• The sponsorship of education programs for adults and children that promote human animal treatment, responsible pet ownership, and elimination of pet overpopulation;
• The provision of shelter ...

• The Fruitlands Farmhouse, the original site of the experimental community established in 1843
• The Shaker Museum, the historic museum because it is the first of its kind in the United States...

• Providing aspiring lawyers with the opportunity to develop their legal skills in real-world settings while also exposing them to the urgent importance of pro bone assistance for the mos...

• Creating free education materials regarding the importance of early detection and int...

• Distribution of 3,000 ...

Sharsheret, a national non-profit organization, is dedicated to supporting young Jewish women and their families in dealing with breast cancer. Named for the Hebrew word for chain, the organization provides strong community support through various programs designed to foster culturally-relevant personalized connections with fellow patients, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders.

Since its creation in 2001, the organization has implemented over 250 educational programs, responded...

The Banfield Charitable Trust, registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is a unique organization in many respects. The trust is committed keeping the strong bonds between humans and their pets through comprehensive programs designed to assist owners to keep their pets. The men and women behind the organization look for effective and efficient solutions to the issues related to pet surrender, as well as provide grants to third-party organizations with similar goals.

Among its notable p...

The Y is about the community – and it shows in over a century of its history and its active presence in over 10,000 neighborhoods across the United States. Today, it is the country’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to providing both individuals and communities with the opportunities to learn, survive and thrive even against great odds.

Indeed, such is its impact that The Y is often credited with changing the lives of individuals in need as well as in influencing social change...

Solving the scourge of drugs demands the active participation of the public and private sectors as well as individuals, groups and organizations. The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids is among the leaders in the fight against drugs particularly in preventing and reducing teen substance abuse as well as in providing support for families affected by addiction.

With the wide range of science and technology available, teenagers and families typically have a challenging time understanding its prin...

Even airmen can fall to Earth when personal and professional crises affect them and their families. Fortunately, the Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) comes to the rescue to give distressed airmen the wings to fly again, so to speak.

Incorporated in 1942, AFAS is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to distressed Air Force members and their families. The organization was originally established as a national organization that can provide emergency assistance to W...

Avon Products, Inc. takes pride in being the company for women. Its non-profit foundation, the Avon Foundation for Women, follows the path set by the multinational corporation – to promote the scientific, humanitarian, and educational as well charitable activities that improve the quality of life among women and their families.

As part of its current mission, the foundation leads or joins in the efforts of the public and private sectors in the following three areas:

•        Breast ca...

The organization has successfully protected over 100 acres of wilderness across 44 US states since then. The pieces of land the organiz...

Bat Conservation International is a non-profit organization that aims to promote balance in the Earth’s ecosystem by supporting education and research about bats and embarks on p...

Learning Ally, a non-profit organizati...

In 1930, when a drought hit Dust Bowl, a known waterfowl habitat, the number of ducks found in the area plummeted as their habitat dried out, a group of hunters came together to begin a conservation effort called More Game Birds. This organization was founded by a group of hunters who wanted to give back to nature and make sure that there are more than enough waterfowl to go around. In 1937, Publishing and Insurance mogul Joseph P. Knapp who was one of the driving forces behind More Game Bi...

Public policy changes society and, in turn, groups, families and individuals. With this in mind, the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) works toward the improvement of public policies regarding breast cancer research including its diagnosis, treatment and management.

The non-profit organization is one of the leading grassroots advocacy organizations in the industry. Its status is partly due to its active participation in the communities where breast cancer patients and survivors as we...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of Americans diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes has increased from 5.6 million in 1980 to 20.9 million in 2011 – and counting. The Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation (DRWF), a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1993, is a leading force in the prevention, management, and research into a cure, of the silent yet widespread disease.

The DRWF’s ultimate mission is providing assistance in finding the cu...

Founded in 1970, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) uses the current laws and treaties related to the Native American community for the benefit of Native Americans. Its voluntary board of directors, attorneys, and staff work toward ensuring that the U.S. federal government and the U.S. state governments perform their legal obligations based on these agreements – truly, a noble endeavour considering the injustices committed against the Native American community.

The non-profit organiz...

The Prevent Cancer Foundation (PCF) may have changed its name several times – it was formerly known as the Cancer Research Foundation of America and the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation – but its dedication to be at the forefront of the fight against cancer has remained. The United States-based charity is one of the most reliable health organizations in the country, thanks to its compliance with the Better Business Bureau’s 20 Standards of Charity Accountability and its leadi...

Contrary to its name, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) does not only advocate for people with cerebral palsy but also for people with other physical and mental disabilities. The non-profit organization provides education, advocacy and support services for their beneficiaries with the goal of ensuring a life without limits for them. Its founders, board of directors and staff members, even its donors and contributors, advocate independence, productivity and inclusivity via full citizenship status ...

Dress for Success is a worldwide organization that aims to help women become financially independent by providing them with clothes and accessories that they can w...

The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance is a non-profit organization that helps people suffering from Tuberous Sclerosis Complex or TSC. Their main goal is to help find a cure for TSC and to help improve the lives of those who are suffering because of this disease.

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex is a disease that affects almost a million people all over the world. In the United States alone, it is estimated that there are 50,000 people living with this disease. The numbers may not be as large as many ...

Tiger Woods and his father, Earl, founded the Tiger Woods Foundation (TWF) in 1996. The organization aims to provide young people with college-access programs with a focus on math, science, technology, and engineering.

The flagship program of the TWF is the Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC) in Southern California. The 35,000 square foot campus provides an interactive learning environment for scholars from the 5^th to the 12^th grade. Aside from academics, the TWLC also offers enrichment pr...

Kids need supplies like pencils, paper, crayons, and the like in order to learn and participate in class activities. Unfortunately, many youngsters can’t afford to buy these supplies. Teachers have been known to spend money out of their own pockets in order to make sure that all the students in their class have everything they need. This is an example of going above and beyond the call of duty, especially since public school teachers don’t make a lot of money. A Gift for Teaching is a n...

Marfan syndrome is a serious genetic condition which, at times, can be life threatening depending on which part of the body is affected. Early diagnosis is key to saving the life of a person with a life-threatening form of this condition. Unfortunately, many people do not know that this condition exists and don’t know what to look for. If the symptoms come out later in life, this may put the life of the person with Marfan syndrome in danger. Statistics show that 1 in every 5,000 people ha...

The world is one big community and we are all neighbors. As neighbors, we should be living together in harmony and helping each other out when one is in need. Good Neighbors does just that. This non-profit organization helps those in need to build a better future for themselves by initiating programs that have a lasting effect.

Founded in 1991, Good Neighbors began its operations by helping disadvantaged kids living in Seoul, South Korea. They implemented projects to help children and adu...

Traditional education offered nationwide by public schools all over the country is not for everyone. Luckily there are Public Charter Schools that provide alternative ways of learning to students who wish to study in a unique learning environment without having to pay expensive tuition fees for private schools. A cross between a public school and a private school, public charter schools are private entities receiving public funds in order to operate. Many also raise funds and ask for donati...

The LULAC National Educational Service Centers, Inc. (LNESC) is the educational arm of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). It aims to provide students within the country’s vast Hispanic community with high standard educational opportunities in order to prepare them to become productive members of society.

The LNESC was founded in 1973 after the successful implementation of one of LULAC’s programs that began in 1968. That program provided financial aid and help with c...

Time Out Youth (TOY) was founded by Tonda Taylor in 1991 to help the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth of Charlotte, North Carolina by empowering them and providing them with a safe environment where they can get support and affirmation that they don’t get from society.

Aside from providing LGBTQ youth aged 11-20 with the support they need, TOY also advocates for them by promoting awareness and understanding of what it means to be LGBTQ. They also promote accepta...

The people involved with Miria...

Books do more than entertain people. They broaden one’s horizons, educate people and inspire readers to do more with their lives. Unfortunately, there are some parts of the world where books are scarce and education is something people only dream about.

Founded in 1954, Bookaid International brings books to these places and distributes them to libraries, schools, and universities. The program was initiated by Lady Hermione Ranfurly, wife of the Governor General of the Bahamas back then. ...

Seriously and terminally ill individuals need all the care they can get. Most hospice facilities provide the bare essentials, but there are those that go above and beyond in order to provide the best possible care for their patients.

Capital Caring is one of the pioneers of hospice care in America. Since its inception, the organization has helped countless patients and their families by offering a number of services that help improve their quality of life. Aside from extraordinary hospice ...

HIV/AIDS is a widespread problem that affects people all over the world regardless of age, gender, race, or sexual preference. One of the main reasons why this issue is still so rampant is the lack of proper education about what the disease really is, how it is contracted, and how it can be managed.  There are many non-profit organizations devoted to AIDS research and the search for the cure, and there are those which aim to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention and help those who are ...

The 100 Black Men of America, Inc. is an organization that helps African American communities improve and uplift their lives through mentoring and education. They provide mentoring services to young people to help them develop into productive members of society. They also provide scholarships to deserving kids and make sure that children with special educational and behavioral needs are given the attention they need. The organization also has programs that promote health and wellness and ec...

Angel’s Place was established in 1984 to help single parents from low-income families in Pittsburgh to continue with their education in order to ensure a brighter future for their children. The organization aims to address the problem of poverty among single-parent families, most of which have parents that have not finished school and can’t get a good job.

From a single location, Angel’s Place has expanded over the years and has built two more centers across the city. This enables m...

