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POISE (Providing Opportunities for Independence and Social Experiences) is an organization dedicated to maximizing the human potential of children with social communication disorders – specifically those diagnosed with Asperger’s disorder or high functioning autism. These truly exceptional youngsters are creative, passionate and intelligent people whose inability to appropriately connect with their peers hinders their capacity to share their gifts and talents with the outside world and often leaves them feeling socially isolated and depressed. Summer camp communities help children feel valued and connected; they build self-esteem, facilitate lasting friendships and instill core values. Camps that specialize in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders are uniquely positioned to cultivate the social and life skills these underserved children need to be truly successful and productive adults. POISE exists to provide scholarships to families who could not otherwise afford to give their children the magical – and critically life-changing – experience of summer camp.

VietHope was founded in 2002 by a group of university students in the Boston area. Coming together from all corners of the U.S. and the world, they shared a common idealism and energy. What began as an informal discussion about Vietnam evolved into a circle of friendship. Within this circle, our founders shared with each other their dreams for Vietnam, and their desire to make a difference in the lives of everyday people there. Thus VietHope was born as a dedication to youth and to Vietnam’s development. VietHope’s founders believed that development must be based on long-term and sustainable results, and that people and human capital development are necessary for such results. VietHope shares the dream that every child in Vietnam will grow up with the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. Therefore, our mission is to empower financially disadvantaged students in Vietnam to access education and rise out of poverty. With our help, these students will beat the odds. They will create a better world for themselves, their families and their communities.

RIA, Inc. – ready•inspire•act is a nonprofit organization in MA supporting, and standing with, women with experience in the commercial sex trade by providing a range of community-based services. We practice the power of presence.RIA's premier program offers Accompaniment which is an intentional, trauma-informed approach to care that requires a deep and personal understanding of how power held over another human being damages a person's sense of safety and control over her own life and circumstances. Our model, ​Sisters Leading Sisters, incorporates clinical and healing practices in every step of support. These practices include survivor professional mentorship and advocacy, weekly virtual groups, case management, and clinical therapy.Services are facilitated by skilled women with lived experiences of sexual exploitation/prostitution, addiction, chronic illness, dv, and homelessness. We use an action-oriented, relational approach to fostering self-esteem and self-actualization. We bring compassionate community to the people we meet.

Cake4Kids is a 501c3 providing underserved youth with positive, critical childhood experiences that build their self-esteem and help guide them toward a bright future—their very own cake in celebration of birthdays, graduations, adoptions, and academic awards. For youth experiencing homelessness, recovering from human trafficking or domestic violence, moving through the foster care system, or living at or below the poverty line, the simplest gesture of being seen and celebrated provides an integral component of emotional and social wellness to help carry youth through their difficult circumstances. While our volunteers are the power behind the baking and deliveries, our small staff is working their magic behind the scenes. With over 16,000 cake requests annually, over 6,000 volunteer bakers, over 2,000 caseworker partners, and chapters across the country, we couldn’t operate without our team who works tirelessly to further our mission. But we need your support to reach even more children in need!

Our Mission The mission of GVT is to create live, professional quality theatre in West Virginia and through theatre to enlighten, enrich and enliven the life of our Region. Who We Are: •We are a producing organization that is dedicated to sharing the connection between art and life with our community through the live, interactive voice of theatre. •We create work that speaks to the human spirit and work that entertains. •We are committed to the education of young people. •We are dedicated to developing new plays. •We are a unique rural arts group committed to excellence in live theatre. Goals •To produce theatre, here in rural West Virginia. •To develop new shows and to perform an eclectic choice of plays •To be a regional, residential theatre that combines talent from our community with professional talent. •To employ a core company of theatre artists. •To tour into schools and rural communities. •To be an artist-driven organization. •To provide quality programs for our area’s children and to teach them in theatre arts, self-worth and critical thinking. •To be a force in the economic growth of the Greenbrier Valley through our year-round programming.

Established in 2004, Garden State Equality (GSE) is the largest LGBT education and advocacy organization in New Jersey and one of the most successful statewide civil rights organization for the LGBT community in the nation. Our services include advocacy, policy work, and trainings. Our signature programs are: Map & Expand, Pledge & Protect, and Teach & Affirm. In collaboration with community partners, Garden State Equality led efforts to ensure nondiscrimination for transgender people and gender nonconforming people in New Jersey, we passed the most comprehensive anti-bullying law in the country, ended sexual orientation and gender identity/expression change efforts in New Jersey (sometimes called conversion therapy), and brought marriage equality to the Garden State! All our current work is informed by racial, economic, and disability justice concerns. We are working to address safe environments for youth, improvement of health services that meet LGBT community needs, and respectful treatment of seniors. Beyond that, Garden State Equality supports New Jersey's activist community by bringing an LGBT lens to the shared struggle for justice. Garden State Equality Education Fun, Inc. is a member of the Equality Federation, a non-profit under the IRS Code Section 501(c)(3), and has achieved a platinum seal of transparency from Guidestar (See https://www.guidestar.org/profile/20-2588166).

