News

Beginning Jan 1, the Foundation will highlight ten charitable organizations per quarter. Between now and then, we’ll gradually introduce you to our first slate.

Today we are proud to introduce GLOBAL GREEN USA as our fifth announced beneficiary and the first in the ENVIRONMENT category for the first quarter of 2010. 

Global Green is the US arm of Green Cross International (GCI), which was created by President Mikhail Gorbachev to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future by reconnecting humanity with the environment.

Global Green is working to address some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. In the United States, their work is primarily focused on stemming global climate change by creating green buildings and cities.

By Tommaso Boggia, Foundation Beyond Belief Environment Blogger

Getting people interested in the climate crisis can be tough. For some reason, when you start talking about political corruption and scientific data, most people tune out, fall asleep, stop caring, or start acting like contrarians for the hell of it, but I know the climate crisis discussion can be much more exciting than that!

What is more exciting than windmills slowly spinning their blades in the American heartland?

What is more inspiring than recently laid-off factory workers heading back to work building new batteries for electric cars?

What is more beautiful than 15,000 young Ethiopians marching in the streets of Addis Ababa to preserve a future with plentiful crops, accessible drinking water, and sustainable development?

Sure, puppies and polar bears are cute and draw people’s attention, but I won’t be talking about those here (check out the animal protection section for your cute-animal fix). The climate crisis is a human problem, and human stories will demonstrate the exciting opportunities and potential threats that lie ahead.

Beginning Jan 1, the Foundation will highlight ten charitable organizations per quarter. Between now and then, we’ll gradually introduce you to our first slate.

Today we are proud to introduce THE POINT FOUNDATION as our fourth announced beneficiary and the first in the EDUCATION category for the first quarter of 2010. 

Point Foundation is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit. Individuals enrolled in either an undergraduate or graduate program, are eligible to apply. Point provides financial support through multi-year scholarships, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT students who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. 

Beginning Jan 1, the Foundation will highlight ten charitable organizations per quarter. Between now and then, we’ll gradually introduce you to our first slate.

Today we are proud to introduce WAR CHILD UK as our third announced beneficiary and the first in the category of CHILD WELFARE for the first quarter of 2010. 

Beginning Jan 1, the Foundation will highlight ten charitable organizations per quarter. Between now and then, we’ll gradually introduce you to our first slate.

Today we are proud to introduce WILDLIFE TRUST as our second beneficiary and the first in the category of ANIMAL PROTECTION.

by Dale McGowan

Executive Director, FBB

My my my, but it’s a busy time.  Things are going really well, thanks to so many willing and gifted hands. Time for some shout outs! Deepest thanks to

DUNCAN CRARY of Duncan Crary Communications for working hard (and successfully!) on grant funding;

Our membership coordinator JAIME SABEL for getting the word out about this thing of ours;

Beginning Jan 1, the Foundation will highlight ten charitable organizations per quarter. Between now and then, we’ll gradually introduce you to our first slate.

Today we are proud to introduce HealthRight International as our first beneficiary in the category of HEALTH.

by Dale McGowan

Executive Director, Foundation Beyond Belief

I come before you today to thank Dinesh D’Souza. Please don’t blink — it isn’t likely to happen again.

After the tragedy at Virginia Tech in April 2007, D’Souza took the opportunity to accuse atheists of being absent in times of human suffering. “Notice something interesting about the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings?” he said. “Atheists are nowhere to be found.” The piece was the most shameless bit of opportunism since Jerry Falwell held us (along with feminists, gays, and civil libertarians) responsible for 9/11.

Most of all, it was breathtaking in its careless ignorance.

Fortunately the reaction against ignorance — even ignorance on that scale — can lead to good things.  An atheist professor at Virginia Tech posted a response at The Daily Kos (under the handle Mapantsula) of elegant indignation, honesty and pain:

It is hardly surprising that Dinesh D’Souza is once again not only profoundly mistaken but also deeply offensive. But I thought it worthwhile to say something in response, not because most people would put the point in the same morally reptilian manner as D’Souza, but because there is at least some vague sense amongst people that we atheists don’t quite grasp the enormity of Monday’s events, that we tend towards a cold-hearted manner of thinking, that we condescend to expressions of community, meaning, or bereavement.

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