who, for instance, donated an organ to a stranger, let's talk afterward." Renae smiled and said, "Have I got a story for you!"

Talk about taking one for the team. It seems that Sandra Bullock is hanging in there for the kids--Jesse's kids. Though she kicked him to the curb for his cheating, she'll continue to help him raise his children. I don't know how she'll do it, but I'm glad she decided to give it a shot. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-kornbluth/an-african-american-woman_b_653983.html

I've just read a very spirited reader interaction on a blog posted a week ago by Huffington Post blogger Jesse Kornbluth. The piece regards the wildly popular work of fiction, "The Help," a novel by first-time author Kathryn Stockett. The New York Times bestselling book has been so hot that it's still being sold in hard cover a year and a half after its release. A movie of the book has gone into production.

But apparently for some it's a very polarizing book, with factions settling on either side of all too familiar lines of racial demarcation. Stockett is white but several of the main characters, the titular "Help," are black and the point over which all the polarity hovers. Some find her portrayals of the black domestics interacting with their white employers in 1960s Mississippi reeking of racism.

I'm almost afraid to say that I enjoyed the book and found it to be well done. Obviously, I'm a black woman--see photo above :).
 

It's official! I'm a bibliophile. If I tally up all the money I've spent on books, I've either mortgaged my future or secured it. I dunno yet. All I know is books are a form of crack and I'm addicted.

I've been reading voraciously all summer long! All year, really. I set a loose goal to read two books a month. I've always wanted to write the Great American Novel someday. Who hasn't? So I also decided to write a book this summer. I started in May and I think I'll arrive at a first draft before the sun sets on August 1st.

With May coming to a close, I'd like to congratulate all of the graduates from high schools, colleges and universities and other educational programs. You did it! Congrats also to 250 students who were treated this month to Lunch with a Leader, a program of the nonprofit The Support Group.

I've been encountering literary rock stars and I hope that it's a sign! Last week, I sauntered into Barnes & Noble and sat in, impromptu, to hear author Elizabeth Berg discuss her new book, "The Last Time I Saw You." The modest turnout meant that I got to have a close encounter with a very prolific author of women's literature. Then TODAY, I was walking along Michigan Avenue headed to Millennium Park to do some writing on my own novel and ended up tailing Pulitzer Prize winning author, Jeffrey Eugenides! He wrote "The Virgin Suicides," and  "Middlesex," one of my favorite books of all! And nobody seemed to notice him but me. I sidled up next to him and asked, "Excuse me, um, are you ... a book author"? He said, yes, and I knew I was in the presence of literary royalty. We walked together and had a five minute conversation about my own book project. He asked, do you write longhand? I swooned! :)

Author Jeffrey Eugenides

My friend Angie just wrote in her status update that on her walk to work today she saw "a disturbed man pointing and hollering at the tulips. No one walking past even broke stride (including me)!  ... I guess we are all just hanging by a similar thread". And she is likely right.  If only more people would simply yell at flowers, then President Obama would have little need to call that nuclear summit.

"Why so serious?"--Heath Ledger as the Joker, "The Dark Knight"

I, for one, sometimes often feel like yelling at flowers till I rock their little flimsy petals off! But in a clutch, I'd just as soon scream expletives at my slippers. Or a can of beans. In fact, any non-responsive object will do. It's kinder than yelling at the kids (I don't have any) or the cat (I gave the fur ball to someone else to love). And it's safer than yelling at someone who might yell back or worse!

But, seriously, how great would it be to go out into a corn field and yell like your head is on fire and then drive back to the city? Only you and the cows would understand that otherwise inexplicable "Stepford Wives" smile on your face in a traffic jam and in your next meeting with your boss or an infuriating client. Now, if only corn fields weren't so creepy ...

Oh, well, here are some of my other thoughts on prophylactic anger management, i.e., techniques that won't seed the landscape with hurt, rage and, God forbid, violence:

Filmmaker Joanna Rudnick undergoes medical testing in her documentary "In the Family," which examines dilemmas arising from genetic breast and ovarian cancer predisposition.

Filmmaker Joanna Rudnick faced an impossible dilemma. She was diagnosed as a carrier of the BRCA gene, predisposing her to breast and ovarian cancer, and as a precaution she could remove her breasts and ovaries. She was only 31. And, she hadn't yet married and had children. Rudnick turned her dilemma into a documentary film called "In the Family," which also chronicles the stories of a variety of women dealing with similar experiences. Today, the film will be shown free of charge at the Better Boys Foundation in North Lawndale.

