I believe we all have the responsibility to protect human rights, promote the values we share, and to make a difference in our own lifetime. Towards these ends, I often write about non-profit organizations and ideas that support this unique human endeavor called charity and philanthropy. I keep track of my impact online, which keeps me motivated to sponsor these favorite Charities of mine:

Featured Cause: People to People

People to People is a non-profit organization which believes in “Peace through Understanding”, breaking down cultural barriers through first-person contact with student ambassadors, including myself for 6 years of my life. I’ve supported People to People through my Birthday challenge, which I’ve written about before on my blog.

Favorite Non-Profits and Causes

Movember

Movember puts a face to raising awareness (and funds) for Men’s health issues including Prostate and Testicular cancers. By participating in sponsorships during no-shave November, I was able to raise funds while starting conversations with my friends about the ideas behind the mustache. You can read more about my experience, see photos of my Mustache, and make a donation here.

My Charity:Water

Charity:Water helps brings safe, clean drinking water to those who don’t have good access to this basic human right. To learn more, read about my explanation from Blog Action Day 2010.

City Harvest

This NYC-based group helps feed hungry kids with nutricious lunches during the summer (when school lunch programs can’t help). Every year the group organizes a fundraiser called “Skip Lunch, Fight Hunger“, and for less than the cost of your own lunch at work you can buy lunch for 43 kids!

Kiva loans

Kiva provides the means to help empower entrepreneurs in developing economies, and has a track record of high success rates for their loans being repaid.  If you’re curious to try it for yourself, use this invitation link to get $25 credit to use towards a loan with no cost for you.

Arts & Entrepreneurs

Kickstarter Projects

Kickstarter offers artists and entrepreneurs a crowdfunded marketplace to bring their ideas into production, and would be donors get to fund and follow progress of these projects.

IndieGoGo projects

IndieGogo is another marketplace for artists to win funding for their projects, including my journey using LittleCosm.