Today, I'm joining in with several bloggers in a collaborative effort spearheaded by Paloma Contreras of La Dolce Vita, in order to make a difference for a very deserving charity. Pencils of Promise is a wonderful 501(c)(3) organization (which means any donation you make is tax-deductible) out of New York that partners with local communities and organizations to build schools of early-stage education in developing nations for some of the world’s most impoverished and undereducated children. Sadly, there are more than 75 million children in this terrible situation worldwide. Last December, the Pencils of Promise team visited a small village in Laos and by July 2009, they had built a new school for the village children who started attending classes on September 1st. This month, Pencils of Promise will be opening their third school and they hope to open the doors to education for more children in 2010. 
In the spirit of the holiday season, we are asking for your help today on behalf of these children. Just think of the enormous impact we could have if each person who reads this post donates just $1.00. If you are willing and able to give more (35.00 buys shelves for a classroom, $50 provides pencils for one year, $100 provides a teacher’s salary for three months and so on), it would be greatly appreciated. We are in the midst of the giving season and hope that you will find it in your heart to make a donation to this worthy cause today. Or donate via PayPal through their website if you prefer. Every little bit helps and together, we can make a difference! If you would like to stay informed about the difference Pencils of Promise is making, be sure to become a fan on their Facebook page.
I know that there are a million deserving charities competing for your donations this holiday season, but I hope that you'll consider including Pencils of Promise in your charitable giving. I have always believed that education for all is fundamental to solving so many of the worlds' problems and charities like Pencils of Promise are playing an important role in levelling the playing field and providing equality of opportunity to children who would not otherwise stand a chance to break free of the devastating effects of poverty.
