Michigan

This week I continued my journey of giving, but it was just a short week with only two more states visited.  Despite it being such a short week, I think that I am now starting to learn more about what this journey of giving really means to me and how it is changing the way I think about what I am doing.  First I'll tell you about MI (followed by IN), and you will see a common theme that was very evident this week (something I'm starting to hear more about lately, across various organizations).  I will then talk about this common theme in a bit more depth (I'll start explaining it in this MI post and finish it in my IN post) and what it has started me thinking about for the future.

On Monday I had the sincere pleasure of visiting the Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo (CIS) in Kalamazoo, MI.  I don't think I could do a better job of explaining what CIS does than what they have on their site, so let me start with that:

Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo (CIS) brings together the support of hundreds of volunteers and local organizations to meet student needs at school--before, during, or after class--so that outside problems interfere less with learning and plans to stay in school and graduate on time.

CIS works within the Kalamazoo Public Schools system, determining school and student needs and establishing relationships with local businesses, social service agencies, health care providers, and parent and volunteer organizations to provide needed resources to students.  Whether it's tutoring in math, a pair of eyeglasses, a new pair of socks, a backpack full of food for the weekend, or a safe place to hang out after school, when these needs are met, students can concentrate on learning.

One of the after school programs CIS coordinates is called Kids in Tune (KIT), and I was able to visit their KIT program being run at a local school.  KIT is "a partnership between Kalamazoo Public Schools, Communities In Schools, and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra" and I was able to provide some needed supplies for this program: five cello and five violin bows (these are one of the items that frequently need repair or replacement); 10 Suzuki cello and 10 Suzuki violin CDs (every student who learns to play “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” on their cello or violin has a special graduation ceremony and receives their own copy of the CD to take home and listen to); and 37 song flutes (used by the 1st grade students as they learn the musical basics prior to starting on the traditional orchestral instruments).

Let me briefly explain why I did not stop smiling during my entire visit.  I was first taken to one of their special graduation ceremonies where a 3rd grade girl, who only picked up a cello in June, was about to play an advanced version of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in order to graduate to the next level.  And to top it all off, she was playing in front of an audience with a guest from NJ (talk about added pressure!).  Well she did a fantastic job and put on an amazing performance.  At the end of her performance, when her instructor notified her that she had graduated, I was given the honor of presenting her with a Suzuki cello CD :-)

My next stop was to a class learning the violin, also made up of very young children.  I arrived towards the end of their lesson where I was then treated to a very special performance.  I cannot begin to explain how impressed I was at not only the way they played, but also how well they were being taught too.  It was clearly evident on their little faces how much they were enjoying the experience.

I have actually jumped ahead a bit, so let me take a step back while at the same time summarizing my thoughts about this day.  Before going to the school, I spent some time talking to the amazing people who work at and run CIS at their office.  What they do (as I quoted above), and the model that they have employed to do this is something that really resonated with me.  It is such a simple but powerful concept - bring what the students need right to them by partnering with the right groups and people.  And it's so much more than just music of course (but I'm super happy music is a part of it!).  I asked CIS about some of the positive benefits they have seen as a result of this model.  One thing they have found is that attendance at school is up with students being much more interested and engaged in school, which of course makes perfect sense.  But let me talk about something else.  Earlier I mentioned a common theme for this week.  I found the following talking about KIT:

It is a powerful change that overflows into the children’s home environment.  As one mother tells us, “My daughter may be learning music but she’s also learning so much more.  Like how to express her feelings better.  I’ve noticed that, because of Kids in Tune, we communicate better as a family.”

I think there are enough articles out there extolling the benefits of a strong family, and strong family participation in education, that has a direct correlation with student success and graduation rates.  To me, this is the real strength of this truly wonderful program and the people who run it.  Not only are they bringing positive change to the lives of these students, but they are also positively impacting their families.  This is something I will come back to in my IN post.

