News Briefs
CACCI Appeals for Help for the Caribbean 
The Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. is spearheading a relief effort for Caribbean islands affected by the recent hurricanes, including Grenada, Jamaica, Haiti, Tobago, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas. CACCI is collecting bottled water, canned food, new T-shirts, new sneakers, first aid kits, medical supplies, home generators, tarpaulins, pens, pencils, notebooks, book bags and children’s toys at a drop-off site in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. It is collaborating with several organizations in the effort, including local and state government agencies, Caribbean diplomatic and civic agencies, local medical, academic, labor and religious organizations and private businesses. Haiti, where more than 1,500 lives were lost, and Grenada, where 90 percent of the buildings were destroyed and the economy virtually wiped out, were the hardest hit. The following consulates have established disaster relief accounts to accept financial contributions: Grenada, 212-599-0301; Jamaica, 212-935-9000; Haitian Council Centers, 718-855-7275. Contact CACCI at 718-834-4544 for the address of the designated drop-off site in Brooklyn.
Carver Outlines 2005 Agenda Carver Bancorp Inc. said it will add a new branch in north Harlem and new 24/7 ATM centers to its current network of seven full-service branches and two freestanding ATM Centers in New York City in fiscal 2005. The bank plans also to introduce Carver Investment Services Inc., a wealth-management unit offering such products as annuities, mutual funds and life insurance; further develop its free-checking offer, now available at its Jamaica Center and Atlantic Terminal branches; launch new alternative mortgage options for many income levels and credit histories; and expand grassroots marketing and advertising through radio and outdoor media to reach current and prospective customers and further distinguish the Carver brand.
Black Accountants in U.S., Southern Africa Form Alliance The Division of Firms, an affiliate of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), and the Black Firms Forum of the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants in Southern Africa (ABASA) signed an agreement to exchange business and professional resources among Black-owned accounting firms in southern Africa and the United States. The two sides will foster the growth and development of Black-owned accounting firms through cooperation in the areas of economic and cultural awareness, staff exchanges, and continuing professional education and development. NABA will provide housing, transportation, stipends and other support to facilitate the U.S. exchange.
N.J. Companies, Schools Mull Impact of Student Achievement Gap New Jersey’s leading businesses and educators are concerned about the increasing gap in minority educational achievement and its potential impact on tomorrow’s work force. Work force predictions show that by 2020, more than 84 percent of jobs will require college degrees. Current national data show that 34 percent of whites earn a bachelor’s degree by age 29, while only 18 percent of African-Americans and 9 percent of Hispanics do so. A conference hosted in September by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation highlighted actions businesses and educators should take to make a difference. The conference, entitled “The Sky’s the Limit: A New Perspective on Creating a Diverse Workforce,” was co-sponsored by Pfizer Inc.
Blacks Must Know Signs of Stroke 
The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, urges Blacks to know the warning signs of stroke. More Blacks die from strokes than any other ethnic group in America. Stroke is the nation’s No. 3 killer and a leading cause of severe disability. The five major warning signs of stroke are: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing from one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; sudden severe headache with no known cause. Risk factors that can be eliminated or controlled are high blood pressure, tobacco use, diabetes, high cholesterol, excessive alcohol and physical inactivity. Risks that can’t be controlled are increasing age, a prior stroke and heredity.
Distrust of Doctors Among Factors Behind Scarcity of Black Organ Donors 
The number of Black organ donors is not keeping up with the huge need, due in part to a distrust of doctors stemming from the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study, medical experts say. Nationally, Black patients make up 27 percent of the waiting list for organ donations, though only 12 percent of donors are Black, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. The donor gap leaves Blacks who need kidneys waiting an average of 18 months longer for a transplant than whites. A Black donor is preferable for Blacks receiving a kidney because of the organ’s sensitivity to genetic factors. The federal government’s Tuskegee syphilis experiment, which began in the early 1930s, used hundreds of poor Black men as guinea pigs to see what would happen if their syphilis was left untreated. The experiment went on for 40 years.
Black Farmers Sue U.S.D.A. for $20.5 Billion The nation’s Black farmers filed a $20.5 billion lawsuit against the Department of Agriculture, alleging the agency conspired to take their land through racial discrimination in government farm loans and programs. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., by the Black Farmers and Agriculturalist Association and 11 other plaintiffs, seeks class action status. If granted, the case could include as many as 25,000 Black farmers who farmed or attempted to farm between 1997 and 2004, according to the lawsuit. The association cited Census figures showing that in 1910 Black farmers owned about 16 million acres of land. Today, it is estimated that Blacks own fewer than 2 million acres. The lawsuit also accuses the agency of intentionally stalling and reducing loans to black farmers and of failing to properly investigate discrimination complaints filed by Black farmers.
Fortune 500 Companies Pledge $1 Million Plus to National Black MBA Association Some 30 Fortune 500 companies, including American Express Co., Citigroup Inc. and Microsoft Corp., pledged more than $1 million to reserve space in the 2005 National Black MBA Association’s Career Fair. The two-day fair is one of the largest annual minority recruiting and networking events. More than 13,000 business professionals, recruiters, industry experts, students and entrepreneurs gathered in Houston for the 2004 Career Fair, which featured executive leadership training, interactive professional development workshops and a host of career services.
Aetna, National Dental Association Collaborate to Eliminate Disparities in Dental Health Aetna Inc., a leading provider of health, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care benefits, gave a $35,000 grant to the National Dental Association (NDA) to support efforts to eliminate disparities in dental health care. The NDA represents more than 7,000 Black dentists in the United States and Caribbean. It will use the grant to continue its mission of enhancing the skills of its members, recruiting minorities into the profession and creating opportunities for research. Founded in 1913, the association works to improve the delivery of oral health care in underserved communities while improving educational opportunities for minorities in the oral health field.
