The charity that I have selected this month is the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in response to the floods that have affected some 20 million people now in Pakistan.

This is Pakistan’s worst flooding in 80 years with millions of people losing their homes, crops and livestock in this disaster. What is the IRC doing? The IRC is delivering the necessities like blankets, clean water, shelter, sanitation, health care to the people in need. Another very important thing that the IRC is doing is working on preventing the outbreak of waterborne diseases.

Who We Are
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.

At work today in over 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, the IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home. – Who We Are http://www.theirc.org/about

Our commitment
When an emergency arises, the IRC arrives on the scene within 72 hours with urgently needed supplies and expertise that protect people caught in the midst of chaos. We commit to stay as long as we are needed, helping survivors to heal, recover and rebuild their communities to be stronger, more stable and more democratic. In the United States, the IRC has helped hundreds of thousands of refugees thrive in the country that gave them sanctuary and a new beginning. – Our Commitment http://www.theirc.org/irc-a-glance

Learn more about the IRC and find out how you can the help Pakistan >>

For other charities and ways to help see Yahoo’s News Blog Pakistan Floods: How to help

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There’s still a lot of work to be done for the Gulf oil spill clean up, so the charity that I have selected for this month is Oceana to follow up my June 2010 Monthly Charity featuring 13 organizations aiding the clean up efforts. Founded in 2001, Oceana is protecting the world’s oceans and it is ever so important while there’s still oil in the ocean. Oceana campaigns for changes like the ending offshore drilling to prevent disasters like the Gulf oil spill.

Oceana, founded in 2001, is the largest international organization focused solely on ocean conservation. Our offices in North America, Central America, South America and Europe work together on a limited number of strategic, directed campaigns to achieve measurable outcomes that will help return our oceans to former levels of abundance. We believe in the importance of science in identifying problems and solutions. Our scientists work closely with our teams of economists, lawyers and advocates to achieve tangible results for the oceans.

– What We Do http://na.oceana.org/en/about-us/what-we-do

Oceana seeks to make our oceans as rich, healthy and abundant as they once were.

– Our Vision http://na.oceana.org/en/about-us/what-we-do/our-vision

Our ecosystem is becoming more and more fragile and we as a world need to make changes. Oceana is taking on the problems with our oceans head on by fighting for change to preserve our oceans. Oceana works on stopping ocean pollution, promoting responsible fishing, protecting marine wildlife, climate and energy and preserving special places to hopefully fulfill their vision of returning our oceans as they once were.

Visit Oceana.org to see you how you can help our precious oceans.

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In the midst of the Gulf oil spill I have found a list of charities aiding the Gulf oil spill clean up that have been approved by the Better Business Bureau or BBB to be featured in My Monthly Charity this month.

Charities Assisting the Gulf Oil Spill Clean Up

• American Bird Conservancy
• Defenders of Wildlife
• Ducks Unlimited
• EarthShare
• Environmental Defense Fund
• Friends of the Earth
• Greenpeace Fund
• International Fund for Animal Welfare
• National Audubon Society
• National Wildlife Federation
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• Nature Conservancy
• Oceana

The Gulf oil spill is one of the worst disasters that I’ve ever seen. I can’t see how the spill can be completely contained while oil continues to leak into the ocean. As hurricane season comes full swing the problem will only become exacerbated. Hurricane Alex has already brought the spill to many Gulf Coast beaches. Help the Gulf out today by donating to any of the charities approved by the BBB above.

One major complaint I want to make about the Gulf oil spill is why the hell we didn’t treat this disaster with more urgency with government intervention from the beginning and bring in other oil companies to solve the problem! I understand that BP caused the problem and is the responsible party but this is one of the problems that needed to solve asap. There’s oil leaking into our oceans for crying out loud. It is BP’s responsibility but we really needed to come together on this one to stop the leak then call blame and repayment. Today is the 72nd day of oil spilling into our oceans and it doesn’t look like it is stopping anytime soon. If we don’t stop the leak oil will spread to the oceans around world if it hasn’t already started.

You can track the oil spill on CNN with its day to day animated oil slick spread, oil spill estimates and closed fishing areas at http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/29/interactive.spill.tracker/index.html.

We have a difficult task at hand as a nation to aiding the Gulf oil spill clean up. Be aware of scams whenever you’re making a charitable donation, especially when disasters happen like the Gulf oil spill. All the charities listed above have been identified to meet the BBB Wise Giving Alliance’s Standards for Charity Accountability.

