Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar industry and the fastest-growing criminal enterprise in the world, with two million women and children sold into slavery every year. The Somaly Mam Foundation (SMF) is a non-profit organization committed to ending sex slavery and empowering its survivors as part of the solution.
SMF was founded in 2007 by Cambodian trafficking survivor and activist Somaly Mam and United States Air Force Academy alums Jared Greenberg and Nicholas Lumpp. The Somaly Mam Foundation exists to eradicate sex slavery, liberate its victims, and empower survivors to create and sustain lives of dignity. The organization works closely with partners in Southeast Asia, where Mam and her team have rescued women and children from abuse and exploitation for nearly 20 years. SMF supports shelter services, rescue operations, and rehabilitation programs in the region, where trafficking remains a widespread issue.
Additionally, the Somaly Mam Foundation runs awareness and advocacy campaigns that feature its survivors as living examples of change and engage the public in the fight against modern slavery.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Soles4Souls: Distributing Shoes and Clothing to People in Need Since 2004
Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Soles4Souls is a global non-profit organization dedicated to fighting poverty by collecting new and used shoes and clothing and getting them to people in need. Shoes are necessary for working, attending school, and avoiding disease, among others; yet, millions of people in the world lack adequate footwear while tons of shoes and apparel are thrown away each year.
Soles4Souls distributes footwear and clothing in two ways. The charity collects new but non-marketable overstocks, returns, and discounted models from corporations and retailers and gives them directly to those who need them, both in the US and overseas.
Soles4Souls also receives millions of articles of used shoes and clothes from individuals, schools, civic organizations, faith-based institutions, and corporate partners. These items are sorted in Soles4Souls' national warehouse system and typically sold, along with some new pieces allocated by manufacturers, to selected micro-enterprise organizations. These private and non-profit companies are contracted to provide shipping, inventory, financing, training, and other support to ultra-small businesses in countries where there are virtually no job opportunities. By creating sustainable jobs in devastated or developing nations such as Haiti, its citizens learn to support themselves and become self-sufficient. The positive impact charity makes is short-term, but jobs create sustained income that passes through the local economy.
Founded in 2004, Soles4Souls is dedicated to the highest standards of operating and governance, as evident in its four-star rating with Charity Navigator. The organization is currently led by CEO Buddy Teaster, who has extensive experience in entrepreneurship, C-level leadership skills, executive education, and non-profits. In the past, he served as president and COO of Executive Business Services, the holding company of StarKart, RTM Networks, and the National Association of Local Advertisers; and chief network officer of Young Presidents' Organization, a non-profit that seeks to develop better leaders and the largest CEO network in the world.
Soles4Souls distributes footwear and clothing in two ways. The charity collects new but non-marketable overstocks, returns, and discounted models from corporations and retailers and gives them directly to those who need them, both in the US and overseas.
Soles4Souls also receives millions of articles of used shoes and clothes from individuals, schools, civic organizations, faith-based institutions, and corporate partners. These items are sorted in Soles4Souls' national warehouse system and typically sold, along with some new pieces allocated by manufacturers, to selected micro-enterprise organizations. These private and non-profit companies are contracted to provide shipping, inventory, financing, training, and other support to ultra-small businesses in countries where there are virtually no job opportunities. By creating sustainable jobs in devastated or developing nations such as Haiti, its citizens learn to support themselves and become self-sufficient. The positive impact charity makes is short-term, but jobs create sustained income that passes through the local economy.
Founded in 2004, Soles4Souls is dedicated to the highest standards of operating and governance, as evident in its four-star rating with Charity Navigator. The organization is currently led by CEO Buddy Teaster, who has extensive experience in entrepreneurship, C-level leadership skills, executive education, and non-profits. In the past, he served as president and COO of Executive Business Services, the holding company of StarKart, RTM Networks, and the National Association of Local Advertisers; and chief network officer of Young Presidents' Organization, a non-profit that seeks to develop better leaders and the largest CEO network in the world.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Using Music and the Arts to Elevate the Hope of Abused Children
Every year, hundreds of thousands of children in America become victims of abuse or neglect. In 2001, entertainer Sheila E. and business manager Lynn Mabry founded Elevate Hope Foundation (EHF) to provide abused and abandoned children an alternative mode of therapy, one that involves music and the arts. EHF supports the existing programs of like-minded organizations through monetary and in-kind donations of items such as musical instruments and art supplies.
In addition to backing community centers, programs, and services that directly help neglected children, EHF will build the Compassion Care Center of the Arts (CCCA) in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. CCCA will offer a safe environment for victims of child abuse and their parents and/or caregivers by providing treatment through the arts, music, recreation, and crisis counseling. Services will include music therapy, reading and writing classes, anger management courses, and family counseling, among many others. CCCA will aim to touch the lives of over 3,000 children annually.
In addition to backing community centers, programs, and services that directly help neglected children, EHF will build the Compassion Care Center of the Arts (CCCA) in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. CCCA will offer a safe environment for victims of child abuse and their parents and/or caregivers by providing treatment through the arts, music, recreation, and crisis counseling. Services will include music therapy, reading and writing classes, anger management courses, and family counseling, among many others. CCCA will aim to touch the lives of over 3,000 children annually.
