The Ethnic Minorities Section unites members of the National Council on Family Relations who are concerned with issues pertaining to ethnic minority families. This Section is now a Greenstar Premium Partner, since it shares common goals with Greenstar in protecting and extending strong families. This means that, when you visit the Greenstar website as you're doing now, and make a purchase, a portion of the proceeds will be paid to the Ethnic Minorities Section of the National Council on Family Relations.

Everybody wins. You get some extraordinary, unusual and thoughtful gifts to use as gifts for any special occasion, for your home or office. EMS gains support for its important projects and Greenstar 's international projects, based in developing countries, also benefit.

So, who is Greenstar?

Greenstar is founded on a simple idea: that people, no matter where they live, have the same basic needs: for food, shelter, caring for their children and families, building their future, leading a life of learning, creativity and dignity. Where people in emerging nations don't enjoy the social and economic conditions to support these basic needs, all they need is the tools to grow by themselves, some assistance and startup resources.

And then they need everyone else to get out of the way.

Greenstar's concrete approach to delivering on this promise is also very simple: a self-contained, solar-powered, Web-connected community center. Including a medical clinic and telemedicine connections, a classroom, a commercial-grade photovoltaic solar power array, and a satellite dish for telecommunications.

Then, make it self-financing through ecommerce on the Internet.

We create a commercial website to market products from the village worldwide, and promote the site to nearly 200 million people who work, shop and learn on the Web every day. Allow them to connect with the people in the villages by email. The people in the village will decide for themselves how to use the income to improve their lives.

In a few months, a village can advance 1000 years, from a position where there is no electricity, no telephone or computer, no clean water, little medical or educational support, and little income, to a position where they are independent, growing, and connected to the world community.

A trial installation is underway on the West Bank, in a remote Palestinian village, with great success. To learn more, see http://www.greenstar.org/newsletter.htm

What do these people have to offer that you would be interested in -- for holiday gifts, for your home or office?

A surprising variety of beautiful and unique items -- from the historic Hebron area, which figures strongly in the scriptural events of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Gorgeous brassware; subtle glassware and ceramics; finely-formed pottery.

And their culture -- live music recorded recently in the village, with extraordinary Bedouin sounds from a tradition more than 5000 years old. You can get a free sample of this amazing music by clicking here.

We also developed a gallery of artwork produced by the children and adults of the community, which shows a startling clarity of vision, and fine artistic balance. These digital products can be downloaded direct to your computer, where within minutes you'll hear amazing music and see stunning artwork. Find out more by clicking here.

EMS is an official Special Interest Section within the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR).

The purpose of the Ethnic Minorities Section is to unite those members of the NCFR who are concerned with issues pertaining to Ethnic Minorities families, to help increase their particpation in the organization and annual programs of NCFR, and to help create a better understanding of the variations in families from diverse racial and ethnic groups.

EMS Secretary-Treasurer (and Webmaster) is Walter Kamamoto, who serves as Assistant Professor in the Family and Consumer Sciences Dept., California State University in Sacramento, California.

The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) provides a forum for family researchers, educators, and practitioners to share in the development and dissemination of knowledge about families and family relationships, establishes professional standards, and works to promote family well-being.

NCFR, founded 60 years ago, is the leading non-partisan, non-denominational membership organization in the United States for family researchers, educators, policy makers, and practicing professionals. Its members share knowledge and information about families. NCFR family life education, sets criteria and guidelines for family life education curriculum, develops other family life education publications and products, and certifies family life educators.

You may contact EMS directly at their website, at http://www.asn.csus.edu/em-ncfr/; be sure also to see their merchandise, including the great poster shown at the right and the Ethnic Minority Teaching Resource Manual, at http://www.asn.csus.edu/em-ncfr/misc/emmerch.htm. You may reach Walter Kamamoto directly by email, at kawamotw@saclink.csus.edu

The National Council on Family Relations website, which includes many geographic centers for family activity as well as other interest groups, is at http://www.ncfr.com/

Make a purchase here on the Greenstar website. Or call, toll-free to 877-282-9900 to quickly receive a printed catalog by overnight mail (323-422-9602 outside the U.S. and Canada).

That's all. Greenstar automatically pays 8% of your total purchase, including shipping, to EMS, which uses the funds to support its important work.

Thank you from Greenstar and the Ethnic Minorities Section of the National Council on Family Relations.