My friend Nanci came out as a philanthropist the other day.

We were talking about how she had manifested a miracle for a friend in need.  In our conversation I shared with her that philanthropy is really the love of humankind and it manifests when you express this. She was surprised to learn that philanthropy is not just a place for folks with lots of money who write checks to charity. 

Over the last three decades, women have substantially increased their importance in the unionized workforce. Women currently make up about 45 percent of all unionized workers. If recent trends continue, women will be the majority of organized labor by 2020.

Last week, New York Times columnist Nicolas Kristoff published a column on sex trafficking of young, American girls, stating, "The business model of pimping is remarkably similar whether in Atlanta or Calcutta: take vulnerable, disposable girls whom nobody cares about, use a mix of “friendship,” humiliation, beatings, narcotics and threats to break the girls and induce 100 percent compliance, and then rent out their body parts."

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a national foundation-led initiative, is excited to collaborate with the Women’s Foundation to bring you the latest news and analysis on women and poverty.

Spotlight is the go-to site for news and ideas about fighting poverty.

Sunday is Mother’s Day – and the media are already filled with stories about mothers and motherhood and the recession.  For example, here and here.

You probably won’t hear much about the mothers who are too often invisible, even in good times: low-income women raising children alone.

Less than four years ago, I considered myself pro-choice, but I couldn’t tell you where to obtain an abortion in my northwestern-Ohio, college town.  In fact, the Planned Parenthood in Toledo (the nearest city to offer abortion services) could not offer abortion-care in order to receive state funding.  I naively assumed a woman seeking an abortion could have one at her doctor’s office or community clinic because she had the right to choose.  Period.

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a national foundation-led initiative, is excited to collaborate with Washington Area Women’s Foundation to bring you the latest news and analysis on women and poverty.

Spotlight is the go-to site for news and ideas about fighting poverty.