Between climate change, oil spills, marine pollution, invasive species, loss of habitat, or overharvesting for consumption, it’s no wonder that turtles and tortoises are believed to be the most endangered vertebrates. They’ve inhabited the planet for more than 200 million years, yet roughly half of all species are currently threatened with extinction. For the past 17 years, May 23 has called attention to their plight in the form of World Turtle Day. Below are a few of the many organizations seeking to save them:
The Sea Turtle Conservancy’s mission to ensure the survival of sea turtles within the Caribbean, Atlantic, and Pacific through research, education, training, advocacy, and protection of the natural habitats upon which they depend.
“After 13 years as a volunteer and donor, I can report with confidence that this group does not stray from its mission to conserve sea turtle populations in the Atlantic and Caribbean. I have experienced no instances of personal agendas from any of the staff members, as often happens in nonprofit groups. All employees defer to the turtles and are dedicated to the research, advocacy, and education necessary to keep sea turtles on the path to recovery. As both a guide for nesting observation walks on the beach in Florida and as a field station research volunteer in Tortuguero, I feel that I am genuinely helping to save sea turtles from extinction. As a donor, I feel that my money is appreciated and used wisely. This is a truly worthy nonprofit, both of my time and my money. The STC is staffed by dedicated, intelligent, thoughtful people and the volunteer experience has been one of the most important experiences of my life. I hope to be active with them for decades to come.”
Through its Sea Turtle Restoration Project, the Turtle Island Restoration Network works to protect and restore endangered sea turtle populations worldwide. It does this in ways that meet the needs of both the turtles and the neighboring local communities, using grassroots action, multimedia campaigns, hands-on conservation, environmental education, and litigation.
“I have supported this organization since its birth. If you have any money to give, Sea Turtle Restoration Project will give you the most bang for your buck. I donate monthly knowing my money is being put to good use. Sea Turtle Restoration Project has a long history of great wins for the sea turtles, the health of the oceans and the planet. It’s easy to be part of this nonprofit and feel like you are making a meaningful contribution to the betterment of the planet. With STRP you will see your donations in action . . . it’s a good feeling.”
The Sea Turtle Recovery is dedicated to the rehabilitation, preservation, and conservation of sea turtles. In addition to rehabilitating sick or injured sea turtles for their release back to the wild, STR also educates the public on the important ecological role of sea turtles, threats endangering them, and ways to protect their future.
“I have known Brandy and Bill for the past several years. I was a volunteer who worked with them at a seal rescue facility. You could not ask for more dedicated, compassionate, and intelligent individuals. They would do whatever it took to save and rehabilitate an animal in their care. I totally support Sea Turtle Recovery because I trust the people running it. They are the best!”
To learn more about these organization and others doing similar work, please check out GreatNonprofits!
When occurring naturally, one to five species a year will go extinct. But according to the Center for Biological Diversity, dozens of species are now going extinct each day, with 30 to 50 percent of all species in danger of going extinct by the middle of this century. National Endangered Species Day, celebrated on the third Friday of May, seeks to call attention to this critical threat.
How can you help change this potentially bleak future? Supporting nonprofits that are working to protect species being pushed to the brink by humans is a good place to start. Here are a few of them:
Big Cat Rescue provides the best permanent home it can for the abused, abandoned, and retired cats in its care—by building enclosures in a very natural habitat with foliage and shelter on its 45-acre site, by providing the best nutritional and medical care possible, and by having active operant conditioning and enrichment programs to provide for their physical and psychological well-being. Its broader mission is to reduce the number of cats that suffer the fate of abandonment and/or abuse and to encourage preservation of habitat and wildlife.
“Big Cat Rescue provides an awesome service for big cats that, sadly, is more necessary now than ever. Big cats deserve to live in the wild, but there are so many in the hands of private citizens that are abused and neglected. BCR helps these animals and gives them a home for the rest of their lives, complete with plenty of food, enrichment, vet care, and love. BCR also plays an important role in advocacy for big cats, trying to help them in all areas. The world would be a much worse place without the staff and volunteers at Big Cat Rescue. I visited them in November 2014, and I wish I lived closer so I could visit over and over. To see these amazing animals is a rare treat, and to see them healthy and happy after what many of them have been through is nothing short of a miracle.”
