Coming Soon a Revised Woman's Book of Money and Spiritual Vision

                                              

Work on the revision has begun with help from an expert advisory circle of professional women. 

I’d like to introduce you to these extraordinary women who are giving their time, experience, and expertise out of the generosity of their hearts and their interest in the work. This is a perfect example of a currency of the heart gift. I am deeply grateful to Rhoda Blough, Christina Burke, Elizabeth Cox, Susan Filan, Janice Jsu, Joanne Kabak, and Trudelle Thomas for sharing their wisdom.

--             Rosemary C. Williams

Rhoda Blough: Everence 

Stewardship Consultant                                                         
DENVER, CO 

Rhoda earned a seminary degree from Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She uses her passion and knowledge of faith in working with Everence financial advisors in an effort to educate congregations and individuals on the integration of faith values with finances. She has two adult daughters and two grandsons.          

                                  Trudelle Thomas: Xavier University, 
                               Professor of English 

Cincinnati, OH

Trudelle is an author, textile artist, and professor emerita (having taught at Xavier University in Cincinnati for 30 years).  After purchasing The Woman’s Book of Money and Spiritual Vision in 2001, she  carried out a spiritual overhaul of her relationship with money and her an approach to charitable giving.  This "overhaul" has led to much more freedom and contentment.  Trudelle has published a book Spirituality in the Mother Zone and numerous articles.  Her love of sewing and textile arts has led to her sewing diaper bags, clothing, and other useful objects for those in need.                                                                  

Susan Filan

Attorney

Westport, CT.                               

Susan is a litigator with a practice in the areas of Family Law and Criminal Defense.  She is also a Divorce Mediator.  An experienced trial lawyer, Susan is a former Connecticut state prosecutor, and a sought after legal analyst for both cable and television news. She was MSNBC's Senior Legal Analyst and has been featured frequently on NBC’s “The Today Show,” ABC’s “Good Morning America,” CNN, Fox News, and has been quoted in print media world-wide.  She has two daughters adopted from China.                                                                      

http://susanfilan.com/about/

                           Joanne Kabak: Sacred Heart University                                                 

Professor of Communications

Westport, CT

Joanne received her bachelors from Barnard College and her masters from Columbia University. She’s been a free-lance journalist for over 15 years. Not only have her articles been published in "Newsday" and "Consumer Reports Money Advisor;" but have been awarded by the association of Connecticut Women in Communications. Currently, she is the faculty advisor for “The Spectrum” (Sacred Heart University’s weekly student newspaper); and teaches beginning and advanced courses in journalism and media studies.

Elizabeth Cox: Merit Financial Partners

Financial Planner

Westport, CT

Elizabeth has over 25 years of financial and investment experience, including 7 years as President of Cox Financial Services, LLC, 4 years as an independent financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services, and 12 years of international bond and equity trading on Wall Street. She was formerly director of International Sales Trading at Deutsche Bank Securities and head of the Latin American Sales Trading Desk at ING Baring Securities in New York.

Janice Hsu: Shakti Rising 

Director of Operations

San Diego, CA

Janice holds a Bachelor in liberal Arts degree with an emphasis on psychology and English from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. As a volunteer, Janice co-directed the San Diego
Women’s Film Festival for two years during which she oversaw operations and volunteers. Janice began at Shakti Rising as a volunteer in 2009 and over the course of her first year transitioned from a support role to being the sole director of the Transformation Through Service Program and now sits as a part of the Regional Leadership program.

http://www.shaktirising.org/?team_member=janice-hsu-business-director-aka-queen-of-the-green

Christina Burke: Shakti Rising

Director of Abundance

San Diego, CA

Christina holds a Bachelors in Urban Studies and Planning and a secondary degree in Sociology. She currently leads Resource Development and engages our spectrum of stakeholder in their various capacities to contribute as a natural asset-mapper. Over the last decade she’s worked in community development throughout San Diego County, Europe, and Africa.

http://www.shaktirising.org/?team_member=christina-burke-director-of-abundance

Thank you to all who have found the first two editions of The Woman’s Book of Money and Spiritual Vision useful. The book continues to be read and used by women individually and in workshops across the country. Now, to accommodate digital changes that have taken place globally in the financial world, a revision and update is necessary.

If you have stories or information about web-based financial information we might add to the resources mentioned in the book please share them on this blog. 

The Janie Appleseed of Women's Philanthropy

Tracy Duvivier Gary, a long time friend of Women's Perspective was the focus of a prominent article in the Sunday New York Times on November 13, 2016. For many years she was our advisor and invited us to facilitate a workshop in her California home during the first year of our independent work as a non-profit. We will always be grateful to Tracy for sharing her deep wisdom, gernerous spirit and good counsel with us.

