Multi-issue civil rights organizations (virgin, attend, America, mission, divorce)

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

MULTI-ISSUE CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS - Most will apply for issues only within the United States

Alliance for Justice - www.afj.org
Alliance for Justice is a national association of environmental, civil rights, mental health, women's, children's and consumer advocacy organizations. Since its inception in 1979, the Alliance has worked to advance the cause of justice for all Americans, strengthen the public interest community's ability to influence public policy, and foster the next generation of advocates.

American Bar Association Individual Rights & Responsibilities Section - www.abanet.org/irr/home.html
This section of the ABA, the United States' largest professional organization of attorneys, specializes in protecting and advancing individual human rights, civil liberties, and social justice. Its periodical, Human Rights, is published in full text on the site, as is the IRR News Report.

American Civil Liberties Union - www.aclu.org
The ACLU is one of the most respected civil rights/civil liberties organizations in the U.S. With affiliate organizations in each state, and national projects that specialize in particular areas of concern (privacy and reproductive rights, HIV/AIDS, free speech, prison conditions, immigrant rights, employment rights, etc), the ACLU is engaged in more litigation to protect rights than any other single U.S. organization. It also has a very active public education program that includes publication of a series of books "Your Rights As...." (a woman, a student, an employee, etc). The ACLU also has an active lobbying presence in Congress and each state legislature.

Center for Constitutional Rights - www.ccr-ny.org
The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) is a non-profit legal and educational organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. CCR uses litigation proactively to advance the law in a positive direction, to empower poor communities and communities of color, to guarantee the rights of those with the fewest protections and the least access to legal resources, to train the next generation of constitutional and human rights attorneys, and to strengthen the broader movement for constitutional and human rights.

The Center for Law and Social Policy - www.clasp.org
A public interest law and policy organization, CLASP's economic security work focuses on welfare reform, workforce development, childcare, child support, and the intersection of reproductive health and welfare.

The Constitution Project - www.constitutionproject.org
The Constitution Project is a bipartisan nonprofit organization that seeks consensus on controversial legal and constitutional issues through a unique combination of scholarship and activism.

Lawyers Committee for Human Rights - www.humanrightsfirst.org
Since 1978, the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights has worked in the U.S. and abroad to create a secure and humane world by advancing justice, human dignity and respect for the rule of law. LCHR supports human rights activists who fight for basic freedoms and peaceful change at the local level; protects refugees in flight from persecution and repression; promotes fair economic practices by creating safeguards for workers' rights; and helps build a strong international system of justice and accountability for the worst human rights crimes.

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) - www.civilrights.org
The LCCR's mission is to empower the civil rights community to lead the fight for equality and social justice in the emerging digital society through the establishment of an online social justice network. This network, the LCCR is a coalition of 185 national organizations including groups representing individuals with disabilities, civil liberties, and human rights. LCCR promotes the civil rights advocacy agenda in partnership with its sister organization, the LCCR Education Fund. LCCR members are encouraged to participate in various task forces that focus on issues such as education, employment, and judicial nominations. For initial eligibility: an organization must be an officially recognized nonprofit organization for at least 5 years, conduct an ongoing civil rights program, endorse LCCR’s Statement of Purpose, and pay annual dues commensurate with the size and budget of the organization.

For more information and an application contact:
LCCR
ATTN: Milica Koscica
1629 K Street NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20006
phone: 202-466-3311
Email: koscica@civilrights.org

National Legal Aid & Defender Association - www.nlada.org
NLADA is the United State's leading advocate for "frontline" attorneys working with low-income clients and their families and communities. It is the nation's oldest and largest national nonprofit membership organization devoting 100% of its time to serving the broad equal justice community.
Children's Rights

American Bar Association, Center on Children and the Law - www.abanet.org/child/home2.html
This is the ABA's initiative to improve children's lives through advances in "law, justice, knowledge, practice and public policy." Website includes links to the National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues, the National Child Welfare Court Improvement Webpage, and other reports, journals, and a calendar of training conferences.

Annie E. Casey Foundation - www.aecf.org
The Annie E. Casey Foundation is one of the United States' leading philanthropic organizations supporting research and policy work about children and youth, with a particular focus on children who are "disadvantaged" and their families. Each year it publishes a national data book called KIDSCOUNT that is an invaluable source of information about the well being of the nation's children.