The National Association for the Deaf (NAD) was established by leaders who themselves were hearing impaired. The organization was founded in 1880 to serve as an advocate for the rights of deaf people all across the United States. Since its inception, the NAD has been actively fighting for the well being of the deaf population and has successfully lobbied for the passing of some laws that would benefit not just the hearing impaired, but people with other disabilities as well.

The rights the...

The American Red Cross of Central Texas and its committed volunteers work toward providing assistance to neighborhoods in crisis and, in so doing, provide hope and comfort to people. The organization has certainly been active in the region because of the manmade accidents and natural disasters that have befallen the area and its surrounding regions.

While the organization was first established in 1916 as the Travis County Chapter, its present name was adopted only in 2011. No matter its na...

The youth is the future of our nation. This is an oft-repeated adage that the Junior Achievement of New York (JA New York) takes to heart because, indeed, the youth of today will be the leaders of tomorrow – and the leaders of today must prepare them for success in the global economy.

JA New York, a non-profit organization, connects their volunteers with students in all K-12 grades with the purpose of providing them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to become successful individua...

MHA works toward touching the lives of millions diagnos...

Its awards speak for the organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in addressing the issues surrounding maternal health worldwide. Family Care International (FCI) was awarded the 2008 United States Population Award and the 2013 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, among other recognitions, both of which are testament to its dedication and determination toward making pregnancy and childbirth safer for women in 18 countries across Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbe...

The organization’s programs and ...

Every day, 42 children are diagnosed with cancer. CureSearch, also known as the National Childhood Cancer Foundation, seeks effective treatment for the various types of cancer among children and, thus, lessen the physical and mental anguish experienced by these patients and their families.

The national non-profit foundation provides funding for innovative research into cancer treatments as well as serves as the authoritative source for resources, information and support for interested indi...

Complete integration into society with equality as the basis – this is the ultimate purpose of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) for people with vision loss in any degree and for any cause. The non-profit organization works toward the removal of various forms of discrimination for the visually handicapped, the enjoyment of the rights afforded to them including the right to exercise their capacities, and the education of the public regarding these matters.

Indeed, the organizatio...

The “Dirty Dozen” is not a list of cops and criminals ala Dirty Harry style. Instead, it is a list issued by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) of foods with the highest levels of pesticide residues, a list that attracts nationwide media attention and changes consumer perception of healthy foods on their tables.

What is the Environmental Working Group (EWG)? It is a well-known environmental organization with headquarters in Washington, D.C. and founded by the power duo Ken Cook and ...

The Chesapeake Bay traverses 6 states, spans 64,000 square miles, and hosts more than 3,000 species of flora and fauna as well as more than 17 million people along its shores. It is, indeed, a national treasure but it is deteriorating at a disturbing rate.

Enter the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), a non-profit independents-conservation organization exclusively devoted to saving the Bay via restoration, conservation and protection programs. Founded in 1967, the foundation has adopted “Sa...

The United States of America may be many things to many people – the land of milk and honey, for example – but it is well-known to be one of the most compassionate countries in the world with billions of dollars poured into relief, rehabilitation and rescue programs worldwide. Operation USA reinforces the American brand of compassion for its fellowmen regardless of race, religion and gender by contributing to the American people’s combined efforts on the matter.

Established in 1979...

Canada and the United States are home to the largest communities of Mennonites around the world; as of 2012, there were approximately 1.7 million Mennonites worldwide. The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) certainly has plenty of members able and willing to provide assistance including resources to its noble cause.

Organized in Chicago on 27 September 1920, MCC was established as a food relief response to the starving Mennonites in Ukraine. But its founders soon realized that its exclusive a...

The National Rifle Association (NRA) Foundation is at the forefront of shooting sports in the United States, a tradition that has earned it both praise and criticism from society. The debates about guns and their effect on individuals, groups and societies are always contentious because of the wide range of opinions.

The NRA Foundation, nonetheless, was established for a purpose - to support education programs about shooting sports. It prides itself on being the country's largest charitabl...

A world living in peace. The International Peace Institute (IPI) works with organizations, groups and individuals particularly with the United Nations and its Secretariat and members in promoting effective multilateral approaches and responses to peace, safety and security issues around the world. The institute specializes in research, analysis and policy development for world peace, thus, providing valuable inputs in counteracting the wide range of threats and in reinforcing the strengths ...

Public Citizen Foundation, a non-profit organization, prides itself on being one of the premier consumer rights advocacy groups and leading think tanks in the country. Its pride rests not just on its accomplishments in the protection of consumer rights but also on its fierce independence - the organization neither participates in partisan pol...

Who would have thought that moustaches can be used for noble advocacies? But such is the case with Movember Foundation, a non-profit foundation that conducts an annual event designed to raise awareness of issues related to men's health including prostate cancer.

Why Movember? It is a portmanteau of "mo", the Australian-English slang for moustache, and "November", the month when the foundation conducts its ever-growing annual charity event. It also helps that Movember sounds like "move memb...

Compassion & Choices, a non-profit organization, advocates for and ensures access to options regarding the right to die with dignity especially in terminal cases and progressive diseases. Basically, its members work toward the...

The fund is ut...

The Quaker community has a reputation for being good Christians, such as in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick. The Quaker Homeless Action is just another manifestation of the tight-knit communities' dedication to putting Jesus Christ's mission for the marginalized of society.

The national charity was established in the mid-1960s when a group of Quakers opened a Christmas soup facility to offer food, friendship and cheer to homeless people in Central London. The ...

Social change is a gradual process mainly because of the scope of the changes involved, said changes of which can be an alteration of the order, behaviour, and relations in society. But the first step toward social change is taking it one step at a time - or in the case of SkyWorks Charitable Foundation, one film at a time.

SkyWorks, established in 1983 as a nonprofit documentary organization, prides itself on its adoption of a three-pronged approach toward social change - as a cataly...

Every year, more than 400,000 Americans and more than 5 million people worldwide are killed by tobacco, a number that makes smoking cigarettes the leading cause of preventable death. Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded by private donations, works toward fighting tobacco smoking especially where it concerns children's health.

Established in 1996, the non-profit organization does not accept funding from the government and the tobacco industry, a necessa...

Child abduction has negative impact on both the child and his/her family and, in consequence, on society. Child Find of America, Inc., founded in 1980 by Gloria Yerkovich after the abduction of her child, works toward the prevention and resolution of child abduction cases in the United States. Indeed, the national non-profit organization wants to reunite - or at least, to assist in reuniting - abducted children with their concerned families, thus, contributing to societal welfare.

Child Fi...

Established in 1946, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind has made the lives of visually impaired people better in many ways. It is well known for its meticulous matching program between applicants and guide dogs wherein the guide dog chosen for the human meets his/her personality, physical needs, and lifestyle, among other factors. It is, indeed, a foundation that knows the strong inseparable bond that can develop between a human and a guard dog, perhaps his/her best friend for life.

Th...

Sight - it is arguably the most important of the five senses yet nearly 300 million people worldwide have visual impairments in varying degrees. Yet 80% of all types of visual impairment can be prevented and cured by blindness prevention strategies including cataract surgery.

This is where the Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) comes in to enable people to keep or regain their sense of sight. In the process, FHF enables their beneficiaries to regain control of their lives and to give them hop...

Most, if not all, non-government organizations are working to get themselves out of a job - and Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) is not an exception to the norm. The foundation provides for a simple yet effective and efficient solution for combating malaria in over 35 countries in Africa particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and South America - long-lasting insecticide-treatment mosquito nets.

Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, affects over half a billion people with a million death to...

Man is considered as the most dangerous predator on Earth because his actions can send many animals into extinction. The likes of the Zoological Society of San Diego works toward bringing man and animals closer in harmony, thus, ensuring that the Earth's diversity becomes more varied - or at least, remain at its present level (i.e., significant reduction in the extinction rate).

The Zoological Society of San Diego, a non-profit organization, has one of the world's largest memberships of an...

Albert Einstein is not only the most famous scientist of our time but he is also the inspiration behind one of the world's largest provider of humanitarian aid, relief and development - the International Relief Committee (IRC). Established in 1933, the IRC now maintains a welcome presence in over 40 countries and 22 cities in the United States where people affected by natural disasters, civil wars, and international wars, among other crises, are provided with services in helping them surviv...

Family Care International (FCI), an international non-profit organization, paid attention to an issue that many others have neglected - maternal health. Its full complement of qualified healthcare professionals provide for dedicated maternal health services specifically in prenatal and childbirth services, a dedication that has saved and continues to save lives in 18 countries across Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. 

Because the mother is the traditional primary caregiver of child...

For patients afflicted with life-threatening blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, and their families, the hope of finding The Match is a life-affirming decision. Indeed, a cure exists for these blood cancers but its success lies in finding the match necessary for blood marrow transplant. 

And this is where Be The Match comes in. The non-profit organization operated by the National Marrow Donor Program has worked for the past 25 years in matching donors with recipients for blood ma...

Its purpose are three-fold, namely:

• Assist in the establishment and development of community organizations;
• Bring positive attention to poverty-related national issues; and
• Aid in ensuring that government programs address community needs.

Indeed, the com...

The Committee for Missing Children has an avowed mission of becoming one of the most effective and efficient parent advocacy groups in the United States. The organization adheres to a two-fold goal:

•        Distribute pho...

Sometimes, a tragic event becomes the inspiration for hope and such is the case with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, also known as Komen. Established in memory of Susan Goodman Komen who died from breast cancer in 1980, the non-profit organization works "to end breast cancer forever".

