List of Charities selected by K.A.B.F.
The information given may not be up to date, as it changes with every annual report. We may review and change the list of charities we donate to, from time to time at our discretion.
A click on the name of the charity will give you a summary. We also recommend that you check the annual report of that charity on its website, as it can give you valuable and extensive information, including financials.
EMPOWERMENT
EMPOWERMENT is the key to all social and economic uplift for the underprivileged.
Upaya Social Ventures, an International charity based in Seattle, Washington. Operating in India.
Upaya's "LiftUp Project" builds businesses that create jobs for the ultra poor. Upaya provides seed funding, business development, and support to small business.
The organization has 10 partners employing more than 2,300 women and men in India's poorest communities and are planning to add more. It also partners with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Clinton Global Initiative as well as Chicago Booth.
In 2014, Upaya's Executive Director Sachi Shenoy was named to the Puget Sound Business Journal's "40 Under 40" list, an honor that "spotlights the top business leaders under the age of 40 who excel in their industry and show dynamic leadership." Also in 2014, Upaya received a "Light a Fire" award from Seattle Met magazine. In fact, Upaya was the first ever recipient in the publication's "Acting Globally" category. The Light a Fire awards were created by the magazine as "a celebration of organizations and individuals who make Seattle – and the world – a better place."
The charity has been awarded a GuideStar Exchange Gold certification for its demonstrated commitment to transparency.
Bronze-Star rating on Guidestar.org. Based in Houston, Texas. Operating in the US.
Daya, meaning ‘compassion’ in Hindi, was started by seven Indian-American women who established the organization as a structured avenue of help for South Asian women experiencing intimate partner violence. Daya officially opened its doors in September 1996 with a help-line for women to call.
In 20 years now, Daya has made great strides in getting the South Asian community to have an open dialogue on domestic and sexual violence as well as related issues of addiction and mental health problems. From a mere 15-20 calls a week, the call volume has multiplied to over 6,000, translating to over 300 clients annually.
Daya provides counseling and advocacy, a legal clinic, housing assistance, education and job training, translation and interpretation services and financial assistance for rent, food, education, legal fees and childcare. Referrals and immigration services are also provided. An eleven-member volunteer board governs the operations of Daya. The staff, Board, Advisory Board and volunteers of Daya together represent the major religions and regions of South Asia and can speak in many South Asian languages.
With a track record of dedicated service and a well-earned reputation and support of the community, Daya aims to move forward with its efforts to erase domestic violence in Houston and surrounding areas.
Gold-Star Rating on Guidestar.org & 4 Stars by Charity Navigator. Based in Stoneham, MA
The slogan of this organization is “Food for Education ". Its Vision is that no child should be denied access to education because of hunger. Too many of India's children are forced to choose hunger over education. India has 40% of all malnourished children in the world. AKSHAYA PATRA's mission is to simultaneously address childhood hunger and malnutrition and thus to promote education in India.
One hundred million in India survive on $1.25/- a day. Too many children are forced to choose hunger over education. The largest factor for poor children dropping out of school is the necessity of putting food on the table. Food can thus promote health, life, education and economic opportunity. Nutritious food develops cognitive abilities and makes children focus on education.
AKSHAYA PATRA began as a pilot program feeding 1500 children in 5 schools. Today it feeds 13,529 government schools with 1.6 million meals in 11 states from 27 centralized kitchens. Each kitchen produces 100,000 meals and 60,000 chapattis can be produced in 1 hour. This is the result of innovative technology, smart engineering, and capable administration. The food department worked with the University of Illinois, Urbana to design a vegetarian menu with the right amount of lipids, protein, calories, and micronutrients for the healthy development of growing children. There is an increased enrollment (especially for girls), a lower dropout rate, better academic performance, better health and less underage kids.
The freshly prepared meals are transported in insulated vessels and trucks and unannounced food safety audits are made by quality control officials.
This is a secular NGO in the public-private partnership with the Government of India and many corporations and foundations.
EDUCATION
EDUCATION is the best gift you can give anyone, primary or higher or loan scholarships or life skill training.
Platinum-Star rating by Guidestar.org. A 4-star rating by Charity Navigator. An international charity based in Austin, Texas. Operating in India.
The Miracle Foundation is dedicated to helping the world’s orphans reach their full potential by turning struggling institutional orphanages into stable, loving homes.
The charity was founded by Caroline Boudreaux, who, according to a recent article in USA Today, had all the material things she wanted in Austin, TX, but still wasn't satisfied with her life. She took a year off work to travel the world. As noted in the USA Today report, when Boudreaux and a friend visited an orphanage in rural India, Boudreaux was stunned by what she saw: not enough food for more than 100 children, wooden beds and dirty living quarters.
The children, including a 1-year-old girl named Sheebani Das, seemed starved for love, according to Boudreaux. She picked the girl up and sang her a lullaby. Boudreaux's moment with Das was the catalyst that caused her to create The Miracle Foundation, an NGO that provides funding for food, clean water, and other resources for rural orphanages. It provides educational opportunities for children and trains women to better support kids in the children's homes. In 17 years, with house mothers, teachers, social workers and counselors working together to reach their goals, the organization has helped more than 3,700 orphans while supporting 50 orphanages across India.
