NET PROFIT

Here’s a way to use the net to make a difference. Literally. It’s a great opportunity for a family, group of friends, office, school, kids sports team, you name it, to band together and raise funds for a worthy cause. From the website: www.nothingbutnets.net

Nothing But Nets is a grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. While the UN Foundation has been working with the UN to fight malaria for years, it was a column that Rick Reilly wrote about malaria in Sports Illustrated, challenging each of his readers to donate at least $10 for the purchase of an anti-malaria bed nets -- and the incredible response from thousands of Americans across the country -- that led to the creation of the Nothing But Nets campaign.

The reaction to Reilly's 815 words made clear that thousands of people were ready to help the million children dying unnecessarily each year of malaria. Within a few short months, Nothing But Nets raised over 1 million dollars. And so Nothing But Nets was born. The UN Foundation has now partnered with groups as diverse as National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares, The People of the United Methodist Church and Sports Illustrated to bring Nothing But Nets to the American public. These Founding Partners are joined by corporate, multi-media and financial partners to make a significant impact by raising awareness and funds to purchase and distribute bed nets and save lives.

Now, we're asking you to help spread the word about Nothing But Nets, and how easy it is to protect children from malaria with bed nets. You can save a family. Your church, school, or team can save a village. Together, we can cover Africa with life-saving bed nets. Nothing But Nets is powered by your passion; it works because you do! Create a community for your church, school, team, or family and friends. Together, you can spread the word, raise funds, and share your stories.

With the money you raise, the UN Foundation and its partners work with the Measles Initiative – one of the most successful vaccination efforts ever undertaken – to purchase bed nets and distribute them in countries and communities in greatest need. Using its proven distribution system – which in just five years has vaccinated nearly a quarter billion children – the Measles Initiative will distribute bed nets along with measles vaccinations and other medicines to at-risk countries. It’s an effective and cost-efficient way to get the nets to the people who need them.

For more information stay on the net and visit the website.

WE JUST CLICKED

Two friends of The Daily Can-Do---Tom from Wisconsin and Sue from Honduras--have suggested simple ways that you can contribute to eradicating world hunger and rescuing animals respectively. Both means are right at your fingertips.
Some time ago, Tom commended www.freerice.org. Go to this site and you'll find a multiple choice vocabulary test that quickly adapts to your skill level. Based on whether you get the previous question right or wrong, the next question is either easier or harder. For each answer you get right, the non-profit donates 10 grains of rice through the UN World Hunger Program. It adds up. Yesterday visitors to the site helped contribute over 67 million grains of rice. To date the total is over 58 billion! In addition to helping ease world hunger, this is a great way to improve your vocabulary...and a most palatable way to get your kids to work on their vocabulary skills.
Sue directed us to www.theanimalrescuesite.com. Here, there is no test. According to the site:
"The Animal Rescue Site focuses the power of the Internet on a specific need — providing food for some of the 27 million unwanted animals given to shelters in the U.S. every year. Over 10 million animals are put to death every year in the U.S. alone because they are abandoned and unwanted.
"Each click on the purple 'Click Here to Give - it's FREE' button provides food and care for a rescued animal living in a shelter or sanctuary. Funding for food and care is paid by site sponsors and distributed to animals in need at the Fund for Animals' renowned animal sanctuaries....100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to our charitable partners."
Thanks Tom and Sue, these ways of using the computer to deal with big problems sure beat Solitaire.