Komen is the most famous breast cancer advocate in the world because of its high-profile campaigners, successful campaigns, and recognizable logo (i.e., the pink ribbon resembling a runner in motion). The lo...

The numbers are impressive - over 110 million Americans as members since its inception in 1910 and over 2.7 million youth members coupled with over 1 million adult volunteers. The Boy Scouts of America, indeed, has earned the right to be one of the United States' largest youth organizations.

But beyond the numbers, the Boys Scouts of America has made and continues to make impressive achievements, thus, earning it the right to be called one of the most important organizations in nation-buil...

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has come a long way from its humble beginnings yet there is still a long way to go in its fight against rare disorders. From its informal coalition consisting of support groups, the American non-profit organization has made and continues to make significant advancements in its advocacy.

One of its early, and most notable, successes is the passage of the Orphan Drug Act by the United States Congress in 1983. The act facilitates the researc...

Now in operation for over four decades, the SickKids Foundation has engaged in fundraising and philanthropic activities geared toward investments in scientific breakthroughs in health and medicine particularly in the pediatric aspect. Together with its partners, donors an...

The San Francisco-based organization continues to enjoy great success in its endeavors partly due to its effective, efficient and responsive collaborations with partner organizations, local communities, a...

Located in the Windy City, Shedd Aquarium is a pioneer in many respects because it was the first indoor aquarium with a permanent collection of saltwater fishes. Its marine attractions beckon to over 2 million visitors from all over the country, ev...

The ALS Association is an American not for profit organization that was created to promote awareness and advocacy for research and services for those who are suffering from the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Also referred to as ...

Working closely in the state of New York specifically in the city of New York, City Harvest is a non-profit organization that is involved in food rescue and distribution. The group works under their tag line...

The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is a non-profit organization that aims to address the issue of gun violence in the country. This organization is an affiliate of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Viole...

One of the groups that heeded the call of humankind for relief and emergency operations is Food for the Hungry. Also referred to as FH, this international non-profit organization has operations in more than 20 countries and has fed millions of hungry sou...

The comprehensive approach adopted by Y...

Each day, approximately 22,000 children die due to poverty (UNICEF) with most dying quietly and invisibly in the poorest villages. Young Lives works toward changing the impact of childhood poverty on children and their families in particular and on society in general.

The approach adopted by Young Lives, however, can be considered novel. By studying childhood poverty across several countries, the researchers work toward ending it in meaningful ways.

The international study involves 12...

Rainforest Action Network (RAN) is certainly no slouch when it comes to protecting the rainforests and, in the process, challenging corporations in their impact on these ecosystems. One of its foremost victories, which also catapulted it into the national stage, was in organizing a grassroots campaign that resulted in Burger King's withdrawal from a $35 million beef contracts with the potential of adversely affecting Central American rainforests.

Indeed, RAN does not run away from worthy c...

While there are many environmental groups in the world today - truly, a good thing for society - Earthjustice stands out because of its excellent track record in the industry. It has been recog...

The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital located in Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1996 when the Beth Israel Hospital and New England Deaconess Hospital (formed in 1916 and 1896, respectively) merged, the teaching hospital is an independent institution ranked as one of the top recipients of funding for biomedical research from the National Institutes of Health. With close to $200 million in funding every year, the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical...

As a non-profit organization, Catalyst has been around since 1962. This group has been promoting inclusive workplaces for women and has championed its advocacy in promoting equality in the work environment.

Felice Schwartz, a feminist and renowned writer founded the group. As an equality champion, the organization publishes an annual census of women who are in the management and those who are in the corporate boards of the Financial Post 500 and Fortune 500 companies. They also roll out th...

Instead of acting directly on environmental issues, the group uses its funding to finance and sponsor the efforts of several organizations that are deemed environmentally friendly. The...

To end the American “War on Drugs” has always been the advocacy of Drug Policy Alliance, a non-profit organization based in New York City. The group was founded in July 2000 after the Lindesmith Center and the Drug Policy Foundation merged.

The organization is led by their executive director Ethan Nadelmann and prioritizes the decriminalization of responsible drug use, open dialog about drugs between parents and the youth and the promotion of treatment and harm reduction in response to...

The organization is now an international network of environmental organizations that cover more than 70 countries. This not for profit organization now has over 5,000 local activist groups that started as an anti-nuclear gr...

There’s more than one way to help society. Money goes a long way, as does volunteering. Licensed mental health counselor, nationally certified eating-disorder specialist, and best-selling author Dr. Gregory Jantz, founder of The Center for Counseling and Health Resources, Inc., shares his expertise and wisdom with the masses as a contributor to The Huffington Post online and as a guest speaker internationally. His topics range from the new tough security checks at National Football League g...

It was in 1991 that World Help got founded as a faith-based organization whose endeavor revolves around spreading the word of God to the nations of Eastern Europe where the majority are starving spiritually.

It was in 1993 that their Humanitarian Aid Department started with shipments of goods to Cancer Hospital #62 in Moscow, Russia. In 1996, the non-profit organization’s effort expanded to include three countries. Other than their movement of church planting, the organization is now determi...

The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) is a non-profit charitable institution that focuses on providing support to families of children diagnosed with cancer. The organization is also involved in funding research projects that target the prevention of the disease.

The ACCO was established in 1970 by parents of children who had survived cancer. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization’s initial focus was to create awareness in the government and to lobby for more resources to...

In a democratic society, we have been taught since early childhood that nobody is above the law – not even law enforcers. Like anybody else, law enforcers can at times get into situations wherein they would have to defend their actions in the line of duty in front of a court of law. Unfortunately, the cost of enlisting specialized defense counsels can be a bit more than a law enforcement officer can afford.

The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF) was founded by David Henderson Martin ...

In the highly developed world that we live in today, it can sometimes be unimaginable that human rights violations would still exist. Unfortunately, they do and a good part of the population living in advanced, protected, and highly sophisticated communities and countries can often forget that there are people on this planet who are being subjected to human rights violations every single minute of every day. It is also saddening that some of the supposedly civilized individuals and groups are...

Created in 1982, Houston Food Bank is an organization that feeds about 137,000 people each week. Through its soup kitchens, pantries, senior centers, and other facilities, it has reached out to those in need and suffering from hunger in Texas. The institution also works hand in hand with other agencies by providing food and other needed items.

The charitable group now operates in a 308,000 square foot facility and is now the nation’s largest Feeding America food bank. This operation is als...

People who have intellectual and developmental disabilities need protection from abuse and other forms of violations. The Arc, formerly known as the The Arc of the United States, is a  charitable organization that works to promote the rights of these people. They also encourage these individuals’ inclusion and participation in the community.

Founded in the 1950s by the parents of individuals with developmental disabilities, the institution has changed their names several times to adapt to...

The Greater Boston Jewish community is the focus of Combined Jewish Philanthropies. This is in addition to their help extended to anyone in need and their advocacy to Israel. It was on April 25, 1985 that this charitable institution got created.

On their first Federation’s appeal, approximately 489 people answered to their call and they were able to raise a total of $11,909 donations. Their mission is to inspire the younger generation to embrace the Jewish life and learning and to forg...

It was in New York on April 10, 1866 that Henry Bergh created this foundation in respons...

“To preserve the land and waters on which all life depends”  is the main advocacy of the charitable institution based in Arlington, Virginia. Working in all 50 states and with presence in 30 other countries, the Nature Conservancy was founded in 1951. It now has over 1 million members and is raking in revenue of $1.65 billion.

Through the efforts of their first president, Cyrus Mark, they were able to make their first purchase – the Volo Bog. This institution has more than 119 mill...

The American Heart Association is by far the oldest and the largest volunteer organization focused on fighting cardiovascular diseases. Headquartered in Dallas Texas, the foundation has more than 22.5 million supporters and volunteers working on the efforts to reduce deaths and disability caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke.

This charitable organization is working on their mission of “building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.” Founded by a  group ...

There are over 300 independent Lutheran health and human service organizations that the Lutheran Services in America coordinates. Considered as a non-profit corporation, the group also works with other organizations that are affiliated in any way to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and other human service organizations.

Despite the name, the organization doesn’t limit their assistance to just members of the Lutheran church, in fact the majori...

Providing the needed medicines and other critically needed supplies are the two main missions of the non-profit organization based in Goleta, California. Named Direct Relief International, the group is on the move of improving the quality of life by distributing these supplies to health care providers worldwide.

Based on private support, the institution is considered as the largest international non-profit group in California by Chronicle of Philanthropy. This organization is also one of...

You would be surprised what you can accomplish if your idea is less than perfect but your heart is in the right place.  This is what happened when the Reverend Ray S. Wilkie, a Lutheran minister, made a missionary trip to Latvia and Russia back in 1992.  These were countries that had just witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union and were now in desperate need of food and basic goods.  The reverend envisioned a train that would go across the American heartland and gather food to ship to th...

If all rules and regulations for incarceration were followed, being in prison would be difficult enough.  However, the prison environment is a brutal place and many prisoners say that they learn more about crime inside the slammer than out.  The battle for a safe environment is unending.  One of the most pervasive problems is prison rape.  As terrible as it is, it is often difficult to get authorities to take the problem seriously.  Just Detention, a prison advocacy group believes that this...

Unlike any other charitable institutions, Good360 focuses on the new and nonperishable products of companies that are already considered as obsolete, slow moving and seasonal products. They help out these companies effectively dispose these items through pre-qualified charities, schools and other organizations that are in need of these products.

Created in 1983, Group360 has received various citations including those from Forbes and the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy for th...

