Universal Strength Beneficiaries


	List of Beneficiaries and disclaimer: (last updated on 11.03.06) In June 2006 , we decided the best way to ensure that we were able to fulfill our mission - protecting the environment, improving global health and enhance living standards for all, was to find an organization that efficiently dispersed money to impact based, global not for profit organizations. We have aligned ourselves with the GlobalGiving Foundation. GlobalGiving connects individual and institutional donors directly to social and economic development projects, as well as environmental causes, around the world. The GlobalGiving Foundation is a 501(c)3 public foundation that ensures that all projects funded through GlobalGiving are led by organizations that are established and well-run, and are US PATRIOT Act compliant and have 501(c)3 status in the US or equivalent abroad. We are excited about collaborating with GlobalGiving and supporting worthy projects around the world. Donations made through GlobalGiving are higher impact because: The money is going directly to a well-defined project versus supporting general operating expenses; projects on globalgiving.com have exposure to thousands of donors, enabling them to aggregate multiple sources of funding for each project; many projects on globalgiving.com are located in the developing world where a little money goes a long way. We proudly donate 20% of our revenue to our charity beneficiary the GlobalGiving Foundation unless otherwise stated for special events and specific products. The Universal Strength™ Foundation has chosen organizations that align with the intention of the foundation and its universal citizen™ community. We have no affiliation or alliance or represent any of the following not for profit organizations. We respect the independence of the organizations and do not dictate their policies and procedures, nor do we incur any liability from their actions. The foundation reserves the right to update and change our chosen beneficiaries on a need basis with no prejudice shown to the organizations. We have researched our chosen not for profit beneficiaries and are satisfied with their policies and procedures. By choosing to contribute in this way you are declaring that you understand the above information and waive any liability against the Universal Strength Foundation, LLC, its members and representatives for its policies, procedures or the actions of our beneficiaries. We also recommend the following organizations and encourage you to donate directly to them.

	Click on links below to view details or scroll down to browse. HUMAN RIGHTS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MERCY CORPS INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE KICK START JUSTWORLD ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ASSOCIATION ANAI CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY GLOBAL GREENGRANTS FUND NEXTAID THE INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION (ICF) HEALTH AND WELLNESS AMAZON-AFRICA AID AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION BEST BUDDIES CARE JOE DIMAGGIO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION KENTUCKIANA CHILDREN’S CENTER SPECIAL OLYMPICS OCEAN PROTECTION INTERNATIONAL MARINELIFE ALLIANCE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER SURF RIDER FOUNDATION WILDCOAST SCUBA POP AIDS CARE RESOURCE GLOBAL FUND GLOBAL HEALTH COUNCIL NEXTAID CANCER CANCERCARE CHILDREN’S CAUSE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR CANCER TREATMENT AND RESEARCH (INCTR) ST. JUDES CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL SUSAN G. KOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION DISASTER RELIEF RED CROSS DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS PEACE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO BAN LANDMINES (ICBL) PEACE ACTION ARTS + CULTURE DRAWBRIDGE GENART SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR THE ARTS VERY SPECIAL ARTS WOMAD (WORLD OF MUSIC ART AND DANCE) CHILDREN’S RIGHTS ANDY RODDICK FOUNDATION INTERVIDA FOUNDATION USA JOE DIMAGGIO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION NELSON MANDELA CHILDREN’S FUND NEXTAID OPERATION SMILE SAVE THE CHILDREN ANIMAL WELFARE HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER MIAMI IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS (IDA) SAVE THE CHIMPS UNITED WAG WORLD WILDLIFE FUND

	HUMAN RIGHTS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. AI’s vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. AI is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. It does not support or oppose any government or political system, nor does it support or oppose the views of the victims whose rights it seeks to protect. It is concerned solely with the impartial protection of human rights Source: http://www.amnesty.org MERCY CORPS Mercy Corps alleviates suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. ß Provides emergency relief services that assist people afflicted by conflict or disaster. ß Develops sustainable communities that meet the needs of children and families. Their integrated strategies include agriculture, economic development, health, housing and infrastructure and strengthening local organizations. ß Promotes civil society initiatives in all their programs to encourage citizen participation, accountability, nonviolent