Dear friends,

As you know, PanZOu created Hearts for Haiti shirts to help raise money. Our board has chosen QIFD,Quisqueya International Organization for Freedom & Development, a nonprofit organization that works on the grassroots level to advance political, economic and social rights and support development initiatives. We met the Executive Director while we were in Haiti in 2007 for a Symposium of Gang Violence. They do amazing work all over Haiti. Below is an email I received following the earthquake on Jan 15th:

Laura,

It is with a heavy heart that I type this email. I am so completely and utterly devastated.  Our office in Port au Prince is gone and many of our staff are still missing. Eric,my partner of 10 years is missing, I can’t find him. Our office is gone and have only accouted for 1 staff.My god daughter and her family did not make it as their house crushed them. Words can not do justice on how I feel, but I have to fight on for the people of Haiti. There is no time for mourning….yet.

If you can pass the word along to your friends, colleagues, family to go to our website www.qifd.org and click on the yellow donate button. No amount is too small. 100% of funds raised witll go towards the relief effort. Let them consider investing in the long term recovery of Haiti by giving to an organization such as QIFD that have been serving Haiti long before the earthquake and will be here long after other aid organizations have gone home.

I know so many Haitians and friends of Haiti are going through the same nightmare and anguish as me. Please pray for everyone’s loved ones that are missing, injured or have not survived and pray for my missing staff and friends. Will keep you updated as I can.

Web Site Releases First Ever List of Top-Rated Nonprofits That Help People Get Jobs

Menlo Park, Calif. — February 4, 2010 — GreatNonprofitsannounced today a list of Top-Rated nonprofits that provide job training or placement based on user-reviews (http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/issues/jobs/_). This first-ever list show the breadth of nonprofits stepping up to address the growing need for jobs in this economy. Government and individual funders looking to support organizations that are effectively helping people get jobs can browse the list by ratings and location, and read reviews of nonprofits that are truly having an impact – or those that are not.

The ratings were posted during the 2010 Job Training and Placement Awards, hosted by GreatNonprofits, Goodwill Industries International, the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services, and Guidestar. Ratings were submitted by members of the public who have volunteered, donated, or been served by the nonprofits. There are over 40 top nonprofits on the final list, available at http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/issues/jobs/_.

“…I may have been a late blossomer, but because Goodwill® believed in ME when I couldn’t believe in myself and took out the time to teach me how to be a responsible person and that life could actually be GOOD, we now thrive as a family,” wrote one reviewer about Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs, “we even own our own home, and how can you thank someone enough for saving your life and the life of your children, to not repeat the lifestyle that you yourself went thru, thinking there were no other options?…”

Sandee Kastrul, the President and co-Founder of Inner-City Computer Stars in Chicago, IL, one of the top-rated charities, says, “Since we have participated in the campaign, we have been delighted by the responses of our alums, our participants, our employers and volunteers. What a wonderful way to give and receive feedback in order to strengthen our program and increase our impact.”

“Our rankings have been top-rated, “said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, “This verification is one that gives people first-hand knowledge of their local, reputable and trustworthy organizations that are worthy of their time, service, financial donations, or donated goods.”

The entire list of top-rated nonprofits is athttp://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/issues/jobs/_. Use this list to find great nonprofits to support with your giving and volunteering.

About the 2010 Job Training and Placement Awards The awards were hosted by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user-generated ratings and reviews of nonprofits, Goodwill Industries International, the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services, and Guidestar. Over the course of the Job Training and Placement Awards, more than 116,000 people visited the GreatNonprofits Web site, and close to 1000 reviews were posted about more than 100 nonprofits providing job training or placement in their communities.

Reviews appear on GreatNonprofits.org as well as GuideStar.org, the premiere source for donor research on nonprofits. Nonprofits with 10 or more positive reviews are included on the GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Job Training and Placement Nonprofits list. Reviews submissions took place from January 1st to January 31st, 2010.

Media Contact: Shari Ilsen Shari [dot] Ilsen [at] greatnonprofits.org 650.234.4766 (office) 978.621.3396 (cell)