Denver Charity Makes Sure Every Teen Has Something to Wear to Prom
The Prom Dress Exchange is an annual event that provides affordable prom wear to teens in the Denver area and beyond. It began as a prom dress drive more than 10 years ago and officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation in 2010 after Laura Bauer took over as president. As a single mother of three who had gone prom shopping at thrift stores, Bauer was the perfect candidate to lead the organization.
Bauer knows from personal experience that gems can be found in thrift stores. When she learned that the founder of the Prom Dress Exchange was ready to move on, she committed herself to continuing the service. Entirely run by volunteers, the Prom Dress Exchange collects and stores gently used prom wear and accessories throughout the year and holds a blowout sale every March. Teens only need to present a valid student ID and donate $10 or bring an outfit to exchange to be admitted to the event. Those who cannot donate won't be turned away, however, as the goal of the Prom Dress Exchange is to ensure that every teen can attend their prom in style.
This year's Prom Dress Exchange was held at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The event saw more than 320 teens choose from over 1,350 donated prom dresses and formal wear.
“I am thrilled for each and every teen that leaves the Prom Dress Exchange event feeling like Prince Charming or Cinderella,” says Bauer. “What we do truly has an impact on the self-esteem of each teen who participates in our program.”
No donated item – be it a dress, a suit, a pair of shoes, or jewelry – ever goes to waste at the Prom Dress Exchange; those that do not find a home at the annual sale are passed on to other organizations.
Bauer knows from personal experience that gems can be found in thrift stores. When she learned that the founder of the Prom Dress Exchange was ready to move on, she committed herself to continuing the service. Entirely run by volunteers, the Prom Dress Exchange collects and stores gently used prom wear and accessories throughout the year and holds a blowout sale every March. Teens only need to present a valid student ID and donate $10 or bring an outfit to exchange to be admitted to the event. Those who cannot donate won't be turned away, however, as the goal of the Prom Dress Exchange is to ensure that every teen can attend their prom in style.
This year's Prom Dress Exchange was held at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The event saw more than 320 teens choose from over 1,350 donated prom dresses and formal wear.
“I am thrilled for each and every teen that leaves the Prom Dress Exchange event feeling like Prince Charming or Cinderella,” says Bauer. “What we do truly has an impact on the self-esteem of each teen who participates in our program.”
No donated item – be it a dress, a suit, a pair of shoes, or jewelry – ever goes to waste at the Prom Dress Exchange; those that do not find a home at the annual sale are passed on to other organizations.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Best Friends Animal Society: Every Animal Matters
A national leader in the no-kill movement, Best Friends Animal Society began in the 1980s, when a group of friends decided to do something about the routine killing of cats and dogs in shelters across the US. They started taking some of those “unadoptables” to a safe place and cared for them, eventually finding loving forever homes for the vast majority of these animals.
Best Friends Animal Society's ultimate goal is to “save them all” – the dream that one day, animals will no longer be killed in America's shelters. The organization works towards this dream by implementing spay/neuter and trap/neuter/return programs, increasing the number of people who adopt animals, and working with like-minded organizations and individuals to hold fundraising drives, mutual adoption events, and public education campaigns.
Additionally, Best Friends Animal Society runs the country's largest no-kill sanctuary for pets, where about 1,700 animals can be found at any given time.
Best Friends Animal Society's ultimate goal is to “save them all” – the dream that one day, animals will no longer be killed in America's shelters. The organization works towards this dream by implementing spay/neuter and trap/neuter/return programs, increasing the number of people who adopt animals, and working with like-minded organizations and individuals to hold fundraising drives, mutual adoption events, and public education campaigns.
Additionally, Best Friends Animal Society runs the country's largest no-kill sanctuary for pets, where about 1,700 animals can be found at any given time.
Mind: 60 Years of Championing Good Mental Health for Everyone
The best-known mental health charity in the UK, Mind provides support and advice to empower anyone experiencing a mental health issue. One in four people will experience a mental health problem every year, yet hundreds of thousands are still struggling to get the support and services they need. Mind believes that no one should have to go through this alone and exists to ensure that every individual experiencing a mental health condition ultimately gets the support and respect they deserve.
Each year, the charity's network of more than 160 local Minds provides direct, specialized assistance and care to nearly 250,000 people. Mind empowers individuals with mental health problems to understand their condition and the options available to them through its confidential helpline, legal advice service, and award-winning publications and website. In addition, Mind campaigns on various issues that could affect anyone with a mental health problem, including protection of legal rights, health services, employment, and legislation. The charity believes that everyone experiencing mental health problems should have access to excellent services and be treated with respect and fairness.
Mind also offers training and consultancy to professionals and lay people who are eager to help end discrimination and advance good mental health for all. Mind's services in this area include workplace training, mental health first aid, applied suicide intervention skills, conferences and seminars, and customized training sessions.
