National Black Child Development Institute: Ensuring a Better Future for Black Children

The National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) is an organization that dedicates itself to ensuring the wellbeing and success of black children. Their main focus is to look after the wellbeing, health, and education of black children and their families.

The NBCDI was launched more than 40 years ago by another group – the Black Women’s Community Development Foundation in Washington D.C. The leaders of this group were concerned with the conditions wherein they were to raise their children. During that time, poverty and racial discrimination were at its peak and this affected black children and their families the most. The NBCDI was formed in order to become an advocate for these children who deserved better healthcare and education than what they were receiving at that time.

Today, the NBCDI continues to be the voice of black children all across the nation through country-wide programs that aim to uplift the lives of black children and their families through education and proper healthcare.

PAWS Atlanta: 49 Years of Saving Pets

For many people, pets are a part of their family. Unfortunately, there are those who neglect or mistreat animals that are considered companions by others. This is why there are many organizations that look after these animals’ welfare. One of these organizations is PAWS Atlanta.

PAWS Atlanta began in 1966 as a branch of the Atlanta Humane Society. The organization which was originally called the DeKalb Humane Society was incorporated as a stand-alone organization the following year. Initially, the organization was comprised of a network of foster homes for rescued pets. These foster families kept and took care of the pets until they were adopted and placed in permanent homes. They were able to secure a property and turned it into a kennel to house the rescued pets in 1983 and this shelter was opened to the public in 1989. They changed their name to PAWS Atlanta in 2002 and continued on their quest to rescue, treat, and place neglected pets. They have also expanded their services to include spaying and neutering of pets to keep the animal population in the city under control. Vaccination services have also been offered to the public as well. PAWS Atlanta has also gone the extra mile by offering behavioral training services, as well as opening a dental clinic and food banks for pets.

PAWS Atlanta operates under a No-Kill Philosophy. This means that they only euthanize pets if they are terminally ill or show irreversible and extremely aggressive behavior that may cause harm to foster families or people who wish to adopt them. If the space they have isn’t enough to comfortably house the rescued pets, they find foster homes to take them in until they are adopted.

The organization relies mainly on donations, grants, and fund raising efforts scheduled by the group. They do not receive funding from the government for their services.

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund: Protecting the Rights of Asian-Americans across the Country

In 1974, there were roughly 1.5 million Asian-Americans living in the United States. Four decades later, that population has boomed to around 15 million. As the Asian-American population continues to grow, the need to protect their civil rights becomes greater. 

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund was founded in 1974 by a group of students, activists, and lawyers in Lower Manhattan. The idea behind the organization was to be able to educate Asian Americans about their rights and to provide legal aid to those who can’t afford it. Part of the group’s advocacy is also to stop human trafficking, as well as the occurrences of hate crimes against Asian Americans.

The organization has done a lot for the Asian American community by litigating cases that made sure that back wages and overtime pay is given to those working as laborers in the domestic services, hotel, restaurant, and garment industries.  They also help immigrants get over the language barrier and help them understand their rights

Alzheimer's and Aging Research Center: Putting the Elderly First

Alzheimer’s disease is very common among the elderly, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a normal part of aging.  It is a disease that affects the part of the brain that controls memory, thought, and language. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s yet. In the United States alone, approximately 4 million people, many of them between the ages of 65 to 74, suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. It is also said that almost 50% of those aged 85 and up suffer from this disease. This alarming number of people affected by this disease is the reason why the Alzheimer's and Aging Research Center was founded in 1995. The organization supports scientists that conduct studies and try to find effective treatments for Alzheimer’s and other age-related health issues.

The goal of the Alzheimer’s and Aging Research Center is to find treatments and drugs that can help alleviate the symptoms of the disease and make life easier not just for those suffering from Alzheimer’s but also for the families who take care of them. Aside from funding the research, they also support research training as early as in the high school level and they also spread awareness of the disease and the progress being made in finding a cure. The organization believes that by collaborative efforts made by scientists, researchers, doctors, and other medical professionals, the elderly can live fuller lives, of course, with the support of their families, friends, and loved ones.

The Alzheimer’s and Aging Research Center isn’t just about one disease. They also support research that aims to help us understand the aging process better in order to provide better care for the elderly. The organization also focuses on other age-related diseases and chronic health issues that affect senior citizens such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.

Christian HELP Foundation: Offering More than Prayers to Those in Need

There are many faith-based ministries that help those who are in need, but there only a few that go the extra mile by forming a mission-based organization set up to help the unemployed find jobs and providing other forms of help to those who need it.

The Christian HELP Foundation is one of those rare faith-based ministries. HELP stands for Hope, Encouragement, Love, and Prayer, which is exactly what this organization offers those who come to them. Founded in 1992 by Dick and Madge Wilson, and Harry Kunisch, Christian HELP reaches out to unemployed Christians and non-Christians alike and helps them by providing them food and the opportunity to find a job through job fairs and other endeavors. They also make sure that the children of the people they serve get to spend a proper Christmas celebration.

Since the foundation was established, Christian HELP has made employment connections for over a hundred thousand people and saved over $250,000,000 of the taxpayers’ money which is usually spent on welfare checks for the unemployed in Central Florida.

Meals On Wheels: Providing Nourishment to Seniors since 1954

Children aren’t the only ones prone to malnutrition. Many senior citizens, especially those who are not able to leave the house, find themselves unable to prepare or buy nutritious food for themselves. Some are lucky enough to have caring friends and family members that can help them, but for others who live alone, malnutrition is a sad reality.

Founded in 1954, Meals on Wheels aims to change that. The initiative to deliver food to homebound seniors began as a small scale operation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This initiative led to the creation of similar programs in different parts of the United States. By 1972, these Senior Nutrition Programs (SNPs) received recognition from the government by including it in the Older Americans Act through which these programs will receive funding.

20 years after the first Meals on Wheels program was launched, the various SNPs came together in Washington D.C. and established The National Organization of Home Delivered and Congregate Meal Programs. The SNP network went through a couple of name changes. They changed their name to the much simpler National Association of Meal Programs in 1976. In 1998, the organization changed its name again, borrowing the more popular Meals on Wheels label, and since then they have been known as the Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA).

In recent years, the MOWAA has embarked on several new initiatives, including an annual public awareness campaign called March for Meals which aims to spread awareness about the organization, get more funding, and recruit more volunteers for the cause. Aside from food, the MOWAA also wants to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the seniors they provide services for during times of emergency. This is why they have developed their own Disaster Preparedness guidelines to make sure that disasters and emergencies won’t disrupt their operations and that the seniors get the help they need during these times.