Metro Denver Partners

Does the name "Metro Denver Partners" sound familiar?  Maybe, maybe not.  I don't know who you are, where you live, et cetera.  If, however, by some chance you happen to live in Denver (and even if you don't), you might take an interest in this group.

Founded in 1968, Metro Denver Partners works to provide a safe, growth-oriented environment for the Denver metropolitan area's at-risk youth as a response to growing juvenile delinquency.

They mentor kids between the ages of 8 and 17 years old, which should hopefully provide them with a positive role model. They're also partners with G.R.A.S.P. - an intervention service for those risking or having involvement with gangs.

Here's their website! Go check it out!
http://www.metrodenverpartners.org

Feeding America

Feeding America is a system of food banks spread throughout the United States to help alleviate the fact that, even (t)here, millions struggle with hunger.

(42 million, to be approximate.)

Founded in 1979, it was known as America's Second Harvest until 2008, so you may know it by that name.   In the United States, they are the largest organization of their kind.

Highly recommend that you check out their website.  On it are some facts about hunger which, if you think about them, might shock you.  Or they might not.  It's still worth a go.

http://www.feedingamerica.org

HealthTrust

HealthTrust.

HealthTrust is a Silicon Valley organization working to fight discrimination, making one of the world's most innovative areas a healthier one.

HealthTrust has programs to make sure that everyone in Northern San Benito County and Santa Clara County (particularly those facing prejudice) are able to access healthy food, needed services, in the case of the elderly, and to maintain their health regardless of who they might be.

They're also partners with Destination: Home, working to end chronic homelessness in Santa Clara County.

Here's their website:
http://healthtrust.org

Thanks for reading about HealthTrust!

Global Giving

This week's featured nonprofit is called Global Giving.

Founded in 2002, Global Giving is a fundraising website for charities, where people can fund projects they want to support in doing good for the world.

Perhaps it could be described as something like Kickstarter, but for charities.

Global Giving also has a rewards system for organizations, where ones who listen to the people they help, act on what they hear, and learn from the experience to become more effective can earn special benefits, which can in turn help them to promote their cause.

Here's Global Giving's website:
https://www.globalgiving.org

Thanks for reading about Global Giving!

Goodwill Industries International

This week's featured charity is Goodwill Industries International. You've probably heard of them before, as "Goodwill".

Goodwill Industries International operates several services, such as job training, for those having trouble finding employment. They're funded through a chain of thrift stores.

The organization has a network of 164 individual Goodwills in the U.S. and Canada alone, also operating in other nations.

Weekly Charity's not affiliated with Goodwill Industries International, but does encourage helping them out.

Now, here's some stats:

Charity Watch gives Goodwill Industries International (National Office)*: An "A" rating

Goodwill Industries International meets the BBB Wise Giving Alliance's Standards for Charity Accountability.

Here's Goodwill Industries International's website:
http://www.goodwill.org

Thanks for reading about Goodwill!

Greenpeace & Greenpeace Fund

Hello there! Today Weekly Charity's piece concerns ... Greenpeace!

Greenpeace

Greenpeace, also known as Greenpeace International, works to protect the environment, taking action in areas where they can make the most impact.

Greenpeace works by investigating and exposing environmental crimes, and bringing people together to stop them. They do this "using peaceful direct action and creative communication" (1).

Their current* campaigns include "Saving the Arctic", "Protecting Forests", "Fighting Global Warming", "Protecting Our Oceans", "Living Toxic-Free", "Promoting Sustainable Agriculture", and "Defending Democracy" (2).

Greenpeace Fund

The Greenpeace Fund raises money for Greenpeace International, the organization featured above. If you want to donate to Greenpeace International, you should probably do it through the Greenpeace Fund.

As Greenpeace USA's website puts it, "while both organizations work on the same mission, they do so through different strategies" (3).

The Greenpeace Fund does not solicit donations from governments or corporations, but only from individuals.

Statistics:

Charity Navigator gives Greenpeace Fund: 3 out of 4 stars
Greenpeace Fund meets the BBB Wise Giving Alliance's 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Weekly Charity is not affiliated with Greenpeace or Greenpeace Fund, but does encourage helping them out.

Here's a link to the Greenpeace website:
http://www.greenpeace.org

Here's Greenpeace Fund's website:

http://www.greenpeacefund.org

Thanks for reading about Greenpeace and Greenpeace Fund!

FOOTNOTE

*As of Thursday, August 11, 2016.