conflict management, and the rule of law. Source: http://www.mercycorps.org INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a world leader in relief, rehabilitation, protection, post-conflict development, resettlement services and advocacy for those uprooted or affected by violent conflict and oppression. The IRC delivers lifesaving aid in emergencies, rebuilds shattered communities, cares for war-traumatized children, rehabilitates health care, water and sanitation systems, reunites separated families, restores lost livelihoods, establishes schools, trains teachers, strengthens the capacity of local organizations and supports civil society and good-governance initiatives. At the outbreak of an emergency, they provide sanctuary and lifesaving assistance: For refugees driven from their homes, they provide emergency assistance: water, food, shelter, sanitation and medical care. Where the emergency has subsided, they enable people to rebuild their lives by providing education, training and economic assistance. They are vocal public policy advocates, calling attention to critical issues affecting refugees around the world Source: http://www.theirc.org/index.cfm KICK START Poverty stricken Africa has suffered for decades, painfully trying to create better lifestyles for its inhabitants. Kickstart, has now created a way to bring Africans entrepreneurial skills. The organization creates and markets simple tools that people use to generate income, such as irrigation pumps that help farmers grow valuable crops that increase their incomes ten-fold. Newsweek magazine called the pumps one of the "10 Inventions That Will Change Your World." KickStart provides a proven solution to poverty in Africa by focusing on economic empowerment rather than traditional aid. Source: http://www.kickstart.org JUSTWORLD JustWorld International is a non-governmental organization working as a catalyst for positive change in the developing world. Cooperating with local partners, JustWorld International implements sustainable, culturally sensitive projects that benefit underprivileged children. JustWorld International trains and empowers international and local university student volunteers to create and realize these projects, providing them with hands-on experience in promoting social justice. Source: http://justworldinternational.org/index.htm Back to List ^ ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ASSOCIATION ANAI “ Before the phrase "sustainable development" came into fashion, ANAI was successfully pioneering strategies to help the people in Costa Rica become more economically self-reliant, while preserving the area's extraordinary rain forests and other natural wonders.” Association ANAI is a small non-profit organization that was formed in 1978 to pursue what has since become known as sustainable development in Costa Rica's Talamanca region. The staff includes agronomists, foresters, biologists, economists and educators. With the exception of the three founders, the staff and the Board of Directors are Costa Ricans. ANAI's Talamanca initiative envisions a healthy mix of protected rainforests, wetlands and marine areas, managed forests, diverse agro-ecosystems, and human services like education, health care and ecotourism. They believe achieving this will promote Talamanca's long-term ecological and economic stability, providing its current and future inhabitants with an attractive quality of life. Source: http://www.anaicr.org CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY The Center for Biological Diversity believes that the health and vigor of human societies and the integrity and wildness of the natural environment are closely linked. Beyond their extraordinary intrinsic value, animals and plants, in their distinctness and variety, offer irreplaceable emotional and physical benefits to our lives and play an integral part in culture. Their loss, which parallels the loss of diversity within and among human civilizations, impoverishes us beyond repair. Combining conservation biology with litigation, policy advocacy, and an innovative strategic vision, the Center for Biological Diversity is working to secure a future for animals and plants hovering on the brink of extinction, for the wilderness they need to survive, and by extension for the spiritual welfare of generations to come. Source: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd GLOBAL GREENGRANTS FUND Global Greengrants fund supports grassroots groups working for environmental justice and sustainability around the world. Their grants fund grassroots action in some of the world's most despoiled and impoverished places. Grassroots groups are key to solving intractable problems and halting cycles of poverty, powerlessness and environmental destruction. Their grants offer hope and tap the energy of communities where other sources of support are unavailable. Source: http://www.greengrants.org THE INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION (ICF) The International Crane Foundation (ICF) works worldwide to conserve cranes and the wetland and grassland ecosystems on which they depend. ICF is dedicated to providing experience, knowledge, and inspiration to involve people in resolving threats to these ecosystems. Source: http://www.savingcranes.org Back to List ^ HEALTH AND WELLNESS AMAZON-AFRICA AID Amazon-Africa Aid is a charitable organization supporting the Fundação Esperança, a Brazilian nonprofit organization that has been providing health and education to the inhabitants of the Amazon for over 30 years. They have programs in Brazil and Africa. Source: http://www.amazonafrica.org AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the American Diabetes Association conducts programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, reaching hundreds of communities. The mission of the Association is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. Source: http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp BEST BUDDIES Best Buddies is an organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment. Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 United States as well as international programs on six continents with additional country programs under active development. Best Buddies, still in its infancy, is systematically implementing initiative that will witness the organization's continued, significant growth, both domestically and overseas. Source: http://www.bestbuddies.org CARE: (COOPERATIVE FOR ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF EVERYWHERE) CARE works to reduce poverty. They design and manage community-based projects in areas such as education, health care and economic development. These projects aim to strengthen poor communities with information, skills and resources. Together, CARE and communities build a foundation for self-sufficiency and lasting solutions to problems caused by poverty. Source: http://www.careusa.org Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Foundation The Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Foundation was established in 1994 to provide philanthropic support that supplements the income from payors and tax revenues received by the Memorial Healthcare System. The Foundation ensures the ongoing availability of the highest quality of healthcare services to everyone who needs them. The Foundation is a non-profit public foundation dedicated to supporting healthcare provided to the children of the community served by the Memorial Healthcare System. The Foundation serves as the central agency through which charitable contributions are made. A volunteer board of directors, comprised of prominent business and community leaders, oversees all aspects of the Foundation's operation. Source: http://www.jdch.com/ConineClubhouse/WhatisTheJoeDiMaggioChildrensHospitalFoundation.aspx KENTUCKIANA CHILDREN’S CENTER The ongoing emphasis at Kentuckiana is on special programs individually designed to help the child with special needs. Their goal is to have each child reach his or her optimum potential. Kentuckiana Children’s Center has been in operation for over 40 years. The mission of Kentuckiana Children's Center is to improve the lives of Children by providing a foundation for healing through integrative Chiropractic care. Source: http://www.kentuckiana.org SPECIAL OLYMPICS Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition in 26 Olympic-type summer and winter sports, with more than 1.7 million participants in more than 500 countries. Special Olympics will work to create positive public attitudes toward a population that is often rejected or forgotten. Special Olympics actively promote global athlete leadership and dedicate the movement to empowerment and dignity, not charity. The foundation is constantly setting new goals, persistently maintaining and improving the quality of the program. Source: http://www.specialolympics.org Back to List ^ OCEAN PROTECTION INTERNATIONAL MARINELIFE ALLIANCE IMA works to end human influences that degrade and destroy the world’s marine environment, while improving the overall quality of life of people and communities living in and dependent on coastal and marine resources. Source: http://marine.org MARINE MAMMAL CENTER The Marine Mammal Center recognizes our interdependence with marine mammals, their importance as sentinels of the ocean environment, and our responsibility to use our awareness, compassion, and intelligence to ensure their survival and the conservation of their habitat. They work toward this end through: rescue, rehabilitation and release of ill, injured or orphaned marine mammals; scientific inquiry and dissemination of findings; and communications and education to increase knowledge of the marine environment and awareness of its importance to the health and survival of all life. Source: http://www.marinemammalcenter.org SURF RIDER FOUNDATION The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches through conservation, activism, research and education. “The Surfrider Foundation's greatest strength is their grassroots, community-based focus and their ability to act as local activists for the protection of the coast. In order to strengthen and build on this core competency, the organization must facilitate the dissemination of up-to-date, science-based information at the community level.” Source: http://www.surfrider.org/ WILDCOAST Wildcoast is an international conservation team dedicated to preserving endangered marine species and threatened coastal wildlands of the Californias. Through community outreach, activism and media campaigns, they work to eliminate threats to ecosystems and to develop reserves to permanently protect sensitive areas. Their partnerships with local people and nonprofit organizations are critical