Taking Pride in
Helping Those Who
Need It The Most

This California foundation focuses on higher education as the path to opportunity for a better, healthier life. Each year, 10,000 Degrees awards $2.8 million in scholarships that enable low-income students to become the first generation in their family to attend college. The organization also helps students find non-financial aid and guides them toward success. 84% of their scholarship recipients graduate college.

For decades, this institution has shaped how we understand and treat cancer and other life-threatening childhood diseases. Although St. Judes’ is well-known for working on the cutting edge of research and clinical medicine, families pay nothing for treatment, housing, food, or travel. It costs $2.2 million a day to operate this hospital, yet 75% of their funding comes from public contributions.

“We are their voice,” says the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals. America’s original humane society with chapters all around the country, ASPCA works “to shape a society that continuously improves the lives of animals.” They do that through programs that focus on rescue, placement, and protection.

Formally known as Médecins Sans Frontières, or MSF, this international humanitarian organization brings medical supplies and care to the world’s most desperate populations. They are independent, neutral, and impartial, enabling their medical teams to strictly base treatment priorities on medical needs. Teams travel worldwide to deliver emergency medical assistance to people affected by epidemics, natural disasters, conflict, or health care exclusion. Private donors provide 90% of MSF’s funding.

This charity works to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. It was founded and named after one of Hollywood’s most beloved icons, himself a Parkinson’s sufferer. The organization has raised over $450 million since 2000. The money funds research aimed at slowing, stopping, or reversing disease progress, finding treatments for un- or under-addressed symptoms, and reducing drug side effects, which can be significant.

This well-known network of hospitals says, “Kids make us better. That’s why we do everything within our means to make kids better.” Shriners Hospitals specialize in treating children who need orthopedics, burn care, cleft lip and palate surgery, and who suffer from spinal cord injuries. They have developed many of the treatments and techniques now used everywhere. All care is provided at no cost to families.

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund simply believes that every child deserves a fair chance at life. For 70 years, they have worked to help children “survive, thrive, and fulfill their potential” by improving access to care and services, promoting equality and gender fairness, and publicizing the plight of children around the world. UNICEF works to ensure health care, safety, shelter, sanitation, clean water, education, and advocacy for children.

This veterans’ assistance organization serves the current generation of injured veterans. Services and support are extended to families and caregivers because WWP recognizes that the challenges wounded vets face affect those closest to them, too. All services are free and aim to increase awareness, help injured vets help one another, and provide specific programming to help vets and their families recover physically, mentally, and financially.

Since 1978, this organization +has served children diagnosed with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Friends of Karen works with families in the New York metropolitan area to “keep them strong, functioning and able to cope.” That work includes emotional and financial support as well as advocacy.

Smile Train is an international children’s charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate. Millions of children in developing countries with unrepaired clefts live in shame, but more importantly, have difficulty eating, breathing, and speaking. Cleft repair surgery is simple, and the transformation is immediate. Smile Train’s sustainable model provides training and funding to empower local doctors in 85+ developing countries to provide 100% free cleft repair surgery in their communities.