CHARITY AND VOLUNTEERISM

RED  ALERT!
In a December 23, 1999 article, the Los Angeles Times proclaimed that the younger generations are not contributing to charitable organizations.  The gauntlet has been thrown down!  The challenge is on!  What are we going to do about it?

DETERMINE TO START THE HABIT OF GIVING NOW.  And here's an easy way to start right now - go to the hunger site. Read the information and make an instant donation (free to you).  Copy this web site address and make it your home web page!   http://www.thehungersite.com

RESEARCH CHARITY OPTIONS.  Go to the sites below for quick and fast information about your favorite charities, and to learn about more charities of interest to you.

PARTICIPATE IN A CHARITY PROJECT.  Ask your teacher about starting a fund-raising drive in your classroom to raise money for your favorite charity.  Pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, bills, can all add up quicker than you might imagine. Group participation is the key.  Remember, "from many drops a mighty river flows"!

Click on a topic or scroll down:
[Health ][Environment][Human Rights][Peace][Charity Watchdogs][Volunteerism]

HEALTH

Alzheimer's Association    http://www.alz.org
American Heart Association    http://www.americanheart.org
American Diabetes Association    http://www.diabetes.org
The American Red Cross (International Response Fund)   http://www.redcross.org
Arthritis Foundation    http://www.arthritis.org
*UNICEF (United Nations Child Emergency Fund)    http://www.unicef.org

ENVIRONMENT

Clean Water Action    http://www.cleanwateraction.org
*Kids for a Clean Environment    http://www.kidsface.org
National Arbor Day Foundation    http://www.arborday.org
National Parks and Conservation Association    http://www.npca.org
Sierra Club    http://www.sierraclub.org
The Wilderness Society    http://www.wilderness.org
World Wildlife Fund    http://www.worldwildlife.org

HUMAN RIGHTS

Amnesty International    http://www.amnestyusa.org
Southern Poverty Law Center    http://www.splcenter.org
Anti-Defamation League    http://www.adl.org
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People  http://www.naacp.org
Not In Our Town    http://www.igc.org/an/niot
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial    http://www.rfkmemorial.org/about_the_memorial.htm
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum    http://www.ushmm.org
Museum of Tolerance    http://www.wiesenthal.com/mot
Tahirih Justice Center    http://www.tahirih.org
Mona Foundation    http://www.monafoundation.org

PEACE
Peace Corps    http://www.peacecorps.gov
Nonviolence International    http://www.igc.apc.org/nonviolence
World Peace 2000    http://www.worldpeace2000.org
Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Home Page http://www.dwb.org
People to People International
 

RELIGIOUS
Talk to your parents and check with your local religious institutions.

Check out how charities perform by going to a WATCHDOG GROUP:
There are many charities that do good works - how do you know which one to choose?  There are web sites you can go to which monitor charitable organizations.  These watchdog groups develop criteria to judge how good of a job the charity is doing in using its funds for its intended charitable works, and how much goes to salaries, administrative costs etc.

Better Business Bureau    http://www.bbb.org/reports/charity.htm
This page lists the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) Philanthropic Advisory Service (PAS) reports on charities and other soliciting organizations.

VOLUNTEERISM

Volunteers for Peace        http://www.vfp.org
Mission Statement: VFP promotes International Voluntary Service as an effective means of intercultural education and community service.
Peace Corps    http://www.peacecorps.gov
Volunteers live and work in another country for two years.  This organization was started by President Robert F. Kennedy in 1961.
Idealist: Action Without Borders    http://www.idealist.org
This international network organization promotes action and participation in finding and carrying out practical solutions to social and environmental problems.
Do Something League    http://www.dosomething.org