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In a nutshell, we’re a group of friends who share a common desire to keep Melissa’s Hope going, now, and well into the future. Please feel free to contact any one of us with questions and ideas. Melissa’s Hope is a rare and wonderful place. Its a positive and busy community that feels a lot like summer camp. Visiting Melissa’s Hope feels good because its run by good people who treat the orphans, students, and day campers with respect and great care. Its also an expensive place to run. Right now, people who know Melissa’s Hope are raising money where they can to keep it going, but its month by month with practically no reserve. Its a fragile state that we intend to change. MHF is a volunteer organization. We established MHF with our own time, energy, and money, so donations are NOT subject to any overhead or expenses. Every dollar of every donation goes directly to Melissa’s Hope.

The Good People Fund, inspired by the Jewish concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world), responds to significant problems such as poverty, disability, trauma and social isolation, primarily in the United States and Israel. We provide financial support, guidance and mentoring to charitable activities of modest proportions that are undertaken by Good People acting singly or in small groups. Target endeavors are those that, by their personal scale and often-unusual nature, might otherwise find it difficult to attract sufficient support. The Good People Fund operates responsively, flexibly and with a minimum of bureaucracy. We serve as a means for donors to reach many groups and individual needs and act as an instigator of good, inspiring people to do tikkun olam and tzedakah (to do the right thing by giving) responsibly and regularly. To expand these good works (ma’asim tovim), the Good People Fund also educates youth, adults, teachers, recipients and donors about the process and power of helping others.

One Day's Wages (ODW) is a grassroots movement of people, stories, and actions to alleviate extreme global poverty. We believe that positive change happens when we invest in, amplify, and come alongside grassroots organizations that align with our shared values of impact, dignity, mutuality, transparency, and localization. We achieve this through carefully vetted matching grants that build our partners’ capacity to implement projects across 12 issues. In our grant making, we prioritize projects in countries ranked low or medium according to the United Nations Human Development Index. We acknowledge that our contributions toward the daunting task of poverty alleviation are small, but we believe each of us has an important part to play.

The Center for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technology for the Environment (CREATE!) was established in 2008 to help rural populations in the developing world prepare for water, food, and fuel shortages resulting from the impact of climate change on their communities. CREATE! operates on the principle that all people have a right to water, food, shelter, energy, and the means to earn a living. We work with village populations to meet these needs through a culturally respectful, participatory process grounded in our belief that people must have a stake in their development and contribute towards solving their own problems. The cooperative groups in our beneficiary villages have already demonstrated the validity of this approach. CREATE! currently operates in Senegal. Senegal is representative of many Sub-Saharan African countries that are hardest hit by the increasingly disastrous effects of global climate change. CREATE! responds to the inter-connected crises generated by climate change with strategies that decrease dependence on fossil fuels, conserve natural resources, and increase the use of appropriate technologies. Our programs produce sustainable, human needs-based development at the village level while forging resilient and vibrant communities across rural Senegal. CREATE! seeks to face these challenges and assist rural Senegalese residents with small-scale, accessible, and "appropriate" technologies - technologies that are adapted to, and fit, their local conditions - and with human needs-based strategies that can both better their lives and build their capacity to meet these inter-connected challenges. CREATE! works in six villages in two regions of Senegal. One region is in the rural north of Senegal, centered around Linguere in the Louga Region, where CREATE! implements programs in the village of Ouarkhokh. The other region is in the central-west of Senegal, centered around Gossas in the Fatick Region. CREATE! implements program activities in five villages in this region. The total beneficiary population of the six villages is approximately 12,000 people, comprised of both agricultural and pastoral peoples. The average per capita annual income of the population in these villages is approximately $350 a year. In each of these villages, CREATE! staff work closely with local and traditional authorities, including village chiefs and imams, in addition to other community leaders, families, and public schools. CREATE! values the expertise and input of community members and strives to incorporate their knowledge and participation into each stage of our programs. As a registered NGO in Senegal, CREATE! works with government officials from the regional office of the Department of Water and Forestry. CREATE! also respects the Senegalese government's strategic development goals for rural communities. Although CREATE!'s administrative office is located in the United States, CREATE! relies on local Senegalese staff and volunteers to plan and implement successful development interventions. Barry Wheeler, CREATE! Founder and Executive Director, has spent the past 27 years working to alleviate suffering and to provide basic human needs for rural villagers, displaced persons, and refugees in several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. After serving in the Peace Corps for six years as an Improved Cook Stove and Appropriate Technology volunteer, trainer, and technical advisor in Togo, Barry earned a Master's degree in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University. Barry has served as Country Director for the American Refugee Committee's programs in Uganda, Sudan, and Rwanda; as a consultant for UNICEF and UNHCR; and as a team leader and training coordinator in local capacity building, renewable and appropriate technology, and sustainable rural development. CREATE! Chief Operations Officer Louise Ruhr has more than 30 years of private sector and nonprofit management experience and has spent the past eight years working with international NGOs, including the American Refugee Committee, to support women's cooperative groups in Rwanda and Senegal. CREATE! Country Director Omar Ndiaye Seck oversees program activities and conducts site visits in CREATE! communities. He also manages CREATE!'s finances and staff in Senegal. Omar closely collaborates with local and traditional authorities, community volunteers, and CREATE! staff to achieve both organizational and village goals.

