Charitable Organizations Industry Competitors

Mercy Ships brings floating medical care to areas of the world that need it most. The Christian-based not-for-profit serves more than 50 developing nations around the world from its ship Africa Mercy, which has six operating rooms and nearly 500 berths, and a land-based clinic in Sierra Leone....

Abilities! helps people find theirs. The not-for-profit organization, formerly The National Center for Disability Services, works to support people with disabilities through education and training programs, research, public policy, and advocacy. Its Kornreich Technology Center provides demonstrations and training on the latest assistive technology while its Smeal Learning Center advocates for inclusion of people with disabilities....

This group helps people take action to help themselves. ACCION International, Spanish for "action," gives the poor the means to achieve economic independence by providing micro loans for starting small businesses. Enterprises are typically making and selling tortillas or clothes or growing and selling produce....

They may not want you to give until it hurts, but they do want you to give. Advocate Charitable Foundation is the faith-based philanthropic arm of Advocate Health Care. Its mission is to build relationships and partnerships across Chicago and to inspire charitable giving by individuals, foundations, corporations, and organizations....

Africare helps Africans help themselves. The not-for-profit organization provides support to communities in Africa in areas such as health care, food security, agriculture, education, environmental management, and water resource development. It also works to help people create small business, such as growing sunflowers and pressing the seeds into cooking oil, and to provide emergency humanitarian aid when needed....

Whales, and otters, and bears, oh my! The Alaska Conservation Foundation strives to protect the environment (and all its inhabitants) in Alaska, as well as help the state's native people retain their cultural connections to the land. The foundation has awarded more than $22 million in grants to about 200 organizations....

The Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR) is paying for answers. The not-for-profit organization was formed to fund research into the prevention, treatment, and cure of systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus or SLE). Lupus is a sometimes fatal autoimmune disease that causes pain and stiffness in joints, ligaments, tendons, and bones as well as kidney, heart, lung, and liver problems....

America's Charities makes it easier for corporate America to give 'til it hurts. The not-for-profit group is a federation of nearly 200 national and regional charities that participate in workplace giving campaigns. The organization helps employers conduct campaigns, which distribute employee gifts to designated charities....

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) lives for the day when it has no customers. It is a not-for-profit research, information, and advocacy organization that is working to prevent and cure diabetes as well as to improve the lives of people affected by diabetes....

Talk about old growth -- founded in 1875, American Forests is the oldest nonprofit citizens' conservation agency in the US. The environmental restoration organization assists communities in planning and implementing tree planting and forest conservation activities....

The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization devoted to the fight against heart disease and stroke (the nation's #1 and #3 killers, respectively), and other cardiovascular illnesses. In addition to conducting research, it serves as a clearinghouse for information on heart-related diseases and conditions and acts as an advocate on public policy issues related to its mission....

The American Indian College Fund helps kids get a reservation education. The not-for-profit organization provides about 6,000 scholarships a year for American Indian students to attend one of about 35 tribal colleges operating on reservations. It also gives funding for programs in areas such teacher training, culture preservation, and construction....

The American Institutes for Research (AIR) lives and breathes to enhance human performance. The not-for-profit organization conducts behavioral and social science research on topics related to education, health research and communication, individual and organizational performance, and usability....

The American Jewish World Service (AJWS) helps poor people around the globe in areas such as health, nutrition, education, housing, and women's issues. It offers grants, technical assistance, advocacy, and emergency relief through hundreds of organizations in more than 35 developing nations worldwide....

American Legacy Foundation tells the truth. Its "truth" anti-smoking campaign is the most public face of this not-for-profit group that seeks to reach young smokers with no-nonsense TV and print ads, as well as its Web site, thetruth.com. The foundation's goals are to keep young people from lighting up and smoking, and to make cessation tools accessible to everyone through grants, training, activism, and community outreach....

ARC has an overreaching mission to help people. The American Refugee Committee provides humanitarian aid for about two million refugees and displaced persons in the areas of health care and training, shelter repair and construction, water and sanitation, and psychosocial services and environmental rehabilitation....

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to combating anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry. Among its awareness-raising initiatives are educational programs for high school and college students and juvenile intervention community programs....

Arthritis Foundation (AF) wants the country's aches to go away. The not-for-profit organization funds research, advocacy, and support services for various kinds of arthritis and related diseases. The foundation has about 45 chapters in 33 states and offers programs and services including aquatic programs, information about treatment breakthroughs, exercise tips for people with the disease, and pain management information....

Associated Catholic Charities provides people in the greater Baltimore area, including nine Maryland counties, with a wide variety of social services. The group focuses on children and families, the elderly, and people with developmental disabilities; offerings include adoption services, child abuse prevention, food, immigration assistance, residential facilities, and services for homeless people....

No, it's not a new Italian restaurant or a foreign version of Barney the Purple Dinosaur. With a long history in the UK, Barnardo's is dedicated to supporting children and young people in need throughout England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The not-for-profit organization helps some 110,000 children and their families suffering from problems such as abuse, poverty, homelessness, and discrimination; another major focus is helping children who are the major caregivers in their families....