I'm usually critical of Hollywood's capacity for social and fiscal responsibility: We've all seen the self-righteous actors who latch onto the latest, popular movement to garner attention, and, no matter how much I enjoy watching them, it's pretty hard to argue that using $100 million to make a summer blockbuster is really helping the world.
But, not even I can find anything to complain about with this: According to a report by CAFAmerica, The Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire has raised the level of awareness about Indian slums, and it's helping in a material way. Several charities that serve Indian street children have seen increases in membership and monetary donations since the film was released.
It's nice to see--in a world that usually idolizes Hollywood excess--that a Hollywood production can be a catalyst for helping out those in desperate situations.
If you want to join in, check these charities out:
In this economic environment, it's easy to get caught up in being focused just on self. But it's always good to have our eyes opened to someone else's situation and to be spurred on to lend a helping hand. Like the quote goes, "It's better to give than to receive."
--Jens
Photos taken from photostreams 1 and 2 and used with permission of two Creative Commons licenses (1 and 2).
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