Letter from TPI President Ellen Remmer

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

So here is a novel thought as we approach this busy and materialistic time of year:  What if we paused, took a deep breath and conjured up an image of a better world?  Mine might be a world free of pollution, injustice and nuclear arms.  Yours might be a world of beauty, serenity and grace.  What if - instead of talking about how frenzied we are - our holiday dinner conversations feasted upon ideas for making these images a reality?  What if we rang in the New Year with resolutions not only to improve ourselves, but to improve the world?

This is the overarching message of TPI Founder Peter Karoff's new book, The World We Want: New Dimensions in Philanthropy and Social Change.  Written in Peter's inimitable lyrical style, it reads as a provocative set of conversations with practical visionaries, philanthropists and social activists alike who join Peter in a room where "the world imagined is the ultimate good."  The book reminds us that everyone - from billionaire philanthropists to youth workers on the streets of South Boston - has the potential within to make positive change.

It has been TPI's pleasure over nearly 2 decades to work with a remarkable group of optimistic and visionary philanthropists who are naturally drawn to this genre of questions and themes.  Some are profiled in the book; many more are quietly going about changing the world, "their shoulders to the stone." 

This newsletter is our gift to you in the holiday season and as you look forward to 2008.  Highlighted here are a few of the stimulating themes and profiles that emerged in the book.  Also included is an interview with Peter about why he wrote the book and what he hopes it will accomplish.  Finally, we provide you with a menu of action steps - ways that you can use the book and other TPI resources to bring about change in your life and your community.

As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions for making this newsletter more useful and for topics to be covered in future newsletters.  From all of us at TPI, I wish you all a healthy, happy and generous holiday season and New Year.

Warm wishes,

Ellen Remmer
President and CEO