But I do want to mention one last thing.  I was told about The Kalamazoo Promise, and once I explain it I think it will perfectly tie all of this together.  In 2005 a group of anonymous donors pledged tens of millions of dollars to pay up to 100% of the tuition to a Michigan college or university for any Kalamazoo public high school graduate!  And therein lies the challenge for Kalamazoo - getting their students to graduate and be accepted for post-secondary education.  This is exactly why an organization like CIS is so valuable to the Kalamazoo community.

Indiana

Ellie Henry put me in touch with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO), and that was who I visited yesterday in Indianapolis, IN.

The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO) is a youth and family development program of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.  The program is designed to use the life skills learned in music instruction to engage youth in activities that discourage at-risk behaviors and keep them committed to staying in school.

You may recall from my post on RI that sometimes you simply cannot get a feel for what an organization really does by reading about them online.  The MYO is a perfect example of that reality.  I had the tremendous honor of being able to meet some of the people who make truly remarkable things happen in Indianapolis.  If you've read my post on MI already (and if you have not done so yet, this post is a continuation of what I started to write there), you know that I talked about a common theme across the organizations I visited in MI and IN.  The MYO portrays that theme perfectly.

I could write volumes about the breadth and depth of the MYO's reach with all of the things that they do.  But the overall concept is fairly simple - the MYO employs a holistic approach to ensuring that students and families are prepared to succeed.  However, let me emphatically state that while the concept may be simple, at its core lies some of the most astounding people I have ever met.  And this is very important for me to state - the success of what the MYO is able to do is in large part due to the talent, commitment, and dedication of this inspiring group of people.

I'll be honest with you - I came in to my meeting with the MYO with a completely different set of expectations of what this organization was all about.  I donated two violins to their program, and I simply thought that this was all about training students to become musicians.  Let me tell you that music education is almost an after thought for what the MYO does for the under served youth of Indianapolis.  And this is in fact a very good thing!

The MYO is really setting out to accomplish two goals.  First, it's all about engaging students to not only be better students in the academic sense, but also about showing them how to be better individuals (both personally and as contributing members of their communities).  But the MYO has realized that you cannot simply focus on the student.  In order for students to succeed, there must also be parental involvement and it was this aspect of what they do that truly impressed me.  I was fascinated to learn that many parents of the students in their program also end up learning to play an instrument.  This has a profound effect on these students and their family lives.  Now when the students are told to practice at home, they have their parents right there to provide the same level of encouragement and support.

The MYO understands that what they're doing is not to train the next generation of classical musicians, although this sometimes also does happen (I heard one story in particular that was simply incredible and inspiring).  They want their students to graduate and move on to post-secondary education, no matter what that happens to be in.  Music just happens to be, I am happy to say, the medium that they are employing to make this happen...and we all know that Music Makes Our Students Smarter ;-)

After my visit with the MYO that wrapped up this short week of travel, and in conjunction with my experience in MI, I really started to think about the similar things these organizations were doing and the impact they were having on their communities.  And that's when it really hit me.  I started my journey of giving with two very basic goals: to make it a point to visit every state in the United States; and to combine my quest for travel with my charitable ideals.  But now I am thinking about this very differently.  This is now becoming a true learning experience for me, which is a very welcome surprise.  Not only am I learning about the power of local community based organizations and how much they can accomplish, but I am also learning a great deal about myself too.  I am now starting to think about what I want to do next, after my journey of giving is over, and how I will incorporate this experience in to what I am thinking about doing.  But alas my dear readers, for that you will have to be patient and wait a bit longer before I reveal any more of what I am thinking about :-)

North Carolina

Today I visited the Wake Boys & Girls Club in Raleigh, NC.  It was actually a suggestion from the always wonderful Amber who many of you know as the virtuoso behind the Costume Box.  So for future reference, I do welcome suggestions for the states I have yet to visit.  Please do share your ideas with me :-)

There are many affiliates of the Boys & Girls Club across the country, and I'm sure most of you are relatively familiar with what they do.  So I'm not going to talk about that here.  What I will say is that while I had my own sense of their mission, actually going to visit one was a completely different experience.  I encourage everyone to look up their local Boys & Girls Club and go see what they are doing in (and for) your community.  And then take one more small step and see what you can do to support them.  There are so many rewarding options for you to make an immense difference in the lives of children.  You do not have to travel far, and it will not take a huge financial or time commitment from you.  I promise you it will be so worth it for you and them!

