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A needless war, so much destruction and causing poverty to millions. Yet, I see the brave indelible human spirit of kindness and compassion of billions of us. I see that the fabrications of a powerful force nullified with truth telling in social media. I see the...

We can address root causes: Due to unfair trade deals and loans, land grabs, tax evasion and corruption by the wealthy nations, the unequal costs of climate change and other injustices, the world’s poorest people and nations subsidize the world’s richest with a net $3...

Let’s Celebrate Giving! Today, is the International Day of Charity. We’d like to thank every person who makes our work ending extreme poverty possible. How much do you know why the International Day of Charity is celebrated? September 5th was originally a Hungarian...

 - a look at your full potential It's a big world. Life is difficult, sometimes confusing, often frustrating... It can be difficult enough to control our own life, what to speak of making an impact on the world around us. But your potential to make a difference...

Many studies demonstrate that our mind has tremendous influence over our health. It's no secret that placebos - "pills" that look like medicine but don't contain any - often produce results as good or better than standard medications. I'm not advising you to set aside...

An influential book I suggest you read As a Man Thinketh by James Allen. This short book can help you learn why and how to change you way of thinking. And when we change our way of thinking, we can change our life - and our world. The title is influenced by...

The cost of stress Stress ages us. It weakens our immune system, making us more susceptible to illnesses. Stress is also linked to heart attacks, ulcers, muscle and tendon injuries and just about everything else that ails us. A growing problem Modern life is...

Benjamin Franklin - on individual achievement and helping create a better world I recently finished reading Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson. It's well written. The author includes a fair amount about Franklin's imperfections, and also shows...

These will give you an idea of how The Secret works. This will help you to begin applying the power of positive thinking and achieve more of value in your life: We all work with one infinite power. The secret is the law of attraction. Whatever is going on in your mind...

An empowering idea Many popular self-help "gurus" are promoting the Law of Attraction. They teach that what we focus on is what will manifest in our lives. Personally, I believe this can be true on a deep, spiritual level. "Ask and you shall receive," the Bible says....

Here at Hearts & Minds we need to make a lot of phone calls. We respond to people who express an interest in volunteering with us, and potential donors. We also call organizations where we can run our free Youth for ChangeSM and Seniors for ChangeSM,programs, in...

I think it's one of the greatest film ever made. It’s about a passionate, young married couple in the mid-1950s and how they deal with their relationship, their shifting desires, pressures to conform or break free and feel fully alive. This film really moved me, like...

In the Dark I used to walk around with blinders on. I knew poverty existed, but I didn’t let myself fully see it. To me, it was a problem that existed in the mythical “Over There,” a faraway place that I would only see on infomercials. And it happened to others who I...

Hearts & Minds is serving a very special Brazilian Feijoada fundraising dinner this Saturday, March 21. Since the home location, food, and cooking are donations, all contributions will go to our End Poverty Campaign. What’s for dinner? A feijoada is a hearty stew...

All of us benefit when people give more, often most of all the giver. But it's not always easy to ask. Unless handled with care, it can even be harmful to ask a generous person to give more. I think Hearts & Minds should not hesitate to tell the wealthy nations of...

There are many generous people out there. And yet very serious problems continue to threaten all of us. We face global survival issues: poverty, the environment and terrorism. With the lives of billions of people in the balance, quite possibly including our own, we...

A surprise topic? Is it something really special... or am I just having trouble thinking of a topic? Hint: It may be one of the most surprising things you, too, are learning about life. Hmm, that was a tall offer, do I really have anything to back it up? Actually, I...

We the people in the world's wealthiest nations have all the resources and techniques to end extreme poverty and hunger worldwide. It could be done in even less than the five years that Hearts & Minds proposes. The main thing missing to make it happen is creating...

Everyone says that young people are our future. But what do they think of the world we're leaving for them? What can we learn from them? Plenty. Our Youth for Change program gives young people a chance to raise their concerns and offer new ideas. Our most recent event...

Movements that start small can change the world. This is shown in the recent film, Amazing Grace. It's about Henry William Wilberforce who in 1787 began working as a leader in the anti-slavery movement. At first no one came to his meetings. Finally a few people...

We humans have trouble understanding abstractions. It's easier to move people to give a quarter to a beggar - even though we suspect such "donations" often go for alcohol or drugs - than to contribute to organizations that really help the homeless put their lives...

If you're like most people, chances are good that you don't fully realize your potential to change the world. Big problems like global poverty, terrorism and the environment may seem abstract and out of reach. "What difference can one person really make?" you may ask....

Building on a record of accomplishments More than five million visitors to our website have downloaded over 20 million web pages of helpful, potentially life saving information. We've accomplished over $7 worth of work for every dollar we spend, creating a website...

Our campaign to end global poverty is growing. We're particularly active in New York City and Chicago. Now we're establishing contacts in other cities and hope to soon have local chapters nationwide. Our goal is to educate the public and raise support for programs...

We have all the resources to end global hunger and poverty. No one has to give up anything of real value. Everyone will gain from a more just, peaceful and sustainable world. We're only asking people to match the previous success of the Marshall Plan. A no brainer?...

Growing up in the 60s and 70s, I remember how much I cared about the way the world was going. I was really angry with the shortsighted selfishness and conformity of those in power. I wanted to change the whole world. So did many other young people I knew... Now many...

Throughout our long history - long for us, short in the geologic scheme of things - we humans faced many difficult challenges: disease, famine, ruthless rulers, war and more. Many millions died, many still do from these terrible causes. We're the descendants of tough,...

Our limitations It's good to question our limitations. I'm glad I did. I know I still need to. All of us have limits - difficult, seemingly impassible barriers between us and what we'd like in life. No matter how justified our hopes and dreams may seem, no matter how...

I love China, its people, culture, history, language and countryside. Parts of China are very beautiful. Near Guilin in southern China, rows of limestone crags look like an ancient ink painting, exquisitely fading into mist… Actually, nowadays it’s more pollution …...

Some insomnia 3:50 a.m. today, I’m having trouble sleeping. I’m in Florida for five days visiting my Mom and Dad. My sister and brother-in-law join us tomorrow. I don't think that's why I have insomnia. My relationship with my family wasn't always perfect, but it's...

Our Ending Poverty Campaign asks for a huge shift in how entire nations see and do things. It's not surprising that most people are not going to instantly agree with us, even though I think what we're asking for is only fair and common sense... Many widely accepted...

There are hundreds of groups working to end global poverty. After researching over 60, including the biggest and best known, we're not aware of any that are ask for even half of what we strongly support to help the poor. No one else comes near to suggesting extreme...

In the last few months, it's become obvious to me that we really can end extreme poverty in five years - if we can only build the political will. Why didn't I think of it before? Why didn't any anti-poverty organization think of it before? There are several reasons:...

2007 is the year we launch our nationwide campaign for ending global poverty. Why? Because we're ambitious to do as much good as possible. And what are the limits of possibility? Big ideas start small Time and again in history, a few people start with an idea. They...

Hearts & Minds' Global Survival CampaignSMtakes on some very big issues - Poverty, Terrorism, and the Environment. That's plenty. But as we grow, we can address all three more and more effectively on an ever larger scale. To start we're heavily focused on helping...

By Janet Lee, Interned at Hearts and Minds in 1999 I've been working at Hearts and Minds for a month and I've already learned a lot. When I found out about internship positions available here, I was really excited. I'm a student at the Wharton School of Business...

From our president, Bill Blackman: In this blog we're sharing personal thoughts on how you can have a more beautiful life. We'll also update you on Hearts and Minds, the End Poverty Campaign℠ and how you can help change the world. There will be an additional focus in...