Here are some high quality charitable organizations that would love your support.

Know of a quality, grass-roots charity that you'd like to recommend?  Just click here! 

Click here for some advice on avoiding fraudulent charities.  Here's some advice directly from the FTC.  Want to verify the tax exempt status (i.e., 501c3) of these organizations or others, click here.

Heifer Project International - helps impoverished families worldwide become more self-reliant through the gift of livestock and training in their care. Information on programs and volunteer opportunities.

The Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation is a community of those who have an interest in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or related neurobiological disorders and whose goals are: 1) To educate the public and professional communities about the disorders, 2) To support individuals afflicted and their family members, and 3) To support research into the causes and treatments of these disorders.

Alliance for Technology Access - network of community-based resource centers dedicated to providing information and support services to people with disabilities.

The Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of spinal cord injured/diseased veterans residing primarily in New York, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and Connecticut. EPVA is a regional chapter of a national association, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Since its founding in 1946, EPVA has been operating valuable programs designed to enable its members, as well as other persons with disabilities, to live full and productive lives.

Hearts & Horses, Inc. is a non-profit therapeutic riding center
located in Loveland, Colorado.  Their mission is to promote the physical, cognitive, emotional and social well-being of the disabled community through the use of equine-oriented therapy with emphasis on fun and safety.

Heavenly Helpers is an organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life in our communities through animals. Some ways are: animal assisted activity; animal assisted therapy, animal-handler visitation team evaluations; training/placement of service animals, service animal access services by educating the public on rights of the disabled and the rights of the community; educating children on the importance of animals and their care by taking animals such as hedgehogs, ferrets, rats, prairie dogs and chinchillas into the classrooms allowing some children their first experience with these animals; and helping with the loss of an animal by offering a pet loss support group. Heavenly Helpers believes in the human-animal bond and the healing powers there in. They believe in equality for all no matter their race, ethnic background, religion, age, disability or lifestyle choice. Help with either monetary donations or donations for animals (pet food coupons, litter coupons, etc.) and other things such as office items etc. would be deeply appreciated.  For further information, send email to heavenlyhelpers@mailexcite.com, postal mail to 304 South Street, Hopkinton, IA 52237, or just give them a call at (319) 926-2167.

Pets and People: Companions in Therapy & Service This charity combines the benefits of the human-animal bond to promote health and well-being of persons living without the benefit of animal companionship. The organization has a 4 fold mission. The first is to provide Animal-assisted Therapy and Visitation in a variety of settings including nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, mental health facilities, hospitals, abuse and homeless shelters. The second component is to empower persons living with disabilities to train their own service dog. The third component is to provide rescue and foster care to animals whose person is in crisis. The fourth component is to provide an animal feeding program for persons living on limited or fixed incomes. They are a totally volunteer program that provides services without regard to sex, creed, race, ethnic origin, ability to pay, or sexual preference. They offer training programs for health and human service professionals as well as volunteers, educating the handler and certifying the animal as therapeutic.

TV CARES is the AIDS service committee of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Among its functions are fundraising for various AIDS charities, promotion of safe sex practices in television programs, production of safe sex PSA's, and the awarding of the "Ribbon of Hope" to individuals and programming for outstanding achievement in preventing and/or living with HIV/AIDS. All funds and donations collected by TV CARES go directly to charities; ALL TV CARES members are unpaid volunteers in the television industry and incidental expenses are absorbed by members and/or the Television Academy. More information can be obtained by calling (818) 754-2877.

Royal Tiger Preservation, Inc. has the mission to educate the public regarding the plight and circumstances related to the disposition and care of tigers in the United States once they are no longer being adequately cared for by their owners, and to provide a location and facility for the long term care of tigers which cannot be released into their habitat.  They are a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to save, preserve, generate awareness and to raise funds for captive tigers that have been displaced as a result of human actions or inaction's.  The most important reason for R.T.P is to educate the public regarding the plight and circumstances related to the disposition of tigers. Some individuals have abused, mistreated or abandoned tigers. Some tigers have been confiscated by law enforcement agencies, surplused by the Zoological System and/or need a place to live out the rest of their lives do to a facility closure.

