Poverty

A faith-based trade organization believes that consumers can save the developing world with their spending habits this Christmas season.

Nathan George, the co-founder and CEO of Trade as One, said that he's always seen a fine line between Christian belief and international business. His organization now oversees a worldwide mission to place impoverished people in long-term, productive jobs making products valued by first world buyers.

"We set this up to be a tool for the church in America to engage their spending power on behalf of the global poor," said George, who founded the company in 2006 with his wife, Catherine. "Charity does not fix poverty. The only thing that does is sustainable, dignified jobs, and those are created by enterprise." more >>

The Salvation Army's iconic bell ringers and red kettles have been a staple of the Christmas season for the last 120 years. But in a technologically advanced society, the ministry is now utilizing the help of digital bell ringers to solicit donations through the Internet.

"We're just trying to keep pace with technology, recognizing that the future donors – while they don't know a whole lot about us – the only way they're going to learn and become educated about The Salvation Army is that we're accessible through whatever channel they prefer to use,” said Maj. George Hood, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army, in an interview with The Christian Post on Monday.

The nonprofit ministry developed a strong relationship with the veterans of World War I and II, who supported it and gave regularly during past holiday seasons, according to Hood. Those veterans then shared the “tradition of giving” with their children and grandchildren, telling them to never pass up an opportunity to drop some money into the red kettle. more >>

As the holiday season begins, New York-based Coalition for the Homeless, the nation's oldest advocacy group, and other charity-in-action institutions are in great need as the number of homeless grows in the nation's most populous city, including more and more families with children.

Every second Monday, Carl Mercurio, 51, a healthcare analyst from Manhattan who is also a volunteer for the coalition, drives a van to the Bronx with three to four other volunteers and hands out bags of food to the homeless and hungry. He has been doing that for the past three years.

The bags usually contain the same items – soup, a bagel, an orange, and a carton of milk. The people are mostly the same too, Mercurio told The Christian Post. They know where the van will stop and at what time. They form lines in the cold November weather and wait for the food rations. more >>

Scotty MCreery, the 2011 American Idol winner, has got himself involved in Operation Christmas Child to help donate toys and other goodies for less fortunate children around the globe.

"I was raised to help kids that need it – to help kids in foreign countries that don't have the blessings I have," said the singer to UNC. "I want to use this platform I have for good things. Operation Christmas Child means so much to me because it can influence the lives of kids. Through Operation Christmas Child, we can share the love of Christ with as many people as need it."

The organization asks contributors to collect shoeboxes and fill them up with everything a child might need for Christmas such as toys, toothbrushes, candy, books, and more. The donators are asked to gift wrap the box and enclose a check for $7 to assist in the shipping of the boxes. more >>

The Salvation Army is expanding its efforts to support the needy by teaming up with the portable payment technology of Square to develop mobile donation solutions.

Now, passersby can donate not only to the traditional workers with bells and buckets, but they can also swipe their credit cards, or simply enter their card information on a volunteer’s phone.

The Army plans to put the technology into use in strategic locations in four big cities: New York, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco. more >>

As Jerry Sandusky, former defensive coordinator for the Penn State University football team, took to the airwaves Monday night to deny that he had sexually abused eight young boys, sources close to the investigation say nearly 10 more alleged victims have come forward to share their stories with authorities. Speculation has also arisen among some observers that the former football coach's alleged victims may have been poor black boys.

The New York Times reports that police have been working to confirm the new allegations against Sandusky, who was arrested Nov. 5 and charged with 40 felony and misdemeanor counts of sexually abusing boys ranging in age from 7 or 8 years old to about 15, over a 15-year period.

In a phone interview with Bob Costas on NBC's "Rock Center With Brian Williams," Sandusky was asked to respond to the charges he is facing as well as testimonies published in the grand jury indictment. more >>