The mission of Pandas International is to ensure the preservation and propagation of the endangered giant panda by providing public awareness and education; support for research, habitat preservation, and enhancement; and assistance to the Giant Panda Centers in China.
“We’ve supported Pandas International for several years. The staff and board are dedicated to helping giant pandas, which are facing extinction in the wild. PI supports equipment, science, education, and general operating costs for panda centers in China. Every year special collections are taken to assist with things like providing baby formula, for special equipment (i.e., incubators), and to encourage bamboo growth. When the Wolong Panda Center was destroyed by earthquakes, mudslides, and flooding, PI was there to help move the pandas, help the staff, and find new opportunities to continue the work so pandas can survive.”
The mission of the Northern Jaguar Project is to preserve and recover the world’s northernmost population of the jaguar, its unique natural habitats, and native wildlife under its protection as a flagship, keystone, and umbrella species.
“I’m so impressed by the motivation of everyone involved with NJP! This organization genuinely cares for the conservation of the jaguar and understands of an impressively deep level the impact these conservation efforts have on its surrounding communities and the environment, among many other things! NJP is also quite clearly an innovation hub for co-collaborative efforts to increase community awareness. They’re not only putting money and effort into expanding their reserve and conservation efforts, but also into education and partnership. So grateful for the energy and love they put into conservation of the undeniably beautiful jaguar and the reserve!”
To learn more about these nonprofits and others like them, check out GreatNonprofits!
Watch Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund’s Jody Chang discuss her experience with Eastside College Preparatory School and its low-income, underserved students.
Watch Social Venture Partners’ Sandra Hughes discuss her experience with Whole Again, which among its other programs helps ensure that children who receive subsidized meals during the school year get two meals a day during the summer.
For more than 60 years, National Bike Month has celebrated the many benefits of biking, from preserving both your health and your environment to saving you both time and money. Perhaps the biggest day of the month-long festivities is Bike to Work Day, held this Friday, May 19.
According to the League of American Bicyclists, sponsor of National Bike Month, 40% of all trips in the U.S. are less than two miles, which means participating this Friday will be easy for many of us. And many of us do participate—the league says that from 2000 to 2013, the number of bicycle commuters in the U.S. grew by more than 62 percent. (more…)
Created in 2008 by the American Public Gardens Association and celebrated on the Friday before Mother’s Day, National Public Gardens Day seeks to raise awareness of public gardens and the important role they play in their communities and on a global scale.
Many public gardens nationwide celebrate the day with special events, so make sure you get out there and visit one on Friday! Here are just a few of them: (more…)
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, 5 million people worldwide have a form of lupus, including 1.5 million Americans. Yet despite those numbers, 73% of Americans ages 18–34 either haven’t heard about lupus or know little or nothing about lupus beyond the name. It’s that lack of awareness of this widespread disease that World Lupus Day, commemorated on May 10, seeks to combat. Here are some organizations seeking to bring comfort to those suffering from it: (more…)
According to Money magazine, teachers on average spend roughly $500 of their own money a year on school supplies. And for one in 10, that total rises to $1,000 or more. And that is just one of the many reasons why on Tuesday, May 9 we celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Day. (more…)
Each year, stroke kills more than 130,000 Americans annually—that’s 1 out of every 20 deaths. Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds, and every 4 minutes, someone dies of one. Here are some other numbers to consider, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes; about 185,00 strokes—nearly 1 of 4—are in people who have had a previous stroke.
In 2009, 34% of people hospitalized for stroke were less than 65 years old.
Stroke costs the United States an estimated $33 billion each year.