Now let me tell you about my day.  I wasn't really sure what to expect today, as is really the case for all of the places I visit.  Well, the Wake Boys & Girls Club had an incredible surprise for me today.  When I initially reached out to them, they had indicated that they could use some instruments.  I learned that while some of the kids are able to take music classes at their schools, most of them have to borrow and share their instruments.  Additionally, they are not able to take those instruments home with them to continue practicing.  Imagine trying to learn both music theory and how to play an instrument simply by the limited classroom time one would get on a daily basis!

I ended up purchasing a trumpet and a clarinet for the Wake Boys & Girls Club to give to two students, so that those students had their own instruments to take home with them after school.  I thought I was simply going to deliver those instruments today to be handed out at some later date.  I was very happily wrong about that.  To my pleasant surprise, in walked Olivia and Nicolas to receive their instruments.  But that wasn't all.  They then proceeded to unpack and assemble their instruments, and then even started playing them for me :-)

The clarinet was for Olivia, and the trumpet was for Nicolas.  Olivia already had some experience with the clarinet, so she was able to look up a song on a phone and play it for me.  Nicolas was playing the trumpet for the very first time.  That actually brought back a lot of memories for me, as I was exactly the same age as Nicolas when I started playing my very first instrument in school - which also happened to be a trumpet!  I was fortunate enough to be able to take my trumpet home with me after school every day to practice (alas, it wasn't something I was very good at playing).  So knowing how hard it is to learn for the first time, I was so impressed that after just a few minutes and with some instruction from a math teacher who also plays the trumpet at his church, Nicolas was already getting down the basics of how to blow the trumpet properly.  It was so evident how keen he was to really learn about the trumpet (including proper care and maintenance), and I was beyond ecstatic at having been able to share that experience with both Olivia and Nicolas.

Virginia

Music and the arts have the power to heal.  Music and the arts have the power to bring people together.  Music and the arts have the power to provide comfort, companionship, and a sense of belonging.

Today I had the extraordinary pleasure of visiting the Tidewater Arts Outreach (TAO) organization in Norfolk, VA.  TAO truly believes in the many powers of music and the arts, and is committed to bringing those to various places in their community such as dependent care facilities and youth shelters.

As I learned about all of the different approaches TAO takes towards completing their mission, I was so impressed by how much their amazing staff and volunteers are able to do while based out of a couple of small rooms in an office suite.  TAO is all about taking music and the arts to the people and places who need them the most.  Take a look at their Web site and you'll be awed by the amount of artists, programs, and people they are able to leverage, place and reach (and please read more about their wonderful mission because it is something that affects us all in some way or another).

For TAO, I was happy to deliver two acoustic guitars that will find good use in a youth shelter.  One of the programs TAO supports is working with kids who ordinarily may not get second chances (for a variety of reasons).  They have found that by simply engaging these kids and showing them that someone cares about what they do, they can make a really positive change in these kids' lives.  For me that was a strong message of hope, and using music as an instrument to bring that change is all the more rewarding.  I think people (myself once included) often tend to think of music as something that is limited to those that have studied it and have been trained for years in it.  Listening today to how TAO uses music to reach these kids and hearing how the kids respond to it, I can assure you that music really is the universal language.

West Virginia

Today was a great day, for many reasons.

Reason #1

I was fortunate enough to meet some of the most sincere and caring people I have ever met.  They are the individuals responsible for the School of Harmony.  The School of Harmony occupies a building in Beaver, WV previously used as a public school.  In fact some of the aforementioned people whom I met today actually went to that school when it was a regular public school.  That's actually an important point because it speaks volumes to the incredible community of Beaver, WV.  But more on that later.