Roger Ebert on the cover of the March 2010 Esquire magazine. Ethan Hill/Courtesy of Esquire

Someone on Facebook was just expressing how he was happy that Roger Ebert is doing better lately with his health but that it was tough to look at the celebrated film critic these days. Despite his appearance yesterday on "Oprah" (where he gave his Oscars picks) and a great feature in this month's Esquire magazine, plenty of people still don't know that one of the most famous faces in cinema has been rewritten, so to speak, by the ravages of cancer. Ebert continues to move through the world face forward and chin up, exactly as he should.

Apparently, John Mayer really is "Waiting on the World to Change".  In his revised world, no doubt, it would be perfectly understandable and acceptable to express a lack of sexual interest in black women by claiming that your private parts are akin to white supremacist David Duke. It would be perfectly A-okay to discuss intimate details about ex-girlfriends Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson, particularly objectifying Simpson by describing her as "sexual napalm". Also, in John's brave new world it would be quite all right to use the N-word while clumsily trying to express that he can't truly relate to the struggles of his black friends in the music biz. 

Mel Gibson in a scene from his new film "Edge of Darkness".

Thanks to his notoriety for anti-Semitic remarks during a tirade while being arrested in 2006 on drunk driving charges, much has been made of the box office performance of the Mel Gibson movie "Edge of Darkness," considered to be his big comeback as an actor. The film, his first starring role since 2006, opened on Friday. And ... it basically tanked in comparison to some of his previous film debuts BEFORE said tirade.

To be fair, it also was pitted against "Avatar," which has steam-rolled everything in its path since its Dec. 18th release. Even before Mel's infamous 2006 incident, the actor/director/producer had been known to be a bit of a loose cannon who is liable to offend whole groups with one sound bite. Just recently, he got snippy, shall we say, with WGN's Dean Richards during an interview about the new film, ending the interview with an expletive. Certifiable knucklehead? Sure. But Mel also is a generous philanthropist.

He's given millions to charities whose work center on children. His charitable contributions aren't as ballyhooed as his misdeeds are booed. Which brings me to this question: Does a person's notoriety dilute his or her philanthropy? Is he or she less worthy of praise for good deeds?

Some celebrities have done big things in charity despite scandal including adultery, pedophilia accusations, and even criminal records. Turns out the notorious can be very generous, sometimes even when nobody's really looking.

This Tuesday marks one week since Haiti was devastated by an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale, followed by a series of smaller but still powerful temblors. On this day, Monday, when we are celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I made a text donation to bring about Haitian earthquake relief. Will you join me, please, in charitable texting for this worthy cause?

Haitian earthquake victims

Just about a week ago, I wrote about how I was mildly shocked to learn that my mother sends regular monetary donations to organizations that help Haitian children. She was driving me to the New Orleans airport after my Christmas visit home. We talked about several things and then the subject of her donations came up. She had a sadness in her eyes as she talked about how poor the kids there tend to be. And now the world is focusing on Haitian people in general because of the earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday. That calamitous 7.0 temblor sucker punched this island nation. Haiti has long been in need of a lot more people like my mama. Now all the more, the nation needs our help. Will you join us--Mama and now me--in sending love and support their way?

I just got back to Chicago after spending two great weeks at home for Christmas in the New Orleans area with my family. As my mother drove me to the airport for my return to Chicago, I learned that she sends money on a monthly basis to help children in Haiti. She told me that a dream of hers is to be able someday to do more to help the children growing up there.

"We're all supposed to give," she said, matter of factly.  I was mildly stunned.  It's not that she's not a kind, caring and giving person. I just hadn't realized that she was such a methodical giver with particular charitable interests--especially of an international nature. I didn't dig to learn all the details about why she chose this cause. It doesn't matter. Something resonated in her heart when it comes to Haitian children, and that motivated her to take action. But I do wonder if she'd have ever mentioned it if it hadn't come up by chance.

Gov. Pat Quinn (left) and Comptroller Dan Hynes

Chances are it won't be a very happy new year 2010 for many of Illinois' human services agencies. Many haven't been able to pay their bills in months, thanks to the state's ongoing budget fiasco. Though the budget deficit and lack of an immediate solution are real, it seems election year politics are doing nothing to expedite a solution. So here we go again!

Moe Fourte and one of his Honor Roll All Stars charges attend an event at the Better Boys Foundation in October 2009.

Resilient. That's a great word to describe my Facebook friend Moe Fourte. Moe is the founder and executive director of a nonprofit called Honor Roll All Stars, which works to keep teens academically challenged and fit and thoroughly and positively engaged in society. He is a passionate advocate on teen issues. But in these recessionary times, nonprofits like Moe's Honor Roll All Stars take the brunt of the storm.

In his persistent efforts to keep his nonprofit organization alive, Moe has taken to social networking with gusto and zeal to raise funds online.

He also recently has been highlighting one of the reasons for Honor Roll All Stars' financial quandary: the state's crushing debts and its current inability to pay human services agencies.

