To decide on which charities to support, we used Charity Navigator, a site that provides information on over five thousand charities and evaluates their financial health. Charity Navigator is a non-profit organization and does not accept any contributions from the charities they evaluate. We chose the three following, four star rated organizations:

The National Resources Defense Council is the nation's most effective environmental action group, combining the grassroots power of 1.3 million members and online activists with the courtroom clout and expertise of more than 350 lawyers, scientists and other professionals. Their goal is to restore the integrity of the elements that sustain life - air, land and water - and to defend endangered natural places.

Families Forward is a non-profit agency dedicated to helping low income and homeless families in need. Two parents working at minimum wage can hardly cover the rent for a two-bedroom apartment, and families are often faced with the decision to pay for shelter, transportation or food. As a community partner, Families Forward is dedicated to helping struggling families not have to choose between feeding their children and paying for rent. Families Forward provides a broad spectrum of services, including: housing, counseling, food, education, case management, life-skills training and rent or utility assistance.

School on Wheels provides one-on-one tutoring for homeless kids who live in shelters, motels, group foster homes and on the streets in Southern California. In addition to weekly tutoring and mentoring, every student receives a backpack, school supplies, and uniforms; students get assistance enrolling in school and with locating and filing school records; and each student receives a toll-free phone number for around-the-clock School on Wheels’ support.