Reaching out to over 122 million people with their 1015 poverty fighting projects in over 84 countries are just some of the statistics that the organization has reported in 2011. Care USA has been ranked as the 24^th largest U.S. charities and is one of the oldest and largest humanitarian aid organizations.

Focusing on the fight against poverty, emergency relief and long term international development projects, the organization headquartered in Atlanta Georgia is taking their cause globa...

Convoy of Hope is a faith-based non-profit organization that has been spreading hope and giving help for almost two decades now. They reach to their beneficiaries by facilitating children’s feeding and community outreach programs. They also offer assistance during disasters. Since establishment, they have already served over 55 million people across the world.

Convoy of Hope was formed in 1994 and slowly, it has developed into a global movement that collaborated with government agencie...

In the United States, some parents struggle to give their children clothes and toys while other parents try to figure out where to store all the clothes and toys their kids have.  Most of us would see this and just roll our eyes.  Lynn Margherio saw that her nephews and nieces had too many clothes and saw an opportunity to make a change; she saw an opportunity to help the underprivileged kids in her hometown in Boston.  Thus Cradles to Crayons (“C2C”) was born.  The organization, which ...

Soliris, a drug distributed to treat rare disorders like Hemolytic-uremic syndrome and Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria is currently being manufactured and developed by Alexion Pharmaceuticals.

The company is the only manufacturer of approved drugs for the two ultra-rare disorder that is life threatening and is the result of a genetic disorder. They are involved in various researches on the immune system while focusing on how it can be stopped from attacking healthy tissues.

Alex...

One of the greatest ways to change the world is not only to give people a hand, but to give them a means to change their lives forever.  This change can be facilitated through education, training, or the right tools.  However, there is something else that is often missing: proper financing.  Any businessperson knows that the best-laid plans can collapse without capitalization.  Opportunity International saw this need in developing countries and created financial vehicles that provide the me...

Considered a nondenominational evangelical Christian humanitarian organization, Samaritan’s Purse was founded in 1970 by Bob Pierce. He met Franklin Pierce who thereafter became the president of the organization after Pierce’s death in 1978.

Pierce, who founded the World Vision in 1950, envisioned Samaritan’s Purse “to be in crisis areas and meet emergency needs through existing national churches and evangelical mission agencies”. True enough, the organization started their lar...

Since its founding in 1979, Feed the Children has helped out the less fortunate around the world. In fiscal year 2011 alone, the group has distributed more than 104 million pounds of food including other essentials to families and children. They don’t limit their works to the 50 states but they have also done their charitable deeds internationally.

They have continued on working on their mission “to provide hope and resources to those without life’s essentials” together with the...

Access to educational facilities is a major burden for the developing world.  Many children in Africa are unable to attend schools for lack of classrooms.  In 2002, a high school student from Harvard, Massachusetts named Kyla McKenna decided she would do something about this situation.  She put her plan into action and Build a School in Africa was born.  The organization’s initial goal was to build a single school.  They have long since surpassed that, building ten schools over the past d...

In 1877, the Reverend Willard Parsons ...

Christine Stevens, known as the Mother of the Animal Protection Movement, founded the Animal Welfare Institute in the year 1951. Its main goal is to alleviate the fear and pain caused by humans to animals. They started their campaign with tending to the needs of those animals used for experimentation. Later on, they expanded their works to include other areas of animal suffering that the foundation can address.

With the help of the Society for Animal Protective Legislation, their legisla...

Cástulo de la Rocha has led AltaMed Health Services Corporation as President and CEO since 1977. The nonprofit organization provides quality health and dental care and a range of other services to a primarily Latino population in underserved areas of Los Angeles and Orange Counties in Southern California. Under Cástulo de la Rocha’s direction, the health care provider has grown from one clinic in East L.A. to 44 clinics and senior care centers, and from three paid employ...

• Health, HIV and AIDS
• Agriculture and Food Security
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
•  Resettlement and
• Women’s Empowerment

They have reached out and helped families in 35 countries with their over 2,500 project...

They started with the mission of granting wishes for kids with life threatening conditions and since its founding in 1997, they have created additional programs to help kids worldwide. Dedicated to pr...

Statistics have shown that a child dies every 21 seconds because of water-related illness. Come to think of it, the world is made up of 70% water and yet the scarcity of clean water is still a problem. About a billion of the world’s population doesn’t have access to clean water and 200 million hours a day are spent by women across the globe to collect potable water.

Water is life and everyone has the right to clean water. This is the advocacy of Water.Org, to make a change and supply...

Fortunately, the likes of EnterpriseWorks/VITA (EWV) have several programs designed to combat poverty in countries like Nigeria, Tanzania and Ghana as well as in the Philippines, Guinea and Nepal, among others. The programs are bas...

Their service doesn’t just end in providing education to the underprivileged Iranian children as they also extend their works to helping out the entire family alleviate their hardships. The group mitigates their burdens by paying for their healt...

After the 2004 earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused a tsunami that ravaged Sri Lanka and several other neighboring countries, F.K. Day and his wife Leah Missbach Day wasted no time helping out in the relief efforts. They partnered with non-profit organization World Vision and distributed 24,000 bicycles to people in the devastated areas in Sri Lanka. The bicycles were to be used as a tool to help speed up the country’s economic recovery by giving people who have lost everything access to...

In 1988, a group of college students conceptualized and launched a summer camp for the children in Camden, New Jersey. Their goal was to provide these children with a safe and nurturing environment where they can learn and express their creativity. The camp also aimed to protect these children from the dangers that the city streets are known for. The idea for this summer camp came from the call of sociologist, author and speaker Dr. Tony Campolo who urged people, most especially Christians ...

CEDARS (Home for Kids) is a non-profit 501 © (3) organization that aims to serve as a safe and secure haven for more than 3,500 children and youth annually. A United Way partner, it is also a top-rated charity recognized by the American Institute of Philanthropy, a nationally renowned charity watchdog organization.

In a nutshell, CEDARS exists to help children who have been neglected, abused, and left homeless acquire security and safety. It is also dedicated to promoting lasting family ...

Alzheimer’s is a progressive, degenerative brain disorder that attacks the nerve cells, also known as neurons. It results in memory loss and drastic changes in the patient’s thinking and language skills, as well as behavior. Unfortunately, many individuals are affected by this disease globally. It is among the health problems that affect not only the patients themselves but their entire families, too. Thus, finding help and assistance in the form of a caring organization is one of the t...

The Nurse-Family Partnership is a community health program aimed at transforming the lives of first-time moms and their children. By implementing home visits to low-income, first-time moms, registered nurses are able to provide them with the care and support they need to ensure a healthy pregnancy as well as to properly care for their children and to become self-sufficient economically. Starting from pregnancy until the baby turns two, Nurse-Family Partnership forms trusting relationships w...

Spindletop Charities, Inc., also known as Spindletop International, is a 501 ©(3) corporation established by Loy D. “Butch” Griffin in 1966. It was launched to fulfill the founder’s mission to build an organization that promotes fellowship and goodwill within the gas and oil industry, and at the same time, providing assistance to children and youth in need.

Griffin has successfully built a solid reputation for the organization. Even after his death in 1984, Spindletop was able to su...

IOCC or the International Orthodox Christian Charities is a non-profit, charitable organization that seeks to offer emergency relief and facilitate development programs for the benefit of those in need in all parts of the world. They perform their tasks without discrimination and work to strengthen the ability of the Orthodox Church to respond to its beneficiaries.

The International Orthodox Christian Charities, Inc. was established in March 1992 in response to the need expressed by some o...

Food For the Poor is one of the largest interdenominational relief and development organizations in the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Ferdinand Mahfood and is now led by Robin Mahfood. Aside from feeding the poor in 17 Caribbean and Latin American countries, Food For The Poor provides health care, education, housing, and emergency relief to these countries. The organization has stable funding. According to a 2012 survey by Forbes Magazine, Food For The Poor is the 6^th largest recip...

Oxitec is a UK-based biotech company that pioneered a whole new way of dealing with the deadly dengue fever. About 50 to 100 million people worldwide suffer from dengue every year, it is known as one of the major causes of sudden death everywhere in the world. In the last 50 years, the number grew 30-fold. The major issue lies in controlling Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the carrier of the deadly disease.

Aside from dengue, Oxitec is also dealing with agricultural pests that destroy farmers’ c...

Anand Charity is a U.S. based non-profit, non-religious, and non-political organization committed to bringing high quality education and healthcare through launching and maintaining projects in India. It is fully run by a team of dedicated volunteers who are hoping to help alleviate the different forms of struggles dealt with by the less fortunate people in their nation of focus.

The charity’s name came from the Hindi word ‘anand’ which means happiness or joy. Thus, it is committed t...

Our lives are intertwined by family relationships, health, leisure, recreation and lifestyle. However, in these modern times, the quality of our living is dependent on how we are able to balance the difficulties of daily life. This is where Science Inc. provides its greatest contribution. Science provides advice and helps transform similar companies who share Science’s ambitions – to provide accessible solutions to the true problems of mankind that impact daily lives, such as time manag...

The founder and Chief Executive Officer of re:char, Jason Aramburu is a great force to reckon with in the field of social entrepreneurship. At the age of 27, he has built and distributed carbon-negative power plants that generate energy from wastes and replenishes soil in farming villages in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

A graduate of Princeton University, as a cum laude with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Aramburu has obtained extensive research experience in both l...

Many people spend their youthful years trying to make the most out of life through partying, buying the hottest items available in the market, travelling around the world and countless other You-Only-Live-Once-themed activities. But for Hugh Evans, it’s an entirely different story.

Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Evans puts his resources into good use by transforming the world into a better place, especially for the underprivileged and marginalized. He is the brains behind the Global Pover...

With the rising concern on climate change, the spotlight is on the business enterprise since they have the capacity and clout to make the earth a greener planet.  In 2002, 1% for the Planet (1% FTP) was launched by Yvon Chouinard and Craig Matthews with the idea that companies should be sensitive to their environmental impacts and contributions. 

With 1% FTP, businesses contribute 1% of their sales to an environmental group of their choice.  The first wave of the project invited twenty-...

Imagine a classroom that literally has no walls, where materials are what the earth offers and students are taught about leadership, survival skills and respect for environment.  In 1965, American mountaineer Paul Petzoldt imagined and wanted such classroom that he founded the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).  He was already an instructor at the Colorado Outward Bound School during that time but felt like there should be a school that focuses on molding leaders and educators major...

People familiar with Patch Adams, the film and/or the man, are well aware of his philosophy about medical care, which is that care is free; patients are treated as friends, there should be enough time for care interaction, the health of the staff and the patients are equally important, complementary medicine is welcome and that care is infused with fun and play.  Patch Adam, along with 19 of his friends, started the Gesundheit Institute through the free hospital in the early 1970s.  The hos...

The Foundation for International Assistance (FINCA) International was founded in 1984 by John Hatch with the idea that giving loans to entrepreneurs in poor communities will be more effective if the funds are left to the management of entrepreneurs themselves.  FINCA developed a microcredit methodology known as village banking.  The idea came from the fact that in developing countries, small-scale entrepreneurs find it hard to develop their business because they lack resources and therefore...

Founded by Ian Somerhalder, an American actor and model, the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, or the IS Foundation, aims to empower and educate while collaborating with people and projects that impact the planet and its inhabitants positively. Mainly, the IS Foundation views the environment as made up of interconnected organisms. Thus, living things are not differentiated. Animals, trees, humans are all the same and interdependent on one another, facing the same problems with the environment.

The It Gets Better Project was founded by Dan Savage and Terry Miller, partners, in response to the growing number of suicides of LGBT youths after being bullied. True to its name, the project aims to tell LGBT kids that it does get better. It Gets Better started out in September 2010 and in its first week received more than 200 videos. By its second week, It Gets Better reached its YouTube channel limit of 650 videos. From a simple YouTube channel, It Gets Better now has its own website ho...

Giving What We Can is an international network with a main goal of eradicating poverty in developing nations. Its members come from different economic statuses, nationalities, and ages, but are united under one belief that poverty is among the most critical issues that need attention.

With their desire to do something about the problem, they have each decided to take “the Pledge to Give”. And with their noble causes, they have pledged to give at least 10% of their incomes to projects o...

A lot of organizations and individuals make use of the Internet for different purposes. Most businesses use it as a marketing and selling platform while individual users utilize log on to the Web in order to find information and connect to the rest of the world. But for Chive Charities, this technology serves as a great avenue for them to propagate their cause, and to make that cause actually work.

Chive Charities is a non-profit organization that seeks to pursue abandoned causes that need...

She may be one of the world's most-coveted faces and the highest-paid model in the world today, but Gisele Bundchen has proven that she's more than just a gorgeous face and a beautiful body. The Brazilian fashion model turned actress and producer is currently the United Nations Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador, and has contributed thousands towards charitable causes such as Brazil's Zero Hunger program, the protection of the Amazon Rainforest water sources and several non-profit or...

Every human being has the right to be free – this is a basic necessity. Oppression, in all its forms, is unacceptable. Free the Slaves, an international, non-government organization based in Washington, D.C., is the world's largest lobby group fighting against slavery. Free the Slaves works in tandem with Anti-Slavery International, known as the world's oldest human rights group. Free the Slaves was established in light of research conducted by Dr. Kevin Bales regarding the role of modern...

Established in October 2005 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Kiva is a non-profit, non-government organization that allows individuals to lend money via the power of the internet to people living in underdeveloped countries. A realization of Jessica Jackley’s and Matt Flannery’s goals, the organization was inspired by a lecture given by banker Muhammad Yunus at Stanford University.

The organization is able to lend money to people though its partnership with 142 microfina...

Serving in the military, leaving home and getting deployed onto harm’s way is very difficult for every solider. But for those with families that they had to leave behind, it can even be more painful. Because of this, military service men and women often struggle to find something that they can send to their loved ones – especially for their young children – back home. Whether it is a letter, a piece of band aid or a bottle of sunscreen lotion it can mean the whole world to the little ...

Established in 2006 by Erna Grasz, a corporate executive of Silicon Valley, Emmy Moshi, a Tanzanian businesswoman residing in Kilimanjaro and Hellen Nkuraiya, a school principal and respected member of the Kenyan Maasai tribe, The Asante Africa Foundation is a non-profit, non-government association that aims to provide every African child with direct access to high quality education, regardless of his or her socioeconomic background.

Believing that education empowers people to make informe...

The Food for Everyone Foundation is a non-profit, non-government charitable organization that aims to support and nourish the understanding, development and distribution of ecologically friendly and non-polluting food production processes. By funding and backing up research, development and propagation of the best and most efficient gardening techniques and methods, as well as the finest information dissemination system and teaching approaches, the foundation hopes to provide individuals an...

When faced with war, poverty, and extreme suffering, it’s not uncommon to find that many people have lost hope. On the other hand, there are a rare few who don’t give up and strive for better. One of these exceptional people is Kimmie Weeks.

Weeks was born in 1981 in Liberia. The First Liberian Civil War erupted in the country ten years later. As a child, Weeks was forced to face the harsh realities of war – something a child should be shielded from. Even at his young age, he did eve...

In 2002, the United Buddy Bears project was set in motion to help promote peace and harmony among nations. The idea behind the project was to create a collection of Buddy Bears – each representing a United Nations member country – and put them on display for the entire world to see.  The sculptures were created by a team of artists from various countries around the world. The bears are posed with their hands up in the air and placed side by side as if they were holding hands. This exhib...

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute is a non-profit medical research institution that is considered to be one of the largest philanthropies in the United States. It plays an outstanding role in the advancement of science education and biomedical research in the nation.

Founded in 1953 by industrialist and aviator, Howard R. Hughes, the institute is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and boasts of more than 3,000 highly-skilled and knowledgeable employees all over United States. It has an endo...

Hope for Tomorrow is a non-profit, non-government agency committed to the provision of educational assistance, high-quality health care and several other human services to underprivileged communities. The organization works in collaboration with numerous groups and charitable agencies in delivering humanitarian commodities, relief and services to disadvantaged individuals and destitute regions. Its team is composed of professionals boasting of a vast spectrum of experiences, who works on mi...

When natural disasters or conflict results in a large number of people losing everything they have and being displaced, there are many humanitarian groups that come to their rescue and provide them with aid and relief goods. Unfortunately, for most of the victims of these tragic circumstances, the help they receive isn’t enough.

Mercy Corps is a non-profit humanitarian organization that aims not just to provide immediate relief to victims of extreme poverty, calamities, and war. They sta...

Like the rest of us, people with learning disabilities or any other type of physical impairment should get an equal chance at education and employment. Unfortunately, there aren’t many schools that offer specialized training and employment opportunities to those who can’t get it any other way.

The Where Next Association believes that physical disabilities should not be a hindrance to achieve a normal life. The association was founded in 1984 with the goal of improving the lives of thos...

The Artforum Culture Foundation is an independent non-profit organization that supports contemporary art and promotes cultural diversity all over the world. One of its main focuses is Grecian art and the regions under the Greek Diaspora.

The association aims to support emerging and established artists by annually staging prestigious art exhibitions, and by funding projects of various art organizations and initiatives such as European Cultural Centre, Icons of Our Time, Ostrale, Gulf Projec...

Caritas Internationalis is a coalition of 165 Roman Catholic development, relief and social service organizations operating in more than 200 countries across the globe. Individually and collectively, the confederation’s mission is to work on building a better world, especially for the oppressed and impoverished.

The first Caritas organization was founded by Graham Oldman in November 8, 1897 in Europe. A few years later, more Caritas organizations were formed in the United States and Swit...

A nondenominational Evangelical Christian nonprofit humanitarian organization, Samaritan’s Purse works to assist people with their physical needs as well as to introduce them to the Christian missionary work. Currently headed by Franklin Graham, the name of the association was derived from the New Testament’s Parable of the Good Samaritan, where Jesus narrated a parable to his people to teach them to “love your neighbor as you love yourself”.

Founded by Robert Pierce in 1970, the ...

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Scare for a Cure is a non-government, nonprofit association that raises funds for local charities, which include Breast Cancer Resource Centers. Every year, the organization stages an extreme, full-contact, interactive horror adventure set up in a haunted house, which runs for 45 minutes to one hour. The concept of combining a haunted house adventure and interactive games was conceived by Richard Gariott at his first haunted attraction, Brittania Manor, which...

The Food Allergy Initiative is a non-government, non-profit organization established in 1998. It aims to fund studies that help find cure, improve diagnosis and keep individuals safe through education and advocacies. It is the largest source of funding and support for food allergy-related research in America. As of 2011, the association has raised over $72 million and consistently receives four-star ratings from the Charity Navigator, one of United States’ largest and prestigious charity ev...

