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The Clarence Foundation Announces a New Global Giving Circle to Confront the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
The Clarence Foundation Announces a New Global Giving Circle to Confront the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
Published 08-13-04
Submitted by Clarence Foundation, The
The UN estimates that over 1 million children enter the global sex trade annually and the total number of exploited children is still not known. Giving circle participants will learn about the CSEC phenomenon in depth through guest presentations from experts in the field, readings and documentary films. Members will pool their financial resources with a group of committed people who will learn together, dialogue and take collective action.
Group members will be presented with a portfolio of innovative grassroots organizations worldwide that have been successful in addressing the problem, as referred by organizations such as Free the Slaves, ECPAT USA and others. The group members will then make a collective decision on how to grant out its pooled resources.
The giving circle will begin in late September 2004, meeting in the San Francisco Bay Area one evening a month for two hours until June 2005. The minimum financial commitment is $5,000 for the year.
Co-sponsors of the program are ECPAT USA, Free the Slaves, The Center for Responsible Tourism and Grantmakers Without Borders.
The Clarence Foundation has hosted two prior giving circles to date, the Africa Circle in 2001-2002 and one in 2003-2004 focused on social entrepreneurship. The CSEC circle is one of three new global giving circles being offered by The Clarence Foundation this fall. Others include a microfinance circle to be launched in partnership with Menlo-Park based End Poverty Foundation in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Clarence Foundation will also host its first giving circle outside the Bay Area in the Boston area, with the support of Tom Bird of FARM Capital Services, LLC. In the coming year, The Clarence Foundation will begin a new initiative offering the global giving circle model to community foundations for their donor advised fund holders.
Global Giving Circle Program Expands
"Our initial giving circles have been a great success and we are excited to make this opportunity available to more people," says Marc Ross Manashil, Executive Director of The Clarence Foundation. "In light of recent world events, Americans are increasingly looking for ways to make a global impact, but often do not know how or where to begin. A giving circle is a great place to start. The meetings are informal social gatherings at the homes of group members. And addressing these issues in a supportive group makes global giving much more accessible and easier than doing so alone."
Giving Circle Open House
Founders of the Engaged International Philanthropy Program will host an open house on Thursday September 9, 2004, from 6:30-8:30pm at the home of Sally Jones in Palo Alto, featuring presentations by past giving circle participants and experts addressing the CSEC issue.
About The Clarence Foundation
The Clarence Foundation is a grantmaking organization that promotes engaged international philanthropy by catalyzing globally focused giving circles. The foundation organizes groups of 10-15 donors who pool their time and resources and agree to work together on the process of making international grants. The programs combine learning with a hands-on global grantmaking experience.