Help the Gulf Oil Spill Clean Up Now

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For this month I’m not posting a new charity but I’m going to feature some of my previous monthly charities that fit in right now.

World Wildlife Fund
With Earth Hour 2010 just passing and Earth Day coming soon there is a strong focus on conservationism and the WWF plays a major role in promoting a better future for our dear Mother Earth.

South Colonie Dollars for Scholars
I wrote about the South Colonie Dollars for Scholars last August and I’m excited and proud to say as alumni that we, Pure Adapt, will be offering 2 scholarships for the South Colonie High Class of 2010.

Haiti & Chile Earthquakes
Major earthquakes that recently happened back to back deserve much attention and I featured them the last two months as the people of Haiti and Chile try to rebuild.
Red Cross – January 2010
Save the Children – February 2010

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A major earthquake hit Concepción, Chile on February 27, 2010 which impacted Earth as much as to have shifted the Earth’s axis 3 inches and shortened the length of an Earth day by 1.26 milliseconds. Recorded at 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale it’s the 7th strongest in recorded history. Here we have another country devastated by a major earthquake less than 2 months after Haiti was struck. My Monthly Charity for February 2010 will be for the Save the Children organization as they prepare to send an assessment team to focus on the needs of children and their families.

Any disaster increases the vulnerability of children. And we know from experience that an earthquake of this enormity — with widespread destruction of homes, schools, infrastructure and piece of mind — will put thousands of children at risk, said Charles MacCormack, Save the Children’s president and CEO. – Save the Children Readies to Respond to Massive Earthquake in Chile

Our mission is to create lasting, positive change in the lives of children in need in the U.S. and around the world.

Our priorities are to ensure that children in need grow up protected and safe, educated, healthy and well-nourished, and able to thrive in economically secure households.

We provide a wide range of programs, including:

• Training community health workers to care for newborns and young children;
• Protecting vulnerable children from abuse and exploitation;
• Helping communities in at-risk countries to be prepared in advance of natural disasters; and
• Improving children’s health through regular exercise and nutritious food in the U.S.

– Save the Children Mission Statement

Save the Children does work around the world to help children in need and when an earthquake of this magnitude hits anywhere in the world it will surely be needed. There is an estimated 580,000 children that maybe affected by the quake. There will be a lot of children that will be in dire need of assistance after an earthquake like this and Save the Children will do it’s part to help.

How can we help? We can help the children of Chile by contributing to the Save the Children’s Emergency Fund which helps the organization respond to those in need in the disaster zone. Recovery efforts have just begun but every little contribution will make a difference.

Donate to the Children’s Emergency Fund Now >>

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When a major natural disaster hits, the American Red Cross has been there for emergency aid for those in need since 1881. The recent devastating earthquake in Haiti prompts the return of the Red Cross as My Monthly Charity.

See my previous post about a string of tragic natural disasters in My Monthly Charity May 2008 featuring the Red Cross and all the great humanitarian things they do.

My Monthly Charity January 2010 will bring the Haiti earthquake aid to the spotlight featuring the Red Cross.

How the Red Cross is Helping

Funds Spent/Committed for Haiti Earthquake Response
American Red Cross Funds Spent/Committed for Haiti Earthquake Response [PDF]

In an operation that has involved more emergency response teams than any other single-country disaster in global Red Cross history, the American Red Cross has so far spent or committed more than $67 million to meet the most urgent needs of earthquake survivors in Haiti.

The American Red Cross is currently focusing on three areas through its emergency responders and partners:

1. Sending food to those in need, including 3 million pre-packaged meals and funding for World Food Program efforts that will enable them to feed up to 1 million people for a month.
2. Providing clean drinking water, including 3.5 million liters distributed to date in 68 settlements. Each day, the Red Cross is distributing enough water for 100,000 people.
3. Distributing shelter items, such as blankets, tarps, sleeping mats and tents, to families who have been left homeless.

The Red Cross is also meeting the health needs of Haitian survivors and providing support to Haitian families in Haiti and the US. This includes providing relief supplies, shipment of blood products, family linking services and providing Red Cross volunteers to the USNS Comfort, which have been in Haiti for one week.

Ways you can help the Red Cross:

• Make a donation
  • A new way of giving is now available right through your phone by texting “Haiti” to 90999 and a small donation will be made to the Red Cross. (See my post about “A New Way of Giving”)
• Volunteer your time
• Give blood

The effects of this earthquake has been magnified by the fact that Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. Haiti will needs lots of help to recover and you can help today. Aid the Haiti relief effort today through the Red Cross

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