In recognition of American Stroke Month, we’ve compiled a few of the many nonprofits working to provide education and assistance to stroke victims and their loved ones: (more…)
The first Tuesday of May is designated as National Foster Care Day, which help kicked off National Foster Care Month. And calling attention to the needs of the more than 400,000 children currently in the often broken foster care system is understandable:
Only half of youth in foster care graduate high school
20 percent of foster children experience homelessness within a year of aging out of care
33 percent of 17- and 18-year-old women in foster care are pregnant or parenting
More than 70 percent of inmates were at one point in the foster care system
Below are just a few of the many nonprofits working to make the lives of foster children a much happier one: (more…)
The last Friday in April commemorates Arbor Day, and people are encouraged to celebrate the holiday by planting a tree. Sound like a lot of work? It can be, but if you are on a mission to beautify your neighborhood and clean the air you breathe, there are organizations out there that can help you do just that. Here are a few of them: (more…)
Watch the Sisterhood of Philanthropists Impacting Needs’ LaRae Scott-Jennings explain why the word philanthropist doesn’t have to be intimidating, and what she has personally gained from her giving.
April 26 is designated as National Audubon Day, in memory John Audubon, the famed ornithologist, naturalist, and painter born on this date in 1785. Audubon is known for his extensive studies of American birds and his detailed illustrations of the birds in their natural habitats.
Unfortunately, not every bird can remain in its natural habitat. Luckily, there are many great nonprofits working to provide sanctuary for these birds. Here are some of the top-rated ones doing just that: (more…)
April 26 marks the fifth annual Help a Horse Day. According to the ASPCA, it’s a day for equine rescues and sanctuaries to raise awareness about the lifesaving work they do year-round to care for at-risk horses in their community who have often been abused or neglected.
The organization also notes that horses have been central to the ASPCA’s work since its founding 150 years ago, when Henry Bergh stopped a cart driver from beating his horse, resulting in the first successful arrest for the mistreatment of a horse on April 26, 1866.
Here are five of our top-rated nonprofits dedicated to the well-being of horses: (more…)
Watch SV2’s Laura Lauder discuss the two Jewish values that inspire her to give, and the nonprofit that’s very special to her that embodies both of these values.
The Sisterhood of Philanthropists Impacting Needs’ Tanaka Shipp believes that “if everybody gives a little, we can all give a lot.” Watch her discuss someone whose life was touched by that ethos.
Now celebrated worldwide by more than a billion people, Earth Day has something for everyone. Local opportunities abound for beautification projects next Saturday, April 22, and all it takes to get involved with cleaning up your local park or beach is a simple online search and a few hours of your time.
But for nonprofits dedicated to protecting animal and plant species from extinction, keeping our landscape from more resembling a moonscape, and preserving the quality of our air and water, every day is Earth Day. Here are 10 of the many that do just that:
The National Parks Conservation Association works to ensure that our national parks and monuments are welcoming and well funded, well managed, and well protected for generations today and tomorrow.
“Through the years I have visited many of our National Parks. They are truly wonders to see! We need to conserve these now to make sure our children and grandchildren have the same opportunity we have had.
“I am seeing much erosion and destruction in the parks now that we need to make others aware of so additional protections can be implemented. The NPCA is working hard to protect these precious lands and they need all the help they can get!
“I am a true lover of our National Parks! So beautiful and amazing!”
Ocean Defenders Alliance works to clean and protect marine ecosystems, focusing primarily on the reduction and removal of manmade debris that poses serious threats to ocean wildlife and habitats.
“My wife and I have been supporting ODA since its inception and it has been the best use of our donated dollars I’ve witnessed. The volunteers involved with this organization and what they give for the cause are amazing. I only wish I had more money to help leverage their efforts.”
The mission of the Amazon Conservation Association is to protect the world’s most diverse landscapes, train the next generation of Amazonian conservationists, and partner with communities to support livelihoods that sustain biodiversity.
“There may be bigger conservation organizations than ACA, but the impact ACA has had in Peru and Bolivia has been comparable with many of the so-called ‘bigger’ organizations out there. They bring in technical expertise and years of building trust with local communities to the plate and always deliver results. As a biologist, I truly appreciate all their hard work and the impact they have had in keeping the Amazon green.”
The International Rivers Network protects rivers and defends the rights of communities that depend on them. It works to stop destructive dams and promote water and energy solutions for a just and sustainable world.