CORRAL pairs at-risk girls with rescued horses to promote healing, transformational growth and ultimately, lasting life-change. The CORRAL Riding Academy is a youth-serving nonprofit operating out of Cary, North Carolina. This program’s mission pairs at-risk girls between the ages of eleven and eighteen with rescued horses to promote healing, transformational growth, and ultimately, lasting life change. CORRAL is intended as a long-term intervention for the youth, requiring a minimum of one year’s commitment from each participant, and anticipating a four to seven year commitment for each student with reapplication every year. The intention of CORRAL is to shepherd youth through their difficult teenage years and into college. The structure of CORRAL is based on five components: horseback riding, vocational training, tutoring, equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), and mentorship. These components are designed to allow participants to gain equine knowledge and skills, and also develop the behaviors, attitudes, and skills necessary for success in life beyond horses. CORRAL accepts participants from referring agencies within the community including Human Services, local law enforcement, Juvenile Justice, Teen Court, school teachers and administrators, and other sources. Candidates are selected through an application and interview process. This process measures and compares level of risk and level of commitment with the end goal being that selected participants will demonstrate both a high level or risk and a high level of commitment.

The Center for Community Alternatives (CCA), founded in 1981, is a leader in community-based alternatives to incarceration and policy advocacy to reduce reliance on incarceration. We provide direct services to communities in New York City, Syracuse and Rochester, engaging approximately 2,500 youth and adults annually who would otherwise be incarcerated. The great majority of our participants are African-American or Latino/a and come from poor or low-income communities. In addition to direct services, CCA works to bring about a more just and humane criminal justice system. We have achieved success in persuading the State Legislature to adopt "reintegration" as a goal of sentencing; in reforming New York's drug laws; and in realigning New York's juvenile justice system so that more youth are placed in programs in their home communities, rather than detention or incarceration. We are currently leading a national campaign to reduce barriers to college admission for people with criminal records. In an average year, CCA successfully diverts 100 adults and as many juveniles from costly incarceration, saving New York State millions of dollars. Our work reduces the collateral consequences of incarceration, strengthens families and builds safer communities. CCA serves people in trouble: youth at risk; families in crisis; people struggling to address drug and alcohol problems and HIV and AIDS; and people who have been involved in the criminal justice system who are seeking community reintegration and productive, law-abiding lives. CCA endeavors to address these issues by emphasizing personal empowerment, self-respect and concern for one's community.

The Walking In Authority (WIA) Teen Council, Inc. seeks to provide social and educational opportunities to low/moderate income teens that foster human development, building character, and increase teens voice and involvement in the Metro Atlanta community. The program's purpose is to create a secure atmosphere with a teen/parent-friendly and safe environment using a holistic approach to education, job training, health and wellness, leadership, parental outreach, mediation and conflict resolution, public administration, public safety, judicial system, discipline, character and personal development while having fun. SPARKLE K. ADAMS, is the founder and Executive Director of the Walking In Authority (WIA) Teen Council formerly known as the Forest Park Teen Council, Inc. While serving as Mayor Pro-tem, Interim Mayor, and City Councilwoman in the City of Forest Park, she envisioned giving teenagers a vehicle to promote their interest through active involvement in the community by participation in community activities. Her goal is to have teens serve as ambassadors to the City leaders on behalf of their peers contributing back to the community. Hence, the Forest Park Teen Council was officially launched in 2009. The name was officially changed to Walking In Authority (WIA) Teen Council, Inc. in 2016. Walking In Authority (WIA) Teen Council, Inc. promotes positive relationships among youth from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Through our reorganization, we developed working committees to be more efficient and effective in accomplishing our new goal of “Aspire to Inspire"; our mission to LEARN (Leadership, Empowerment, Accountability, Responsibility, and Networking); our vision of looking into the future using our LENS (Leadership, Education, Networking that leads to Success).

