CHICAGO, Illinois –There are thousands of notable nonprofits, but here are 10 interesting nonprofits that are doing an amazing job for their respective causes.
1. Invisible Children
Invisible Children has existed for eight years with a mission “to stop the Lord’s Resistance Army violence and support the war-affected communities in East and Central Africa.” This organization evoked the KONY 2012 Campaign and the film reached 100 million viewers in six days.
In addition to the documentary, the campaign promoted large-scale advocacy of Kony’s actions which then lead to in-land operations in the LRA-affected areas. A third of its money is directed towards each of these activities: documentaries, advocacy and in-land operations.
Photo: Social Economy
2. Zynga
Founded in 2007, Zynga is the popular game developer of Farmville, CastleVille and Mafia Wars. Something interesting about it is that it is also a major contributor to charities and nonprofits.
After Japan’s major earthquake occurred in 2011, Zynga began to sell its products at lower prices in order to make contributions to Save the Children’s earthquake fund raising over $2.5 million dollars for that cause. Zynga, along with GamingForGood, OneBigGame and Child’s Play are all gaming charities leaving footsteps of change on the path away from absolute poverty.
Photo: IDownloadBlog
3. Water.org
Water.org is not just about digging wells to make a difference. Its goal is to deliver sustainable water and sanitation solutions for the communities it reaches out to.
With its demand-driven approach, designers create projects that involve locally available and relatively simple technology. The communities participate in the building of the projects which allows the people themselves to understand use and maintenance while being taught about sanitation, health concerns, hygiene, and common health to increase community commitment and stimulate involvement.
Photo: VeganWeddingsHQ
4. Kiva
At first look of this organization, I thought, “Is there considerable benefit to someone poor by donating a loan?” However, Kiva has an innovative way it approaches the act of giving. This non-profit allows individuals to donate as little as $25 dollars which is placed into a microfinance institutions on one of the five involved continents. One hundred percent of each donation is collected, and once a certain amount is reached, the money is streamed towards a family in need.
Throughout the life of the loan, constant contact will be kept with the loaner through email. As the borrower becomes able to repay the loan, the loaner may decide to withdraw his or her Kiva Credit, or reinvest it towards another borrower. It’s as simple as that. This organization is a great way to reach out to people who might question where their investments are going or those who may not be able to continually invest new amounts.
Photo: Young Farmers
5. Heifer International
“We believe one cow can transform a life. But we know one animal alone doesn’t lead to sustainable change.” Heifer International believes in providing people not just with food but also with tools and education to lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. Along with their 12 Cornerstones for Just and Sustainable Development, providing livestock is the source of Heifer’s success.
The families helped agree to pass the offspring onto other people, ensuring that the act of giving continues to spread from generation to generation. In addition to providing animals, Heifer also helps to create access to clean water, empowers women towards self-sufficiency and creates methods for sustainable farming through education and training for the farmers. Heifer volunteers see the importance and possibility for transformation that is created with the simple act of sharing.
Photo: AEACMS
6. World Food Programme
Funded solely by donations, WFP is the food aid arm of the United Nations and is the largest humanitarian organization for food aid. Its core policies are: (1) the sustenance of life during emergencies, (2) the improvement of life for those vulnerable, (3) and to increase the self-sufficiency of communities by building labor-intensive work programs.
Photo: UMN
7. Project Hope
Project HOPE’s work is focused on healthcare by providing solutions to existing health problems. Its mission is to engage people in ways to help themselves. As an organization, HOPE provides training for health professionals and community workers, fights diseases currently posing serious health threats, improves the health of women and children, and provides humanitarian medical assistance with volunteers and donated supplies. Its mission is, “To achieve sustainable advances in health care around the world by implementing health education programs and providing humanitarian assistance in areas of need.”
Photo: HakesInCameroon
8. Soles4Souls
Founded in 2006, Soles4Souls’ goal is the alleviation of poverty through the distribution of shoes and clothes. This Nashville-based charity distributes shoes and clothes that it has collected from warehouses and from individual’s households to people in need.
It has been distributing shoes free of charge since 2005 to more than 125 countries. Soles4Souls has a overstretching goal of fighting poverty. Shoe donations can be made on its site giveshoes.com. This charity is really “Changing the World, One Pair At a Time.”
Photo: East Dallas Crossfit
9. Global Green/Green Cross International
Green Cross International/Global Green is an environmental organization which was founded by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993. It has a mission to “help ensure a just, sustainable and secure future for all by fostering a value shift and cultivating a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility in humanity’s relationship with nature.” Green Cross works in areas ranging from environmental value change, health/social care, education, smart energy, environmental security, sustainability and water/sanitation aid.
Photo: Global Green
10. CARE
CARE is currently supporting the crisis in South Sudan where malnutrition and disease are increasing the mortality rates of the children to grave levels. The organization tackles the underlying causes of poverty and focuses on women and children in the poorest countries of the world. CARE delivers aid to see a world where people can live with security and poverty has been destroyed.
Photo: CARE
– Ashley Riley
Sources: Amazonaws, Water.org, Kiva, Heifer International, World Food Programme, Project Hope, Soles4Souls, Millions of Mouths, Green Cross International, CARE
Featured Image: The Startup Garage