Education For All Children Blog

As we start the season of giving, many people create their holiday shopping lists. This year like every other, unnecessary gifts will be exchanged only to sit on shelves collecting dust. Excessive gift giving has reached such a high that this autumn Joel Waldfogel, economist and professor, published the book Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays.

Scroogenomics estimates that consumers will "waste" eighty-five million dollars this Christmas. He bases his conclusion on survey work comparing the perceived value versus the actual value of gifts received. When consumers purchases items for themselves they make careful decisions in where their money is spent, but when shopping for others one is less careful to weight the value of the purchase. Waldfogel calls this loss of value "deadweight loss". It is almost as if around the holidays money is spent simply because we feel it is necessary.

This holiday give the gift which can never be taken away, education. EFAC's Holiday Giving Program gives you the opportunity to give a donation in honor of your friend. Don't join the eighty-five billion in "deadweight loss", but instead help change a life with Inspired Holiday Giving! Your friend will appreciate your thoughtfulness, and so will the child who receives an education.

Labels: Support EFAC

By Lisa Van Sciver

Labels: EFAC Mentor Workshop

CONCORD NEW HAMPSHIRE LYCEUM

On the evening of October 24th, almost 100 people gathered at the New Hampshire Historical Society for an evening of art and philanthropy. This year, EFAC benefactors Steve and Susan Duprey, held their second annual "Lyceum" featuring New Hampshire master cabinet maker David Lamb and acclaimed painter James Aponovich.

David Lamb and James Aponovich discussed their collaborative projects - beautiful pieces of furniture made by David Lamb which incorporated sometimes miniature, sometimes larger artwork by Aponovich. The audience was stunned when their most recent masterpiece was unveiled. Aponovich and Lamb enthusiastically explained the intricacies of the work, a sideboard which not only included a miniature painting by James Aponovich but also a larger piece that could be "hidden" or brought into view through the use of a crank.

The philanthropy part of the evening belonged to Nancy and Rod Van Sciver, founders of Education for all Children, a non-profit foundation based in Rye, New Hampshire, whose mission it is to provide scholarships to underprivileged children in the third world. Nancy and Rod spoke movingly about their desire to "give back" and the journey which took them to Kenya where the foundation now sponsors their first class of high school children. Their power point presentation brought the children to life and created great interest in the audience.

At the reception that followed the presentation, Nancy and Rod had the opportunity to continue the conversation with interested audience members. Bring philanthropy to your events.

By EFAC Board Member Karin Barndollar

Labels: EFAC Events

EFAC presents at Newport NH Vo-Tech High School ~ October 15,2009

Sheila Kelly, new administrative assistant at EFAC and I met with three high school groups including occupational health, sociology and teacher training classes.
Each class had a different interest in the EFAC program. The occupational health group was interested in what diseases are most prevalent among the youth of East Africa. We discussed malaria and the value of something as simple as a bed net. We also talked about cholera, typhoid, and malnutrition. Malnutrition is a far reaching problem that the Newport students may study in terms of what foods are available and how the local populace can be educated about the advantages of a "balanced diet".

The Occupational Health classes will be hosting a bake and ice cream sale to sponsor a student who has expressed interest in a medical career. Their teacher Ms. Wilkie will match all funds raised. The sociology and teacher classes will join in these fund raising efforts. Some individual students have also suggested raising money through their advisor groups.

All classes will be writing to EFAC scholars who have not received a letter from their sponsor. EFAC scholars are hungry to hear from their US sponsors, to understand our culture and to express thanks.

For just $2 per day a student can attend high school. Many Newport students realized that by foregoing one thing a week they could contribute $2 per week toward a child's education. It will not take very many students making this contribution to change the life of a child.

Nancy Van Sciver, President, Education For All Children

Labels: EFAC Events