Philanthropy Must Do More to Recognize the Young Who Do Good
Daniel Whitehead Treanor, who died a few weeks ago at the age of 15 1/2, was an all-American boy. An enthusiastic Little Leaguer, devoted fan of the Baltimore Orioles, Boy Scout, voracious reader and student of history, dedicated volunteer, and young entrepreneur, he had everything but his health.…
By PABLO EISENBERG
Contributor
Secret Behind Groups’ Effectiveness
To the Editor: A Chronicle article by Ian Wilhelm quotes Mr. James Towey, the new head of the White House faith-based office, as saying that small neighborhood groups can be more effective at fighting poverty than large ones, including Catholic Charities or the Salvation Army (“White House Missteps…
In Most Nations, Donors Must Cede Control of Their Gifts
To the Editor: The articles in the March 21 issue concerning the rights of donors and obligations of recipients walk around the central point (“Give and Take: More and More Donors Are Using the Law to Ensure That Charities Follow Their Wishes”). In most countries, the act of donation may not, by…
A Bigger Charity Is Not Always a Better One
For most of America’s history, growth has meant getting bigger, expanding, going farther and farther West. That spirit has found its way into almost every part of our society, to the point where we now regard getting bigger as synonymous with getting better. In the nonprofit world -- or most of it…
By Ronald Thorpe
Contributor
International Critique Was ‘Insulting’
To the Editor: It is indeed unfortunate that The Chronicle found it necessary to include not one, but two, anti-international grant making letters to the editor in recent editions -- both scribed by the same person, a retired military officer who has traveled extensively but who bears no particular…
To the Editor: In reference to “Two Fund Raisers in the House: What Couples Say Makes It Work -- or Not” (March 7), kudos to Carol Helmus, who is taking off a couple of years to raise her preschool children. If only other parents would realize that there is plenty of time to pursue a career, but…
Sex Scandal Puts Onus on Catholic Donors to Demand Change
Who should pay for misconduct in a charity? That is the question that the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston faces as it continues to reel under the ever-darkening cloud of sexual misconduct by a significant number of its priests. After the recent conviction of the archdiocese’s most notorious…
By Peter Frumkin
Contributor
Charities Should Capitalize on New Campaign-Finance Law
To the Editor: The passage by Congress last month of campaign-finance reform opens the way for charities to make their voices heard to a degree that has not existed for over 25 years. Ridding the electoral system of the influence of nearly $500-million in soft money means that the playing field on…
National Service Is Essential to Our Security
National service has always been the bridesmaid but never the bride in American politics. From the time the idea of some kind of service more comprehensive than military duty became popular in the early 1900s, it has had a lot of support. But national service has never really gotten very far. Now,…
By Michael Lind
Contributor
The Questions Every Charity Manager Should Ask a Job Seeker’s References
JOB MARKET By Alison Stein Wellner All of the résumés have been reviewed, the candidates have been interviewed, and you think you’ve got just the right person to fill that open spot at your charity. So is it time to offer the job? Not before you check your ideal candidate’s references. Reference…
By Alison Stein Wellner
Contributor