A Global
Holiday Project Promoting Peace,
Love & Humanitarianism
Do You Have A
Wish For The World?
 Give
your wish wings and be part of The
World Tree of Hope, our
annual project to inspire hope and
encourage people to think about
what they would like for the
future of the world.
Thousands of
origami cranes inscribed with
wishes for the future of the world
- from people all over the world -
will once again grace The World
Tree of Hope in the Rotunda of San
Francisco City Hall.
The Tree is
RWF's gift to the people of San
Francisco and the world, and
reflects our philosophy of
building bridges and sharing the
message that we are all one human
family.
Be part of this
unique symbol of global unity! Send
us your wish and it will be
printed, folded into an origami
crane and placed on The World Tree
of Hope with thousands of
wishes from around the world.
Click here to
send us your wish http://rainbowfund.org/tree Wishes will be added to the tree throughout December.
Come to the tree lighting party on December 5! http://www.rainbowfund.org/tree/tree-lighting.html
LGBT Community Responds to Crisis in Somalia
The worst humanitarian aid crisis in the world is escalating in the Horn of Africa. Two missed rainy seasons have created extreme drought conditions in Somalia which have and will continue to destroy crops and kill livestock. Some 12.4 million people are now in immediate need of food assistance.
 Life-threatening drought has forced large numbers of people to leave their homes in search of food and water. Record high food, water and fuel prices plus armed conflict in the region are exacerbating the situation.
Famine has been declared in southern Somalia and will likely spread if nothing is done. People are fleeing to overcrowded relief camps in neighboring countries. The crisis has already extended into part of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda — areas experiencing their own worst drought conditions in 60 years. Currently in Somalia, cholera (caused by a bacteria in dirty water that infects the small intestine) and measles are spreading rapidly.
RWF has set up the LGBT Africa Famine Fund. We are raising funds to be disbursed by our long time disaster assistance partner CARE. The funds will be used by to provide emergency aid including safe water, food (wheat flour, cornmeal, beans, oil, sugar, salt and corn-soy blend), basic medical care, sanitation and security for refugees.
Please help us demonstrate the LGBT and friends community's compassion!
To make a donation to help the survivors please specify "Famine" when donating.
Donate online at http://www.rainbowfund.org/donate
Donate by check by mailing to Rainbow World Fund, 4111 - 18th Street, Suite 5, San Francisco, CA 94114.
Japan Aid Update
 In response to the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Rainbow World Fund joined forces with a coalition of organizations from the West Coast Japanese American community and raised funds under the name of Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. 100% of donations are being sent to the National YMCA's of Japanese and other nongovernmental organizations that helped organize volunteer efforts to provide food, water, clothing and shelter directly to the victims, conducted citizen search efforts, and rebuilt orphanages in the aftermath of the 1995 Kobe earthquake. The fund has already provided water, food, blankets and shelter supplies to the Tohoku region.
We greatly appreciate the LGBT and friends community's generosity. Our special thanks go to San Francisco's Kelly Hart and The House of Garza for their phenomenal fund raising efforts.
Press Release: http://rainbowfund.org/Japan
To make a donation to help the survivors please specify "Japan" when donating.
Donate online at http://www.rainbowfund.org/donate
Donate by check by mailing to Rainbow World Fund, 4111 - 18th Street, Suite 5, San Francisco, CA 94114.
U.S. Disaster Fund
Beginning in April the United States has been hit by a series of natural disasters resulting in over 425 deaths and $260 billion in property damage.
- A violent tornado outbreak from April 25 – 28 produced destructive tornadoes in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. 314 died.
- The Mississippi River floods of April and May have left entire towns submerged leaving thousands homeless. Areas in Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana have been flooded.
- On May 22 a tornado hit Joplin, Missouri, it caused wide spread destruction and killed117 people.
At the request of our generous donors, RWF has set up the U.S. Disaster fund.
To make a donation to help the survivors please specify "U.S. Disaster" when donating.
Donate online at http://www.rainbowfund.org/donate
Donate by check by mailing to Rainbow World Fund, 4111 - 18th Street, Suite 5, San Francisco, CA 94114.
