GO Campaign
Encyclopedia
GO Campaign is a national nonprofit organization based in Santa Monica, California
that raises awareness and funds to help orphans and vulnerable children throughout the developing world. The organization supports projects at the grassroots level that bring direct relief to children in need of shelter, education, food, clothing, and medical care. Particular emphasis is given to projects developed to help local programs and youth stand on their own through vocational training and income-generating activities.
GO Campaign actively works with youth in the U.S. to help foster the next generation of philanthropists and social activists - encouraging youth to actively become part of the solution by offering awareness building and fundraising tools and easy ways for them to take action.
100% of all public donations to GO Campaign go to projects serving children, and donors are allowed to choose the project they want to support.
, Tony Horton
, Alexandra Vorbeck, and Louise Hamagami.
GO has funded children's programs in Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Cambodia, China, Haiti, Liberia, Peru, Ghana, Guatemala, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Namibia, Malawi, Honduras, and other developing nations.
In 2010, Malawi's William Kamkwamba
, author of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, was one of four winners of GO Campaign's inaugural GO Ingenuity Award, a financial grant that allows inventors and artists to share ingenuity and invention with youth in developing nations.
GO Campaign is also a founding member of the Coalition for a Sustainable Africa, a coalition of several nonprofits actively working in Africa.
, the event brings together celebrities, project partners from the field, social activists, supporters and top rate entertainment. Honorary Gala Committee members have included Edward Norton, Evangeline Lilly, Lisa Kudrow, Diablo Cody, Mike White, Djimon Hounsou, Toni Collette and others. Each year, GO Campaign presents an honoree with the Giving Opportunity Award at the Gala in recognition of their work for children throughout the developing world. Past recipients have included Cameron Sinclair
, founder of Architecture for Humanity
, Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes
and Lauren Bush-Lauren and Ellen Gustafson, founders of FEED Projects
. The 2011 gala included an online auction including a set visit to the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn movie set and meeting with the film's star Robert Pattinson
which sold for $80,000.
Smaller events have included GO Rocks at the Roxy where youth bands take the stage along with accomplished artists such as Glenn Frey, Ziggy Marley, Don Was and Dennis Quaid.
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
that raises awareness and funds to help orphans and vulnerable children throughout the developing world. The organization supports projects at the grassroots level that bring direct relief to children in need of shelter, education, food, clothing, and medical care. Particular emphasis is given to projects developed to help local programs and youth stand on their own through vocational training and income-generating activities.
GO Campaign actively works with youth in the U.S. to help foster the next generation of philanthropists and social activists - encouraging youth to actively become part of the solution by offering awareness building and fundraising tools and easy ways for them to take action.
100% of all public donations to GO Campaign go to projects serving children, and donors are allowed to choose the project they want to support.
Background
Former attorney and successful Hollywood screenwriter Scott Fifer founded the organization in 2006 after taking a volunteer vacation in Tanzania. Originally established as the TunaHAKI Foundation to help Tanzania’s orphans and vulnerable children secure a better future, support for the nonprofit quickly outpaced its initial goals. In 2008, TunaHAKI Foundation officially changed its name to GO Campaign and expanded its reach throughout the developing world. Fifer is a contributing blogger to the Huffington Post. GO's Board of Directors includes Jill Goldman, Victoria Strauss Kennedy, Daryl Offer, Rami GhandourRami Ghandour
Rami Ghandour is a computer scientist and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles, California most notable for designing an information mapping system used to categorize and build relationships among raw information and business intelligence. He is also the founder and CEO of Forestweb Inc...
, Tony Horton
Tony Horton
Anthony Darrin Horton is a former Major League Baseball player. A first baseman who batted and threw right-handed, Horton played for the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians ....
, Alexandra Vorbeck, and Louise Hamagami.
GO has funded children's programs in Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Cambodia, China, Haiti, Liberia, Peru, Ghana, Guatemala, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Namibia, Malawi, Honduras, and other developing nations.
In 2010, Malawi's William Kamkwamba
William Kamkwamba
William Kamkwamba is a Malawian inventor and author. He gained fame in his country when, in 2002, he built a windmill to power a few electrical appliances in his family's house in Masitala using blue gum trees, bicycle parts, and materials collected in a local scrapyard...
, author of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, was one of four winners of GO Campaign's inaugural GO Ingenuity Award, a financial grant that allows inventors and artists to share ingenuity and invention with youth in developing nations.
GO Campaign is also a founding member of the Coalition for a Sustainable Africa, a coalition of several nonprofits actively working in Africa.
Events
The GO GO Gala is GO's annual Hollywood fundraiser. Hosted by Ewan McGregorEwan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
, the event brings together celebrities, project partners from the field, social activists, supporters and top rate entertainment. Honorary Gala Committee members have included Edward Norton, Evangeline Lilly, Lisa Kudrow, Diablo Cody, Mike White, Djimon Hounsou, Toni Collette and others. Each year, GO Campaign presents an honoree with the Giving Opportunity Award at the Gala in recognition of their work for children throughout the developing world. Past recipients have included Cameron Sinclair
Cameron Sinclair
Cameron Sinclair is the co-founder and 'chief eternal optimist' for Architecture for Humanity, a charitable organization which seeks architectural solutions to humanitarian crisis and brings professional design services to communities in need.- Education and personal life :Educated at Kingswood...
, founder of Architecture for Humanity
Architecture for Humanity
Architecture for Humanity is a charitable organization that seeks architectural solutions to humanitarian crises and brings professional design services to communities in need...
, Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes
TOMS Shoes
TOMS Shoes is a for-profit company based in Santa Monica, California, that also operates a non-profit subsidiary, Friends of TOMS. The company was founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie, an entrepreneur from Arlington, Texas. The company designs and sells lightweight shoes based on the Argentine...
and Lauren Bush-Lauren and Ellen Gustafson, founders of FEED Projects
FEED Projects
FEED Projects was started in 2007 by Lauren Bush, an honorary spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Program, and Ellen Gustafson, a former United Nations Communications Officer...
. The 2011 gala included an online auction including a set visit to the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn movie set and meeting with the film's star Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson
Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson is an English actor, model, musician, and producer. Born and raised in London, Pattinson started out his career by playing the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire...
which sold for $80,000.
Smaller events have included GO Rocks at the Roxy where youth bands take the stage along with accomplished artists such as Glenn Frey, Ziggy Marley, Don Was and Dennis Quaid.
External links
- GO Campaign official site
- Huffington Post