to the successful recovery of imperiled species and the defense of their coastal and marine habitats. Source: http://www.wildcoast.net SCUBA POP Scuba POP, is a group of Bay Area PADI http://www.padi.com scuba instructors who are donating their professional expertise to help the Tsunami-devastated village of Madiha, in the district of Polhena, located in the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka. They are helping victims of the Tsunami in meaningful way, and the way they are able to - by physically lending a hand and teaching. Source: http://www.scubasf.com/index.html Back to List ^ AIDS CARE RESOURCE Through prevention, education, care and treatment, research and support, Care Resource strives to end the HIV pandemic. Located in Miami, care resource gained immeasurable experience in providing community-based services including, but not limited, to prevention and treatment education, anonymous and confidential counseling and testing both in the office and through a mobile testing unit, case management, mental health and substance abuse counseling and treatment, specialized counseling for children and adolescents infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in the family, peer advocacy, and hotline information and referrals, to under served, hard-to-reach individuals both infected and affected by HIV disease. Florida ranks third highest in incidence of reported AIDS cases and with this, Care Resource is breaking new ground in offering the most comprehensive services available to the local population. Source: http://www.careresource.org GLOBAL FUND The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was created to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world's most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need. As a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities, the Global Fund represents an innovative approach to international health financing. The Global Fund's purpose is to attract, manage and disburse resources to fight AIDS, TB and malaria. Source: http://www.theglobalfund.org GLOBAL HEALTH COUNCIL The Global Health Council is the world's largest membership alliance dedicated to saving lives by improving health throughout the world. Their diverse membership is comprised of health-care professionals and organizations that include NGOs, foundations, corporations, government agencies and academic institutions that work to ensure global health for all. Source: http://www.globalhealth.org NEXTAID NextAid is a Los Angeles based humanitarian organization dedicated to creating sustainable solutions for African children orphaned by AIDS. By partnering with socially-responsible businesses and organizations in the production of music benefits and other awareness-raising activities, NextAid provides immediate and long-term aid to African children in need. NextAid is committed to represent the international dance community in its effective and practical response to the AIDS pandemic. NextAid aims to inspire people into tangible action, taking responsibility and making a difference. We believe it is each generation's responsibility to create a better future for the next. Source: http://nextaid.org/ Back to List ^ CANCER CANCERCARE CancerCare provides free services to more than 90,000 people each year who are facing the crisis of cancer. CancerCare helps people of all ages, with all types of cancer and at any stage of the disease. It relies primarily on private donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to make these services free to patients. Source: http://www.cancercare.org/ CHILDREN’S CAUSE Children’s Cause works as a national (USA) catalyst to stimulate drug discovery and development for childhood cancers, to expand resources for research and treatment, and to address the needs and concerns of survivors. Source: http://www.childrenscause.org INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR CANCER TREATMENT AND RESEARCH (INCTR) The INCTR is dedicated to helping to build capacity for cancer treatment and research in countries in which such capacity is presently limited, and thereby to create a foundation on which to build strategies designed to lessen the suffering, limit the number of lives lost, and promote the highest quality of life for children and adults with cancer in these countries, and to increase the quantity and quality of cancer research throughout the world. Source: http://www.inctr.org ST. JUDES CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL St. Jude is unlike any other pediatric treatment and research facility anywhere. Discoveries made here have completely changed how the world treats children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. They are where some of today's most gifted researchers are able to do more science, more quickly. Where doctors across the world send their toughest cases and most vulnerable patients. Where no one pays for treatment beyond what is covered by insurance, and those without insurance are never asked to pay. All patients accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard to the family's ability to pay. Source: http://www.stjude.org SUSAN G. KOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION For more than 20 years, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has been a global leader in the fight against breast cancer through its support of innovative