Cardiac Risk in the Young is a non-profit, charitable, humanitarian organization that helps in raising awareness in a wide range of cardiac-related disorders such as Coronary Artery Disease, Cardiac Myopathy, Myocarditis, Marfan Syndrome, Sudden Death Syndrome and Sudden Cardiac Death. Founded by Alison Cox in 1995 and headquartered in United Kingdom, the association initially promoted heart screenings and diagnostic exams for young people with a firm belief that considerable amount of good...

Whether it’s a non-profit organization raising money for a good cause, a company holding a charitable event in a community or individual raising money for his favorite charity, Network for Good can help.

Founded in 2001 by the people behind Yahoo!, Cisco Systems and America Online, the web-based charitable company has a wide selection of services that can help all kinds of clients raise funds and draw in online supporters. It also has the facility to give to any charitable organization...

It is a common knowledge that several artists working on their respective fields cannot support themselves financially. Many of them had to take other jobs in shops, schools and restaurants just to keep up with the demands of day-to-day life, leaving them only a small amount of time to create what could’ve been masterpieces and iconic works. Such need for support is something the entire world is familiar with. Throughout history, affluent citizens commissioned artists to create magnificen...

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a product of the collaboration between Sidney Farber, MD and philanthropist Charles A. Dana.

In 1947, Farber founded the Children’s Cancer Research Foundation which aimed not just to find a cure and preventive measures for cancer that afflicts children, but to provide children who suffer from cancer with the advanced and compassionate treatments they deserve. In 1969, the foundation expanded its reach to include research and treatment for cancer in pe...

Finding cures to chronic or life-threatening illnesses doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of research and millions of dollars in funding every year just to get one step closer to finding something that would help people survive cancer, diabetes and other potentially fatal diseases. There are many cancer research facilities across the nation, but few of them combine cutting edge research with optimum patient care.

City of Hope was established in 1913 by a group of visionary doctors ...

Children suffering from cancer and other grave illnesses are no different from healthy children. They want to learn, play, and live with dignity, just like any other child. Radio personality Don Imus and his wife Deirdre have seen how illness has stripped away the self esteem from these kids and they wanted to make a difference. In 1999, they founded The Imus Ranch. This sprawling ranch in Ribera, New Mexico is a working cattle ranch where children with cancer or serious blood diseases and ...

Poverty is a reality many people do not want to face. It’s not that they don’t care about others; it’s mostly because poverty and hunger is something that is difficult to process or comprehend for people who have never experienced it.  This apathetic sentiment also stems from ignorance of what’s going on. Many of those living in rich, developed nations have no idea about what’s going on in impoverished countries, but there are those who see what’s happening on the other side of ...

East Meets West is a charitable organization that designs, engineers and implements catalytic and sustainable solutions to a wide range of challenging developmental quandaries. Its major goal is to revolutionize the education and health care fields as well as assist communities of underprivileged individuals in Asia by establishing solid partnerships with relevant organizations, developing new and attainable opportunities for poverty-stricken people and crafting sustainable resolutions to v...

The Eppley Foundation for Research is a charitable organization that exists for the sole purpose of enhancing knowledge in the fields of pure and applied science. Through funding comprehensive research and informative publications, the foundation is able to support and provide encouragement to generations of researchers and scientists who are searching for insights and answers to the complex mechanisms of the world we live in.

The organization was founded in 1947 by physical chemist Captai...

Clean and potable drinking water is a necessity, but for people living in poverty stricken and underdeveloped countries, having water that’s safe to drink is more of a luxury. A group of Christians from Saint John, NB Canada heard about the plight of people in these countries and decided to do something about it. The Water Project was established in 2006 and has been working in partnership with in-country organizations in order work more efficiently. Since then, it has helped over 500 com...

The US Marines give their lives to serve and protect their countrymen, but that’s not where their dedication to their country and its people ends. For over 65 years now, Marine Reservists from all over the United States have been collecting toys and cash donations from individuals, groups, and corporations and distributing them to less fortunate children during the holiday season.

The Toys for Tots campaign began in 1947 when a group of Marine Reservists based in Los Angeles led by Major...

A non-government, non-profit, health promotion organization headquartered in Sydney, Australia, Healthy Kids School Canteen Association aims to promote and ensure the provision of healthy and nutritious foods in school cafeterias, as a response to the alarmingly high numbers of children suffering from diet-related illnesses and disorders as well as to build a solid foundation for a bright and healthy future.

Working on the premise that children and teenagers are experiencing rapid physical...

Being diagnosed with cancer can be extremely traumatic at any point in one’s lifetime, but even more so for teenagers and young adults who are still gaining a solid foothold in the world. At this stage, a young person will experience a vast array of concerns, ranging from their identity and independence, down to their relationships and careers. And though cancer may not be deemed as the end of one’s life, it can translate to the beginning of a long and painful process of treatment and s...

Established in 1999 by Dr. John Morrison, Acid Survivors Foundation is a Bangladesh organization that works against acid violence – an increasingly rampant occurrence among extremists and conservatives in Middle-eastern and Muslim-dominated countries. By raising awareness, preventing acid attacks and providing acid survivors with legal and medical aid, the Acid Survivors Foundation aims to provide victims with safer and better lives.

The core of Acid Survivor Foundation’s work revolves...

Founded in1982 by former United States President Jimmy Carter along with his wife Rosalynn Carter, The Carter Center is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that aims to wage peace, fight disease and build hope. It strives to provide millions of people, especially the underprivileged ones, with easy access to knowledge and skills that can be used to identify and utilize innovative and sustainable solutions that will improve their lives.

Since its inception thirty years ago, the Cart...

Children who are suffering from AIDS or infected with HIV ever so often end up in a situation that is more pitiful than anyone could ever imagine. These young souls are less likely to find sanctuary from their extended families or friends, and can become outcasts in their very own communities. While many charitable institutions and orphanages exist for the purpose of providing abused and abandoned children with comfortable shelters and food, not many are able to respond to the specific need...

Carefully tucked within the Southern region of Israel, the groundbreaking rehabilitative village of Aleh Negev is a sprawling multifaceted facility that offers severely disabled children and young adults the chance to live a full, rich and productive life within a comfortable and safe environment.

Established in 1982 by the Aleh Organization, Aleh Negev firmly believes that every individual, regardless of the form and severity of his or her cognitive, developmental and physical disability,...

Bread for the World is a Christian, non-partisan movement in the United States that aims to end hunger. The organization defines itself as a unified Christian voice encouraging the nation’s law makers to end hunger in the country and overseas. By modifying policies, improving programs and eradicating conditions that allow poverty and hunger to persist, it provides opportunity and assistance to communities far beyond where they live.

The organization was founded in the fall of 1972 by a s...

A box of provisions for disaster victims, blood for suffering patients, shelter when there’s nowhere else to go, emergency message delivered to soldiers from their families – these are just some of the things that the volunteers from American Red Cross busy themselves with. In the face of catastrophe and chaos, one can trust this volunteer-led humanitarian organization to empower people to do extraordinary acts in the most compassionate way.

The American Red Cross, also known as the Am...

A non-profit organization that encourages “positive behavioral values”, The Foundation for a Better Life, develops public service campaigns that communicate positive values such as caring, honesty, hard work, optimism and helping others. The foundation conveys its message through outdoor advertising, television, radio, theatre, and the internet. Viewers are urged to pass on these positive attributes and values to other people with the rationale that individuals who are living value-base...

Retired U.S. Air Force pilot and former Senior Vice President of Virgin America David Pflieger presently serves as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Air Pacific Ltd, a Fiji-based carrier that takes great pride in giving back to local community. Mr. Pflieger joined Air Pacific in 2010 and is widely credited with reinvigorating an enterprise that only recently suffered major profit losses. Today, Air Pacific and its subsidiary Pacific Sun stand poised to experience a new era of s...

During the 1980s, animal shelters all over United States routinely killed dogs and cats as a way of managing unwanted pets. More than 17 million animals die each year and sick, old and “problem” pets were always the first to go. As a form of retaliation to such abominable act, a small but strong team of individuals began taking in some of those unwanted animals to a sanctuary where they can heal. With the right care and patience, these animals fully recovered and found loving families. ...

Recognized as a front-liner in the world’s battle against hunger and malnutrition, Action Against Hunger saves the lives of millions of malnourished children through providing poverty-stricken and underprivileged communities with easy access to sustainable hunger solutions and safe water.

With its 30-year experience on emergency situations like war conflicts, chronic food shortages, and natural disasters, Action Against Hunger engineers and implements life-saving strategies in more than...

Founded in 1988 at the heart of England, Acorns Children’s Hospice Trust is a charitable foundation that offers a wide range of care to life-threatened and life-limited children and young individuals and their families across United Kingdom. These children and adolescents are unlikely to reach adulthood, and therefore require specialized and holistic care every hour of the day, every day of the year. As of the moment, Acorns support more than 650 children and 920 families in England.

Ac...

With an aim to transform the lives of children across the globe, Absolute Return for Kids is an international organization which develops programs and interventions that create the greatest developments in children’s lives by investing its benefactors’ money in the most effective way there is.

The foundation focuses on protection, education and health of children all over the world and works alongside, local, national and worldwide partners in developing innovative solutions that wil...

Founded in 2006 by celebrity chef and entrepreneur Rachael Ray, Yum – O! is a non-profit organization that allows children and their families to establish a healthy relationship with cooking and food through its three core areas: Cook, Feed and Fund.

Cook

Yum – O! educates kids and families about the world of culinary arts by providing them with an informative and interactive website that allows young chefs to explore gastronomic experiences and try out kid-friendly recipes. The we...