For over 60 years, Mind has worked to improve the lives of all individuals with mental health conditions. Among the charity's more recent successes are the new Independent Mental Health Advocacy service, the Time to Change campaign, and the revised Mental Health Act. Mind aims to reach millions more people in need by the year 2016 and has developed an “ambitious and visionary” plan to achieve its goals. The new strategy includes empowering people with mental health issues to participate fully in society, ending inequality and discrimination, and building an organizational culture of excellence.
Each year, the charity's network of more than 160 local Minds provides direct, specialized assistance and care to nearly 250,000 people. Mind empowers individuals with mental health problems to understand their condition and the options available to them through its confidential helpline, legal advice service, and award-winning publications and website. In addition, Mind campaigns on various issues that could affect anyone with a mental health problem, including protection of legal rights, health services, employment, and legislation. The charity believes that everyone experiencing mental health problems should have access to excellent services and be treated with respect and fairness.
Mind also offers training and consultancy to professionals and lay people who are eager to help end discrimination and advance good mental health for all. Mind's services in this area include workplace training, mental health first aid, applied suicide intervention skills, conferences and seminars, and customized training sessions.
For over 60 years, Mind has worked to improve the lives of all individuals with mental health conditions. Among the charity's more recent successes are the new Independent Mental Health Advocacy service, the Time to Change campaign, and the revised Mental Health Act. Mind aims to reach millions more people in need by the year 2016 and has developed an “ambitious and visionary” plan to achieve its goals. The new strategy includes empowering people with mental health issues to participate fully in society, ending inequality and discrimination, and building an organizational culture of excellence.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
City Year: Keeping Kids in School and On Track to Graduation
Every year in America, a million students drop out of school, with most of them being people of color and living in poverty. Almost half of all African-American students will not graduate from high school, and only 60 percent of Hispanic students will. A student who does not finish school is three times more likely to be unemployed and eight times more likely to end up behind bars. The national dropout crisis is not only a civil rights issue, it's also an economic disaster, costing the American economy billions of dollars year after year.
In 1988, Harvard Law School roommates Michael Brown and Alan Khazei founded City Year, an education-focused, non-profit organization that brings together young people of all backgrounds to help keep students in school and on track to graduation. Brown and Khazei believe that young people in service can be a powerful resource for addressing the country's most pressing challenges and that one person can make a difference. Today, City Year is serving 24 cities across the US and in two international affiliate sites located in London, England and Johannesburg, South Africa.
City Year's corps members serve full-time as tutors, mentors, and role models in schools for 10 months, providing academic support, leading mentor groups, organizing community activities, and more. Research from Johns Hopkins University reveals that students who are at risk of dropping out can be identified using three early warning signs: poor attendance, disruptive behavior, and course failure in English and math. However, reaching these kids at the right time and with the right intervention can make a huge difference. Thus, City Year is leveraging the enthusiasm of its corps members and the power of national service to help transform low-performing schools and significantly improve America's graduation rates.
To date, City Year's 17,000 corps members have served more than 1,335,000 students and rendered over 26 million hours of service.
In 1988, Harvard Law School roommates Michael Brown and Alan Khazei founded City Year, an education-focused, non-profit organization that brings together young people of all backgrounds to help keep students in school and on track to graduation. Brown and Khazei believe that young people in service can be a powerful resource for addressing the country's most pressing challenges and that one person can make a difference. Today, City Year is serving 24 cities across the US and in two international affiliate sites located in London, England and Johannesburg, South Africa.
City Year's corps members serve full-time as tutors, mentors, and role models in schools for 10 months, providing academic support, leading mentor groups, organizing community activities, and more. Research from Johns Hopkins University reveals that students who are at risk of dropping out can be identified using three early warning signs: poor attendance, disruptive behavior, and course failure in English and math. However, reaching these kids at the right time and with the right intervention can make a huge difference. Thus, City Year is leveraging the enthusiasm of its corps members and the power of national service to help transform low-performing schools and significantly improve America's graduation rates.
To date, City Year's 17,000 corps members have served more than 1,335,000 students and rendered over 26 million hours of service.
One Family's Fight Against Brain Cancer
Based in New York, Voices Against Brain Cancer is a non-profit organization started by the Lichtenstein family in loving memory of their son and brother, Gary Lichtenstein. Gary was only 24 when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and lost his battle with brain cancer in 2003. Not long after his passing, his parents and siblings founded Voices Against Brain Cancer to raise money and awareness for the fight against this disease.
Founder Mario Lichtenstein explains that the charity is not just about their family, but about all the families worldwide who are experiencing what they've gone through. The mission of Voices Against Brain Cancer is to find a cure for brain cancer by increasing awareness within the medical community; advancing scientific research; and supporting those affected by the illness, including patients, their families, and caregivers.
At present, few people are aware of the magnitude of brain cancer and brain tumor research remains underfunded. Voices Against Brain Cancer exists to change this.
Founder Mario Lichtenstein explains that the charity is not just about their family, but about all the families worldwide who are experiencing what they've gone through. The mission of Voices Against Brain Cancer is to find a cure for brain cancer by increasing awareness within the medical community; advancing scientific research; and supporting those affected by the illness, including patients, their families, and caregivers.
At present, few people are aware of the magnitude of brain cancer and brain tumor research remains underfunded. Voices Against Brain Cancer exists to change this.
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