Fall 2008

Ballpark Vendor Uses Beer Money to Fight Global Poverty

With degrees in cultural anthropology and international development, as well as a Fulbright award to his name, Elliott School alumnus Adam Carter, 34, is not your typical beer vendor at Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs. That's because selling beer is only part of Carter's double life. For the other half of the year, Carter is an international micro-philanthropist, or someone who gives money directly, bypassing the bureaucracy that can burden large charities and development organizations.

On his trips, Carter engages in "travel philanthropy," which involves distributing small donations he has collected to people in need. Carter's travels, which have taken him around the world, help him identify needy individuals and organizations. While studying as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, Carter visited Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and north Africa. After college, he traveled to Africa, Central America, and India, and enrolled at the Elliott School. A Fulbright in 2001-02 helped Carter study the effects of Moroccan immigration in Spain.

Carter is also associate director of 100 Friends, a philanthropy travel organization started in 2002 by his friend Marc Gold. He has worked in the favela shanty-towns in Brazil, with marginalized children in Colombia, and with Cambodian orphans. He pays his own way on his travels, so all the money he raises goes directly to people in need, and he keeps his donors apprised of his progress through detailed field reports, his blog, emails, video footage, photos, and mailings. This year, he plans to travel to West Africa to help AIDS orphans and former child soldiers.

Carter received his master's degree in international affairs with a focus on international development from GW in 2001. At the Elliott School, Carter studied development with Barbara Miller, director of the Culture in Global Affairs research and policy program, and remembers that "we learned not only the positive aspects of development, but also the limitations and downfalls of many development organizations and projects."

"This wake-up made me realize that as international development professionals, we need to be ever-vigilant that our efforts are culturally-sensitive and sustainable," he said. "Just because a development organization has good intentions does not make their work inherently positive."

Carter's projects have also enabled him to educate other experts and the public about his work. He has been invited to speak at symposia and helps develop sister-school programs.

According to Carter, philanthropy is becoming easier and easier for young people with the ease of social awareness and networking through the internet. "Philanthropy was once confined to rich old men and huge foundations, but these days, the face of philanthropy is drastically changing," he said.

"When I started traveling the world 12 years ago, I learned early on just how fortunate I was; I never had to worry about having a roof over my head, clothes on my back, or food on the table. Sure, we all have our own challenges to overcome, but in the big picture, we are incredibly fortunate. In this light, I see it as my duty to help those that were born into such dire circumstances."

Read more about Carter's philanthropy work at his blog and about 100 Friends on its website. Carter also maintains a Facebook group for 100 Friends, and those who are interested in contributing to Carter's work should email him at adrockisland@yahoo.com.