Jack Johnson has proven that he’s more than just one of the world’s most successful recording artists, having established the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation and the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation. He has also created the All at Once Campaign, supported the Australian Marine Conservation Society, the Inspire Foundation’s ActNow project and 1% for the Planet. Jack Johnson has also helped raise funds for Amnesty International.

The Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation aims to raise mon...

Malaria, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes, is one of the most deadly diseases in African nations, infecting 10 people per second and killing a child every minute. Nothing But Nets is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping to stop the spread of this disease. While Europe and North America has managed to combat malaria through advanced researches in science, technology and medicine, nations in Africa don’t have the same resources, much less access to such health care and treatmen...

The Trevor Project is an American non-profit organization catering towards providing suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, and questioning youths. It was founded by Randy Stone, Peggy Rajski, and James Lecesne in 1998, the same people behind the Academy Award-winning short film TREVOR. Taking place in 1981, TREVOR is a coming-of-age story about loving, losing, and learning to be just yourself. 

When TREVOR was about to air on HBO,...

Did you know that a child dies from a water-borne disease every 20 seconds? This is the plight that moved Just a Drop, an international water aid charity, to be launched in 1998. The charity was born out of the premise that if people can give just a little, and people can be encouraged to do so, then collective good will be achieved. In fact, Fiona Jeffrey, Just a Drop’s founder, was enlightened to learn that you can provide a child with clean water for up to a decade by just contributing...

Contrary to what people might say, culture and the arts form an integral part in molding young people to become expressive and responsible citizens. The Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation was founded to do just this. Established in 1995 by brothers Russell, Danny and Joseph Simmons, the charity seeks to provide disadvantaged youth of all races with exposure to the arts and give them a chance to shine. The foundation also believes that involving teenagers in the arts provides them with an ou...

According to the official website, “Elysium” means “a place or condition of ideal happiness”. Happiness is what The Art of Elysium has indeed been gearing towards its goal of giving children with serious medical conditions a chance to shine. This non-profit organization has a pool of volunteer artists who work with children in various performing arts workshops and activities. These workshops are tailored to help children cope with the emotional difficulties, illnesses and hospitaliz...

The 2010 earthquake in Haiti shocked the entire world, but before disaster even struck, Yele Haiti was already helping local Haitian communities. Founded in 2005 by musicians Wyclef Jean, Jerry Duplessis and Hugh Locke, Yele Haiti is a grassroots, non-profit organization that focuses on providing the country with emergency relief, youth development and opportunities for education, employment and addresses environmental issues.

Pre-earthquake, Yele Haiti had Yele Vert and the Youth Orches...

One of the biggest charities in the UK in terms of expenditure, The Prince's Trust was founded in 1976 by no other than Charles, Prince of Wales and heir to the throne of the country. The focus of the charity is to help disadvantaged youth, provide them with opportunities in education and later on, employment, and help them become healthy, responsible citizens. Around 40,000 young people are under The Prince's Trust every year, with some 80% successfully moving into fields of interest. The ...

Prostate Cancer Charity is a UK-based organization that focuses on helping men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive and live with a better quality of life. As the leading charity for men suffering from the said condition, they have three priorities. First, to develop programs geared at providing support and information for men. Second, to fund research on the treatment of the disease and to find answers to questions related to the disease. And third, to initiate and promote change, raise ...

“SOS Children – a charity where deeds speak louder than words.” These are the exact words of description that the Dalai Lama gave for SOS Children Charity. This statement represents SOS Children very well as they build families and communities, not headlines. This means, they may not be that known to the media, but their deeds are worth noting and spreading by those who are truly concerned in helping better the lives of orphaned young children.

SOS Children focuses on addressing the ...

Every charity that focuses on children’s welfare does their job according to their pre-set guidelines, based on their beliefs. It can be said that each of these charities has their own way of doing things. For Child's Play, improving the lives of children can be helped by providing them toys and allowing them to play games despite misfortunes or sickness.

Child's Play is the game industry charity established in 2003 that works together with the staff of different hospitals to generate fu...

The name of this charitable organization is as simple as the concept that honed it. However, the fulfillment of its mission and vision is not as plain or meek. For Scott Harrison who saw charity as the opportunity to use one's power and position to affect the lives of others for the better, establishing a charity, which main concern is to address the rising issue of water shortage, is one of the most practical ways to enhance human life globally.

In 2004, Scott Harrison left the streets of N...

A family enterprise that has grown to become one of the most successful furniture retailers in the nation, Hank's Fine Furniture opened its first store in Sherwood, Arkansas nearly forty years ago. Stocking a thoughtfully culled selection of merchandise for the home and office, the company’s Founder and current President Hank Browne quickly established himself as a local business leader thanks to his uncompromising standards of excellence regarding product quality and customer service. As t...

World Relief Charities is an international non-profit humanitarian organization that provides employment, health care assistance, and housing to US war veterans. They help shoulder the costs of rehabilitation and hospitalization of those with cancer, and assist in emergency relief, development assistance, and programs and services to communities prone to disasters. Their vision is aimed at bringing pride and dignity to war veterans as well as their families, provide healthcare and empower a...

Many charitable institutions prioritize the welfare of children. One of the most effective and successful ones is the Kids First Fund. Unlike most charities that focus on fighting poverty and its effects on children, Kids First Fund helps abandoned and abused children. Children who have experienced abuse can find the protection that they long for through the Fund. Furthermore, one of their goals is to empower young adults to become better individuals in the future, enriched with nothing but...

There may be a lot of charitable institutions with missions of fighting poverty, but this world has more than enough hardships for all of the current charities to handle. Rose Charities, a group of independent institutions based in different countries, are among those that exhibit unending faith in humanity and unwavering willingness to help save communities.

Rose Charities was established in 1998, in Cambodia, by a group of aid workers who found themselves tired with the bureaucracy and ...

Nobody could help people who are in need except for people themselves. Indeed, governments may provide assistance, organizations may initiate actions, but only the good nature of people can sustain the continuity of charity and goodwill. Outreach International, one of the premier charitable organizations of today, is among those institutions that believe in the force that is within the human race. They believe that people have the ability to end poverty and this is the reason why they inves...

According to statistics, one in 88 children in the USA has autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. ACT Today!, which stands for Autism Care and Treatment Today!, is a national non-profit organization that works to provide treatment and support services for families with children who have autism. ACT Today! believes that every child should be able to experience and live life to the fullest, and should have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

The main goal of the organization is two...

New York City is home to the world's largest cleft charity: The Smile Train, an organization founded in 1999 that has been providing free corrective surgery for children born with cleft lip and palate in more than 80 developing countries around the world. With massive support from doctors and other medical professionals, The Smile Train has helped over 750,000 children since it first started out.

Brian Mullaney, an advertising executive who worked with cosmetic surgeons, observed that m...

In 1964, the Federal Trade Commission required all tobacco products’ packaging to bear the “Surgeon General’s Warning” which informs consumers of the dangers of smoking. This was just the beginning on the war against smoking and surprisingly, it’s the little players that have scored the biggest.

The Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) was founded by John F. Banzhaf III in 1967. The non-profit organization is made up of professionals in the legal and medical field as well as concer...

Poaching and loss of habitat have been threatening the existence of mountain gorillas since the 1960s. In 1966, a brave woman named Dian Fossey sacrificed her health and safety in order to study mountain gorillas in Zaire (Congo) and later on in Rwanda where she founded the Karisoke Research Center in 1967. It was there that she was able to deliver vital information about mountain gorillas to the scientific community and the organizations that supported her studies. Despite the laws banning...

A dedicated physician who played an integral role in the neurosurgery and spine surgery programs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston for nearly a decade, Dr. Sagun Tuli recently transitioned into a post as one of the lead surgeons at the Center for Advanced Brain and Spine Surgery in Natick, Massachusetts. Educated at the University of Toronto, Dr. Tuli became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada in 2000 after which she returned to her alma mater to serve as an Assistan...

Clean, green neighborhoods play a big factor in the quality of urban life people live. This belief is what pushed actress Bette Midler to put up the New York Restoration Project (NYRP), an organization that seeks to restore New York City's decaying and declining landscapes and neighborhoods to its former pristine glory.

Founded in 1995, Bette Midler recruited friends and family members to start cleaning up Fort Tryon Park and Fort Washington Park, eventually leading to the establishment ...

Somaly Mam’s courage and dignity in overcoming her traumatic childhood as a victim of human trafficking, prostitution and abuse has made her one of the world's most inspiring figures and leaders in combating slavery and human injustice. She has been honored as one of the “100 Most Influential People of 2009” by TIME Magazine, was featured as a CNN Hero, garnered the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation, was awarded the World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the C...

The Virgin Group is one of the world’s largest conglomerates, with its head, Richard Branson, listed as one of the wealthiest men on earth. Virgin Unite is the company’s charitable institution, working under the charity, The Virgin Foundation.

Virgin Unite campaigns to end, prevent and treat three of the world’s leading health problems: malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS. The charity also hosts the Heavens Angels venture. Executives and employees of the Virgin Group, along with their ...

Violence against children is one of the most prevalent social problems on the planet. Children who cannot fight back are taken advantage of, abused and abandoned. In the United States alone, some 790,000 children are abused or abandoned yearly and Child Protective Services agencies record over 3.2 million referrals annually.

Elevate Hope Foundation (EHF) was founded in 2001 by Sheila E. and Lynn Mabry, both of whom were victims of sexual abuse as children. Their experiences led them to ...

