$95 homless dolls stirs controversary

[Bucky Badger]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/10/05/nr.baldwin.homeless.doll.cnn

 

[BobbyFord]

Hmm....interesting. Not sure how I feel about it. I think it would be more appropriate, as the video states, if part of the proceeds went to benifit the nations homeless.

 

[Bucky Badger]

Hmm....interesting. Not sure how I feel about it. I think it would be more appropriate, as the video states, if part of the proceeds went to benifit the nations homeless.

Good idea, but with greed these days that willl never happen

 

[Benevolent One]

It seems like a good idea to me. The type of kids who get a $95 doll are the kinds of kids who are going to grow up with the means to help others. If there can be a sense of compassion instilled at a younger age, it can shape their values greatly.

It would be nice if some of that $95 went to help the homeless. But I think what they are doing to shed light on the problem could be helping the homeless more than a symbolic donation could.

 

[Bucky Badger]

The HQ is 5 mins from here. I think I may drop an e mail with Benevolent One's idea

Found this on their web site

Celebrating girls and all that they can be
Learn more about American Girl and our passion for who girls are today and who they can become tomorrow.

LOL

 

[foehammer111]

It seems like a good idea to me. The type of kids who get a $95 doll are the kinds of kids who are going to grow up with the means to help others. If there can be a sense of compassion instilled at a younger age, it can shape their values greatly.

You're giving too much credit to America's wealthy, BO. Although I'm sure some kids that get this doll will feel compassion for the homeless, many more will not. Compassion is a difficult thing for a child to understand. These values need to be taught to the child.

I think a better way to do this would be that order to get it, kids have to volunteer X number of hours at their local homeless shelter. This way it shows they're committed to helping others.

 

[BobbyFord]

Compassion is not something that can be taught; it can only be learned.

 

[foehammer111]

Compassion is not something that can be taught; it can only be learned.

And how do you think something is learned? Because it's taught.

 

[BobbyFord]

And how do you think something is learned? Because it's taught.

Not true. I've learned many things on my own that nobody taught me. Compassion just happens to be one of them.
It's called experience; something I didn't have as a youngster.

 

[Bucky Badger]

Nice to see a local Company actually write back

Thank you for sharing your concerns and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We always appreciate hearing from our customers and take their comments seriously. First, we want you to know Gwen is part of our 2009 Girl of the Year series introduced on January 1, 2009. The premise of this year's series,featuring the main character Chrissa Maxwell, is focused on relational aggression or bullying ? a topic of great concern for girls and their parents today. While the issue of homelessness is sensitively addressed in Chrissa?s stories, it is not the main focus of the books?relational aggression or bullying is the main focus. Gwen?s story is a sub-plot of the series that is revealed in three pages of the Chrissa book to help readers growin their understanding and compassion for others. In those three pages, Gwen?s classmates learn of the family?s predicament and how a temporary housing organization has helped them get their lives back on track and find an apartment where Gwen and her mom are now living. At the end of this story, Chrissa and Gwen finally become good friends and join together to help put an end to the bullying and teasing that has been going on at their school. Because the series focuses on bullying, our philanthropy is related to that issue. We connected with the Ophelia Project, a Pennsylvania-basednonprofit dedicated to helping young people handle bullying, and developed a curriculum for schools that reached more than a million students this year. In addition, we are pleased to share with you that American Girl has hadan ongoing partnership with HomeAid America, a national non-profit provider of housing for today?s homeless, since 2006. We have partnered with this organization ? even receiving an award from them in 2008 ? on their Project Playhouse initiative. Through this effort, we have helped HomeAid raise over $120,000 toward their cause and are currently workingwith them on special fundraising events at American Girl retail stores in 2009, as well as another Project Playhouse project in 2010. American Girl has also partnered with Kids In Distressed Situations, Inc. (K.I.D.S.) since 1990 and have donated clothing and books to them totaling approximately $9 million. In 2009, we donated $360,000 worth ofgirls' clothing and books to K.I.D.S. We hope this information has been helpful in shedding some additional light on the topic. Again, thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with us. Sincerely, American Girl® Customer ServicePhone: 1-800-845-0005 or 608-831-5210Fax: 608-828-4790Available Monday - Sunday 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Central Time