Hannah Salwen

THE POWER OF HALF

It all started when 14-year old Hannah Salwen, idealistic but troubled by a growing sense of injustice in the world, had a eureka moment when a homeless man in her neighborhood was juxtaposed against a glistening Mercedes coupe. "You know, Dad," she said, pointing, "If that man had a less nice car, that man there could have a meal."

This glaring disparity led the Salwen family of four, caught up like so many other Americans in this age of consumption and waste, to follow Hannah's urge to do something, to finally just do something. And so they embarked on an incredible journey together from which there would be no turning back. They decided to sell their Atlanta mansion, downsize to a house half its size, and give half of their profits to a worthy charity. At first it was an outlandish scheme. "What, are you crazy? No way!" Then it was a challenge. "We are TOTALLY doing this." Each week they met over dinner to discuss their plan. It would transport them across the globe and well out of their comfort zone. Along the way they would inspire so many others wrestling with the same questions: Do I give enough? How much is enough? How can I make an impact in the world? In the end the Salwens' journey would bring them closer as a family, as they discovered, together, that half could be so much more.

Warm, funny, deeply moving and wholly uplifting, The Power of Half is the story of how one family slammed the door on the status quo and threw away the key.

About Kevin and Hannah:

Kevin Salwen is a writer and entrepreneur. With his 17-year-old daughter, Hannah, he is co-author of The Power of Half. The book is the story of a eureka moment by Hannah that resulted in the Salwen family's commitment to reduce their consumption by half - started by selling their house and moving into one half its size.

Kevin, his wife, Joan, and their two teenagers are investing money, time and talent with The Hunger Project to help build opportunity for villagers in Africa. Their audacious family project has been featured on the Today Show. Kevin's book about that project, co-authored by his daughter, Hannah, a junior at the Atlanta Girls' School, is entitled The Power of Half, was published by Houghton-Mifflin in February 2010.

Kevin and Hannah are sharing their inspirational story with audiences around the world. Their speeches will inspire audiences to give back, to improve the quality of their work and family relationships by finding a common purpose and to realize the power individuals have to affect positive change.