Our mission is to elevate the quality of life through human enrichment experiences for families that have children with life-altering conditions. 25 years ago, Kidd and Carol Cradick had a seemingly-routine sonogram for a naturally-conceived, otherwise normal pregnancy. But for Carol, it wasn’t the outlined image of her unborn baby that worried her. It was the unnerving description from the OB/GYN. Before long, they understood the possible complications this child could face following her birth. Even somewhat positive readings from future sonograms couldn’t shake the fear that their daughter may never walk or leave a wheelchair. Fortunately, Caroline Cradick was born healthy. It was then that Kidd made a commitment to help families whose outcomes vastly differed from their own. As with the birth of their own miracle, Kidd’s Kids was born: a charity devoted to families touched by tragedy or disease, families who rarely saw a smile on their children’s faces, families who struggled with serious economic strangleholds due to the high cost of medical care and deserved a few days of happiness. 
 Initially, the program began as a bus ride to Sea World in San Antonio, Texas. During the charity’s infancy, the Cradick’s struggled with a lack of experience and funding. However, thanks to the volunteer efforts from medical professionals, nurses and physical therapists, as well as the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show listeners’ willingness to embrace and fund the trip, Kidd’s Kids started growing at an exponential rate. As Caroline grew healthy and matured, so did Kidd’s Kids. She would eventually go on to fulfill her destiny as the face and executive director of Kidd’s Kids. By this time, the charity had evolved to feature a full charter plane trip to Disney World. To this day, the charity remains a family affair - a family that includes all of the children, their loving care-takers and families, and the Kidd’s Kids staff working in tandem. Together, they create memories that most thought were impossible. For this, Kidd Kraddick and Kidd’s Kids, shall always be remembered.

Powerful Beyond Measure (PBM) is a 501c3 non-profit that implements efforts towards youth and community development; focusing on creative, academic, professional, civic, social and personal growth by strategically integrating the arts, entertainment, sports and media industries into programming. Our vision is to utilize these influential fields to effectively reach the urban communities of our targeted youth, via multi-dimensional services that will help positively shape young people and empower the adults around them to become active leaders and contributors. We aim towards the following: o To impact urban youth by exposing them to enriching and positive experiences, opportunities, and adults – leading them towards a greater chance for a productive adult life and away from negative endeavors o To create alliances with other non-profits to support them by developing a collective effort to assist and empower those around us; as well as support like-minded organizations with resources and services. o To help lower income families experience the same rights as those of greater income i.e. education, job training & access, programs and food/clothing – through volunteerism and information PBM uses the arts, entertainment and sports as tools to motivate. This approach was developed upon the realization that these fields are powerful by way of their appeal and influence on our target population. By harnessing that power to make programs more appealing, we can continue to implement the important values and societal offerings of more conventional non-profits. Powerful Beyond Measure believes we can help each other realize our potential for greatness, inspire the pursuit of success, and make powerful strides by working together for altruistic purposes. Founded in 2006, the organization began with its charter program, C.A.P.E. League (see below) – a multi-dimensional youth enrichment program. In 2007, we launched Exploring Possibilities, a unique career day for teens and young adults to discover non-traditional professions. Since 2008, we have produced PBM's Weekly Source Email – an on-line newsletter distributed to DC area residents, community groups and non-profits. It lists public events, job openings, services, scholarships and programs. In 2017, PBM will re-launch the Triple I Program to provide young adults with the opportunity to gain professional experience through hands-on work, mentorship, workshops and giving back.

The world's poorest children are at highest risk of the world's most expensive injuries -- burns and amputations. These sudden, life-changing trauma injuries can happen in a second without warning but require a lifetime of support. The world has ample resources in the form of medical care, rehabilitation therapy, and psychosocial support for trauma survivors, but it is not getting to the children who need it most. HandReach is working to bring together the best hands in the world to promote healing, rehabilitation, and the full development of human potential among the world's poorest and most badly-injured children. HandReach works at three levels: 1) Individuals: We facilitate the sharing of best practices across countries and institutions by educating clinicians, therapists, parents, and healers of all kinds. We also work to bring acute, reconstructive, and psychosocial care to children who are in great need of surgery or rehabilitation therapy that their families cannot possibly afford. 2) Institutions: We facilitate international clinics, sponsor training, develop technological resources, and arrange for the donation of needed equipment and supplies so that institutions can maximize their ability to treat complex injuries and promote full rehabilitation for children, regardless of income. 3) Society: We advocate for the needs of the poor to promote greater access to medical care, education, safer products, building materials, and work practices, and a place in society that includes greater access and acceptance for people with physical differences. We are working to develop a free international database of best practices in pediatric burn care and orthopedic rehabilitation that allows doctors and therapists to consult across the world on cases. This online resource database will be readily translatable into any language and provide short, detailed videos that address various aspects of excellent burn and orthopedic care -- from skin grafting to splinting to prosthetics to psychological support for children and families. If a child is burned in China, for instance, her doctor can provide details about the case, consult live expert clinicians internationally, and be directed to easily downloadable videos in Chinese to share with staff and the patient's family. HandReach's work would then be to spread the word of this database and foster face-to-face contact between clinics worldwide. HandReach's dream is for there to be nowhere in the world a child can be injured that is out of reach of excellent medical care and psychosocial support.