Benton Foundation's Connect for Kids - www.connectforkids.org
This website seeks to bring together data, research, policy recommendations, and best practices from all over the nation. A weekly electronic newsletter is published; subscription is free.

Children's Rights - www.childrensrights.org
A national non-profit organization that grew out of the ACLU that brings systemic class action litigation to protect the rights of abused and neglected children who are in state foster care systems.

Children's Defense Fund - www.childrensdefense.org
CDF lobbies for all the children of America, paying particular attention to the needs of poor children, children from diverse cultures, and those with disabilities.

The Clearinghouse on International Developments in Child, Youth and Family Policies - www.childpolicyintl.org
The Clearinghouse provides cross-national comparative information about the policies, programs, benefits and services available in 23 industrialized countries that address child, youth, and family needs. The Clearinghouse disseminates related information via this web site as well as periodic newsletters, issue briefs, and press releases.

The Future of Children - www.futureofchildren.org
The David and Lucille Packard Foundation funds multiple initiatives in the US to improve the well being of children. One such publication is called The Future of Children, which brings together the very best thinking and data on each issue covered. The publication is free, and invaluable. Topics have included the rights of children to health care, and rights of children in divorce and custody disputes, children's health care in an era of managed care, and juvenile justice.

National Center for Children in Poverty - www.nccp.org
Located at the Columbia School of Public Health, NCCP identifies and promotes strategies to prevent child poverty in the United States and improve the life chances of the millions of children under age six who are growing up poor.

National Center for Youth Law - www.youthlaw.org
A private, non-profit law office serving the legal needs of children and their families, the National Center for Youth Law uses the law to protect children from the harms caused by poverty, and to improve the lives of children living in poverty.

UNICEF - www.unicef.org
Established by the United Nations after World War II as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, UNICEF provides an important role internationally in education about the Convention on the Rights of the Child and about the well being of children all over the world. Its Innocenti Research Center is a useful source of research on social and economic policy and the application of human rights instruments for the protection of children and youth.

Voices for America's Children - www.childadvocacy.org
A national association of state-based child advocacy organizations. Includes at least one child advocacy organization per state. Website includes materials produced by NACA, or otherwise considered useful to child advocates.

Youth Law Center - www.youthlawcenter.com
The Youth Law Center is a national non-profit, public interest law office that has worked to protect abused and at-risk children since 1978. The goal of the Youth Law Center's work is to ensure that vulnerable children are provided with the conditions and services they need to grow into healthy, productive adults.

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

I wonder if any RF'er has joined or supports any of these organizations?

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by Pah

I wonder if any RF'er has joined or supports any of these organizations?

My better half and I are members of the ACLU. Also Amnesty International. Planning to join HRC and the NAACP. But we'll definitely give the organizations you listed a good look. We figure we can set aside a certain amount of money each month for donations, and stagger them to support a larger number of worthwhile organizations than we have so far.

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

My better half and I are members of the ACLU. Also Amnesty International. Planning to join HRC and the NAACP. But we'll definitely give the organizations you listed a good look. We figure we can set aside a certain amount of money each month for donations, and stagger them to support a larger number of worthwhile organizations than we have so far.

Just the joining of an organization will increase it's political weight in lobby efforts.

The Human Resource Campaign is primarily effective at the national level. Local steering committees can be referenced here.

If there is not an HRC volunteer organization in your area, consult the map for other organizations by state.
. I belong and am a full time staff voluteer for Equality Virginia.

Sign up for action notifications where they will send emails or letters to your representatives. Money is important but activity is more visible in obtaining results. It helps to build a grassroot movement that can be very influencial in elections and referendums.

[retrorich]

What is the cost of joining ACLU? How much are the annual dues? I checked their website but couldn't locate that information.

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by retrorich

What is the cost of joining ACLU? How much are the annual dues? I checked their website but couldn't locate that information.

$5 minimum, but of course it's nice if you can send more.

Go to http://www.aclu.org/ and click on the top right of the screen where it says "Become a card-carrying member of the ACLU."

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

I don't carry a card or the ACLU but I do respond to their "action alerts". Likewise, I've made no direct cash conrtibution to Equality Virginia but I do put in full time volunteeer work and all the attendent expenses that entrails. I respond to the "action alerts" of NOW and the Human Resource Campaign without sending money. All it takes is to give an organization your email address. The only activist cause that has dropped me from their (e)mailling list is Amnesty International.

[Holly]

The problem I have with many of these types of organizations is that, like the ACLU, they are liberal.

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by Holly