Veterans have risked their life and limb for their country, and should therefore be entitled to proper benefits, so that they can fully live their lives after receiving incapacitating injuries. Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), a non-profit organization, fights for this very premise.

Founded by a group of servicemen, PVA lobbies for better health care services and benefits for veterans who can no longer work after having served in the American armed forces. The organization also seeks...

“Children are the hope of a future.” This may be a cliché, but it's also very true, and it's precisely what Dr. Jane Aronson had in mind when she founded the Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO) in 1997. The non-profit organization seeks to transform the lives of the thousands of orphaned children all over the world and give them a chance to grow up to become healthy and productive citizens.

Dr. Aronson, a well-respected pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases and adoption m...

Every child has the right to a good education, in order for him or her to realize his or her full potential and become an active, helpful citizen of his or her community. It is this belief that Get Schooled, a non-profit organization, espouses.

Statistics show that more and more young people are dropping out of high school and college, with some not even bothering to enter public school. Get Schooled seeks to reverse this alarming trend by empowering and encouraging young people to stay in s...

AIDS is no joking matter, and AIDS Project Los Angeles, simply known as APLA, knows this better than anyone. One of the United States' largest organizations providing services to over 10,000 residents of Los Angeles County who have HIV and AIDS, APLA has been leading the way in education, care, counseling, case assistance, treatment and advocacy.

APLA was founded in 1982 by Nancy Cole Sawaya, Matt Redman, Ervin Munro and Max Drew, who came up with the idea for the organization after real...

They may be some of the world's most adorably huge animals, but Asian elephants are becoming more and more endangered today. In the past 100 years, severe hunting, poaching and destruction of their natural habitat have put these lovable creatures on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with as much as 90% of their population now gone. Elephant Family, a UK-based organization, has taken up the rally cry to save the Asian elephants and prevent further loss of their numbers.

Elephant Fa...

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women all over the world. Breakthrough Breast Cancer, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer as well as raising awareness everywhere, has successfully been making leaps and strides in their continuing battle against this deadly disease. The organization's vision is “to work for a future free from the fear of breast cancer.”

Breakthrough Breast Cancer works by host...

Music has the power to heal. That was the driving force behind Play for Life, a music initiative created by RockCouture Productions and operated by Clear Channel Radio, in partnership with City of Hope, a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center dedicated to finding cures for the world's worst diseases, specifically cancer. City of Hope pioneers research and technology aimed towards saving lives all over the world.

Play for Life began in 2011, a collaboration of some forty musi...

Maintaining an impressive resume of professional accomplishments in pharmacy management and administration, Ellen Scharaga currently acts as Senior Vice President of Operations at OncoMed Pharmaceutical Services, a position she has held since 2009. Awarded a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology from the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions at St. John’s University in 1982, Ms. Scharaga moved on to serve in high-level posts at Health Infusion, Homedco Infusion, Advanced C...

It's not everyday that you see a cause dedicated to the non-domesticated animals of the world, such as cattle, goats, pigs, chickens or sheep. After all, these are livestock – animals primarily bred for slaughter towards human consumption.

Farm Sanctuary begs to differ. An organization with three shelters in the United States, Farm Sanctuary offers a safe refuge for farm animals that have been victims of neglect and abuse. In a world where instant gratification is the norm, factory far...

“The athletic spirit is a powerful thing,” says their website. And true enough, Athletes for Hope, the non-profit organization, founded by twelve of the world's best and most popular athletes in their respective fields, has shown this indomitable spirit since its conception in 2007.

Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning and Cal Ripken, Jr. have put together a ch...

The sweet notes of a violin solo or the twang of an electric guitar can easily be dismissed as “just” music – something to listen to or to keep you entertained. But the Australian charity, Music: Play for Life, sees it differently.

Perhaps one of the most unique charities, Music: Play for Life focuses on the belief that music is much more powerful than most people think, and this power can be used to build and enrich people, and in turn, society. According to research, music can pr...

With roots dating back to the 1890s, Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) of Boston gains support from successful business leaders such as Marco Bitran, Chief Executive Officer of alternative investment platform and technologies firm AI Exchange, Inc. Marco Bitran shares his success with the organization because it addresses the needs and aspirations of the Jewish community in greater Boston and beyond. The 2011 CJP Annual Campaign raised more than $42 million. The funds enabled the group to ...

Young Hollywood actresses nowadays are often consistent in their public images: narcissistic, reckless, party-hard, fashion-forward and scandal-ridden. It's not too often that the old comes across a young television and film personality who is genuinely passionate about a cause bigger than herself and is doing something about it.

Hayden Panettiere, most known for her role as Claire Bennett on the now-defunct cult TV series, “Heroes,” is popular not just for her acting, singing and co...

Women in positions of power are, indeed, very powerful. Mary Therese Winifred Robinson, the first female President of Ireland and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights until 2002, has been fighting the good fight since she first entered the political arena.

Mary Robinson first stepped into the spotlight as a member of the Dublin City Council then moved up to the University of Dublin's Seanad Eireann, where she actively campaigned for women's rights and public access to co...

The death of popular singer Amy Winehouse did not come as a shock to most. Though stricken with grief, the singer’s fans had somewhat knew what was coming. It was no secret that Winehouse had drug and alcohol problems which inevitably led to her untimely demise.

The person closest to Amy, her father Mitch Winehouse was most the most heartbroken of all. His grief was greater than most, but he was able to turn this around to create something beautiful out of his daughter’s passing. This...

They say laughter is the best medicine, but as the organization Comic Relief has proven, laughter can also raise money for countless people in need of help.

Founded in 1986 by actor, producer and comedy writer Bob Zmuda, Comic Relief began as a small organization that brought laughter and fun to patients in various hospitals by bringing in clowns to entertain them. He based this idea on the UK’s own Comic Relief organization which was established a year earlier. The idea grew into someth...

Time magazine called her “Africa's premier diva,” but singer Angelique Kidjo does more than just belting out those notes. Born in Cotonou, Benin, Angelique is known worldwide for her active support of human rights causes.

A UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2002, Angelique is likewise an ambassador for Oxfam International and LiveEarth, campaigns strongly for African women's rights under The International Federation of Human Rights. She has been supportive of musical collaborations a...

A seasoned attorney with nearly two decades of applied professional experience, Steven Bangerter currently heads the Oakland, California-based firm Bangerter Sheppard, PC in the capacity of Managing Partner, a role he has maintained since co-founding the company in 2005. Also overseeing Bangerter Sheppard’s offices in Los Angeles and St. George, Utah, he holds an A.V. Preeminent 5.0 rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a distinction only extended to an elite group of lawyers ...

The media holds great power. It is an omnipresent force in people's lives all over the world each day, from entertaining the masses to influencing major, life-changing decisions. WITNESS, a nonprofit organization, is known globally for its use of film and videos to champion human rights causes and call for those in authority to effect change.

WITNESS was co-founded by three human rights advocates in 1992: musician Peter Gabriel, Human Rights First and the Human Rights Foundation of spo...

They may be known globally for writing and performing award-winning music, but British alternative rock band Coldplay has more depth than just MTV appearances or sold-out concerts.

Made up of frontman and keyboardist Chris Martin, bass guitarist Guy Berryman, guitarist Jonny Buckland and drummer Will Champion, Coldplay has been one of the staunchest and most active supporters of Oxfam International. Oxfam, one of the world's largest non-profit organizations working with over 90 countries...

Hope and a helping hand – that's what Goodwill's mission has been since it started out in 1902. This non-profit organization has long been a worldwide banner for equal opportunities and support-driven communities.

Through its strong donorship program, Goodwill has been one of the biggest providers of employment training, additional education and placement services for people who have disabilities, criminal records or other special needs, immigrants and senior citizens, or those who have ...

One of the things serious or chronic illness takes away from a child is their childhood. They are no longer able to act and play like children due to the rigorous rounds of treatment they have to go through just to get better. Starlight Children’s Foundation aims to lessen the stress a child feels during these troubling times as well as bring a sense of normalcy back into their lives.

The Starlight Children’s Foundation helps seriously-ill children in the hospital by providing them wit...

Ronald McDonald is one of the world’s most recognizable mascots. With his signature fiery red hair and oversized boots to match, Ronald gives joy and laughter a new meaning, especially to children who are in dire need of help. To them, Ronald McDonald does not only represent the multi-billion dollar fast food chain that created him, he also represents hope.

In 1974, fast food giant McDonald’s built and opened its first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia. The purpose of this house wa...

Part of being a good Christian is acting like one, and one of the pillars of Christianity is all about sharing our blessings to those in need. This is what The 700 Club host M.G. Robinson aimed to achieve when he founded Operation Blessing in 1978.

It all began when viewers of the popular television program donated food, clothing and other items through the show to be delivered to deserving individuals and families in dire need of help. Over time, the organization joined forces with church...

A little guidance goes a long, long way. That’s what the organization Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America has proven with its more than 100 years of experience in helping the nation’s youth build better lives for themselves.

Founded in 1904 by Ernest Coulter, a New York City court clerk, Big Brothers Association’s aim was to provide guidance and support to young boys in situations that make them more likely than most to get into trouble with the law. The organization began with 3...

In 1976, Bill Sample, a police officer from Philadelphia who was assigned on protective duty at a children’s hospital, deeply affected by the hardships the patients were facing everyday, decided to help make the dreams and wishes of the terminally and chronically ill children come true. He founded the Sunshine Foundation, the first among many wish-granting charities we know of today. The foundation’s goal is to grant the wishes of children between the ages of three to eighteen, who suff...