The first effort to duplicate the humanist giving and volunteering model of Foundation Beyond Belief outside of the United States is preparing for launch in Australia.

Though FBB has a global impact through the charities we support, our US 501(c)(3) status requires us to primarily fund charities incorporated here in the US, and only US members can claim a tax exemption. Within weeks of our launch, we began getting inquiries from members in Canada, Australia and the UK about any plans we might have to expand.

Humanists in Australia are now moving from questions to action, working rapidly to establish an FBB Australia. Though based on the same model and sharing our brand and name, the new foundation will be governed independently and will focus on Australia-based charities and members.

"Foundation Beyond Belief is an idea whose time has come in Australia," says Avi Chapman, lead organizer of the effort. "Aussies are both generous and secular - a perfect fit for the Foundation. We're very excited to be working to bring this concept to fruition down under."

To stay informed as this project progresses, sign up on our FBB Australia contact page 

 Many thanks to the nearly 100 Foundation members who sifted through proposals from underfunded classrooms in impoverished areas around the U.S. to help us choose our minigrant recipients, as well as the hundreds of members who contributed to Adopt-a-Classroom, our Education beneficiary in Q4. 

"It was so difficult to choose," said one of our members. "The need seems overwhelming." Others, including several current teachers, gave valuable insights and opinions regarding the best use of the funds. And more than one member commented on the broken educational funding system in the U.S. "It's heartbreaking that private citizens have to consider supplying what should be covered by public funding," said one. "Keep up the good work."

Eric M, a high school science teacher in Newark NJ, will receive $400 for hands-on science materials. Elianna L, a sixth grade English teacher in the Bronx NY, will receive $400 for books and basic classroom supplies. Darlease M., a middle school science teacher in New Bedford MA, wants her classroom to have subscriptions to several science magazines, for which we will provide $160.

Tracey D, a second grade teacher in post-Katrina Baton Rouge LA, needs "almost everything" to bring her classroom up to basic standards. We will provide $400 to help her out. Connie T, a fifth grade teacher in Robstown TX, needs magazines and updated nonfiction texts for her students and will receive $200 for that purpose. And Aimee W, another high school science teacher in Newark NJ, needs basic equipment so her students can do experiments, and we will provide $400 to make that happen.

This post is part of our Humanist Perspectives series. In this series, we invite guest contributors to explore active humanism and what it means to be a thoughtful, engaged member of society. This article by James Croft originally appeared on his blog, Temple of the Future. You can read more by James at HarvardHumanist.org.

See also Good (Without God): Service is a Humanist Priority.

In the first article in this series, Good (Without God), I outlined the moral necessity and benefits to the Humanist movement of focusing more of our energy on service work. Here, I outline ten ideas for service projects which are easy to organize, some of which can be integrated into the regular programming of your Humanist group. These ideas are designed to showcase and promote Humanist values, with special consideration given to service opportunities which highlight values which separate Humanist communities from many religious communities. In this way, we can demonstrate the distinctive value of Humanism.

The Ideas: