Events in Your Area

PORTLAND, OREGON:

Youth Action Summit: Make a Difference in the Fight Against Global Poverty and Hunger

When: August 14th, 2008, beginning at 9am.

Where: Portland State University's Multicultural Center in Smith Memorial Student Union.

Event Description: The Global Citizen Corps (an initiative of Mercy Corps) and Kaibigan present the Youth Action Summit. The half day event will focus on building awareness about global hunger issues and the current global food crisis. The summit will equip young activists with the action tools and skills necessary to tackle the issues both globally and locally.

At the end of the summit, participants will be able to develop and implement action projects in their schools and communities.

More Information: Learn more about the Youth Action Summit and Mercy Corps' Global Citizen Corps visit GlobalCitizenCorps.org or email jgallardo@hq.mercycorps.org

Put Our $$$ Where Your Mouth Is: Percentage of Chez Jose Restaurant Sales to Benefit Mercy Corps

When: July through September 2008.

Where: Chez Jose East, 2200 NE Broadway, Portland, OR and Chez Jose West, 8502 SW Terwilliger, Portland, OR

Event Description: "Put Our $$$ Where Your Mouth Is": Chez Jose's ongoing program that puts 1% of their quarterly sales in the hands of four charities, with diners deciding who benefits from their meal. Charities rotate quarterly as well. Mercy Corps is one of the four recipients for the third quarter, 2008.

More Information: Information about Chez Jose restaurants can be found on Citysearch.com. For more information contact Teresa Giuffre, Mgr. at (503) 280-9888 or chezjoseeast@yahoo.com

SakéOne Summer Concert Series

When: Summer concerts include:

Aug. 2 The Shaky Hands

Aug. 23 Stephanie Schneiderman and Keith Schreiner

Where: 820 Elm St, Forest Grove, Oregon 97116

Event Description: Shows begin at 6:00PM, gate opens at 5:00PM. $8 Entry ($5 for Students with ID, Club Members, and Shareholders). Picnics are encouraged but no alcohol may be brought in. Saké, Sakétinis, and cold beer for sale. 25% of ticket sales go to Mercy Corps.

More Information: Tickets and band details available at sakeone.com. Details also at (503) 357-7056 ext. 233.

MIAMI, FLORIDA:

Shock.Rock: Voter Registration and Global Food Crisis Fundraiser

When: Saturday, September 20th, 2008 from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM

Where: German-American Club of Greater Miami Ballroom (11919 SW 56th Street Miami, FL 33175)

Event Description: Shock.Rock. is a recently founded organization whose goal is to promote awareness of global issues to enhance electoral participation and advance the spirit of solidarity that will surely drive America's next generation of leaders to work compassionately towards improving the life of the international community. To these ends, Shock.Rock. is organizing its first major event: the Shock.Rock. & Vote voter registration drive and fundraiser for Mercy Corps' Global Food Crisis Program. All proceeds from the cover charge at the door will be donated to Mercy Corps. Our event will feature live local bands from the Miami area, a DJ, and food for all to enjoy. Come out and register to vote and make your voice heard, have a rocking time, and make an impact in the world through the efforts of Mercy Corps.

Admission: $15 and $10 for those who register to vote on the spot.

More Information: E-mail shock.rock@live.com or find us on Facebook groups (search "Shock.Rock.)

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA:

RACE (Raising Awareness of the China Earthquake) 5K

When: Saturday, August 23, 2008 - registration starts at 7:30 AM, race begins at 8:30 AM

Where: Clover Hill High School, 13900 Hull Street Road, Midlothian, VA 23112

Event Description: A 5K held to benefit Mercy Corps' efforts in providing disaster relief in China following the massive earthquake on May 12, 2008. Music, food, and fun will accompany the race! $15 for registration, and all proceeds will go to Mercy Corps. There will be race day registration.

More Information: Contact Hanting Feng at 804-639-3176 or luverly32@hotmail.com, or Aakriti Malhotra at 804-639-3628 or aquawesome@yahoo.com

ONLINE:

Travel with a Cause: Cultural Journey to India raises money for Mercy Corps efforts in Myanmar

When: November 6-18, 2008

Where: India: The Pushkar Fair, a photographic journey of this cultural event www.luxworldtravel.com

Description: LUX World Travel in partnership with Vista International is proud to offer this sacred cultural journey to support Mercy Corps' disaster relief work in the Myanmar. This adventure brings you the opportunity to travel to India with John Buck, a world renowned photographer, who is leading our small group on a mission to capture a historic event with digital photography techniques...his goal: to teach our travelers how to take extraordinary travel photos.

The event is located in Pushkar India, an important religious place for Hindus, and is hugely known for the Pushkar Fair where the mass trading of camels takes place. An event that is the spotlight of an Indian holiday during the normal population of 14,000 swells to over 200,000 while the festival hosts over 50,000 camels, which are sold, raced and decorated. The tents, the food, the sites, and interaction with the peoples will all be yours to capture in photographs.

Our itinerary also has you learning hands on in Delhi, Jaipur, Agra and more. Upon returning from this tour, your knowledge of photography will stay with you for a lifetime, just as this Indian adventure will stay in your mind, heart and soul.

Proceeds from this journey will be donated to Mercy Corps in your name of $50 per traveler for disaster relief in Myanmar. Donations are made on your behalf once your travel is completed.

In addition to this Travel with a Cause program, LUX World Travel will offer a donation of up to $100 per person for all Indian Vacations booked before December 10, 2008, for travel anytime before November 1, 2009.

More Information: Contact Melinda Johnston at LUX World Travel at 1-866-269-2659 or go to www.luxworldtravel.com

Van Beek Kids Launches the Peek-A-Boost High Chair - Portion of Sales Support Partner Charitable Organizations

Where: www.vanbeekkids.com

Description: Van Beek Kids LLC, a family-owned furniture company dedicated to supporting global humanitarian organizations, recently launched the sale of the Peek-A-Boost High Chair. With its solid-wood construction that surpasses industry standards and its antique-inspired design, the Peek-A-Boost High Chair is an achievement in safety, elegance and functionality. Also, Van Beek Kids (VBK) is committing $50 of every Peek-A-Boost sale to one of five charitable organizations that combats poverty among women and children.

Van Beek Kids' partners for change are all dedicated to serving the needs of poor women and children both in the U.S. and around the globe. These great organizations include Mercy Corps, The New York Women's Foundation, Scrolls from China, Stephen's Children Foundation and Women for Women International.

More Information: www.vanbeekkids.com

Kids Clothing and Accessories Line, Dishy Duds, Launches New 'Make Your Own Monster' T-shirts. 10% of All Dishy Duds Sales Benefit Mercy Corps' Work in Darfur, Sudan.

Where: www.DishyDuds.com

Description: Springboarding off of one of their most popular items, the "Monster Tee," Dishy Duds has introduced an exciting new feature to their website that allows kids (and kids at heart!) to design their very own custom-designed, monster-emblazoned t-shirts.

More Information: Headquartered in Portland, OR, Dishy Duds offers a whimsical line of clothing and accessories for kids and moms. Dishy Duds also works tirelessly to help spread the word about Darfur, Sudan. Currently, Dishy Duds donates ten percent of their profits to Mercy Corps for the Darfur Crisis, which provides humanitarian aid to refugees in the region. In addition to its charitable pursuits, Dishy Duds ensures that all of their business practices are undertaken in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

If you would like your Mercy Corps related event to be posted on our website, please contact Minda Seibert, Community Relations Officer, by emailing her at mseibert@mercycorps.org