Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org) founded in 1982, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide children?s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults. Since its founding, Operation Smile volunteers have treated more than 115,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities. In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its 26 partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.

In 2007, during its 25th Anniversary, Operation Smile conducted World Journey of Smiles (WJOS), simultaneous medical missions to 40 sites in 25 countries worldwide, which took place November 7-16, 2007. Free physical examinations were provided to 7,414 patients and 4,086 children born with cleft lips and cleft palates were provided free surgical treatment during WJOS. The initiative mobilized more than 1,700 volunteers from 44 countries and was the largest simultaneous medical mission of its kind.

Operation Smile has been distinguished by many prestigious awards, including the first $1 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to recognize outstanding contributions made to alleviate human suffering, and in 2007, the President's Call to Service Award.

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Founded in 1996 by marine ecologist Dr. Gregor Hodgson, the Reef Check Foundation is an international non-profit organization dedicated to conservation of two ecosystems: tropical coral reefs and California rocky reefs. With headquarters in Los Angeles and volunteer teams in more than 80 countries, Reef Check works to create partnerships among community volunteers, government agencies, businesses, universities and other non-profits. Reef Check goals are to: educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems and the current crisis affecting marine life; to create a global network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check's scientific methods who regularly monitor and report on reef health; to facilitate collaboration that produces ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions; and to stimulate local community action to protect remaining pristine reefs and rehabilitate damaged reefs worldwide.

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Burma Border Projects (BBP) is a non-profit, charitable foundation established to support and augment existing relief efforts along the Burma-Thailand border. BBP’s Board of Directors consists of people who are active in supporting the cause of the Burmese people in humanitarian and political ways. Burma is home to one of the most oppressive governments in our world today. Political repression touches everyone in the country. Severe human rights abuses — extra-judicial killings, widespread torture, forced labor, forced relocations, rape and political imprisonment — are commonplace. This brutality has forced groups of Burmese people to flee their homes and take cover in the country’s dense jungles or escape to neighboring countries. The estimated 400,000 internally displaced persons that live in forests close to the Thai-Burma border remain vulnerable to forced labor, army-imposed relocations and fighting between the Burmese military and ethnic insurgent groups. Among those suffering the most are the Karen and Shan ethnic groups who have been forced to eke out a dreary, and often dangerous existence as migrant workers. Currently, there are well over 1 million Burmese living in Thailand, most as illegal migrant workers.

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Most of us have never really been thirsty. We've never had to leave our houses and walk 5 miles to fetch water. We simply turn on the tap, and water comes out. Clean. Yet more than 1.1 billion people on the planet don't have clean water. It's hard to imagine what a billion people looks like really, but one in six might be easier. One in six people in our world don?t have access to the most basic of human needs. Something we can't imagine going 12 hours without. Here, we'd like to introduce you to a few of those billion people. They are very real, and they need our help. They didn't choose to be born into a village where the only source of water is a polluted swamp. And we didn't choose to be born in a country where even the homeless have access to clean water and a toilet. We invite you to put yourself in their shoes. Follow them on their daily journey. Carry 80 pounds of water in yellow fuel cans. Dig with their children in sand for water. Line up at a well and wait 8 hours for a turn. Now, make a decision to help. We're not offering grand solutions and billion dollar schemes, but instead, simple things that work. Things like freshwater wells, rainwater catchments and sand filters. For about $20 a person, we know how to help millions of people.

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