Community Foundation Creates Local International Humanitarian Council

Chico, California (March 10, 2008) – A new group has been formed by North Valley Community Foundation to bring together local individuals who are active in international humanitarian efforts. This group, the North Valley International Humanitarian Council, will meet on a quarterly basis to share information, explore common goals, and strengthen local community members’ efforts to improve people’s lives throughout the world.

This is in response to the growing number of local individuals who are organizing efforts to benefit people overseas, especially in developing nations. Some have created small nonprofit organizations that are raising funds to support these efforts. Others have become affiliated with larger organizations, sometimes national in scope, as local affiliates. Still others have set-up funds through North Valley Community Foundation that will be directed to international humanitarian programs.

In many instances, these efforts have been initiated by local individuals who have been moved by their own experiences while traveling abroad. This often is the result of witnessing the shocking contrast between the lives of people in third world countries and our comfortable lives in America. On returning home, these people made a decision to make a difference in the lives of others who do not have the means to change their situation.

Several of these groups and individuals in the International Humanitarian Council will be highlighted at the March 12 meeting of the North Valley Nonprofit Council. These include the following, Orphan Care International (Zambia), Compassionate Heart Foundation (Tibet), Hope House International (India), Calacirya Foundation (Guatemala) and Bridging the Gap Foundation (Africa).

“There is something so powerful about giving and receiving in another land. After returning home from working in places like Guatemala and Shanghai, I felt compelled to connect with other community members with similar passions. The Community Foundation is a great staging ground for this network, and we are thrilled to create a space where local community members can collaborate and encourage each other. We invite anyone who is passionate about an international cause to join this network,” explained Alexa Valavanis, CEO of the North Valley Community Foundation.

NVCF is a nonprofit, philanthropic organization that builds financial resources to meet community needs through grants and programs. With net assets of approximately $5.5 million, NVCF provides financial and administrative services to donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations with the goal of enriching the quality of life of its community members. Since 1989, hundreds of individuals, families, businesses, and community groups have established funds at the Foundation. NVCF is located at 3120 Cohasset Rd., Suite 8 in Chico, California, (530) 891-1150.