Mercy Corps, according to their web site, "works amid disasters, conflicts, chronic poverty and instability to unleash the potential of people who can win against nearly impossible odds." Founded in 1979 by Dan O'Neill, who witnessed the horrors of Idi Amin in Uganda and the terrorism at the 1972 Munich Olympics, Mercy Corps has provided about $1.5 billion in assistance to people in more than a hundred nations. The Mercy Corps team has been active in the Georgia-Russian situation, utilizing donations to distribute food and other critical supplies. Mercy Corps is also sponsoring "Take Note," a the first annual fundraising gala "Music For Mercy Corps" which will be hosted by Sarah Silverman to benefit the Mercy Corps organization on Saturday, August 23rd at the Tuscan Villa in The Hamptons. The event is to raise funds for Mercy Corps' Action Center to End World Hunger in Darfur. The highest profile celebrity items being auctioned is a walk on role in the next Robert Zemeckis movie (the current bid is $9,000).

It's not just about donations, although those help. Mercy Corps is also looking for graduate and undergraduate student interns looking "to apply your education to hands-on projects that contribute to Mercy Corps' efforts to end world poverty." More on Internships here.

[Image: GBGM-UMC]