Children of Peace: Investing in Israeli and Palestinian Children for a Better Future

UK-based independent charity Children of Peace is dedicated to helping the forgotten victims of the Middle East conflict: children. Many live in a constant state of anxiety and stress, surrounded by violence. Believing that a better future will come and come from the grassroots level, Children of Peace builds friendships between Israeli and Palestinian children and protects all of the young ones and their communities in both nations, regardless of faith, gender, culture, or heritage.

As a non-partisan intermediary, Children of Peace partners with like-minded organizations in the Middle East to launch projects and programs in the arts, sports, health, and education for Palestinian and Israeli youth ages 4 to 17. Children of Peace ensures that it only funds projects and programs with organizations that share its principles of conflict resolution, peaceful coexistence, protection of all children, cooperation between communities, and respect for the values and heritage of every community in the Middle East.

Best Buddies: Empowering People With IDD

Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development. Starting as a single chapter, Best Buddies now has nearly 1,500 middle school, high school, and college chapters around the globe, with its programs positively impacting almost 700,000 individuals with and without disabilities in the United States and 50 countries worldwide.

A lack of social skills, and not an inadequacy to perform their job, is usually the reason why people with IDD are unable to secure or maintain employment. Best Buddies provides the opportunities, training, and tools people with IDD need to reach their potential. When they participate in the organization's programs, people with IDD are able to live independently, have rewarding jobs, make lifelong friends, and even become inspirational leaders. Best Buddies offers eight programs, including Best Buddies Citizens, Best Buddies Jobs, and e-Buddies. Best Buddies Citizens connects people with IDD to individuals in the civic and corporate communities, giving them access to friends, love, and support. Best Buddies Jobs provides ongoing employment assistance and training so they can work alongside others. Meanwhile, e-Buddies is an email pen pal program that lets people with IDD make new friends online, as well as learn social, literacy, and computer skills.

Despite Best Buddies' achievements over the years, there are still many areas in America and the world where people with IDD have yet to become widely accepted into mainstream society. Thus, Best Buddies created its 2020 initiative in 2011, aiming to establish its presence in all 50 states and 100 countries, touch the lives 3 million people with and without IDD across the globe, increase its number of school chapters to 2,500, and become a household name by the end of 2020.

Communities Large and Small, and the Corporations Behind Them

How do we make a difference? Of course, there are many ways to change a life—or lives—for better. We may donate the clothes and household items we no longer use to organizations that distribute them to families in need. We may donate money to organizations that offer livestock to struggling families in disadvantaged areas, thereby increasing their chances at economic prosperity. Outside of material and financial donations, however, are more ways in which we can assist the global community. By patronizing businesses with a record of involvement and philanthropy, we understand our money goes further than its immediate destination. In the spirit of such, we look at one company with a stronger world in mind: WEI Mortgage Corporation.

Founded a decade ago, WEI Mortgage Corporation translates its success to the well being of others in a number of ways. While the firm offers it services to the majority of the United States, it upholds an international commitment to giving. In recent years, WEI gifted funds to various communities affected by natural disaster, among them those in China, Haiti, and Japan. Additionally, WEI Mortgage Corporation regularly presents assistance to the HOPE Christian Schools, a venture that accommodates children coping with language and learning needs. For its service in this capacity, WEI Mortgage Corporation garnered a Community Initiative Award as well as mention from a number of media outlets for exemplary policy. In addition to serving others in various regions, WEI Mortgage Corporation maintains a high standard of ethics in business itself. The company oversees a thorough customer education policy that helps clients secure financial health in home ownership.

SurfAid Brings Aid to Remote Indonesian Villages

SurfAid is a non-profit humanitarian organization that seeks to improve the well-being and self-reliance of people living in isolated regions connected to us through surfing. SurfAid's story began in 1999, when physician and surfer Dr. Dave Jenkins headed to the Mentawai Islands off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia to find the perfect waves. One day, Jenkins went into a village and ended up running a clinic at the chief's request. He was the first doctor ever to visit the remote community, where he witnessed women and children dying from malnutrition, malaria, and poor living standards – things that were not only treatable, but also completely preventable with practices such as basic hygiene and proper breastfeeding.

