Children Without a Voice USA

Unlike cancer and a host of other diseases, child abuse is completely preventable.  In spite of the this, an American child is abused every ten seconds, and every 6 hours one dies as a result of abuse.  Children Without a Voice USA champions the cause of the nation's most vulnerable citizens, kids, because they deserve better.

Parenting classes, pre-school and elementary classes on staying safe, teen parenting classes, and free educational materials are part of the Children Without a Voice USA prevention effort.

Lin Seahorn, CWAV-USA's founder and a survivor of horrible abuse as a child, dedicates her life to raising awareness and preventing crimes against children, child abuse and neglect through advocacy and education. organization.

Treehouse Foundation: a Revolutionary Vision in Foster Care

Judy Cockerton worries about the 600,00 children across America who experience foster care. Sadly, more than 33% never return home and are never adopted. At 18, they are turned out with a high probability of ending up in homeless shelters, prisons, or mental health facilities.

Judy's concerns and children in peril were a personal call to action.  Beyond parenting 125 foster children, she established Treehouse Foundation:

Treehouse offers systemic change: positive outcomes for the children and taxpayer savings of millions of dollars in end-game costs.

East Hampton Meadow is one example of the organization's success. It's an "intergenerational, planned community for kinship, guardianship, and adoptive families who provide permanency to children who have experienced foster care and elders who wish to be "extended family members."

Find out more by visiting the website.  Donations accepted.

2011 Missouri Tornado: Helping Joplin Survivors

A tornado claimed more than a 100 lives in Missouri on Sunday evening, May 24, 2011.  Some reports estimate 75% of the city of Joplin is destroyed.  Even the hospital was hit.  Rescue workers and volunteers are doing their part in looking for survivors and the beginning the clean up efforts. 

Here are some ways you can help:  

• Missouri's State Emergency Management Agency welcomes your financial contribution or your time. Donate funds or commit to volunteer in the short-term or long-term recovery efforts.
• The Heart of Missouri United Way has opened the Joplin Relief Fund, where 100 percent of all donations will be given to relief efforts in Joplin. Text "JOPLIN" to 864833 to make a $10 donation.
• A Facebook page titled "Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery" has been launched for community members to announce needed relief. 
• And Relief Spark, a nonprofit, has turned their Twitter feed into a constantly refreshing resource of local information, announcing new shelters and calls for supplies. 
• The Salvation Army has deployed efforts in both Joplin, Missouri.  To find out how to get involved, visit the organization's website. 
• Any with medical skills can volunteer with Show-Me Response.
• The Red Cross has launched Safe and Well, a service that helps families reconnect after natural disasters.

Help Us Adopt (dot) Org: Building Families in America

Beck and Kipp Fawcett started Help Us Adopt (dot) Org after going through the hurdles and expenses of adopting a child themselves.  Costs are often prohibitive to couples who would make great parents.  The price starts at $25,000.

"We asked our adoption attorney what we would do if we didn't have the money to pay for this. His response was unacceptable. The options: go into financial ruin or don't have a child. We looked at each other and knew that instant that when the time was right we would change those options. We were going to do something to help."  --Becky Fawcett

Helpusadopt.org accepts applications from couples and individuals regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, marital status or sexual orientation. Grants range from $500 to $15,000.

The Fawcetts were recently spotlighted as CNN Heroes.

Reel Grrls Know Media, Production, and Storytelling

Reel Grrls equips adolescent girls with the power of storytelling and communication through film.  Participants come from diverse backgrounds and discover their own voices under the guidance of professional filmmakers.
  Founded in 2001, this Seattle-based non-profit sponsors after-school, weekend, and summer day camp programs in media & technology training that empower young women to "critique media images and to gain media technology skills in a safe, open environment, mentored by a network of multi-cultural women media professionals."  With equality and advancement serving as a compass, Reel Grrls teach youth to be media literate and realize their capacity to change the world.

Vetting Charities and The Virtue of Small Nonprofits

Craig Newmark discusses the world of nonprofits.

Craig Newmark of Craigslist (dot) org now lives outside his comfort zone as he's emerged himself in the world of philanthropy.  In a conference sponsored by The Guardian, Newmark praised the work he's seen done by smaller nonprofits and wants the world to be able to easily access the best nonprofit organizations so that charitable giving can be done responsibly.  He is empowering donors, journalists, and featured organizations.

Currently, Newmark's website, Craigconnects (dot) org, relies on three organizations that provide details about the effectiveness of thousands of nonprofits.

• Guide Star (dot) org
• Charity Navigator (dot) org
• Great Nonprofits (dot) org

Newmark invites the world to become involved.  Find ways to communicate your charity's awesomeness.  Champion a cause you believe in.  Responsible giving means effective empowerment.