Today was actually the four year anniversary of the School of Harmony being open in these premises, and I was truly overjoyed and encouraged with what I saw and learned today.  They opened this place and launched this organization with a simple mission - to give the youth of their community something that would spark their imaginations, their creative spirits, and most importantly keep them away from the types of temptations that could otherwise lead them astray.  The School of Harmony also fulfills a vital need not only to the town of Beaver, WV, but also many of the surrounding communities too.  This is yet another area where music and the arts have been all but eliminated from the schools.  These kids, many of whom are also home-schooled, have no where else to go to learn and explore music and the arts.  And they come from many miles and towns away to make use of the School of Harmony (or when they don't have the means to get there, the school takes music instruction to them with their fabulous music mobile!).

Now getting back to the community of Beaver, WV.  I learned today that most of what I saw was made possible by the local community.  They donated money.  The pitched in their skills and lent a hand when help was needed.  They literally transformed an old and dilapidated building in to a truly amazing space for music, art, and now also dance.  And this is a community with strong roots - people who have lived there for generations.  These are the people who grew up there, went to school there, and then made the commitment to make their community better for their children.

So what small act of kindness did I provide?  I was told that the school was desperately in need of some bookcases.  They were previously using some cardboard bookcases that were falling apart, and were being held together by duct tape and supported by milk crates.  I was very happy to arrive and see the new bookcases I had shipped to them all set up and in use :-)

Reason #2

One of the 37 people told me that I should keep a journal of all of my trips on this journey of giving.  There are many things I will often tell this person about my trips that never make it to this blog.  So today I will actually share something with all of you.  I enjoy driving.  Well, certain types of driving, or rather types of "drives".  If you ever get the opportunity to travel on I-64W running through the mountains of VA and WV, do it (especially in the summer).  What an amazing driving experience (I also plan on traveling on Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway this week - so more amazing experiences to come)!  I think my favorite thing about it was seeing all of the butterflies cross the highway as cars sped by.  There were so many beautiful yellow and black butterflies that seemed to just float above the speeding cars without any trouble at all.  I know it sounds cliche, but watching them dance delicately by seemed to make time slow down just for that brief instance.

Vermont

4 states.  4 days.  1400 miles driven.  303 songs played on my iPod.  1 life changed forever.

I concluded my first round of my journey of giving with a trip to the beautiful state of Vermont.  Before I tell you what I did today, let me just say that if it's possible to fall in love with a state, I think I've found love <3

I may seriously have to quit my job and move there!  I was asked today what I would do if I was suddenly fired and wished to pursue my philanthropic interests full time.  My reply was that it wasn't something I had seriously thought about before, and I didn't really have a good answer.  I was told (in good humor) to think about it on the long car ride home.  Well, I did, and I think part of the answer would involve me moving to Vermont ;-)

Okay, let's get to business.  Today I visited the Vermont Arts Exchange in North Bennington, VT.  First let me start by saying that they have the most amazing space (including some adorable chickens and a babbling brook)!  Pictures could never do it justice, nevertheless you can enjoy those I've posted below (only a few outside shots, but you need to see it from the inside to really appreciate it).  My description of what they do also could never do them justice because there's just so much GOOD they do for their community, all with the arts!.  As I mentioned in a previous post about the place I visited in Rhode Island, it was only by visiting that I could get a sense of how truly necessary the Vermont Arts Exchange is in what it does for its community.  But I know you want to hear it from me, so let me try to sum it up as follows (I'm not sure what I'm about to write qualifies as, but I hope you enjoy it...and this is completely spontaneous!):

Pardon me kind sir, but can you tell me if that's the way to the Vermont Arts Exchange?

Yes, just down that narrow lane.

And if I may bother you for one last favor - can you tell me what exactly is an "arts exchange"?

Imagine a place where young and old - no matter their background, status, or ability - are able to explore art in all of its various forms.  Now imagine that the simple act of exploring art helps bring those people together, helps bring relief to those that are troubled, helps bring those people a sense of belonging, and offers a community much needed outreach to include all of its members.

