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RWF News
Bus of Hope Project in Tijuana, Mexico
On October 9, 2008 RWF left San Francisco on the Bus of Hope, our rainbow-colored bus, for Tijuana, Mexico to deliver medical and school supplies to two orphanages, an HIV/AIDS medical clinic, and a school. The project benefited some of the poorest children and families and the LGBT HIV positive community in Tijuana. In addition to delivering supplies we gave financial grants to the orphanage and the HIV medical clinic.
Thank you to everyone whose has contributed to the Bus of Hope Project! A huge amount of donations came in, over 5000 pounds, from life saving medications, medical supplies, school supplies, art supplies, computers, soaps and toiletries, to over 1500 Christmas gifts for the children who will benefit from this project. We received donations of supplies from the LGBT and friends community throughout California and from as far away as Utah. Your generosity has been amazing. Dozens of individuals contributed as well as fifteen partner organizations.
In Appreciation
Special thanks to San Francisco's FM radio station Energy 92.7 for naming RWF founder, Jeff Cotter, as the AT&T Community Hero of the week, August 4-11, 2008.
Special thanks to PlanetOut Inc. and The Out Traveler magazine for naming RWF as the beneficiary of the silent auction at their recent gala held on July 24, 2008 at the Leslie Lohman Art Gallery in New York City.
Aid for Guatemala
On July 27, 2008, fifteen RWF volunteers returned from RWF's fifth annual journey to Guatemala. Our journey was all at once exhilarating, exhausting, and hopeful. As witness to the desperate needs of the Ladino and Mayan people, and to the committed people who work to overcome poverty, disease, and illiteracy, it is our obligation to tell some of their stories. Over the course of our 10 days in Guatemala we visited many of the projects that RWF has supported for years and a few projects for the first time. We brought down nearly 1800 pounds of medicine and educational supplies valued at over $300,000, which we distributed along with $56,000 in grants. Click here to learn the story of and see pictures from this journey.
Click here for an article on this journey from the Aug. 14, 2008 San Francisco B.A.R. newspaper.
LGBT Voices on Capitol Hill
In June 2008, RWF volunteers traveled to Washington, DC to meet with members of Congressional and other key decision makes to advocate for humanitarian aid issues. This was our fourth annual trip to Capitol Hill.
This year we delivered three key requests for further US leadership:
- Increased aid for poor countries to adapt to climate change
- Combat violence against women and girls
- Fight the global hunger crisis
RWF volunteers met with representatives from California and Florida.
Hope in Haiti
 Newest RWF Project: After the profound impact of World War II on the American economy and nearly every other aspect of American life, the United States Agricultural Department urged all Americans to grow "victory gardens" to produce fresh fruits and vegetables for their kitchens.
Many Americans answered the call and soon victory gardens were being planted in backyards and on rooftops across the nation. By 1943, over 20 million victory gardens had been planted, producing some eight million tons of food and nearly 50 percent of all fresh vegetables consumed in the U.S.
RWF is funding a project in Haiti that hopes to have similar results, helping families living in the poorest slums of Gonaives fight against poverty and malnutrition by establishing and nurturing kitchen vegetable gardens. Learn more
Newest Board Members
 Sister Jeannine Gramick, SL, Ph.D., is a reform-minded Roman Catholic nun, activist and co-founder of New Ways Ministry - helping LGBT Roman Catholics in the United States. She has a doctorate in Mathematics Education from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1971, Gramick began working with gays and lesbians. In 2000, Gramick and New Ways co-founder Father Robert Nugent were ordered by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI) to cease ministering to gays and lesbians due to the Church’s teaching that same-sex relationships are sinful. While Nugent formally acquiesced to the decision by resigning from New Ways, Gramick respectfully set aside the order altogether. Gramick is the author of several books on LGBT Catholic issues. The documentary In Good Conscience details her journey of activism, the Vatican’s attempt to silence her and her decision to disregard that attempt.
 Karen Kai, J.D. joins RWF Board of Directors as an independent research and writing consultant and a community activist who has served on many California non-profit boards and on national Asian American civil and human rights non-profit boards. She is a former Chairperson of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and served as co-chair of its LGBT Advisory Board. Kai first started working with RWF in 2006 during the A Wish for the World campaign. We welcome her expertise and creativity.
RWF's newest water project is in Honduras Click here to learn more
RWF's Efficiency
Of every one dollar RWF received in 2005, 98.5 cents went to programs that serve those most in need.
See what we accomplished in 2006
AIDS in Africa
RWF's newest partnership is with Africare working in the areas of HIV/AIDS. Our partnership focuses on saving the next generation of young Africans. Click here to learn more
To donate by check or credit card, click on Donate Today. Specify "AIDS" when asked where you would like your donation to go. It's easy to make a donation to a specific cause: See how.
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Our Compassion in Action - LGBT People Responding to World Need