Make-A-Wish will observe the second annual World Wish Day, a global day of wish granting, on April 29, 2011 with 1000s of people participating from the 41 countries the Foundation serves around the globe.

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. The Foundation has granted over 250,000 wishes since 1980.

An HSUS undercover investigation conducted in February and March of 2012 revealed a range of severe problems, including inhumane treatment of animals, at a Manheim, Pa., egg factory owned by Kreider Farms.

In addition to keeping hens in deplorable conditions, Kreider Farms is one of the few egg producers in the U.S. which doesn't support federal legislation aimed at improving conditions for America’s laying hens, and providing a stable and secure future for egg farmers.

New and interesting, independent research demonstrates the significant, positive impact Eagle Scouts have on society every day. The report contains findings that researchers believe proves (with supporting data) that being an Eagle Scout has positive and lasting influences on boys and adult men.

Read the full report. 

Join the team of amazing volunteers who will make the Fairfax CASA’s Run for the Children10K run and 3K Run/Walk a tremendous success.

This year’s run takes place on Saturday, April 28, in Fairfax City. We seek friendly, energetic volunteers to lend a helping hand by:

In 2010, Harriett Ryan of the Los Angeles Times wrote: An increasing number of celebrities are paying charity experts for advice. Some celebs want to give back but aren't sure where to start. Some want to give more strategically and, yes, some may just want some good PR.

The Network for Good recognized Community First member A Wider Circle (AWC) in a recent blog posting. They praised AWC for their ability to write a perfect donor thank-you.   The blog shows AWC's thank you as an example and also provides a template for writing your own.

Through the City of Orlando’s Workplace Giving Campaign, more than $445,000 in donations was distributed to 464 charity organizations at the City Council meeting Monday.

Those of us who own pets know they make us happy. But a growing body of scientific research is showing that our pets can also make us healthy, or healthier.

That helps explain the increasing use of animals — dogs and cats mostly, but also birds, fish, and even horses — in settings ranging from hospitals and nursing homes to schools, jails and mental institutions.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently released an article featuring one of America’s Charities member charities, Feeding America, and pointed out some key factors that have significantly contributed to Feeding America’s success in keeping food charity cupboards  full amid one of the worst economic downturns of our time.

SOME ORGANIZATIONS engage in charitable activities, or corporate philanthropy, to give back to the society what the society invested in them. For example, a successful communications company can open up a free sports training facility for young people to maximize on their sports potential or keep them out of trouble. On the other hand, firms can also engage in charity so as to identify with the society in a bid to attract more customers. Some companies engage in tree planting activities so that people can see that they are concerned with environmental issues, thus gaining favor in the public’s eye.

A coalition of 23 large nonprofit organizations has written a letter to Congress expressing concern that reducing or capping the value of itemized deductions for charitable contributions will hurt charities and those who need their services.

Among the organizations involved in the coalition are the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, the American Red Cross, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

In late May, Jennifer Roccanti wrote a message on a friend’s Facebook post: “So cool! I think I might steal this for Miriam’s Kitchen!”

What Ms. Roccanti, an assistant director for development at Miriam’s Kitchen, a soup kitchen in Washington, saw on Facebook was the solution to a problem she had been facing for months: how to make it easy for people to donate goods online.

Her friend had helped Lucky Dog Animal Rescue by buying $25 worth of flea medicine on an Amazon Wish List the animal-welfare organization had created.

By Annie Gowen, Monday, June 20, 12:11 AM

An annual report released Monday shows that charitable giving in the United States grew nearly 4 percent last year after two years of steep declines, which some experts say is a sign the economy is slowly rebounding.

Individuals and corporations donated an estimated $290 billion last year, an increase of $10 billion from the previous year, according to the Giving USA Foundation, which has tracked charitable giving in the country since 1956.

It is now obvious to most Americans that the nation faces unprecedented economic challenges as the gap continues to grow between the amount federal and state governments spend and the amount they collect in taxes.

With growing political consensus on the need to reduce the deficit, it is no longer a question of “if” the country will overhaul how it approaches taxing and spending; it is only a question of when and how we decide to put our nation’s fiscal house in order.