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The Firework Foundation’s mission is to empower children from underserved communities by igniting their inner light through the arts.

Advocates for Children and Families, Inc. (ACF) was founded in 1992 to provide ethical adoption services to children and families. Throughout our 30 years of operation there have been many changes in legislation and advances in the evidence-based social sciences related to adoption, that have influenced our model of practice. One aspect of our work that has never changed is ACF's child-centered approach of prioritizing the well-being of children. Our mission is to promote and assist in the formation of stable families. The well-being of children is our priority. We believe every child deserves a permanent home in a safe, nurturing environment.  Our team is comprised of attorneys, licensed mental health professionals, and support staff who are specially trained and continually engaged in advancements within the field of child welfare and adoption. ACF's commitment to advocating for children and families has resulted in over 1,026 children finding stability and permanency within a nurturing family. By supporting Advocates for Children and Families, you are participating in improving the lives of children and families. Charitable contributions allow us to: 1) Find forever families for children with special needs. 2) Meet basic needs including housing, utilities, food, and clothing for families in crisis. 3) Support parents in creating individualized solution-focused plans to move from crisis to stability. 4) Provide trauma-informed clinical counseling services.

Around the world, modern and industrialized farming practices are destroying the environment—and, at the same time, failing to provide reliable income and nourishment for the farmers we all depend on to survive. At Trees for the Future (TREES), we recognize that unsustainable land use is the root cause of our most pressing challenges. We confront these challenges by serving the people at the heart of our global food systems: farmers and their families. As a global leader in agroforestry training for over 30 years, TREES provides hands-on, immersive education, skill building, and support, encouraging farmers to work with nature, not against it. Our signature methodology, the Forest Garden Approach, helps farmers transform their land with thousands of fast-growing, ecologically appropriate trees and dozens of other crops, creating new possibilities for themselves and their communities. By embracing sustainable land practices, farmers are reclaiming their agency, breaking the cycles of climate change and generational poverty, and rebuilding our food systems from the ground up.

DignityMoves works to end unsheltered homelessness in communities by building Interim Supportive Housing as a rapid, cost-effective, and, thus, scalable solution.

In response to the Great Commission, Compassion exists as an advocate for children to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.

Oceana, the world's largest international organization focused exclusively on ocean conservation, was founded in 2001 by a group of leading foundations concerned that although the oceans constitute over 70 percent of the earth's surface, an extremely small percentage of environmental funding was dedicated to protecting them.  Oceana's campaigns are designed to change that by forcing clear, identifiable policy changes with real "in the water" results, usually in three to five years. Our international campaigns in North America, Europe, Chile, and Belize are focused on the actions agreed on by scientists throughout the world as necessary to preserve and restore marine life: Protect seafloor habitat from destructive bottom trawling; Set and enforce reasonable catch limits for commercial fishing; Stop subsidizing overcapacity in commercial fishing fleets; Stop marine pollution, particularly carbon dioxide emissions that are making the oceans more acidic; Oceana sets annual goals toward achieving specific changes and holds itself strictly accountable to its Board, funders, and supporters.  Since inception, Oceana has achieved dramatic success in protecting the world's oceans in targeted, practical ways.

THEIR MISSION: "The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago’s food bank, believes a healthy community starts with food. We are at the center of a network of more than 700 partner organizations and programs – food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile distributions and other partners – working to bring food, dignity and hope to our neighbors across Chicago and Cook County. The Food Depository addresses the root causes of hunger with job training, advocacy and other innovative solutions. We are a proud member of Feeding America – the national network of food banks. By working to help those most in need go from hungry to hopeful, we truly become a Greater Chicago. Learn more at chicagosfoodbank.org"

TO PROMOTE GLOBAL PEACE AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTIONS, TO FURTHER THE PROPER ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW, AND TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO REFUGEES.

In 2007, the Playing for Change Foundation was established as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. Our mission is to create positive change through music and arts education. 15 music programs have been created in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ghana, Mali, Nepal, Rwanda, South Africa, Morocco, Mexico, Argentina and Thailand. More than 2,000 young people attend free classes in dance, instruments, languages and musical theory, all taught by qualified local teachers. Learning music has been shown to increase self-esteem and foster resilience, which is critically important to children who are vulnerable due to poverty, conflict, drugs, and neglect.

DESPICABLE ME, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, WICKED… Ask any child to name their favorite movie and one of these titles might pop up. There’s nothing like seeing a child’s face light up as the previews end and the movie that he/she has been anticipating for weeks is finally about to begin in the movie theater! But what about the children who are battling life-threatening illnesses who are unable to visit a movie theater? LOLLIPOP makes it possible for hospitalized children around the nation to see the season’s biggest blockbuster movies at the same time as their friends and siblings. Our desire is to create a fun escape from the daily reality of the illnesses and medical treatments these children face. And in the process, LOLLIPOP hopes to deliver a “normal” experience for the entire family. We believe hope and laughter are the key ingredients in having the strength to fight and to cope with hospitalization. Most of these pediatric patients – ranging in age from 2-20 years – are normally deprived of the movie-going experience, as they are unable to leave the hospital for weeks or months on end, if ever. Since LOLLIPOP’s first screening in 2002, we have screened hundreds of films and now reach hospitalized children in over 18 states nationwide. We've even expanded our programming to include other entertainment mediums like TV movies, music & art lessons, magic shows, cooking shows and much more!

Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need.

We exist to serve, empower and encourage local foster children and their families.