In addition to the New York Times we honor Tracy's work. Please use this link to read the entire article.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/13/your-money/donor-womens-causes-teaches-other-inheritors.html

Emergency in Haiti - Currency of the Heart needed in Haiti.

Haiti Needs Help Below is a letter from David Diggs of BeyondBorders. He is  a friend working in Haiti. Beyond Borders has a long history of very good work in Haiti. They are asking for your help now. Please read the letter below and if you can,  help. Haiti holds a very special place in my heart. I will be doing what I can at this time as well. Blessings on all these efforts.  Rosemary Here is a link to a news story as the death toll rises and fear of illness and famine increase. http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/39571-hurricane-matthew-devastates-haiti-nearly-900-killed From: David Diggs <ddiggs@beyondborders.net> Date: Wed, Oct 5, 2016 at 8:21 PM Subject: “The littlest had the least, and they lost it all.” To: rosemarycwilliams@gmail.com  Rosemary -- The big news from Haiti is bad, but the little news is totally heartbreaking. By big news, I mean what we can all see online or on TV about the hurricane. Bridges out. Roads gone. Mudslides. Flooding. The biggest hurricane to hit Haiti in 50 years is bound to make some big, bad news, but it’s the little news that’s really disturbing me right now. By little news I mean the news I’m hearing from colleagues about so many of the dear people we work with in communities we’re partnered with. This news is little because it gets lost in the broader scale of a huge humanitarian crisis. These communities are remote and poor. And the news I’m hearing is especially little because the people we’re closest to are the most marginalized in these marginalized communities. We work with them because they are the ones who often couldn’t put their kids in school or feed them, and because they were often the most tempted to send their children away to live with another family without understanding how risky that was. Of course to them and us, it always felt like really big news to see their triumphs. As their communities began to organize to ensure that their children were in school and they could find and free any children who’d become enslaved, the world for these families was being transformed. Many were benefiting from agricultural training and could start their own gardens with the tools and seed they could borrow from newly established cooperatives. Some of the poorest families were also getting help to repair their homes and getting training and goods or livestock they could use to start earning a simple living and even save some money. These triumphs were always big news to them and us, even though there was no media attention to make it news anywhere else. So, yesterday and today as I’m hearing the stories come in and learning how the least of these families lost the most, I’m heartbroken. So many completely lost their homes and most of their possessions. Their gardens were destroyed. So many lost their livestock and any goods they used to make a living. As my colleague Freda put it, “Their houses could barely keep the sun out. They didn't stand a chance against the wind and the rain. The littlest had the least, and they lost it all." I was in church with Freda back in April, in a little chapel she helps lead out in one of the remote communities that we work with. The pastor quoted by heart something Jesus said to his people: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s notice.” Those words spoke to the people in his congregation in a way they’ll never speak to me, with my privilege and security. But our deep commitment at Beyond Borders as an organization is to be most attentive to the smallest and least. So, I’m writing you now to ask you to notice and be moved by the little news we’re hearing. Beyond Borders is not a big organization. We won’t be rebuilding bridges or bringing in containers of relief to distribute to masses of people. There’s certainly a place for that kind of help in a crisis like this. What we can do, though, is stay close and accompany these communities as they care for those among them who’ve lost the most. As I write you, my colleagues and our partners are out going house to house, community by community to survey the losses. Based on what they find, we may in the coming days decide to do other things in response to this hurricane. But right now we have decided that we want to accompany the 100 families hit the hardest, that have the least ability to recover or rebuild on their own, especially vulnerable families with young children. Using a model that was developed in Bangladesh and that has been proven effective in Haiti and around the world, we will commit to standing by these 100 families for 18 months. We’ll do this by making sure that: their houses are rebuilt, they have safe water and sanitation, they get livestock or other goods and the training they need to be able to begin generating an income and start saving, their children are in school, and, they have access to healthcare. And for six months we will give them a small weekly stipend just to make sure they aren’t tempted to sell their assets before they’ve started making their own money. And during this time we will visit them every single week to help encourage them and resolve any problems. The promise is that in Haiti, nearly 90% of families that get this kind of careful support are able to then carry on generating income and caring for their families without needing to depend on aid or charity. The cost per family per month is $100. For $1,800 then, an entire family’s direction is transformed in 18 months, from being destitute and dependent to having dignity and independence. Would you be willing to help us with just one family? A single gift of $1,800 or a pledge of $100 per month will allow us to partner you with a family. Please respond now