Can one space really do all of that?

Oh yes.  That, and so much more.  Follow that path and you're about to find out.

Oh yes, I almost forgot!  What did the Vermont Arts Exchange request?  I was very happy to deliver a digital camera so that the one currently being borrowed doesn't have to be shared as much :-)

Maine

Today I was able to visit the lovely city of Portland, ME.  There I delivered a piano bench (perfect timing for their 10th Annual International Piano Festival starting tomorrow) and six music stands (replacing others that have developed rust) to the Portland Conservatory of Music.

The Portland Conservatory of Music brings music education to anyone willing to learn, regardless of their ability level.  I heard about the youngest student participating in the piano festival who is only 11 years old, and I also heard about an 82 year old student learning the piano for the first time!

Sadly I also learned that music education has been drastically cut in Portland's local schools, making what the Portland Conservatory of Music does even more vital for their community.  Many of the teachers from the local schools instead come to the Portland Conservatory of Music in order to continue teaching music in the Portland area.  In their schools some are only able to conduct small lessons either before school or after school because they are no longer able to fit that type of music education in to their standard curriculums.

I'm glad that Portland has such a great organization to fill the void that their schools have left behind.  It's a shame that Portland can't have the best of both worlds, as I witnessed in Portsmouth, NH...

New Hampshire

This week I've targeted four different organizations across four different states, in four consecutive days (I know, what was I thinking?).  Day 2 took me to New Hampshire and a visit to the Portsmouth Music & Arts Center (PMAC).  What can I tell you about PMAC, and also New Hampshire?  Well, it's really nice to see music and art alive and well in the 9th state to join the Union!  Keep reading and I'll explain :-)

I took a tour of the current home of PMAC (there's one hint).  I was shown the various rooms where different types of music instruction are held.  PMAC is mostly focused on music education, but they do have a growing art space too (which is also relevant since the majority of the items requested by their teachers - paints, brushes, palettes - related to art…although there was also one request for a metronome that I was happy to supply).

One of the great things about PMAC is that they really do strive to make music and art accessible to everyone, regardless of ability or economic status.  And they do all of this even where the local schools have their own music and art programs.  I asked if PMAC supplemented or complimented the schools in this regard.  The answer is a bit of both.  I was told one story of a student athlete who simply did not have the time to commit to a full sports schedule and a full band schedule at school.  So he is still able to have a music education that fits his schedule by enrolling at PMAC.  In that case PMAC is clearly complimenting the schools.  In an art scenario, I was told how students are able to focus on specific types of art projects that their schools simply cannot squeeze in to their standard curriculums.  So PMAC is able to also supplement school programs to really offer specialized learning opportunities.

So what does any of this have to do with music and art flourishing in Portsmouth, New Hampshire?  Well, the really good news is that PMAC has outgrown its current space.  In order to accommodate their growing student enrollment, space and storage needs, and their vision for the future, PMAC is moving to a larger space!  And this leads to their "campaign for the future" - a crowdfunding campaign.

You've all seen crowdfunding campaigns before, but this one has a neat concept that has me hooked.  When PMAC moves to their new space, they are going to have an "Arts Mentor Wall".  PMAC is going to commission an artist to create a wall honoring all music/arts mentors who have been named as part of this campaign (through a $10 donation in their honor).  The more mentions a person gets, the more prominent their name will appear on this wall.  You all know how much I love new ideas for generating support and awareness for different organizations, so you know why I like this idea so much.  It's very creative, and I think I might even have to borrow the concept somehow the next time I run my own campaign ;-)

Rhode Island

I learned something today - you can research an organization online, visit their Web site, read about what they do - but when you actually visit and SEE what they do, you realize that all of what you read is probably just 20% of what they actually do.  And it's that other 80% - the little things, the small moments of inspiration - that truly forms the core of that organization and is something you can't understand or experience unless you see it for yourself.

