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CHOICE in the News


CHOICE Awarded Highest Possible Charity Navigator Rating
CHOICE Awarded Highest Possible Charity Navigator Rating

The highest possible “4-Star” Charity Navigator rating was awarded to CHOICE on March 1, 2011. In a letter to CHOICE Humanitarian CEO, Leah Barker, Charity Navigator President Ken Berger says, “… Charity Navigator differentiates CHOICE Humanitarian from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.”

Read Ken Berger's Letter


DownEast Gives Back to Community

Rich Israelsen being interviewed on ABC4 TV

DownEast Gives Back to Community

CHOICE Humanitarian Partner DownEast Outfitters, a home and clothing outlet, appeared ABC4 TV recently to talk about the company’s charitable efforts. Rich Israelsen, CHOICE Humanitarian Chairman of the Board, and Candy Friedli from DownEast were interviewed on ABC4’s Good Things Utah program.

Did you know that when you shop at DownEast Outfitters and DownEast Basics, that you are assisting with humanitarian projects? The year 2010 proved to be a successful year for giving back to the community. DownEast was involved with several different charitable organizations including, Needs Beyond Medicine, Guatemala Service Project, Live for Pink – Breast Cancer Awareness and Choice Humanitarian.

In October, DownEast jumped on board with the Live for Pink campaign which benefited Needs Beyond Medicine. They raised $29,000 by selling pink camisoles and tee shirts. Needs Beyond Medicine is a local charity that provides financial assistance to cancer patients who cannot afford medical care. In addition to donating to Needs Beyond Medicine, DownEast also provided clothing to breast cancer survivors in a fashion show at the fall home show.

Last year, Many of the DownEast employees donated money from each paycheck to assist with the Guatemala Project. DownEast has adopted a small community in Guatemala and is helping the economy to grow by manufacturing camisoles and crew tee shirts in this village. In 2011, DownEast employees will return to Guatemala to build roads, help with school children and other humanitarian projects.

Read the article and watch the video on ABC4.com


Bolivia for Christmas
Bolivia for Christmas

For us there were many years of the stress of trying to fill the Christmas wish lists of nine children. I remember that one of my most stressful Christmas experiences was standing in a long line for the desire of our seven year old daughter Shawni's heart: A Baby Alive doll. Just as I got to the front of the line, much to my chagrin, the woman in front of me got the very last doll. I was devastated trying to figure out how to tell Shawni that Baby Alive was dead!

Then there was the Christmas when we discovered at about 2 a.m. on Christmas morning that the main "Santa gift" for our little six year old Jonah which was a little robot that could actually sweep the floor (six inches at a time) and had been stored in the garage in a black garbage bag for several weeks had somehow apparently been inadvertently thrown away. Great idea to put it in a garbage bag…in the garage, right?

Read the full article on DeseretNews.com


Cheese and CHOICE make CNN Headlines

Amarynth Sichel donates cooking skills to raise money for charity. Social entrepreneurship has surged on U.S. campuses

Cheese and CHOICE make CNN Headlines

Amarynth Sichel grills cheese sandwiches and sells them to Columbia University students five nights a week. But Sichel's not just a cook; she's also a college student and social entrepreneur-in-training.

Sichel is the president of one of 23 "FeelGood World" chapters on U.S. college campuses, where students donate time and cooking skills to raise money for charity.

Social entrepreneurship has surged on American campuses in the past few years, according to Melanie Edwards, who lectures on the subject at Stanford University.

"I believe the rise in 'Social E' publicity, coupled with the heightened social problems in our U.S. economy and the world, speaks to the millenials," Edwards said.

A growing number of college applicants ask about Stanford's social entrepreneurship program before applying, and freshman enrollment in "Social E" classes has increased, she said.

"I was a devout grilled cheese-maker in high school, so for me, joining FeelGood was a must," said Sichel. "I have always been committed to groups that are dedicated to uplifting the world. When you know you're working for your global family, that's a powerful motivator."

Sandwich sales help sustainable village programs, including CHOICE Humanitarian and The Hunger Project.

Read the full article on CNN.com


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