Earthquake in Haiti: One Year Later
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Caribbean island nation of Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 near the capital city, Port-au-Prince, causing horrific damage. As many 316,000 died according to the Haitian government. 300,000 were severely injured and 1.8 million were made homeless.
RWF was able to respond quickly with life saving aid in the form of basic medicines, blankets, tents and clean water. The aid we provided saved lives.
Over the past year, although much has been accomplished in getting Haiti on the road to recovery, the situation remains precarious. An estimated 1.3 million people remain displaced. There are numerous challenges from infrastructure problems, poor road conditions, the slow removal of rubble, a lack of up-to-date information about the camps, and the slow procurement supplies. In addition the Haitian people are dealing with ongoing grief and trauma resulting from such catastrophic losses.
Since 2004, Rainbow World Fund has supported projects in Haiti focusing on improving nutrition and developing safe drinking water access. We have improved the lives of thousands of Haitians through your donations and general support.
 Be part of the LGBT community's continued response.
The Haiti fund has grown to over $100,000!
It is our hope to see this multiplied several times by the generosity of the LGBT and friends community.
One hundred percent of your donation will go to these and other life saving services. There is no donation too small.
Press Release: http://rainbowfund.org/links/HaitiEarthquakePressRelease.htm
Donate online at http://www.rainbowfund.org/donate and specify "Haiti".
Donate by check by mailing to Rainbow World Fund, 4111 - 18th Street, Suite 5, San Francisco, CA 94114.
Program Update: AIDS in Africa - Helping Orphans and Vulnerable Children
For the past six years RWF has funded HIV prevention and case management services in South Africa, helping save the next generation of young Africans. Thousands of young people have benefited by way of RWF's support in partnership with Africare. Recently, RWF's Jeff Cotter met with Africare representatives to discuss a new direction in collaboration. We will continue to support HIV prevention and care in South Africa now focusing specifically on the needs of orphans and vulnerable children through an innovative program called Injongo Yethu, a.k.a., Uplifting Those In Need. Learn more here AIDS
RWF Helps Save Lives In IRAQ
Since 2004, hundreds of gay men have been killed in Iraq. Although this deadly campaign was investigated and recognized by the Human Rights Report of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) in 2007, little has been done to stop the killings.
LGBT people in Iraq are targeted by clerics, such as those associated with Moktada al-Sadr, who are reviving religious pressure against gays leading to killings and by militias seeking rally their bases. Currently, the majority of killing and torturing is being perpetrated by militias. Between February and March, 2010 it is estimated that 28 to 60 men have been killed and many more have been terrorized and tortured.
Click here to learn more about the situation and how RWF is helping.
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RWF's ongoing commitment to Haiti is steadfast! Since 2004 RWF has been funding projects related to nutrition and disaster aid. For the past four years we have been 
Sister Jeannine Gramick, SL, Ph.D., is a reform-minded Roman Catholic nun, activist and co-founder of New Ways Ministry - helping LGBT Roman Catholics in the United States. She has a doctorate in Mathematics Education from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1971, Gramick began working with gays and lesbians. In 2000, Gramick and New Ways co-founder Father Robert Nugent were ordered by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI) to cease ministering to gays and lesbians due to the Church's teaching that same-sex relationships are sinful. While Nugent formally acquiesced to the decision by resigning from New Ways, Gramick respectfully set aside the order altogether. Gramick is the author of several books on LGBT Catholic issues. The documentary In Good Conscience details her journey of activism, the Vatican's attempt to silence her and her decision to disregard that attempt.
Karen Kai, J.D. joins RWF Board of Directors as an independent research and writing consultant and a community activist who has served on many California non-profit boards and on national Asian American civil and human rights non-profit boards. She is a former Chairperson of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and served as co-chair of its LGBT Advisory Board. Kai first started working with RWF in 2006 during the A Wish for the World campaign. We welcome her expertise and creativity. 
Our Compassion in Action - LGBT People Responding to World Need