Today, for every orphanage The Miracle Foundation supports, it systematically measures progress based on the 12 Rights of a Child. This way, donors can clearly see the impact their investment makes.
The charity, which also provides essential healthcare and vocational schools, believes that all children have the right to a healthy childhood, a quality education and an opportunity for a promising future. The Miracle Foundation also believes that its job is to give everyone the opportunity to join in and be the miracle these orphans are hoping for.
International charity based in New York. Operating in India.
Set up to help Konkanis in India with limited access to means and resources, Konkani Charitable Fund's mission is to provide educational scholarships, fund and assist orphanages and old-age homes in India, and also organize health camps and food drives for needy and deserving Konkanis.
Konkani Charitable Foundation (KCF) has been able to raise funds in novel ways. On August 29, 2015, in the Bay area, Aruna and Ram Acharya's daughter Medha organised a dance performance to raise funds for KCF. With help from several volunteers, the Arpana Indian Classical & Contemporary Dance Extravaganza was staged in Palo Alto. It turned out to be a sold-out performance, and a sum of $22,000 was raised for KCF.
Another innovative method to raise funds for KCF was the brainchild of the organisation's president, Gopal Bhandarkar. He invited some 30 families to his home for a party; the guests were asked not to bring any gifts — instead, they were requested to write a check made out to KCF for the amount that they would have spent on a gift. A sum of $4,400 was raised in this way.
KCF has also tied up with Amazon. Donors can help by shopping online at smile.amazon.com. For every $100 spent by the donor, Amazon donates 50 cents to KCF.
As of date, KCF has disbursed approximately $500,000 in funds.
K.A.B.F. specifically donates to loan scholarships and educational programs of KCF.
Platinum-Star rating under Guidestar.org. A 3-star rating by Charity Navigator. Based in Boston, Massachusetts. Operating in the US.
Bottom Line was founded on the belief that students need a mentor and a guide during the college application process and throughout college to succeed. And the organization has, since 1997, helped thousands of low-income and first-generation students get to college, stay in college, and earn their degrees.
How does it do this? In many ways:
- Students receive personalized one-on-one guidance and mentoring
- Bottom Line supports students starting senior year of high school and the support continues throughout college for up to six years
- Bottom Line uses a proprietary curriculum focused on four key areas critical to college success
- By providing long-term and personalized support in college, Bottom Line ensures that students are 43 percentage points more likely to earn a degree than their peers
And the impact? Over 80% of the three most recent cohorts of Bottom Line students earned their degree in six years or less.
Bottom Line also works with industries and corporations and provides career-relevant experiences to prepare students for secure employment. More than 5,000 students are being served through Bottom Line's two primary programs: College Access and College Success. The organization's services are available from regional offices located in Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Worcester.
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENT:
Recent dramatic climate impacts including record heat, damaging droughts, floods and extreme weather events underscore the urgency of taking control of global warming and climate change. Heavy storms, hurricanes and tsunamis result in floods, loss of human life and habitat. We need champions to empower our environment. The following are some of the passionate leaders of environmental change.
Gold Star rated by guidestar.org, 4-Star rating by Charity Navigator. An international charity based in Washington, D.C.
People depend on clean water, fertile land, healthy forests, and a stable climate. Livable cities and clean energy are essential for a sustainable planet. But clearly, Earth’s resources are being depleted at rates that are not sustainable, endangering economies and people’s lives.
World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization, is seeking to address these urgent, global challenges.
WRI spans more than 50 countries, with offices in Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, and the US. More than 450 experts and staff work closely with leaders to turn big ideas into action to sustain the world's natural resources.
When it comes to achieving its aims, WRI's mantra is "Count it, change it, scale it."
Count it: WRI starts with data. It conducts independent research and draws on the latest technology to develop new insights and recommendations. The organization focuses its efforts on influential and emerging economies where the future of sustainability will be determined.
Change it: WRI uses its research to influence government policies, business strategies, and civil society action. The organization tests projects with communities, companies, and government agencies to build a strong evidence base. Then, it works with partners to deliver change on the ground that alleviates poverty and strengthens society.
Scale it: Once a project has been tested, WRI works with partners to adapt and expand its efforts regionally and globally. Success is measured through government and business actions that improve people's lives and sustain a healthy environment.
Impact: WRI has produced a change in the mindsets of world leaders and policymakers, both in the corporate sector and at the government level, who have now understood that a low-carbon future is vital for the planet.
Today, WRI has remained true to its founding mission, approach and goals. The Institute has a rich history of transforming ideas into action, with clear benefits to people and the planet. It aims to continue building on decades of experience to achieve a sustainable world with ample natural resources for future generations.
DISCLAIMER: The information on each charity is taken from their website and/or their latest annual report and is provided for your convenience. It does not constitute an endorsement, approval or opinion of K.A.B.F. We bear no responsibility for the completeness, accuracy, legality or content provided. Please contact the charity directly for answers and questions regarding its content.