Today I visited this wonderful organization in Rhode Island called New Urban Arts and delivered a digital camera that they requested (one of their staff members, who himself was a student at New Urban Arts over 10 years ago, is a freelance photographer who is leaving to further pursue his interests in photography - so that is leaving them short a camera).

New Urban Arts is a place where students (primarily high school) can come after school (or join summer programs) and simply explore their creativity in the arts (either through guided projects or just free form).  They have mentors who come in and help guide the students through different arts disciplines to foster their understanding, learning, and creativity.  One of the students took me on a tour of their facility.  Apart from the obvious work spaces to create various types of art, they had computers, a library, a dark room, and a silk screen room (which I really enjoyed seeing as it was new experience for me) to name a few.

There were two specific things I experienced today that I'd like to share with you.  One of those is an annual publication called FLiP.  It gives students the opportunity to actually publish their work and share that with others (e.g. donors, the community, colleges, etc.).  I am flipping through issue numbers 9 and 10 as I write this - they were kind enough to give me copies :-)

The other experience I want to share is something that makes up that other 80%.  One of the staff members shared a story with me of some students who were presented with...oh let's call it a learning opportunity.  The students were planning a trip and had to make some challenging decisions about it.  These were decisions the students never imagined having to make, yet they had a place to ask questions and learn about a life experience outside of experiencing the arts.

The point of both of these experiences I am sharing (and I will leave you this as my final thoughts) is to express how important organizations like these are to our youth, to our communities, and to the health of our society and nation.  And it's the people that run these organizations and volunteer their time who are truly remarkable for what they do!  I am humbled and inspired by those I met today.

Okay, since this was the first place I visited on my journey of giving I had a lot to say (apologies for the length).  I probably won't write as much for the others.  What can I say - I'm excited :-)

2016: A Charitable Odyssey

For some strange reason I started thinking about the number of states that I have yet to visit.  Before I tell you the answer, let me just add that previous moments of strange contemplation have led to ideas such as moving overseas for a few years, starting something called 37 people, embarking on 37 days of giving, etc..

Anyway, can you guess what that number is?  I kid you not - 37 states :-)

Well, let me define what I mean by visit.  What I actually counted were the number of states I've stepped foot in (touched the ground with my 2 feet) and spent at least a few hours there.  That means I did not count any states I've simply driven through with or without a quick rest stop.  So yes, I've only ever visited 13 states so far.

After some additional thought, I have now come up with my next (big) personal journey.  And guess what?  Not only does it involve charity (but of course!), but all of you my wonderful readers get to join me on this journey of giving (figuratively speaking of course).

So here's my (ambitious) plan.  I am giving myself 3 years and 7 months (get it?) to visit the remaining 37 states I have not yet visited (and any plan that means I'll finally get myself over to Hawaii is a great plan by my account!).  To make things even more interesting, I will be seeking out some sort of opportunity to perform a charitable act in each state I visit :-)

As I visit each state, I will take a picture and post it to this blog so all of you can follow along.  Now an endeavor like this is going to involve quite a bit of planning, so I'm going to start the clock at the end of May (5/31).  That means 3 years and 7 months will take me through the end of 2016 (12/31).  What that also means is that all of you have time, if you like, to give me ideas in your local states.  If there's anything interesting you can think of, please leave your ideas in the comments below (simple ideas would be great).  If I can pull it off, I'll try my best to fit it in :-)

I guess that means I need to list the 37 states I'll be visiting: Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Mississippi, Michigan, Indiana, Alabama, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina

Finally, let me leave you with a most cherished reference book from my childhood that I happened to discover at my parents' house.  I can't tell you how many road trips, sitting in my dad's trusty old Chevrolet Malibu station wagon, I must have brought this along and memorized every state capital, state bird, state flower, state insect, and every other state fact this book contained.  In fact, what I'm going to do is bring this along with me and I'll take a picture of each state's page when I'm in that state :-)

Musical sweetness

What happens when you spread some musical sweetness around?

We challenged 100 of you to "like" Music Makes Our Students Smarter...and you delivered!