research and community-based outreach programs. Working through a network of U.S. and international affiliates and events like the Komen Race for the Cure®, the Komen Foundation is fighting to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease by funding research grants and supporting education, screening and treatment projects in communities around the world. Source: http://www.komen.org Back to List ^ DISASTER RELIEF RED CROSS The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The American Red Cross functions independently of the government but works closely with government agencies, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), during times of major crises. It is responsible for giving aid to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and to disaster victims at home and abroad. It does this through services that are consistent with its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement allowing the Red Cross to stay neutral and impartial. I addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers compassionate services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; support and comfort for military members and their families; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs that promote health and safety; and international relief and development programs. Source: http://www.redcross.org DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international independent medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters, and exclusion from health care in nearly 70 countries. Médecins Sans Frontières provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed or political convictions. In emergencies and their aftermath, MSF provides health care, rehabilitates and runs hospitals and clinics, performs surgery, battles epidemics, carries out vaccination campaigns, operates feeding centers for malnourished children, and offers mental health care. When needed, MSF also constructs wells and dispenses clean drinking water, and provides shelter materials like blankets and plastic sheeting. Through longer-term programs, MSF treats patients with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, sleeping sickness, and HIV/AIDS, and provides medical and psychological care to marginalized groups such as street children. Source: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS In the aftermath of violent conflicts and natural disasters, IMC provides emergency interventions for vulnerable populations and makes lasting improvements to devastated health care systems. International Medical Corps is a global humanitarian nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in areas worldwide where few organizations dare to serve. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, IMC rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance. Source: http://www.imcworldwide.org Back to List ^ PEACE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO BAN LANDMINES (ICBL) Donations to the ICBL help build a mine-free world! Every contribution matters and will be used for their advocacy activities, including: coordinating joint campaigning by their 1,200 plus members; producing letters and additional lobbying tools to target governments and others; and providing news and information on the landmine issue to campaigners, practitioners in the field, decision-makers and the media. Source: http://www.icbl.org PEACE ACTION For over forty years Peace Action has successfully organized to end the nuclear threat, to create a more peaceful economy, and to support nonviolent resolutions to international conflicts. Source: http://www.peace-action.org Back to List ^ ARTS AND CULTURE DRAWBRIDGE The mission of DrawBridge is to provide art programs for homeless children in an environment that fosters their sense of childhood joy, creativity and exuberance. Beyond that they strive to promote the well-being and stability of family by creating a supportive community. Source: http://www.drawbridge.org GENART Gen Art is an arts and entertainment organization dedicated to showcasing emerging fashion designers, filmmakers, musicians and visual artists. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago, GenArt prides themselves on preserving, enriching and amplifying the creative sphere by producing over 100 events annually ranging from a week-long film festival to massive star-studded fashion shows, DJ competitions, art exhibitions, multi-media events, and much, much more. Source: http://www.genart.org SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL Survival International works through education, supporting tribal peoples' own organizations and campaigns. Their educational work raises awareness of the existence and problems of tribal peoples and shows the public that tribal peoples are not primitive, but just live differently from other peoples. They turn public attention onto governments and companies which are violating tribal peoples' rights. Survival's supporters write letters to those in power, and Survival ensures these cases attract press attention around the world. Survival believes that in the long-term, public opinion is the most effective force for change. Source: http://www.survival-international.org THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR THE ARTS Drawing upon an international pool of talent, the International Center for the Arts, creates a venue