so we can move forward quickly. You can click here to make a gift now. We have construction material to buy along with livestock. We already have staff trained and ready to support this effort. We just need you. With deep gratitude, David Diggs Director, Beyond Borders 202-686-2088 PS - Your commitment of $100 a month (or whatever amount you can afford) to accompany a Haitian family will be the difference between destitution and dignity. Email  From: David Diggs <ddiggs@beyondborders.net> Date: Wed, Oct 5, 2016 at 8:21 PM Subject: “The littlest had the least, and they lost it all.” To: rosemarycwilliams@gmail.com  Rosemary -- The big news from Haiti is bad, but the little news is totally heartbreaking. By big news, I mean what we can all see online or on TV about the hurricane. Bridges out. Roads gone. Mudslides. Flooding. The biggest hurricane to hit Haiti in 50 years is bound to make some big, bad news, but it’s the little news that’s really disturbing me right now. By little news I mean the news I’m hearing from colleagues about so many of the dear people we work with in communities we’re partnered with. This news is little because it gets lost in the broader scale of a huge humanitarian crisis. These communities are remote and poor. And the news I’m hearing is especially little because the people we’re closest to are the most marginalized in these marginalized communities. We work with them because they are the ones who often couldn’t put their kids in school or feed them, and because they were often the most tempted to send their children away to live with another family without understanding how risky that was. Of course to them and us, it always felt like really big news to see their triumphs. As their communities began to organize to ensure that their children were in school and they could find and free any children who’d become enslaved, the world for these families was being transformed. Many were benefiting from agricultural training and could start their own gardens with the tools and seed they could borrow from newly established cooperatives. Some of the poorest families were also getting help to repair their homes and getting training and goods or livestock they could use to start earning a simple living and even save some money. These triumphs were always big news to them and us, even though there was no media attention to make it news anywhere else. So, yesterday and today as I’m hearing the stories come in and learning how the least of these families lost the most, I’m heartbroken. So many completely lost their homes and most of their possessions. Their gardens were destroyed. So many lost their livestock and any goods they used to make a living. As my colleague Freda put it, “Their houses could barely keep the sun out. They didn't stand a chance against the wind and the rain. The littlest had the least, and they lost it all." I was in church with Freda back in April, in a little chapel she helps lead out in one of the remote communities that we work with. The pastor quoted by heart something Jesus said to his people: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s notice.” Those words spoke to the people in his congregation in a way they’ll never speak to me, with my privilege and security. But our deep commitment at Beyond Borders as an organization is to be most attentive to the smallest and least. So, I’m writing you now to ask you to notice and be moved by the little news we’re hearing. Beyond Borders is not a big organization. We won’t be rebuilding bridges or bringing in containers of relief to distribute to masses of people. There’s certainly a place for that kind of help in a crisis like this. What we can do, though, is stay close and accompany these communities as they care for those among them who’ve lost the most. As I write you, my colleagues and our partners are out going house to house, community by community to survey the losses. Based on what they find, we may in the coming days decide to do other things in response to this hurricane. But right now we have decided that we want to accompany the 100 families hit the hardest, that have the least ability to recover or rebuild on their own, especially vulnerable families with young children. Using a model that was developed in Bangladesh and that has been proven effective in Haiti and around the world, we will commit to standing by these 100 families for 18 months. We’ll do this by making sure that: their houses are rebuilt, they have safe water and sanitation, they get livestock or other goods and the training they need to be able to begin generating an income and start saving, their children are in school, and, they have access to healthcare. And for six months we will give them a small weekly stipend just to make sure they aren’t tempted to sell their assets before they’ve started making their own money. And during this time we will visit them every single week to help encourage them and resolve any problems. The promise is that in Haiti, nearly 90% of families that get this kind of careful support are able to then carry on generating income and caring for their families without needing to depend on aid or charity. The cost per family per month is $100. For $1,800 then, an entire family’s direction is transformed in 18 months, from being destitute and dependent to having dignity and independence. Would you be willing to help us with just one family? A single gift of $1,800 or a pledge of $100 per month will allow us to partner you with a family. Please respond now so we can move forward quickly. You can click here to make a gift now. We have construction material to buy along with livestock. We already have staff trained and ready to support this effort. We just need you. With deep gratitude, David Diggs Director, Beyond Borders 202-686-2088 PS - Your commitment of $100 a month (or whatever amount you can afford) to accompany a Haitian family will be the difference between destitution and dignity.