Fighting Three Diseases At Once

(NAPSI)-Americans seem to be all business when it comes to charity, with people in the U.S. donating more than $306 billion last year alone, according to recent numbers from the Giving USA Foundation.

Now, a new checking program from a major U.S. bank may help those numbers grow even further by making it easier for people to support the fight against three of the most common life-threatening diseases--cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

It's the type of effort experts such as Patrick M. Rooney, interim executive director of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, say people are more than happy to join.

"Our research shows that people want to give back to society and make an impact on the greater community," he explains.

Called Unite. Give. Cure.™, the program lets people use a Bank of America check card to show their support for the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association. It's an extension of the popular MyExpression™ suite of banking products that enables customers to give back more and show their loyalty to their favorite charity, school, professional organization or sports team.

There are nearly 24 million Americans with diabetes and another 57 million at risk. 2008 statistics from the American Cancer Society show that approximately 11 million are living with cancer, while coronary heart disease and strokes kill approximately 870,000 Americans annually. Through the program, the bank will provide contributions to these organizations through the following methods:

• The bank will make a contribution to the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association for every new Unite. Give. Cure. checking account opened.

• The bank will make an additional contribution to each of these organizations at the anniversary of the account opening.

• Every time a customer makes a purchase using his or her Unite. Give. Cure. check card, an additional contribution will be made to each of these organizations by the bank. Certain restrictions apply including balance requirements.

For more information, visit www.bankofamerica.com/unitegivecure.

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Divorce, overdraft and learning

A month or so ago I stopped into a local bank to open a couple of new accounts. While I was going through the motions a young man came into the bank. He needed to talk with someone regarding his checking account.

It took a while to get the accounts set up and it was a small bank so I couldn't help but overhear a large portion of his problems. In a nutshell, the kid was in huge trouble.

He didn't have a clue how to balance a check book. He didn't understand money. His parents were divorced and Dad sounded like a tyrant. Mom sounded like someone struggling to keep her head above water.

The guy was practically in tears at times trying to understand how he'd let his account go into overdraft. He was in college. I gather he was sharing a car with his mother. He didn't have enough money to put gas in the car to get home or get back to school.

The bank staff did a fairly good job of trying to help him out. It really wasn't their place to teach him basic 101 check book balancing. He didn't seem to grasp the check card, thinking that they shouldn't let him have money if it was going to make him go into overdraft, even though he had outstanding checks. He was floored after seeing the overdraft charges that had wracked up, compounding the problems he had created.

Why is this in helping hands? Well, after hearing how scared the kid was to go to his Dad for help, and hearing the plight of his Mom's finances, I walked over and gave him a some money. Enough to get some gas so he could go home to face the music.

If I'd been able to clear up his overdraft, I would have. But only if I'd felt he really understood how to stop from getting back into the same predicament.

How did a kid graduate from high school and not know how to balance a check book? I know that's something a parent should teach. I didn't learn how to balance a check book in school. But I sure was able to grasp the concept of writing down deposits and knowing when to stop writing checks. Of course, back when I graduated from high school debit cards didn't exist. If you wanted cash you had to get to the bank during banking hours. I still remember when the grocery stores started giving cash back! Freedom from banking hours!!!

Back to the guy in the bank. He was thrilled to get the little bit of money I handed him. What I really wanted to do was straighten out his parents. I know I'm judging based on very little info, but it sure seemed that Dad was pretty self-centered and really had done a job on the kids self confidence. Mom had her own set of problems and it didn't sound like she could do more than keep her head above water, if that. The pair's son was caught between the two and struggling. He seemed very immature, but maybe that was because I was seeing him in a very stressful situation.

I hope that after I left someone at the bank was able to sit down and show the kid how to balance a check book. They wrote off a couple of overdraft charges for him, which helped a little. He needed more help that anyone at the bank could offer.

I've thought about him many times, wondering what happened to him. Something like that can either turn someone around or send them into a downward spiral at that age. I hope he's one who learns, grows and conquers.