EVA is a non-profit organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service and registered in the State of Illinois. It was created for the purpose of assisting Ecuadorian institutions devoted to educational, social, and health programs for the poor, neglected, and at-risk segments of the population. EVA is run by volunteers, and the various programs are implemented through network of viable, non-profit Ecuadorian institutions previously selected by a careful screening process. EVA requires that all the funds collected and distributed as yearly grants be only used for programmatic objectives of the organization it sponsors. EVA's Community Assistance Grant was instituted in 2008 to improve the quality of life of economically disadvantaged people living in the Chicago Metropolitan area where EVA is located. I Since its inception, we have been giving opportunities to advance educational, health, and human service programs in the local community.

DRAW (Disaster Relief At Work, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing relief services to communities around the United States hit by natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. DRAW was started with a singular premise in mind: a natural disaster is one of very few times in the human experience where a person or family goes from everyday life to rock bottom instantly.We aim to provide whatever the survivors of natural disasters need as soon as they need it. Our first response teams will help survivors sift through the remains of their homes to salvage valuables, move trees that have fallen and blocked them in their driveway, or just sit and listen as they grieve.Since our inception in 2012, DRAW has responded to an average of seven major disasters per year

The Survivor Mitzvah Project (SMP) mission is an urgent humanitarian effort bringing direct and continuous financial aid to elderly and forgotten Holocaust survivors scattered across 9 countries including war-torn Ukraine, who are ill, isolated, alone, and in desperate need of food, medicine, heat, shelter, and some loving kindness. Our primary goal is to ensure that no Holocaust Survivor who has experienced the darkest days of human history ever be hungry, cold, or neglected again. Our secondary goal is to encourage people to work towards a kind and compassionate future by imagining a world without hate. Through education and outreach, we encourage people from all walks of life, all ethnicities, all races, religions, and genders to come together to stand up for each other and stop hatred and violence wherever it takes hold.

All it takes is one storm. PLAN!T NOW was formed in 2004 after Hurricane Ivan, a Category 5 storm, struck the island nation of Grenada, reducing its rain forest to shrubs, removing roofs from 90 percent of homes, and killing dozens–including children. Originally formed as the Grenada Relief Fund, we assisted in recovery projects in the country, furthering the understanding that appropriate preparedness measures can have a significant positive impact on how a community fares during a storm. Through our work we learned this important lesson: Disaster happens when preparation doesn’t. Today PLAN!T NOW advocates for the power of preparedness as we educate, engage and connect people and organizations preparing for and dealing with natural and human-made disasters. Through a range of programs and resources–including funding emergency kits and planning tools for families in need in Mexico and the U.S.–we’re working to expand our reach to make more communities safer, now and for the future.

Our mission is to facilitate the distribution of surplus medical resources where they are needed. As such, our programs have both a local and international focus. Goods are distributed in a non-discriminatory manner without regard to race, color, gender, religion, nationality or political beliefs. In pursuing the mission, the Board of Directors, volunteers, and staff seek t 1.      Relieve human suffering 2.      Demonstrate respect for all customers, clients, and patients 3.      Collaborate with community organizations collectively to provide services to those in need 4.      Maintain a proactive approach to improving services provided The key to WMR’s success throughout its history has been the recycling of usable medical equipment, supplies, instruments, and medications that have been collected from area physicians, hospitals, clinics, and individuals. WMR has the ability to utilize these items in our services and programs that help people all over the world.  Another crucial element of World Medical Relief is the help of volunteers. Volunteers can be found in all departments of the organization; in all over 1,700 annually.

