The financial meltdown of the past year or so in the United States has been devastating to millions of Americans, and even more so to First Americans on the many Indian reservations. Of course, the whole world is suffering because of this, but my present appeal is for temporary help in South Dakota.

A little over a year ago I tried to help in a way that I think gets “the most bang for the buck,” that is, to rescue the Sicangu Sun Times newspaper, which is a voice of and for the Rosebud Indian Reservation Sioux people (see http://www.theoservice.org/node/241).  read more »

Recently, I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Lance McWilliams, a Colorado man who embodies the spirit of altruism. I’m writing to increase awareness of the work he’s doing in Kenya.

Lance has adopted a rather unusual orphanage in Kisii, Kenya—it’s specifically for deaf orphans. Can you imagine being an orphan? Within the unthinkable poverty and violence so common in Africa? And without the ability to hear or communicate normally with those around you? Such is the plight of these children; and Lance, who is himself deaf, has taken these kids under his wing.  read more »

The Theosophical Order of Service (USA) has been working to improve living conditions on the Reservations for quite some time.  We have provided varying amounts of aid to the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and the Hualapai in northern Arizona.  Recently we have added the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Eastern Arizona.  We should be able to do more for San Carlos than for the others, because it is closer for us.  read more »

I am Rudradevananda, have been working as a Yoga teacher and other relief work since 18 Years. Our Organization sent me to Orissa last year. While working here I found that because of sickle cell many family are suffering. While working in Sambalpur, Orissa, I went to one family, their eldest daughter had sickle cell and two children died. I went to another family village Gargadbahal, Sambalpur Orissa.  There four children died. Then I thought that I must help these people. I studied many books. I went to internet and studied about sickle cell. 

Finally I got contact with Lloyd Standish. He was very happy to know that I am very interest about this service. First he send me two bottle of carao. I gave to first patient Swrnamayee. She got improvement. When I saw the improvement I was very happy.  read more »

“Within a decade, no child will go hungry, no family will fear for its next day’s bread, and no human being’s future and capacity will be stunted by malnutrition” Then US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to the World Food Conference, Rome, November 1974  read more »

Hesed is a Hebrew word for Kindness. There is a place in my town called Hesed House. It is a place, often of last resort, for the very poorest people in our community. It is the mission of Hesed House to try and help turn things around for the people that knock on their door seeking shelter.  read more »

 read more »

On the weekend of September 15 and 16, Miles Standish visited the Hualapai Indian Reservation to deliver six complete computers and a large quantity of blankets, winter coats, jackets and sweaters for the needy.  The Reservation is in the western portion of the south rim of the Grand Canyon.  Donated by members of the Verde Valley Computer Club

Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno said special courts to handle drug offenders work better than just sending people to prison. Speaking before a meeting of judges, she said that in 1987 when people were charged with possessing a small amount of cocaine, nothing happened to them. They got credit for time served, got no sort of treatement, and were rotated through the system. So Miami set up a drug court which mixed punitive measures with rehabilitation programs. The program's success became a model for the rest of the country. The court proved it could reduce repeat drug offenses. Courts and judges found that with sufficient resources they could make a tremendous difference in the criminal justice system.
 read more »

Over two decades, the income gap has steadily increased between the richest Americans, who own estates and stocks and get big tax breaks, and those at the middle and bottom of the pay scale, whose paychecks buy less. The growing disparity is even more pronounced in this recovering economy. Wages are stagnant, and the middle class is shouldering a larger tax burden. Prices for health care, housing, tuition, gas, and food have soared.  read more »

Over nine million people are now held in penal institutions worldwide, a report by the British Home Office revealed, but levels of imprisonment rarely have anything to do with levels of crime. In the United States, the prison population has increased from half a million to over two million in the last twenty years. Yet this is against a background of falling crime rates in that period. Imprisonment is often used, even for petty offenses, as a punishment of first instance, rather than of last resort.  read more »

by Joseph Tisch

As the gap between the highest and lowest paid workers steadily grows, low wage employees have been testing the American belief that hard work cures poverty. A multitude of obstacles keeps the working poor on the edge -- and sometimes beyond the edge -- of household financial disaster. Working poverty is a seamless web of challenges, some personal and some erected by a society content to let the federal minimum wage languish at $5.15 an hour. And that's for those who can avoid the unscrupulous bosses who make their workers falsify their time sheets so they work longer hours for the same pay.  read more »

1.5 million children in this country now have a parent in prison.  Eighty-five percent of those in prison grew up in fatherless homes, including 60% of rapists and 72% of murderers.  “They will undoubtedly father children of teenage mothers, for whom they will provide neither financial security nor emotional support, further perpetuating the vicious cycle of the aberrant family system,” wrote juvenile psychologist Mark Holmberg in a 1988 study for the Richmond, VA. judicial system.  read more »

SURGE IN THE RANKS OF THE UNINSURED A NATIONAL DISGRACE

The rapid surge in the number of Americans without health coverage is a national disgrace.  The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 3.4 million more Americans were added to the ranks of the uninsured last year.  More than 43 million adults and children - 1 out of 7 Americans - had no health coverage in 2002.  read more »

Here is copy of a message received by the Webmaster (Miles) on December 18, 2005.  I have been in communication with this group for quite some time.

From: "Children Walking Tall" <childrenwalkingtall@hotmail.com>
Subject: Please Vote for Children Walking Tall
Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 04:58:33 -0000
To: undisclosed-recipients:;

Hi - tHe Big ChariTy BoX (sic) is a new scheme set up to raise money for UK Registered charities.  If you want to give to charity without donating money yourself, this is the IDEAL way and would be a great Christmas present for Children Walking Tall.   read more »