“Billions of dollars are being invested in building dams throughout the Amazon that will devastate the environment and displace local communities and cause massive emission of greenhouse gases as the vegetation decomposes. International Rivers is at the forefront of ensuring that local communities and the environment is put before economic greed and is the leading expert on these issues.”
Endangered Species International is strongly committed to reversing the trend of human-induced species extinction, saving endangered animals, and preserving wild places!
“Endangered Species International is an amazing group that really gets things done out in the field. I applaud their effort and hard work to save endangered animals and their home! Most fund is spent on the field for direct impacts . . . no wasting resources!”
The Center for Biological Diversity believes that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature—to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, the center works to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction.
“Global wildlife populations remain under siege and the illegal wildlife trade flourishes. We are losing species and habitat on almost every front. That’s why I support Endangered Species International (ESI) and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), both doing an incredible job. ESI is saving so many species and habitats on the ground where CBD does not operate like in the rainforest of Congo. CBD is doing a great job by protecting the endangered species act and making sure endangered species are included and can recover!”
Canopy plants and cares for trees where people need them the most—bringing the life-giving benefits of trees to the schools, neighborhoods, and public spaces of the San Francisco Mid-Peninsula.
“I have volunteered with Canopy and donated to Canopy for the past four years. They are a small team of dedicated, passionate, skilled employees who leverage their fantastic board and volunteers to make a big difference. They serve the community in so many ways–not just planting, not just educating, not just pruning and mulching, not just advocacy—their full perspective on the urban forest make them a very effective organization.
“Also, I really admire how they give jobs and job training to East Palo Alto teens. It makes the organization more effective in East Palo Alto and makes a huge difference for the teens who are part of the program.”
REEF conserves marine water ecosystems for their recreational, commercial, and intrinsic value by educating, enlisting, and enabling divers and other marine water enthusiasts to become active stewards and citizen scientists.
“REEF is a way for me to turn my passion into meaningful contribution. I love the ocean and its inhabitants so I scuba dive a lot. REEF lets me contribute to greater understanding of the ocean and the changes that are going on that need tracking. They are easy to work with and really value citizen science contributors such as myself.”
Rattlebox Nature Center provides individuals of all ages and capabilities with hands-on experience that will better their understanding of the critical role that animals play in the health and welfare of our world.
“My daughter attended Rattlebox Nature Center this summer and absolutely loved it. This was the one camp she couldn’t stop talking about all summer and she is delighted to be able to attend on an off day from school. Valerie was extremely kind and compassionate about the love and care of her animals and she treated my daughter like her own. I was also impressed with the lovely crafts that were completed. This camp truly exceeded my expectations.”
Buffalo Field Campaign is the only group working both in the field and in the policy arenas to stop the harassment and slaughter of America’s last wild buffalo.
“This incredible nonprofit does so much with so little. Dedicated, enduring, passionate, and suffering along with the buffalo, they are so impressive and so admirable and so determined. Our National Heritage buffalo/bison are the target of hunters and hunter-controlled government agencies, with even the Park Service unwilling to stand up for the defenseless buffalo who are only trying to live and survive in areas that have been their homeland since the beginning. BFC is their voice and their advocate when others are too busy to care. This is indeed a nonprofit that walks the walk.”
Watch the Sisterhood of Philanthropists Impacting Needs’ Shani Hilliard talk about why SPIN is so important to her, and a special experience that she’s had through her affiliation with the organization.
Through its Sea Turtle Restoration Project, the Turtle Island Restoration Network works to protect and restore endangered sea turtle populations worldwide. It does this in ways that meet the needs of both the turtles and the neighboring local communities, using grassroots action, multimedia campaigns, hands-on conservation, environmental education, and litigation.
The mission of Pandas International is to ensure the preservation and propagation of the endangered giant panda by providing public awareness and education; support for research, habitat preservation, and enhancement; and assistance to the Giant Panda Centers in China.
Ocean Defenders Alliance
International Rivers Network
Center for Biological Diversity
Reef Environmental Education Foundation
Buffalo Field Campaign
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