for artistic creation, a laboratory for established and emerging artists, an incubator for artists, a training resource, access to the professional arena, and a point of intersection inspiring innovation for students and the general public. The center is located in San Francisco and is based at San Francisco State University's College of Creative Arts. Source: http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/prsrelea/fy04/038.htm VERY SPECIAL ARTS Very Special Arts was founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith as an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to help people with disabilities develop learning skills, increase independence and improve quality of life through programs in the arts. The organization is grounded in the beliefs that: art is a universal language expressing the perceptions and sensibilities of society; art is an educational process for developing creative talents and skills that may not be realized through traditional teaching methods; and that nowhere are the educational and rehabilitative benefits of the arts more compelling than for people with disabilities. Source: http://www.vsarts.org WOMAD (WORLD OF MUSIC ART AND DANCE) Founded by Peter Gabriel, WOMAD stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance, expressing the central aim of the WOMAD festival - to bring together and to celebrate many forms of music, arts and dance drawn from countries and cultures all over the world. " Equally important, the festivals have also allowed many different audiences to gain an insight into cultures other than their own through the enjoyment of music. Music is a universal language, it draws people together and proves, as well as anything, the stupidity of racism." As an organization, WOMAD now works in many different ways, but their aims are always the same - at festivals, performance events, through recorded releases and through educational projects, they aim to excite, to inform, and to create awareness of the worth and potential of a multicultural society. Source: http://www.womad.org Back to List ^ CHILDREN’S RIGHTS ANDY RODDICK FOUNDATION The Andy Roddick Foundation focuses it's efforts to treat abused children (specifcally in the Southeastern Florida and Austin Texas), supporting programs that combat childhood diseases, and support programs that have a major focus toward childhood literacy and 'stay-in-school' programs. Source: http://www.arfoundation.org/ INTERVIDA FOUNDATION USA Intervida Foundation USA is a non-governmental, non-profit, apolitical and completely independent organization that promotes the Integral Development of the world's poorest countries, operating with the best interest of children in mind. Their objective is to alleviate the suffering and improve the living conditions of millions of underprivileged children and their families. Their mission is therefore to provide those populations trapped in the downward spiral of poverty the material, human and educational resources needed to overcome their situation, thereby generating a positive synergy for acquiring skills to confront their problems, and enabling them to obtain enough resources to cover their basic needs and those of future generations. Their methods conscientiously respect local culture and environment, seeking to utilize existing resources whenever possible, to help guarantee self-sufficiency. Source: http://www.intervidausa.org JOE DIMAGGIO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION The Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Foundation was established in 1994 to provide philanthropic support that supplements the income from payors and tax revenues received by the Memorial Healthcare System. The Foundation ensures the ongoing availability of the highest quality of healthcare services to everyone who needs them. The Foundation is a non-profit public foundation dedicated to supporting healthcare provided to the children of the community served by the Memorial Healthcare System. The Foundation serves as the central agency through which charitable contributions are made. A volunteer board of directors, comprised of prominent business and community leaders, oversees all aspects of the Foundation's operation. Source: http://www.jdch.com/ConineClubhouse/WhatisTheJoeDiMaggioChildrensHospitalFoundation.aspx MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION “ We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy." Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. The Foundation's mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish® experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors, and entire communities. Source: http://www.wish.org NELSON MANDELA CHILDREN’S FUND “ In a world where children are denied basic human rights, we champion the right of children to a happy, healthy, informed and secure childhood. Children’s and youth’s lives are centrally at the heart of everything we do. All of our work is underpinned by our resolve to making a reality of the rights of children and youth (0-22 years) as spelt out by our Founder and those enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the African Charter and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.” The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund strives to change the way society treats its children and youth. Source: http://www.nelsonmandelachildrensfund.com/ OPERATION SMILE Throughout the world, Operation Smile volunteers repair childhood facial deformities while building public and private partnerships that advocate for sustainable healthcare systems for children and families. They strive to create smiles, change lives and heal humanity. The annual Operation Smile Physicians' Training Program (PTP) brings surgeons from around the world to the United States for training in specialized surgical skills. Through 2004, more than 550 health care professionals have attended the program and taken part in affecting many lives. 