Autism Society of America has the mission of the to promote lifelong access and opportunities for persons within the autism spectrum and their families, to be fully included, participating members of their communities through advocacy, public awareness, education, and research related to autism.

Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center has the mission to promote the physical, psychological, and social well-being of people with disabilities through interaction with a therapeutic team consisting of a horse, instructor, and volunteers.  CRTC has a powerful impact on the lives of over 300 riders each year.  Since 1980 they have helped thousands of individuals with a wide range of disabilities lead healthier and happier lives.  If you are interested in becoming involved in the magic of therapeutic riding, whether as a rider, a volunteer, or a supporting member, please give CRTC a call at 303-652-9131.

Dogs N Stuff Foundation has the mission to provide services to the community that will enhance lives through positive relationships with animals.  Education of the community to non-force animal training methods will lessen cruelty to animals; combat canine aggression and other animal-related neighborhood problems; heighten awareness of positive interaction with children; and provide acceptable activities, role models, and coping skills to young people.  The foundation opens communications and provides comfort and relief to the mentally and physically disabled and those under emotional distress, while providing benefits of assistance animals to allow them to lead more independent lives.

Precious Paws Rescue, Inc. Precious Paws Rescue, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the purpose of rescue, fostering and rehabilitation, basic training, veterinary care of and placement of homeless animals that would otherwise be euthanized in shelters. Further, to strive for an increase of public awareness regarding the growing population of unwanted pets and the importance of spaying or neutering of pets, and to spearhead efforts focused on changing local, state and federal legislation regarding animal cruelty and animal rights.

React - is an independent UK charity founded in 1989 to help children with life-limiting illness under the age of 18 living at home with their families. The charity is unique in the speed with which it responds to cries for help, be it urgent medical equipment, fares to visit a child in a far away hospital, or domestic items which are unavailable from other sources. Last year React met the needs of over 700 families.

ARFKids - provides disabled and terminally ill children Service Dog candidates that will be specifically trained to assist in the improvement of the quality of life and accessibility of the child. Each specially selected Service Dog is trained and certified according to A Rinty For Kids Foundation, incorporated ("ARFkids") criteria and placed with the child at no cost. The organization has also initiated a program which includes an in-home training concept to allow those families of disabled children to actually train their service dog puppy from an early age which would negate the lengthy foster family situation in the customary training process of a service dog. ARFkids is a 501©3 organization, staffed by volunteers, funded completely by grants and donations.  General Email for ARFkids Organization: ARintyForKids@Aol.Com

A Child's Desire - A Child’s Desire, Inc. is committed to easing the financial burden of the adoption and post-adoption processes through fundraising efforts. By generating adoption grants, it will underwrite adoption agencies' fees or adoption facilitators' fees for older children and children with disabilities.

Healing Hearts Ranch - Healing Hearts Ranch is an animal interaction facility focusing on meeting the needs of special needs children. We believe that there is a special bond that occurs between children and animals, and that animals can play a big part in teaching cause and affect, impulse control, establishing attachments and many more life skills. Our focus is on children and special needs and their families.

Search for a Cause - Acts as a search engine and promotes other charities. It's a service where the profit goes to charities that help the people in extreme poverty.

Medicine Wheel Horse Sanctuary - is currently home to 19 horses and one mule.  Most are elderly, blind, or have other special needs.  They are but a small handful who were fortunate enough to avoid being slaughtered.  Many, many more need sanctuary! 

Food for Orphans - a tax deductible 501(c)3 charity, is recognized as an international leader in feeding orphans. Gary VanDyke, our Founder and CEO, began helping orphans in 1999. In 2007, Food for Orphans was officially incorporated, with headquarters located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Our staff has experience and history in visiting orphan homes, seeking out orphan care projects in need, evaluating those projects, training orphan care providers, measuring the needs of orphans and projects, and sharing our advice with the providers. Food for Orphans supplies the funds to purchase food for orphans around the world. We are currently feeding orphans in Asia, Africa, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. We seek out and evaluate new orphan care projects that need assistance in providing food to hungry orphans. Our goal is to make sure that every orphan receives at least one nutritious meal per day.