(See Newmark's presentation at The Guardian Activate conference here.)

East Meets West Foundation

The East Meets West Foundation implements sustainable solutions in addressing poverty in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.  Education, health care, clean water and sanitation, and infrastructure are all areas given attention. The organization also operates two orphanages where children receive a full education, job training and skills to ease them into society as young adults.  Besides building schools and making sure 5,000 children are in classrooms, East Meets West actively fights against child sex trafficking.

One the health care front, the Breath of Life program develops clinical solutions in tackling infant mortality.  And a dental program set up by East Meets West is often the first time a child ever sees a dentist.

Find out about volunteering and donations at their website.

World Access Project: Wheelchairs to Those in Need

"As I was waiting for the program to begin, I was shocked to see people using branches for crutches, being pushed in wheelbarrows and crawling. One wheelchair was not enough. I just felt someone had to come and help." --Richard St. Denis.

Richard St. Denis survived a skiing accident but forever lost his ability to walk. He didn't lose his mobility and through his World Access Project he provides wheelchairs to impoverished people in Mexico.  St. Denis' organization also teaches new wheelchair users how to make the most of their new found mobility.  World Access Project hosts three annual sports camps around Mexico.

"During the camps participants have the opportunity to meet others who use wheelchairs.   They share their experiences, feelings and concerns.  They make new friends, share their lives, help each other, and develop a support system."  World Access Project Website

All donations go straight to the people World Access Project serves.  No board or staff member receives a salary.  Read about the organization's "Pay It Forward" ideas on the website.

St. Denis has been featured as a CNN Hero.

First Response Team of America

The First Response Team of America rushed to help after the April tornado disaster in the Southeast. The aftermath of 200 tornadoes across 14 states left many lives in ruin.  The First Response Team vigilantly surveys weather reports so they know where catastrophe has the potential to strike.

Founder Tad Agoglia recently told CNN what his team brings to rescue and relief efforts:

"We have huge lighting systems and rubble cameras for search and rescue. We've got cranes and trucks to remove the debris from the road. We've got the (generators) to power up emergency rooms, nursing homes, shelters. We've got just about every type of cutting tool known to mankind -- plasmas cutters, concrete saws, metal saws, wood saws -- anything that you need to get through an area to get to the people that need help."

One hundred percent of donations go toward the first response efforts.

TechSoup Global: Serving Up Technology

TechSoup Global serves those in service to others, namely nonprofits, libraries, and NGOs (non-governmental organizations).  The mission is providing the access and knowledge needed for these organizations to reach their full potential.  As of right now, more than 300,000 users visit TechSoup each month to bone up on technology, request donations, and to become part of the TechSoup community.

"TechSoup.org has a catalog of more than 450 products generously donated by a growing roster of 44 technology corporations, including industry leaders such as Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, Intuit, and Symantec. To date, these partners have made more than U.S. $2 billion in product donations available to the nonprofit sector."

Since 1987 (orginally founded as CompuMentor), TechSoup has supported those nonprofits and NGOs working as facilitators of positive social change. 

Matthew 25 Ministries: Serving Tornado Victims

"As you did it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40).
The April storm system that spawned hundreds of tornadoes in the Southeast has left thousands of people in desperate need of supplies.  Much of the devastation happened in Alabama where twisters razed entire neighborhoods. A federal disaster declaration was been issued. Matthew 25: Ministries is directing their efforts to identify the immediate needs of victims. Non-perishable food items, meals, water, diapers, personal  and hygiene products have already been sent.

If you'd like to help, Matthew 25: Ministries is accepting the following items for disaster relief:

1. Financial donations
2. Nonperishable food
3. Personal care products (especially diapers)
4. First Aid Supplies
5. Diapers

Find out more by visiting their website: 

"The mission of Matthew 25: Ministries is to fulfill Matthew 25:34-40 by providing nutritional food to the hungry, clean water to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, shelter to the homeless, medical care to the ill, and humanitarian supplies to prisoners."

Charity Navigator: Doing Your Donation Homework

Charity Navigator helps donors give intelligently.  The 501 (c)(3) nonprofit has evaluated thousands of charitable organizations to determine their financial health.  Anyone in the world can sign on to the website and freely access financial evaluations that show how much actual giving is done in an organization versus overhead like administrative costs.  Even singer Elton John uses Charity Navigator to see how well is own charity is doing.  From the site:

"By guiding intelligent giving, we aim to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace, in which givers and the charities they support work in tandem to overcome our nation's most persistent challenges."

The Charity Navigator blog is currently spotlighting vetted charities helping with the tornado disaster in the Southeastern U.S.