The scene stayed with Jenkins for the rest of his surfing trip and even after he returned to Singapore where he worked. Deciding that he couldn't just walk away from what he saw, he vowed to go back to Mentawai with people and supplies. After resigning from his job, Jenkins went home to New Zealand and called upon his close friends, Dr. Steve Hathaway and lawyer Phil Dreifuss. Together, they recruited a local surfing crew to meet the quorum of 25 people that was needed to register as a legal non-profit in New Zealand. SurfAid was officially founded in January of 2000 and has since delivered its programs in the Mentawai Islands, Nias Island, Banyak Islands, and Telo Island, all of which are home to ancient cultures.

Today, SurfAid has offices in New Zealand, Australia, the US, and Indonesia. More than 95 percent of the organization's program staff are Indonesian nationals who work closely with the communities to prevent disease and bring about positive, sustainable health changes, all while respecting the culture and customs of the islands. SurfAid's community-based health programs include nutrition education, water and sanitation, mosquito net distribution, and emergency preparedness.

EPHAS Lets Overlooked Individuals Tell Their Story

Founded in 2010 by Ryan Ansin, EPHAS (Every Person Has A Story) is a Boston-based non-profit that gives voice to people who are not heard and exposure to places that are not seen. The organization gives underserved and overlooked individuals the opportunity to tell their stories through the powerful medium of photography. With workshops in more than 20 locations worldwide, EPHAS teaches photography to people in developing countries, letting them self-document their lives and the changes happening in their communities, as well as encouraging them to express themselves artistically. The images represent honest and eye-opening accounts of their experiences, which general media often fail to accomplish. EPHAS presents these photos across the globe using the Internet, galleries, and schools, sharing them with those who are fortunate enough to help.

Many of the workshop participants' prints are available for sale on the EPHAS website. All proceeds go straight to the needs of their community.

No More Tears: Helping Women Escape From Domestic Violence

Somy Ali is no stranger to domestic violence – she witnessed it as a child growing up in Pakistan and during her teens while working as a Bollywood actress in India. So after completing her education, she founded No More Tears in 2006 to help victims of domestic abuse in the US. Based in Florida, the non-profit organization is dedicated to offering individualized assistance to all victims who are scared to speak out and face barriers in leaving their abusers and staying safe. No More Tears wipes away the tears of abused women by providing them with counseling, legal services, shelter, English classes, household items, and financial support. The organization can also provide assistance in escaping an abuser, assistance in moving, and therapy for victims and their children.

No More Tears has helped more than 260 survivors to date. Currently active in Fort Lauderdale and Miami, No More Tears aims to replicate their services nationally by partnering with like-minded organizations.

A World Fit For Kids!: Preparing Kids for Healthy, Fulfilling Lives

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, A World Fit For Kids! (WFIT) is an after school program that gives young people the tools, training, and support they need to lead fit and fulfilling lives. Founded by Camille Harris in 1993, WFIT envisions a world where childhood obesity is not an epidemic; a world where even the most disadvantaged kids receive the guidance they need to be physically, mentally, and emotionally fit; a world where kids have positive role models and can become role models themselves; and a world where all students graduate high school ready for higher education, the workforce, and a bright future. Every day, A World Fit For Kids! is creating that world by teaching kids to eat healthier and become more physically active, as well as by nurturing their academic skills and self-confidence.

A leading provider of healthy behaviors and personal empowerment training and programming, WFIT has so far helped improve the lives of over 200,000 youth in communities with some of the lowest high school graduation rates and highest obesity rates in Los Angeles. Physical activity and healthy behaviors are the foundation of all WFIT programming, as these allow young people to experience making positive choices and getting positive results. Kids and teens, especially those from neighborhoods with high crime and poverty rates, often believe that life is out of their control. A World Fit For Kids! teaches them otherwise – there are things they can control, starting with their bodies. Taking charge of their health eventually leads them to take charge of their education and ultimately their life.

