By David Billet

He is a kind of Society for th’ Prevention of Croolty to Money. If he finds a man misusin’ his money, he takes it away fr’m him an’ adopts it.
—MR. DOOLEY

Charity is said to be a virtue without compare, and yet we all know that it arouses suspicion-about the giver’s display of his generosity, the recipient’s dependency, some essential inequity that the gift only reinforces. Perhaps for this reason, Maimonides argued that the highest level of charity was not charity at all but rather helping the needy find the means by which to earn their own living. (more…)

Patricia Marroquin–HispanicBusiness.com

A new report states it in black and white: Color is lacking on the boards of directors of the 46 largest independent foundations in the United States.

The Greenlining Institute has found that although a quarter of all board directors of the 46 foundations are African-American, Hispanic or Asian-American, 28 percent of the foundations examined do not have a single person of color on their boards. (more…)

The Chronicle of Philanthropy
By Ian Wilhelm

Foundations are failing to recruit diverse board leadership, with Hispanics being the most under represented compared to their growing number in
American society, according to a new report. (more…)

Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, is urging banks that have received federal bailout money to continue to support charities and lend to moderate- and low-income neighborhoods. (more…)

Wall Street Journal
Give to ‘minority-led’ charities, or else.

In 2006, Publix Supermarket Charities donated almost $30 million to causes that included Habitat for Humanity, the March of Dimes and United Way. But Al Piña isn’t satisfied. Mr. Piña, the chairman of the Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition, believes Publix isn’t giving enough to people of color who donate to other people of color. Welcome to the latest trend in racial extortion. (more…)

By Orson Aguilar
http://www.colorlines.com

A new compromise from foundations might be cause for some optimism.

The everyday challenges faced by the people in many neighborhoods seem far removed from the American Dream these days: the lack of good housing and jobs, poor health, immigration raids, the foreclosure crisis, failing schools and all-too-common homicides. (more…)