87% of cash and in-kind donations go directly to programs helping children; it costs approximately $750 for an Operation Smile cleft lip surgery to change a child's life. In 23 years, Operation Smile's volunteers have provided free reconstructive surgery to more than 90,000 children and young adults in 25 developing countries and the United States, bringing them new hope and new lives. Source: http://www.operationsmile.org SAVE THE CHILDREN Save the Children is the world’s largest independent global movement for children. Save the Children fights for children's rights. It delivers immediate and lasting improvements to children’s lives worldwide. Save the Children works for: - a world which respects and values each child - a world which listens to children and learns - a world where all children have hope and opportunity - 26 Save the Children organizations make up the International Save the Children Alliance, the world’s largest independent movement for children, making improvements for children in over 111 countries. Source: http://www.savethechildren.net/alliance Back to List ^ ANIMAL WELFARE HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER MIAMI The Humane Society of Greater Miami/Adopt-A-Pet is dedicated to creating a humane community in which all companion animals have homes with responsible, committed and loving caregivers. The Society is focused on ending the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets by providing the public with quality adoption services, low-cost spay/neuter services and extensive humane education programming for citizens of all ages. The Society advocates the elimination of cruelty, neglect and pet overpopulation, and is dedicated to achieving a more kind, just and loving community for the pets and people of Miami-Dade County. Source: http://www.humanesocietymiami.org/ IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS (IDA) In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization dedicated to ending the exploitation and abuse of animals by raising the status of animals beyond that of mere property, and by defending their rights, welfare and habitat. IDA’s efforts include educational events, cruelty investigations, boycotts, grassroots activism, and hands-on rescue through sanctuaries in Mississippi and Cameroon, Africa. Source: http://www.idausa.org SAVE THE CHIMPS The vision of Save the Chimps was -- and remains -- to create a Sanctuary where rescued chimpanzees can live out their lives without the threat of ever returning to a laboratory. A generous donation by the Arcus Foundation enabled Save the Chimps to purchase 200 acres for a permanent sanctuary in Ft. Pierce, Florida. The Sanctuary environment was carefully designed to nurture and stimulate these sensitive and complex primates by creating a secure and enriching environment, including the construction of a three-acre island on which to safely express natural behaviors without human interference. These former lab chimpanzees now live as a social group. Source: http://savethechimps.org UNITED WAG United WAG exists to improve the welfare of animals in Miami-Dade County through education, advocacy and coordination of community efforts. Once United WAG develops a successful template through which to accomplish its goals in Miami-Dade County, it will expand to other counties and states. Source: http://www.unitedwag.org/ WORLD WILDLIFE FUND WWF directs its conservation efforts toward three global goals: saving endangered species, protecting endangered habitats and addressing global threats such as toxic pollution, over-fishing and climate change. From working to save the giant panda and bringing back the Asian rhino to establishing and helping to manage parks and reserves worldwide, WWF has been a conservation leader for more than 40 years. WWF's mission is the conservation of nature. Using the best available scientific knowledge and advancing that knowledge where they can, they work to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth and the health of ecological systems by protecting natural areas and wild populations of plants and animals, including endangered species; promoting sustainable approaches to the use of renewable natural resources; and promoting more efficient use of resources and energy and the maximum reduction of pollution. They are committed to reversing the degradation of our planet's natural environment and to building a future in which human needs are met in harmony with nature. They recognize the critical relevance of human numbers, poverty, and consumption patterns to meeting these goals. Source: http://www.worldwildlife.org You can also find great charities and organizations by using the following links: GlobalGiving Foundation Charity Navigator Guide Star Back to List ^ Back to Universal Strength