SOURCES

(1) The website, www.greenpeace.org, on the page, "How It Works", retrieved from the url, "http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/how-it-works/", on Thursday, August 11, 2016.

(2) The website, www.greenpeace.org, on the page, "What We're Doing", retrieved from the url, "http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/what-we-do/", on Thursday, August 11, 2016.

(3) The website, www.greenpeace.org, on the page, "Membership FAQ", retrieved from the url, "http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/membership-faq/", on Friday, August 19, 2016.

Fistula Foundation

This week's featured charity is the Fistula Foundation!

The Fistula Foundation works to raise awareness and funding for fistula.

For those of you who didn't know, a fistula is a hole in a woman's reproductive system, caused by receiving inadequate blood flow after going into obstructed labor.

When it was originally founded in 2000, it was made up entirely of volunteers, supporting a hospital in Ethiopia. Now, however, they've expanded the scope of their mission, supporting "fistula treatment in 32 countries at sites on two continents, Africa and Asia" (1).

Weekly Charity is not officially working with the Fistula Foundation, but does encourage helping them out.

Now for some stats:

Charity Navigator gives Fistula Foundation: 4 out of 4 stars
Charity Watch gives Fistula Foundation: An "A" rating
Fistula Foundation meets the BBB Wise Giving Alliance's 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Here's the Fistula Foundation's website:
https://www.fistulafoundation.org

Thank you for reading about the Fistula Foundation!

SOURCES

(1) The website, www.fistulafoundation.org, on the page, "About Us", retrieved from the url, "https://www.fistulafoundation.org/about-us/", on Thursday, August 4, 2016.

HomeFirst (EHC Lifebuilders)

This featured charity is a local one. It works in Santa Clara County in an effort to end homelessness. This charity is ... HomeFirst.

HomeFirst is an organization providing programs for Santa Clara County's homeless population.

Founded in 1980 as Emergency Housing Consortium, and renamed EHC Lifebuilders in 2005, HomeFirst took on its current title in 2014.

There are over 2,000 people in Santa Clara County who are chronically homeless. HomeFirst, however, "has one of the highest success rates in finding permanent housing for them" (1).

HomeFirst's Boccardo Reception Center is the largest service center for the homeless in Santa Clara County.

HomeFirst is a local charity working in Santa Clara County. The usual statistics provided for more widespread organizations don't seem to be readily available for it.

Here's the HomeFirst website!
http://www.ehclifebuilders.org

It's also available under the following url.
http://www.homefirstscc.org

Thank you for reading about HomeFirst!

SOURCES

(1) The website, www.homefirstscc.org, on the page, "Programs for the Chronically Homeless" (under the folder, "PROGRAMS"), as retrieved from the url, "http://www.homefirstscc.org/programs-for-the-chronically-h…/", on Thursday, July 28, 2016.

American Red Cross

This week's featured charity: American Red Cross!

American Red Cross is an organization with five different areas of service: Disaster Relief, Training & Certification, International Services, Lifesaving Blood, and Military Families (1).

Founded in 1881 by Clara Barton, the American Red Cross is not a government agency, but it has supported the United States military at times. However, its impact doesn't end with the United States, as the American Red Cross does plenty of international work as well (assisting 73 countries) (2).

American Red Cross responds "to an emergency every 8 minutes", with 90% of the disasters they respond to being home fires. (3) They also help "to provide more than 40% of America's blood supply" (4).

Weekly Charity is not officially working with American Red Cross, but does encourage helping them out.

Statistics:

Charity Navigator gives American Red Cross: 3 out of 4 stars
Charity Watch gives American Red Cross: An "A-" rating
American Red Cross meets all 20 of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance's Standards for Charity Accountability.

Here's the American Red Cross website:
http://www.redcross.org/mo2

Thank you for reading about American Red Cross!

SOURCES

(1) The website, www.redcross.org, on the page, "About Us | Our Mission", retrieved from the url, "http://www.redcross.org/about-us", on Thursday, July 21, 2016.

(2) The website, www.redcross.org, on the page, "International Services" (in the folder, "About Us"), retrieved from the url, "http://www.redcross.org/abo…/our-work/international-services" on Thursday, July 21, 2016.

(3) The website, www.redcross.org, on the page, "Disaster Relief Services | Disaster Assistance" (in the folder, "About Us"), retrieved from the url, "http://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/disaster-relief", on Thursday, July 21, 2016.

(4) The website, www.redcross.org, on the page, "What We Do | Emergency Management", retrieved from the url, "http://www.redcross.org/what-we-do", on Thursday, July 21, 2016.