Though their after school programming is only available in the Greater Los Angeles area, A World Fit For Kids! maximizes their reach, impact, and sustainability by imparting their expertise and success strategies to other youth-serving professionals and organizations. In 2007, WFIT received the Gold Medal from the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for “positively impacting the physical activity and fitness levels of California's children and youth.”

GO Campaign: Local Solutions for Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, GO Campaign is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the lives of orphans and vulnerable children around the world by partnering with grassroots organizations. GO Campaign was founded by Scott Fifer, who in 2005 spent one month volunteering at a center for street children in Tanzania. There, he met kids who were falling through the cracks but had a lot of potential. Realizing that international aid, while well-intentioned, often falls short, Fifer started GO Campaign, which works with local heroes throughout the world to provide local solutions.

GO Campaign never goes into a community and tell them what they need. Instead, they listen to their partners, as they know best the needs of their community. GO Campaign then brainstorms with them to come up with ideas and solutions, as well as raises awareness about these grassroots projects that donors might not hear of otherwise. And because all of GO Campaign's administrative and fundraising costs are covered by a private donation, 100 percent of donors' contributions go straight to the project(s) of their choice.

Girls Not Brides: Putting an End to Child Marriage

Every year, about 10 million girls are married before they turn 18, with little or no say in the decision. A harmful traditional practice that denies these girls their right to choose when and whom they marry, as well as their rights to health, education, and security, child marriage holds girls back and keeps them, their families, and their communities trapped in a cycle of poverty.

Seeking to put an end to this worldwide issue, Girls Not Brides is a global partnership that brings together non-governmental organizations that work to address child marriage at the grassroots, national, and international levels. There are currently 200 members in over 40 countries in Africa, South Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, all of which are united by a dedication to empower young girls and help them fulfill their potential.

Believing that they can accomplish more by working together than working alone, the members of Girls Not Brides aim to raise awareness about child marriage and its harmful impact, give a voice to girls at risk of being married too early, and provide them with the opportunities they need to reach their potential. Supporting girls who are or have been victims of child marriage, Girls Not Brides also aims to mobilize the resources necessary to put an end to the problem. Specifically, Girls Not Brides promotes open, informed, and comprehensive, discussion at all levels; facilitates learning and coordination between member organizations; and prepares and organizes all essential policy, financial, and other support to end child marriage.

Headquartered in London, Girls Not Brides was founded in 2011 by The Elders, a group of independent leaders using their collective experience to help resolve some of the world's biggest issues. Founded by Nelson Mandela, The Elders is chaired by Desmond Tutu, and members include Richard Branson, Peter Gabriel, and Jimmy Carter.

Legal Aid Society of the Palm Beaches: A Lasting Gift

While some philanthropic organizations support people in need with concrete donations like food, blankets, or a safe shelter during times of duress, others offer assistance of another sort. Sometimes, what people need most comes in an intangible form: a listening ear and an educated professional who may help them make the decisions that make a difference in the long run. One of these groups is the Legal Society of Palm Beach, Inc. The group thrives with the leadership and financial backing of many professionals, among them prominent Florida lawyer Lloyd Schwed.

Along with Lloyd Schwed, numerous people lend their energy to the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach so that people who might otherwise lack the finances may access the legal guidance they need. Established in 1949, the group began with the generosity of one attorney and soon grew with the expansion of the area. With the boom of Palm Beach in the 1970s, so came the greater need for legal counsel aimed at those coping with economic disadvantages.

Today, the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach staffs upwards of 80 trusted attorneys and serves a wide cross section of individuals. The group presents pro-bono legal advice as well as advocacy in areas including domestic violence and homelessness, recidivism, employment matters, immigration, and education. Dedicated to long term solutions as well as on-site assistance, the staff also work to link individuals and families with the community resources and programs that may help them. Now in its 63^rd year within the community, the institution maintains headquarters in West Palm Beach. 

You can read more about Lloyd and his work here.