Time doesn't wait for us to get our act together, it forges on. Though many are struggling financially - most of us are still doing a whole lot better than 1.3 billion people; the approximate number of people who were very poor and struggling even before this latest global economic crisis. How are they managing? For millions of people worldwide, the impact of our financial crisis is devastating.  It means that their already minimal food supplements and other international aid will become even scarcer. 

Remember the old saying, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going?" Well, that's you and me. We can be tough, and we should get going. How? By joining forces with Heifer International .  When you do, you can help change the world. 

I've been donating to Heifer International for years now. I give Heifer International gifts for the holidays - for special events, and just because.  By donating to Heifer, you help purchase farm animals that will be given to individuals in communities with fragile and struggling economic systems. Owning a cow, some chickens, a goat, a bee hive, or a pig, can mean the difference between poverty and starvation, and independence, economic stability, and health. 

Make it a team effort. Gather some friends at the office or around the neighborhood or school yard and establish a fund-raising team.  Pool your resources! Commit to a project that will help an entire community.  Heifer Foundation is so dedicated to their mission that they offer classes and field trips to teach us how to be more responsible in our own environment, while at the same time showing us how to improve the lives of others.  

Happy Thanks-giving.

As a parent, you probably put in several miles a day just running after your kids. Guess what. It's good for you! Don't discount those steps. In fact, consider taking a walk just because you should. Walking for exercise can reduce your stress and help you stay fit, too. It's a great activity for all ages,and one you may want to encourage in your children from a young age, as part of their overall fitness and health plan.

The sad reality is that young people aged 19 to 29 are the largest and fastest-growing segment of the United State's population that lacks proper health insurance. Are you part of this cohort? Do you have an adult child who fits into this category?  According to The Commonwealth Fund, this group comprised 40% of the 6 million people who joined the ranks of the uninsured from 2000 to 2004.

Illness prevention and mind and body wellness should play a big part in our lives; not only during these complicated and uncertain times, but as a matter of course. Walking just 10,000 steps per day will help you stay fit, and give you a chance to smell the roses, too. 

A child who goes missing is every parent's nightmare. Children are vulnerable - it's up to parents and other responsible, caring adults to keep them safe, and to protect them from harm. How can we do this? Perhaps the best defense we have going for us is prevention.  According to The National Alert Registry, there are some basic rules parents can follow to help us keep our children safe. 

1.  Teach children key information:  Help them to learn their full name, address, phone number (with area code), parents' names, and office phone numbers.

2. Teach children who is safe: Children should be taught at an early age which strangers are okay to ask for help when they are lost or frightened. Good examples include, a mother with children, a counter clerk in a store, or a uniformed police officer.

3.  Know where your child is going:  Children should always inform you before they go anywhere - even if it is just next door.  Ask questions - who, what, when, where, and why, and let your kids know these questions are important.

4.  Teach children about the buddy system: Never let your young children go anywhere alone. Teach them to do activities with a friend, and emphasize the issue of safety in numbers.

5. Teach your kids not to be lured in: Explain that your children shouldn't go near cars to answer questions or give directions, or to accept rides. Teach them not to be lured by other adults, even if they know them.

6. Develop a password system:  Children can be very trusting of adults, especially adults they are familiar with. Work out a password with your child ahead of time that a "safe" adult would know in case of any emergency, and make sure your child doesn't go with an adult who doesn't have this password. Make the password an easy word for your child to remember, but at the same time, not an easy word for a stranger to guess.

7. Reinforce safety skills: Seize opportunities to reinforce safety skills. If an incident occurs in your community, speak frankly about it with your child -- seek professional help if necessary, but take the opportunity to reinforce safety rules and skills that can protect your child from danger.

8. Keep an up-to-date record of your child: Maintain current medical and physical information, and a photograph of your child. Make a written record of an exact description including height, weight, color of eyes, hair, and any other identifying characteristics. In case of an emergency, it is imperative that you have something current that can be given to authorities.

9. Know how to report your missing child. As you are aware, time is a critical factor in abduction cases. When you can't find your child, immediately call your local law enforcement agency. After reporting your child missing, call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.

10. Make it your business to be informed.  As a parent, you should be aware of where child offenders live around your neighborhood and your local schools.

Though this is a difficult subject for all of us to ponder, acknowledgement of the dangers that exist and an awareness of how to promote child safety will enhance our ability to provide a safer and more child-friendly environment for our children.

Now that we have a new President who has worked in communities, and knows personally, and viscerally how important women are to the health and welfare of families and communities, it's even more important to look at the validity and necessity of women's funds.  Women's funds are making a profound difference, especially because they are targeted to people and prpojects that need them the most. Recent studies have shown that out of approximately $250 Billion in donations, less than $78 Billion went to those who truly needed them the most. It's time to review the granting process.

Women's funds should be at the top of the list.  Such funds are strategically targeting poverty. When you help a woman change her life, you bring about positive changes for her family and community as well.

Support a woman's fund.  One exceptional organization is The Women's Funding Network. It has over 125 member women's funds that are located in countries all over the world - and certainly you can find one close to your own community.  There are other funds worth checking out too.  The Women's Foundation of California, The Arab Women's Fund, and The Semillas Organization just to name a few.

Invest in women - it will make a difference.

It is always particularly tragic when a young life ends. But it is somehow even more heartrending when that young person ends his or her own life.  The American Psychological Association recently released a report on suicide amongst college students.  In a survey of more than 26,000 students across 70 colleges and universities, at least half of the students reported having one or more incidents of suicidal thinking. Six percent of undergraduates and four percent of graduate students reported seriously considering suicide in the twelve months prior to completing the survey. 

As parents, I know this is a subject that hits right at the underbelly-part of our defense-system. At a time when our children are beginning to individuate, when their hopes and aspirations should be inspiring them to live each day with curiosity and interest, something dark and sinister creeps into their minds.

Unfortunately, suicidal thoughts also show up in a much younger population.  Sadly, teen suicide hits the Hispanic community more than most; fifteen percent of Hispanic teen girls report that they've attempted suicide, yet despite this high number of troubled girls, Latinas are often the least likely to seek mental health services.

Studies suggest that young Latina suicide attempters had conflicts with their mothers that may have prompted their destructive behavior.  Troubled Latina teens may feel torn between their traditional cultural beliefs and the pull of adolescence in a new culture. 

One thing seems clear; across all age groups, growing levels of stress, and diminishing resources to cope with the consequences of an overload of stress, are leading to difficulties that can include depression, and worse.  Family interventions that include stress management may help. But the first step is to recognize that a problem exists in the first place, and to seek help. Start by contacting a psychologist. For resources and more information, visit The American Psychological Association to find out about conflict resolution, and suicide prevention.