Although there are thousands (if not more) worthy causes across the planet, we’ll hand select a dozen or so. This limited number makes the project doable for us. It also helps us to quickly and acutely feature those efforts that seem to rise to the surface and create the greatest impact in certain key ways.

March 2010 Winner

P:ear – Creatively  Mentoring Homeless Youth

As the great recession continues to wax and wane, p:ear keeps a candle lit for art and homeless youth. This Portland nonprofit builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth, ages 15 to 24, through education, art and recreation. Their efforts affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives for those they serve. Each year their programs serve more than 350 homeless and transitional young people. Please join me in support p:ear!

February 2010 Winner

After much search and research… and reading and weighing… the first Causes for Healing winner has been chosen! The winner is… Stand With Haiti.

This medically oriented non-profit has an over 20-year history of being on the ground in Haiti, through Parnters in Health, delivering crucial health care and medical supplies. Stand With Haiti is Boston-based Partners in Health’s most recent campaign that specifically supports Haitian survivors of January’s massive earthquake.

Stand for Haiti’s Web site is a dedicated page of blog-style feeds with instant updates from staff. Here supporters can find out what’s happening right now and, most importantly, learn about critical needs–such as surgical supplies, medications, blankets, satellite phones, and surgical teams.

To build support and awareness about their relief efforts, Stand for Haiti teamed with MTV and a few other influential aid organizations to produce Hope for Haiti Now concert airing Friday, January 22, 2010.

The global telethon will feature performances by Wyclef Jean, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira, and Sting in New York City; Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift and a group performance by Keith Urban, Kid Rock, and Sheryl Crow in Los Angeles; and Coldplay, and a group performance by Bono, The Edge, Jay-Z, and Rihanna in a newly added London location. Money raised from the event will be split evenly among various relief, recovery, and development organizations—including PIH (for SWH), the Red Cross, Yele Haiti, and others.