A Few of My Favorite Things

When I run for president, my platform will be just be this: That every kid on the planet has good food to eat, good healthcare, a decent house, a good education, and – although I haven’t quite figured out how to legislate this yet – good people to love and be loved by. If this

can be achieved, we won’t need a military budget. No one will. In the meantime, here are two of my favorite charities.

www.smiletrain.org

The Smile Train provides to children suffering with cleft palates. Clefts are a major problem in developing countries. Most children with clefts cannot eat or speak properly. Many aren’t allowed to attend school or hold a job. They face very difficult lives filled with shame and isolation, pain and heartache. 100% of donations made to The Smile Train go to programs that help children, 0% go to overhead.

www.savethechildren.org

Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world. Recognized for a commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, Save the Children’s work takes them into the heart of communities, where they help children and families help themselves.

Some people like oceans. Some like rivers. I like rivers. They’re not so noisy. These are a few of my favorite places to goggle at my favorite river, the mighty Hudson.

www.olana.org
Home of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church. Mind-bogglingly beautiful inside and out, and an unparalleled view of the Hudson River.

http://www.hudsonvalley.org/montgomeryplace/learn_history.htm

Built by Janet Livingston Montgomery, widow of General Richard Montgomery, a hero of the American Revolution who was killed in the battle for Quebec in 1775. Designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, with landscapes influenced by Andrew Jackson Downing. Stand on the front terrace, and you see an amazing Romantic vista, featuring the Hudson and three major Catskill peaks. 

www.friendsofclermont.org

Clermont was the Hudson River seat of the politically and socially prominent Livingston family of New York for more than 230 years. The long expanses of lawns make this one of my favorite places to walk and daydream.