GreatNonprofits CEO Making a Difference This Christmas

From USA TODAY: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/kindness/index

My family had about $100 when we immigrated and countless nonprofits helped us. If you look at photos of me when I was a kid, practically everything I wore – from my green corduroy jeans to my holiday dresses - came second hand from nonprofits. My cavities got filled for free at a nonprofit community dental clinic.

So I know how much the help of a charity can mean. This Holiday season, I'm giving donations in the names of my family and friends, in lieu of gifts. I'm saving myself the trip to the mall, the wrapping and shipping. And I'm giving my family and friends the joy of being connected to a cause larger than themselves.

To find charities that are making a difference and are highly-regarded by their community, I use a website that I run – GreatNonprofits . The website has listings of over 1.2M nonprofits listed and 18,062 reviews. The reviews are submitted by people who typically have had direct experience with the nonprofit – people served by the nonprofit, people who have volunteered there or donated there.

Some of the charities that I've found that I'll be supporting this year include:

Global Links: People in other countries are literally dying for what we throw away. Global Links takes old wheelchairs, IV poles and other hospital equipment and refurbishes them and sends them to hospitals in Latin American and the Caribbean. Global Links has collected over 3,000 tons of medical supplies and donated over $155 million worth of goods to clinics in 70 countries. One photojournalist writes: "I have seen with my own eyes and documented numerous times, actual lives being saved and bettered due to materials and equipment that Global Links has provided."

Project Homeless Connect: A one-stop clinic for homeless people where they can get groceries, free eyeglasses, see a doctor, sign up for SSI benefits, get legal counseling, and job placement. It has 4.5 star rating based on 86 reviews. One volunteer writes, 'I worked on a medical project to help homeless with lice problems. We were able to identify about 8 people with infestations. They received advice on how to get rid of them as well as treatment onsite under the direction of a physician. It was extremely worthwhile. I will be back."

Girls Write Now: A creative writing and mentoring non-profit, matching bright, creative teenage girls from the city's public high schools many of which don't teach creative writing, with professional women writers. One girls says, "It has completely changed my life in both implicit and explicit ways. I have become a noticeably better writer through workshops, but especially through the relationship I have built with my wonderful mentor who shares her talent and passion with me."

These are just a couple of nonprofits that are making a difference. To find nonprofits that may inspire you, GreatNonprofits offers Top Charities list by city and by cause at www.greatnonprofits.org.