Dedicated to improving living conditions in the border region of West Texas, Southern New Mexico, and Northern Mexico, the Foundation distributes funds among a diverse array of community organizations. One of the Foundation’s biggest projects is the restoration of El Paso’s Plaza Theater (right), the historic movie palace which has been threatened with demolition in recent years. The dozens of other organizations the Foundation helps to support include the El Paso Battered Women’s Shelter, the Border AIDS Partnership, the El Paso Playhouse, and Project Vida, which provides health care for underprivileged children.

Working with inner city youth, the Harlem RBI program uses baseball as a tool to promote community, teamwork, and education in East Harlem. In 1991 the program began by transforming an abandoned city lot into two youth baseball fields, and today more than 350 boys and girls participate in the program free of charge each year. Harlem RBI also has an extensive education and mentoring program, providing after-school tutoring, special reading assistance, and college scholarships to its players. In September 2000 the program was able to take the youngsters on a trip to Cooperstown, where they visited the Baseball Hall of Fame and played a game on historic Doubleday Field. 

Founded by Rachel Robinson in 1973, the Jackie Robinson Foundation provides educational opportunities and leadership training for talented minority students. In 2000, the Foundation’s scholarships enabled 215 underprivileged students to attend the college of their choice. Over the years, more than 600 Jackie Robinson Scholars have graduated from the nation’s most prestigious universities, carrying on Jackie’s legacy of community involvement.

Founded in 1968, MALDEF is the country’s leading Mexican-American civil rights organization. Through their social and legal programs, they have worked to improve opportunities for Mexican-Americans in the fields of employment, education, immigration, and political access. Recently the organization has fought for Latino representation in the San Francisco fire department, nondiscriminatory standardized testing in Texas schools, and access to prenatal care for immigrant women in California.

One of history’s great Renaissance men, Paul Robeson (left) was a nonpareil singer, actor, athlete, attorney, scholar, and activist. Though renowned as a concert vocalist, All-American football player, and acclaimed performer of Othello on stage, what Robeson held most dear was his political activism. Harassed and persecuted by his own government for more than 15 years, Robeson sacrificed his career for the causes he believed in. Today, the Paul Robeson Fund For Independent Media perpetuates his spirit by funding independent film and radio projects devoted to social change. For more than a decade, the Fund has supported disfranchised artists who would otherwise be unable to find funding for their socially conscious, and sometimes controversial, works.

A living embodiment of the American spirit, Woody Guthrie (right) was the most influential folk singer in U.S. history, and was also an accomplished writer, visual artist, and political activist. He devoted his life to fighting for justice at great risk to his musical career and livelihood. The Guthrie Foundation and Archive, run by Woody’s daughter Nora, seeks to "preserve and perpetuate" Woody’s legacy. Donations go toward upkeep of the Woody Guthrie Archives, which preserves his writings, drawings, and original manuscripts for more than 3,000 songs.