The sun is about to set on an important giving opportunity. The Charitable IRA, which has allowed for tax-free rollovers from individual retirement accounts, soon will cease to exist. The option has allowed Americans age 70 1/2 and older to make tax-free contributions, up to $100,000 per year from their IRAs, to charities. The option was created in 2006.

But come December 31, 2009, the laws will change.

I dare you to look upon the smile of one Taylor Michelle Russell and not want to smile right back. That smile sure has a way of moving anyone blessed enough to see it. 

What a most wonderful time of the year! The libations are flowing--and outside it's snowing! A most appropriate time to spread some cheer!

And ... as long as you're at it: spread the wealth. If you're party hopping during this festive holiday season, why not drop by to support Sunda New Asian restaurant and Gawad Kalinga's fundraiser to provide relief to victims of the Philippine typhoons?

It's a great double dip for those who want to be cheery and charitable in one fell swoop. I can attest firsthand that the food is absolutely, smashingly good!

I just voted in the Chase Community Giving contest on Facebook. Thousands of charities are in the running nationwide to receive a share of $5 million that Chase has committed to donating to nonprofit organizations, based on the top vote drawers. What's your favorite charity? Why not login Facebook, and vote for them and then rally your friends to do the same? Even if a charity doesn't win one of the the cash grants, you're doing your part to raise awareness for causes close to your own heart.

I should make it clear straight away: I have a couple of nonprofits as communication clients.  Additionally, I'm a communication consultant, and, as such, I'm always interested in new clients.  One of the benefits of a blog like this is exposure for me.  But it's a double-dip.  I raise my profile, and I also raise the profiles of others doing good works in the realm of charity and public service.

There's something you should know, especially before it becomes painfully obvious. Though I'm not exactly new to the world of social networking, I'm no expert either.

Luckily, I've been able to surround myself with more adept social networkers than I to get jobs done for my communication clients--what? Do you do everything for your clients?--but I vow to gain on 'em.

Luckily still, there are forums of late for folks like me, and perhaps for you, too. Folks who work within the nonprofit world who would love to be nonplussed by all the Twittering, Facebooking, and such.

One such event coming up in mid-December is a Junior League of Chicago event, "Helping Nonprofits Leverage Social Networking for Effective Onl

ine Activism and Constituent Cultivation".

If you're interested in attending this free event, check out the details.

Seasons greetings to the blogosphere! Wow, I love being able to say that. I'm really pretty tickled. Of course, with this being my very first blog and its very first entry, there aren't all that many eyes out there in the 'sphere on this page. But I hope there soon will be.

Why should there be any eyes on this blog? Well, I suppose because there's plenty enough in Chicago already to carp about -- the recession, crime, the parking situation ... um, the Bears this season. So, my goal is to simply find things for us to cheer collectively, primarily from the worlds of mission-based organizations and individual benevolence.

What a great time of year to launch a blog about the spirit of giving and kindness.  

Much of what you read here will center on Chicagoland nonprofits, and foundations.  And, of course, philanthropists, as you might have gathered from the blog's name.  

The second part of the name -- "and other acts of kindness" -- is about individuals being nice and doing something active with that trait.

I've always wanted to be nice. Mostly, I'm already nice. But I could stand to be nicer. And if there's ever a superlative that I truly covet, well, I guess it would be nice to be the nicest person anyone has ever known.

Nice as I see it translates into being a strong, capable, contributing member of society--not the doormat that unfortunately some folks seem to think nice folks are. You know, that whole thing about nice guys finishing last.

I personally don't do enough yet for others. I'm single and childless, so life has by default revolved around moi. But my personal journey, like this blog, is a work in progress. I am a store of resources, as we each are. I don't have loads of time, this blog being one of many commitments, but there of plenty alternatives for contributing time, talent and elbow grease, if not always money.

So, in offerings to come I'll be interacting with and writing about this city's kind givers and grateful receivers of good deeds and beneficence. Who knows, you could be the giver. Or a foundation may be the giver. Even the government (hey! no snickering!) may be the giver. You might, too, be the receiver. Or the receiver might be a mission-based organization, such as a 501(c) 3 entity.

For now, here are some broad subject areas that I'll mine for material and rotate each week.   

• Donor Tools

Tips and more on how can you as an individual help out an organization, another individual, society in general

• NPO Tools
  

Tips, resource suggestions and more on how nonprofit organizations can maximize resources, sharpen missions, etc.
 

• Featured Giver 

May be a micro feature on a nonprofit in general or one of its programs or one of its star staff members or volunteers

• Featured Receiver

A micro feature on a nonprofit or an individual who have recently benefited from a gift, be it funding, equipment, community volunteers or other resources.

I've got good news for you. And I can't wait to share it!