AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE

In its mission statement, the American Jewish World
Service (AJWS) http://www.ajws.org/ describes itself as an
“international development organization motivated by
Judaism’s imperative to pursue justice. AJWS is dedicated
to alleviating poverty, hunger and disease among the people
of the developing world regardless of race, religion or
nationality. Through grants to grassroots organizations,
volunteer service, advocacy and education, AJWS fosters civil
society, sustainable development and human rights for all
people, while promoting the values and responsibilities of
global citizenship within the Jewish community.”

What does AJWS do?
1) AJWS provides help in 36 countries to over 450 grassroots
projects, making a significant and sustainable difference in the lives
of tens of thousands of people. A featured project on the AJWS
website is an adolescent girls empowerment project in Ethiopia
called the Hundee Oromo Grassroots Development Initiative.
This project is providing scholarships to 80 adolescent girls to
enable them to attend secondary school.
2) Provides volunteer opportunities for Jewish young adults
between the ages of 16 and 24. This summer college groups will
be volunteering in: Nicaragua, Ghana, and India and high school
groups will be going toHonduras and Uganda.
3) It participates in political advocacy programs that have global
impact. For example its advocacy resulted in the Sudan Accountability
and Divestment Act that President Bush signed into law on
December 31. This act is aimed at putting economic pressure on the
Sudanese Government to stop the genocide in Darfur.

Charity Navigator Rating of AJWS:
AJWS is one of only two non-profit organizations to receive seven
consecutive four-star ratings from Charity Navigator.
In 2006, 85% of expenses were spent on program services, 7% on
administrative expenses, and 8% on fundraising expenses. This
breakdown of expenses resulted in a four-star organizational
efficiency rating.
In 2006, AJWS had primary revenue growth of 47% and primary
expenses growth of 48%. This resulted in a four-star organizational
capacity rating. Its net assets are almost $15 million. The
compensation for its president, Ruth Messenger, was $191,000.

Charity Navigator Rating of a non-Jewish nonprofit:
Amnesty International USA
In 2006, Amnesty International received a two-star rating
from Charity Navigator. This consisted of a one-star organization
efficiency rating and a three-star organizational capacity rating.

Next week's blog: Simon Wiesenthal Center