With 31,403 votes, the winner for the round ending Jan 20, 2008 is Farm Sanctuary. A donation of $205.12 will be made to Farm Sanctuary on behalf of Vote4Cause and all of the very enthusiastic and passionate supporters that voted it into 1st place. Thank you to everyone that voted. Congratulations!

Here is some information about Farm Sanctuary:
Farm Sanctuary was founded in 1986 to combat the abuses of factory farming and to encourage a new awareness and understanding about “farm animals.” At Farm Sanctuary, these animals are our friends, not our food. We started out by visiting farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses to document conditions, and we found animals literally left for dead. Hilda, a sheep found on a pile of dead animals behind Lancaster Stockyards, was the first animal to be rescued by Farm Sanctuary. She lived with us for more than a decade, and died of old age. Through the years, we have rescued thousands of animals, and educated millions of people about their plight. People are shocked to learn about the intolerable conditions that are commonplace on today’s industrialized farms. Our rescue and education work continues, as we advocate for laws and policies to prevent suffering and promote compassion. We are reaching out to legislators and businesses, and working to bring about institutional reforms.

Vote4Cause Farm Sanctuary

With 21,121 votes, the winner for the round ending Jan 16, 2008 is Doctors Without Borders - USA. A donation of $123.85 will be made to Doctors Without Borders - USA on behalf of Vote4Cause and all of the very enthusiastic and passionate supporters that voted it into 1st place. This is a ~$50 increase from the last round! The site is growing and so are the contributions. Thank you to everyone that voted. Also, thank you for your patience with problems that seem to appear from out of nowhere. I am trying to set aside time to improve everything and make it a more enjoyable and user-friendly experience for everyone. Again, Congratulations!

Here is some information about Doctors Without Borders - USA:
Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an independent international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care in more than 70 countries. Each year, MSF doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, administrators, and other medical and non-medical professionals depart on more than 4,700 aid assignments. They work alongside more than 25,800 locally hired staff to provide medical care. In emergencies and their aftermath, MSF provides essential health care, rehabilitates and runs hospitals and clinics, performs surgery, battles epidemics, carries out vaccination campaigns, operates feeding centers for malnourished children, and offers mental health care. When needed, MSF also constructs wells and dispenses clean drinking water, and provides shelter materials like blankets and plastic sheeting.

Vote4Cause Doctors Without Borders - USA

With 8,701 votes, the winner for the round ending Jan 12, 2008 is Central Asia Institute. A donation of $87.27 will be made to Central Asia Institute on behalf of Vote4Cause and all of the very enthusiastic and passionate supporters that voted it into 1st place. CAI maintained an insurmountable lead for the last couple of days of the round. Congratulations!

Here is some information about Central Asia Institute:
Central Asia Institute (CAI) promotes and provides community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountain villages of northern Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and the steppes of Mongolia. Each project is initiated locally and focuses on the participations of the community. A committee of elders guides each selected project and the community matches project funds with equal amounts of local resources and labor. CAI fully or partially supports 58 schools and over 520 teachers, 14 women’s vocational centers, and over 24 potable water projects among other projects in the areas of education, women’s education and public health and conservation.

Vote4Cause Central Asia Institute

With 6,433 votes, the winner for the round ending Jan 8, 2008 is American Forests. A donation of $66.91 will be made to American Forests on behalf of Vote4Cause and all of the very enthusiastic and passionate supporters that voted it into 1st place. It was neck and neck with Doctors Without Borders for awhile, but American Forests pulled away at the end. Congratulations!

Here is some information about American Forests:
American Forests is a world leader in planting trees for environmental restoration, a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry, and a primary communicator of the benefits of trees and forests. American Forests is the nation’s oldest citizens’ conservation organization. Citizens concerned about the waste and abuse of the nation’s forests founded American Forests in 1875. Today, the organization’s primary campaigns are Tree-Planting for Environmental Restoration and Reversing the National Urban Tree Deficit, which encourage people to improve rural, suburban, and urban ecosystems by planting and caring for trees that provide important environmental and economic benefits including pure water, clean air, and wildlife habitat.

Vote4Cause American Forests

With 6,611 votes, the winner for the round ending Jan 4, 2008 is Kiva. Even though this was a shorter round, Vote4Cause managed to raise $42.48 for Kiva! Thank you to everyone that voted in this round… especially all of those from KivaFriends!

Here is some information about Kiva:
Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can “sponsor a business” and help the world’s working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you’ve sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back. Kiva partners with existing microfinance institutions. In doing so, we gain access to outstanding entrepreneurs from impoverished communities world-wide. Our partners are experts in choosing qualified borrowers. That said, they are usually short on funds. Through Kiva.org, our partners upload their borrower profiles directly to the site so you can lend to them.

Vote4Cause Kiva

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Dear Marc,

This is a receipt acknowledging your tax-deductible donation of $42.48 to Kiva.org’s operational expenses. If you contributed to a loan, you will receive a separate receipt from PayPal confirming the entirety of your transaction.

Thank you immensely for your gift! We will use this for administrative costs which consist mostly of transaction expenses, IT costs and stipends for partners in the field.

Kiva.org is a Section 501(c)(3) charity and has provided no goods or services in exchange for your contribution. Please consult with your tax counsel regarding the deductibility rules that apply to your gift.

Best Wishes,

Kiva Staff