Jones Valley Urban Farm: Seed 2 Plate Education

Seed 2 Plate from Edwin Marty on Vimeo.

Jones Valley Urban Farm grows more than fresh produce and flowers.  The nonprofit is sowing seeds of knowledge and harvesting a bounty of food literate young people in the Birmingham, Alabama area.  The organization developed more than 3 acres of vacant city property dedicating it organic farming and education on healthy food.

Jones Valley Urban Farm sells its produce at local farmers markets, restaurants, farm stands, and grocery stores.  The proceeds are used to support:

• Educational programs for children and adults, including: an accredited high school Agri-science program
• a K-8 nutrition education field trip program
• teacher workshops
• organic gardening and healthy lifestyle programs
• preschool gardening
• adult workshops
• community and nutrition programs
• internship opportunities for high-school, college, and graduate students
• community partnerships focusing on preventing childhood obesity
• hunger and access to healthy foods 
• sustainable agriculture 
• farm to school markets community composting

Jones Valley Urban Farm seeks to be "a model sustainable urban farm that teaches youth and the Birmingham community about sustainable agriculture and nutrition through outdoor experiential education."

Himalayan Cataract Project: Curing Blindess

The Himalayan Cataract Project’s (HCP) cures blindness in under-served regions of the world by performing cataract surgeries.  The organization's surgical team empowers local doctors by teaching them how to perform the operation and leaves behind the medical equipment brought in on surgical missions.

Drs. Sanduk Ruit and Geoffrey Tabin are opthamologists whose unfailing passion to give sight to the blind has made possible life-altering cataract surgery for only $20 USD.  The physicians want to see unnecessary blindness eradicated in their own lifetimes.

Mobilizing Internationally for Somalia

Famines are rare, but severe drought, food shortages, and sky-rocketing food prices have plunged Somalia into a crisis that puts millions of human lives at risk of starvation.  Young children are especially vulnerable .

It's estimated that 11.3 million people need humanitarian aid as food prices grow and supply dwindles in the drought-ridden region where Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya meet, the Associated Press reports.

Here are some organizations stepping up to provide emergency relief:

• UNHCR seeks $136.3 million in aid and suggests donations such as $7, for therapeutic food for a malnourished child.
• The British Red Cross and The Kenya Red Cross will accept donations online or through mail to first mitigate the crisis and see the people through restoring their livelihoods.
• The World Food Programme is appealing for $342 million to feed 11.3 million people in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. The organization plans to airlift operations to distribute high energy biscuits and nutritious supplementary foods.
• Oxfam, in conjunction with Save The Children, is making appeals for $144 million. Any amount is welcome, but the Oxfam site suggests $50 to provide 200 people a day's supply of clean water or $100 to feed a family of six more than two weeks.
• The International Rescue Committee is accepting donations that will provide medical screenings, expand water-supply systems and offer help for pregnant women.
• The ELCA World Hunger Relief is accepting donations to provide immediate aid to refugee camps in the Horn of Africa. 100% of donations will be used for regional relief, including filling a food distribution gap by providing enriched porridge to children and the elderly who are too weak to eat dry food.
• Action Aid will help deliver emergency supplies of food and water, and provide support, ensuring people don't become reliant on food aid.
• The U.N. Children's Fund is tackling crisis conditions faced by 2 million currently malnourished children.
• International Medical Corps' is accepting donations as it ships food and oil to four refugee camps. The Corps will also construct additional latrines and bathing areas.

Meals On Wheels: Fighting Senior Hunger

The Senior Meals on Wheels Program offers a wide array of nutritional services to the elderly. Meals are prepared locally, target a senior's specific nutritional needs and provide one-third of the RDA or Recommended Daily Allowance of nutrition. The organization feeds more than one million senior citizens each day.

There are around 5,000 local Senior Nutrition Programs in the U.S. Some serve the population at dining halls in senior centers, others deliver meals directly to homes, particularly when mobility is limited. Wheels on Meals relies on both paid staff and countless volunteers.

Click to find a local Meals On Wheels organization.

Warrior Gateway: Guiding Veterans

The Warrior Gateway Program is a website promoting smoother reintegration for veterans into home communities.  Whatever military personnel need is quickly accessed on the Warrior Gateway Directory. That need could be ptsd treatment, academic programs, or employers looking for the unique and valuable skills service men and women possess.

Warrior Gateway:

• Is inclusive and free to the military community
• Eliminates information barriers and information overload
• Is a non-profit program
• Brings needed resources to one location 

Here's a YouTube Tutorial on using Warrior Gateway:

The organization is also tapping veterans for employment.

Project Futures: Networking Generation Y for the Cause of Good

Project Futures' mission is to revolutionize charitable organizations by the power and enthusiasm of Generation Y.

Everyone who is involved with PROJECT FUTURES works full time in their respective careers but aims to use their talents and skills to build PROJECT FUTURES into a network that cares for and helps vulnerable communities.

The organization does fundraising, marketing and provides a network of committed volunteers to positively impact the global challenge of human trafficking and sex slavery.

Visit the Project Futures website to find out more about getting involved.

The Dinner Garden: Seeds of Empowerment

Gardening began as a hobby for Holly Hirshberg, an activity to do with her children, but in 2008 Hirshberg's husband lost his job.  This put her in problem-solving mode.  Her home garden significantly alleviated the burden of food costs.  Why not grow the idea?  She founded The Dinner Garden which provides enough seeds to feed a family of four.  Tens of thousands of families across the U.S. have benefited already.  The Dinner Garden has also provided seeds for more than 100 community gardens.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that in 2009, almost 15% of American households were hungry or "food insecure" during some point that year. "Food insecure" means all household members did not always have access to enough food for an active, healthy life.

"When you're having trouble or struggling, you have so many things to worry about. How are you going to pay your mortgage? How are you going to afford your medicine ... your kids? If you know you have food, you don't have to worry."  -Hirshberg to CNN

The Dinner Garden partners with food banks and businesses across the country including Catholic Charities, World Food Garden, Seeds for Food, the Wyoming Food Bank, the San Antonio Food Bank, The Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, The Peterson Garden Project, The San Antonio Community Gardeners, and The Salvation Army.

Holly Hirshberg and her nonprofit have been featured on CNN Heroes.