Founded in 1955, the World Rehabilitation Fund is the pioneer organization devoted to the development and implementation of rehabilitation programs for people with disabilities throughout the world. WRF's mission is: to enable individuals around the world with functional limitations and participation restrictions achieve community and social integration through physical and socio-economic rehabilitation and advocacy; and to prevent disability and reduce disadvantage. WRF believes that all people, regardless of disability, have the right to participate fully in their communities, to attain education and viable employment. Guiding Principles The WRF staff works closely with local and international partners to develop culturally appropriate initiatives that address all aspects of rehabilitation, from incident through reintegration by: Strengthening the capacity of indigenous organizations to better meet the needs of people in states of disadvantage due to various forms of disabilities. Developing community-based programs for physical, psychological, and socio-economic rehabilitation and reintegration. Upgrading skills of rehabilitation service providers such as physicians, therapists, health promoters, nurses, social workers, and vocational rehabilitation specialists. Collaborating with industry and local professionals to enhance vocational training, skills-building, and job placement programs to create sustainable employment and income-generating entrepreneurial opportunities. Training rehabilitation professionals throughout the world in the fabrication and fitting of artificial limbs, orthopedic braces, and other assistive technology appropriate for the geographic area they serve. Ensuring that people with disabilities are part of the team from start to finish.

Feed The World's mission is to empower poor smallholder farm families to feed themselves and provide for the future through sustainable farming. Guiding Principles - Seeds of Dignity and Hope are planted in the hearts of our smallholder farm families as they work together to provide for themselves and build a better future. Transparency & Accountability means that we will do exactly what we promise to do in the communities we serve and that we will be open and honest with our donors in communicating how funds are being used. Lasting Self Reliance is achieved as families obtain sufficient knowledge and education, manage resources wisely, and prepare for the future so that they will continue to thrive after our support ends. Sustainable Farming is practiced by smallholder farm families as they plan, plant, and harvest food for themselves and their livestock, while building human capacity to recognize and enhance the efficient use of their natural resources. Nutrition & Income are the core benefits to smallholder farm families as they grow and produce foodstuffs that provide for a nutritionally balanced diet on an economically sustainable basis. Scientifically Proven Methodology guides the implementation of agricultural best practices with our smallholder farm families and on our demonstration farms. We also support further scientific research through partnerships with universities, governments, and other non-governmental organizations (NGO's). Mutual Respect is the goal of our in-country agronomists, nutritionists, and animal scientists as they interact with smallholder farm families, seeking to understand the "why" behind traditional practices, and always exploring new possibilities. Training & Education in sustainable farming, nutrition, food preparation, and hygiene are key to ensuring that lasting self reliance is achieved by smallholder farm families. Honoring Culture means that our programs work within the local cultural framework to empower and educate smallholder farm families without imposing an outside culture on them. Family Focus involves both women and men in all aspects of decision making, training, and education; and keeps children and parents united and working together on their land. Feeding the Spirit means that while Feed the World does not identify itself with one particular religion or belief system, we honor the spirituality of all human beings and serve all program participants irrespective of their beliefs or social station. Pay It Forward means that we expect our smallholder farm families to pass on their seeds, stock, and knowledge to other families in need once they have successfully provided for themselves.

Mission Statement: The Binaytara Foundation seeks to improve healthcare in resource poor communities and improve cancer care worldwide by collaborating with national and international organizations to: 1.) develop healthcare manpower in underserved areas 2.) improve access to cancer care by establishing direct care facilities and services 3.) promote the practice of evidence based medicine by providing research grants to young physicians and healthcare providers in training 4.) improve knowledge and competence of healthcare professionals by offering them continuing educational materials though live and virtual meetings, webinars, and other educational forums. Our Values: As individuals who grew up in Nepal, and were edified by higher education and professional training in their home countries and in the United States, BTF co-founders maintain a strong sense of responsibility towards helping improve healthcare in resource poor communities. BTF board members, volunteers, associates, and donors are individuals highly motivated to help the less privileged people around the world. Our philosophy is "Countries have man-made boundaries, humanity does not." We invite you to join hands with us in helping improve healthcare near and far.