Slashing the Price of Health With Common Sense

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/slashing-the-price-of-health-with-common-sense

David Bornstein

The New York Times

2 August 2011

Text / 800-1500 Words

Organizations are mobilizing volunteers in hospitals to connect low-income families with human services which address social factors like poor housing, nutrition, etc. so patients are able to work and thus afford healthier lives.

Freelance Nation: “The Greatest Economic Transformation in Human History”?

http://www.wnyc.org/story/freelance-nation-greatest-economic-transformation-human-history

Manoush Zomorodi

WNYC

16 October 2013

Radio / Over 15 Minutes

The 2008 recession’s job losses spurred a development of a Do-It-Yourself economy. With the advent of Uber, Etsy, Airbnb, and others, the marketplace has become full of micro-entrepreneurs who thrive with independent web-assisted businesses.

Guiding Families to a Fair Day in Court

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/29/guiding-poor-families-to-a-fair-day-in-court

David Bornstein

The New York Times

29 May 2015

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Millions of families of arrested individuals do not know what to do to help, how to obtain a lawyer, or what the process entails in the court system. Created by Albert Cobarrubius Justice Project, participatory defense is a type of community organizing that teaches and empowers people who face criminal charges. Individuals know how to work with attorneys in order to navigate the system and ultimately feel equipped to become drivers of their own change.

How Former Prisoners are Set up to Fail, Especially if They're Women

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/news/a36907/prisoners-reentry-programs

Jean Friedman-Rudovsky

Cosmopolitan

25 February 2015

Text / Over 3000 Words

A Department of Justice study reported that about 75 percent of those released in 2005 were rearrested, and women prisoners often have a harder time re-entering society after release. A New Way of Life (ANWOL) is a Los Angeles transitional living facility that has helped more than 750 women stay out of prison by offering housing, case management, mental health and substance treatment, and job training.

In the Fight Against Poverty, It's Time for a Revolution

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/in-the-fight-against-poverty-its-time-for-a-revolution

David Bornstein

The New York Times

12 January 2012

Text / 1500-3000 Words

LIFT, founded in 1988 by college students, employs an approach to poverty alleviation grounded in building relationships with communities. LIFT finds volunteers who have demonstrated empathy and then employs them to meet with local families in need, helping them set goals, monitor their progress, and access services.

In Aleppo, cell phones are helping some desperate Syrians find clean water

http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-08-26/aleppo-cell-phones-are-helping-some-desperate-syrians-find-clean-water

Joyce Hackel

Public Radio International (PRI)

26 August 2015

Radio / 5-15 Minutes

In war zones, people have a difficult time finding clean water and safe areas to inhabit. Social media, smart phones, and technology applications are aiding in people’s survival. In Aleppo, Syria, the International Committee of the Red Cross posted a map on Facebook to show alternative sources of clean drinking water that reached approximately 140,000 people.

From Young Adult Book Fans to Wizards of Change

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/21/from-young-adult-book-fans-to-wizards-of-change

Courtney E. Martin

The New York Times

21 March 2012

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Global social and economic problems are difficult to change. However, fan-activism fuels the interests of fans of popular young adult fiction. Books such as Harry Potter and the Hunger Games have inspired activist groups that raise awareness of global hunger, reading, and relief supplies to impoverished nations, among others. Being a fan has served as a bridge to become politically active and solve the world’s problems.

Mothers-to-Be Are Getting the Message

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/pregnant-mothers-are-getting-the-message

David Bornstein

The New York Times

7 February 2011

Text / 1500-3000 Words

An average of 28,000 children born in the U.S. each year die before their first birthday – and many more face disabilities and serious life-long health problems, often because they are born prematurely or at low birth weights. A free service, text4baby, delivers crucial health advice via text message to pregnant women and new mothers.

Jail program, a first in NC, includes classes behind bars

http://www.fayobserver.com/article/20140831/News/308319872

Greg Barnes

Fayetteville Observer

31 August 2014

Text / Under 800 Words

Cabarrus County’s Project Re-entry gives those experiencing incarceration a chance at an education and self-reflection. The program has shown such success that it is being expanded to other detention centers in the county. Those who take part are able to take classes – all taught by volunteers – like literacy and religious studies, or choose to enroll in programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.

Camcorders For Justice

http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/features/anonymous/camcorders-justice

James Scudamore

Intelligent Life

1 January 2014

Text / Over 3000 Words

In India, videos made about the many social problems are secretly broadcasted in different villages to make people aware of the real problem and also aware of what they can do to fix it. Video Volunteers, an organization that coordinates these video productions, catalyzes community change through transparency and accountability.