We challenged you to get Music Makes Our Students Smarter to $75,000...and you delivered!

Now it's our turn to deliver!  As a result of meeting these challenges, we will be donating 2 musical instruments to the Children's Cancer Association through their MusicRx program.  These will be purchased from their Amazon Wish List.

But let's try sweetening the pot a bit more ;-)

Well, what can be sweeter than lemonade?  How about lemonade fighting childhood cancer!  So here's our next challenge for you.  Why not pay our virtual Alex's Lemonade Stand a visit and help us hit a $1000 milestone.  Once we hit the $1000 milestone, we'll donate a third musical instrument to the Children's Cancer Association!

And because you've been doing so well helping us spread around musical sweetness, we're extending our first challenge.  When Music Makes Our Students Smarter gets to 200 "likes", we'll donate a fourth musical instrument to the Children's Cancer Association :-)

Kiva

Maybe you haven't heard about Kiva before.  Maybe you've heard of Kiva but you don't understand how it works.  Maybe you know how it works but you're worried about getting paid back.

Every so often we receive one of our favorite e-mails.  Today it read "You've received 12 repayments!"  Apart from the obvious excitement about receiving a repayment, joining Kiva brings so much more than that.  For us it's more about the joy of knowing that a small act of kindness has made a true difference in the lives of others.  People who ordinarily would not have the opportunity to improve their lives.  That's what Kiva is all about - loans that change lives :-)

Still not convinced?  We leave you with today's e-mail:

Repayments for loans that have ended
Funded on May 18, 2011
	Igor Ukraine  |  Manufacturing You Loaned: $25.00 Newly Repaid: $0.11 Total Repaid So Far: $25.00 (100.00% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paid back
Funded on Nov 28, 2011
	Gia Georgia  |  Agriculture You Loaned: $25.00 Newly Repaid: $2.50 Total Repaid So Far: $25.00 (100.00% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paid back
Repayments for loans that are paying back
Funded on Jan 20, 2012
	Andres Felipe Colombia  |  Musical Performance You Loaned: $100.00 Newly Repaid: $3.65 Total Repaid So Far: $37.43 (37.43% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time
Funded on Mar 7, 2012
	Ecederio Peru  |  Musical Performance You Loaned: $50.00 Newly Repaid: $4.60 Total Repaid So Far: $35.16 (70.32% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time
Funded on Apr 6, 2012
	Mamasodik Tajikistan  |  Musical Instruments You Loaned: $50.00 Newly Repaid: $2.78 Total Repaid So Far: $22.23 (44.46% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time
Funded on Apr 18, 2012
	Luis Bolivia  |  Musical Performance You Loaned: $25.00 Newly Repaid: $1.35 Total Repaid So Far: $10.10 (40.40% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time
Funded on May 9, 2012
	Augustin Rwanda  |  General Store You Loaned: $200.00 Newly Repaid: $16.67 Total Repaid So Far: $116.67 (58.34% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time
Funded on Jul 11, 2012
	Firuz Tajikistan  |  Musical Performance You Loaned: $100.00 Newly Repaid: $5.13 Total Repaid So Far: $23.79 (23.79% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time
Funded on Jul 18, 2012
	Ep Teresamira Group The Democratic Republic of the Congo  |  Food Stall You Loaned: $100.00 Newly Repaid: $11.10 Total Repaid So Far: $55.55 (55.55% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time
Funded on Aug 15, 2012
	Brigida Bolivia  |  Music Discs & Tapes You Loaned: $100.00 Newly Repaid: $7.96 Total Repaid So Far: $31.06 (31.06% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time
Funded on Sep 17, 2012
	Heriberto Paraguay  |  Retail You Loaned: $25.00 Newly Repaid: $4.00 Total Repaid So Far: $7.89 (31.56% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time
Funded on Sep 19, 2012
	Gloria Maria Del Carmen Peru  |  Crafts You Loaned: $25.00 Newly Repaid: $6.37 Total Repaid So Far: $18.39 (73.56% of your loan) Repayment Status: Paying back on time