Charity Talks

Parth Ahya, the cofounder of The Taimaka Project, is this episode’s guest. Taimaka works hand-in-hand with rural communities, primarily in Africa, to tackle hunger and malnutrition. The problem it is addressing is post-harvest food insecurity arising from farmers being forced to sell their crops right after the harvest, leaving them with no food or money as the year goes on. Taimaka helps these farmers by providing post-harvest loans and food storage so that they can spread the benefits of the harvest over the full year. As Parth and Brooke discuss, Taimaka is a relatively small nonprofit, but it is making a huge impact.  (0:25).

Website:  https://taimaka.org/

Brooke Haggerty, the Executive Director of Faunalytics, joins Charity Talks. Faunalytics’ mission is to empower animal advocates by providing them with access to research and strategies that maximize their effectiveness in reducing animal suffering.  It does so by conducting essential research, maintaining an online research library, and directly supporting advocates and organizations in their work. The data it offers also helps people think about and respond to outreach, providing advocates with the best strategies to inspire change for animals.  Faunalytics’ work is helping animals around the world in so many ways.  (0:25). 

Website:  https://faunalytics.org/

Joshua Ross, the co-founder of Humanitix, is this episode’s guest.  Humanitix is an online event ticketing business that Josh and his childhood friend founded when they realized that there was an opportunity to disrupt the ticketing business. But their real innovation was their decision to donate 100% of the company’s profits to effective charities, primarily those focused on child education in underdeveloped areas.  During the podcast, Josh and Brooke discuss Humanitix winning the Google Impact Challenge (for which it received $1 million), the trials and tribulations of being a startup company (particularly when the pandemic struck), how they decided to become philanthropists, and how they see Humanitix making an even bigger impact on the charity sector in the future.  (0:20).   Website:  https://www.humanitix.com/us

Joshua Greene, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and co-founder of Giving Multiplier, joins Charity Talks.  During the podcast, Joshua and Brooke discuss the “heart” versus “head” dilemma surrounding charitable giving, and the behavioral research his team at Harvard has been doing that led to his founding of Giving Multiplier.  Giving Multiplier allows donors to pick two charities — their favorite one and a super-effective one recommended by experts — and divide their donation between the two.  Giving Multiplier then adds a 9% to 90% match.  And for listeners of Charity Talks, Giving Multiplier has created a code (CharityTalks) which will add another 10% to Giving Multiplier’s match, so there is no better time to make the charitable donation that you may have been contemplating.  (0:31).

Website (and code):  https://givingmultiplier.org/CHARITYTALKS

Svetha Janumpalli, the Founder and CEO of New Incentives, is this episode’s guest.  New Incentives is an innovative nonprofit that uses small cash payments to boost childhood vaccinations in North West, Nigeria, which has some of the lowest childhood vaccination rates in the world.  In partnership with local governments, it provides these cash transfers, typically around $11, to caregivers after their infants receive vaccines, and uses rigorous data and monitoring to ensure that the dollars it spends are making the largest possible impact.  Its programs have already doubled the rate of childhood vaccination, leading to huge gains in the health of the communities involved, and New Incentives is constantly looking for ways to make an even greater impact.  (0:19).

Website:  https://www.newincentives.org/

Timothy Higdon, the President and CEO of Hearing Health Foundation, joins Charity Talks.  HHF is the largest nonprofit funder of hearing and balance research in the United States, and for more than 60 years, HHF has awarded scientific research grants to foster the development of cochlear implant technology, more effective hearing aids and successful ear surgeries.  During the podcast, Timothy and Brooke discuss what causes hearing loss, what one can do to prevent it, and what HHF is doing to help.  By partnering with innovative scientists who work to reduce hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as balance related disorders, each year HHF is getting closer to its goal of finding cures for these conditions, which affect millions of people.  (0:28).

Website:  https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/

Dr. Kate Schecter, the President and CEO of World Neighbors, is this episode’s guest.  During the podcast, Kate and Brooke discuss how World Neighbors focuses on training and educating communities around the world to find lasting solutions to the challenges they face, such as hunger, poverty and disease.  It does this by investing in local leadership, typically for eight to ten years, with the goal of achieving long-lasting improvements in people’s lives, not quick fixes that depend on outside assistance.  With over 500,000 people currently benefiting from World Neighbors’ program’s in 13 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, World Neighbors is transforming so many communities globally.  (0:35).

Website:  https://www.wn.org/

Cheryl Crazy Bull, the President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, joins Charity Talks.  The College Fund has been providing scholarships to Native American students for over 30 years.  In addition to scholarships, the College Fund provides critical funding to tribal colleges and universities, as well as support to students after graduation.  Cheryl and Brooke discuss how through its various programs, the College Fund is creating positive and sustainable changes for Native communities, even across generations. (0:23).    Website:  https://collegefund.org/  

Luke Freeman, the Executive Director of Giving What We Can, is this episode's guest.  Giving What We Can was founded by Oxford philosophers Toby Ord and William MacAskill to inspire donations to the world's most effective organizations.  It was one of the first groups focused on Effective Altruism, which is a movement and philosophy that advocates for using evidence and reason to determine how to make the greatest impact when giving one's time or money.  During this episode, Luke and Brooke discuss how Giving What You Can has already inspired thousands of people to pledge to donate 10% of their lifetime income to the most effective nonprofits. Perhaps you too will be moved to take one of its pledges.  (0:20).

Website:  https://www.givingwhatwecan.org

Kelly Dolan, the CEO and President of Ronald McDonald House Charities, joins Charity Talks.  The mission of RMHC is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families.  It is best known for its Ronald McDonald House® programs around the world, which provide support and housing for parents when their child is being treated in a hospital.  But RMHC does so much more, including through its Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® programs, which bring medical, dental and healthcare resources to underserved communities, and several learning centers, which are built where they are most needed globally and teach children basic skills through fun and engaging activities.  You are sure to be surprised, and inspired, by all of the work that RMHC and their volunteers do.  (0:24).

Website:  https://www.rmhc.org/