Black Alliance for Educational Options is a national nonprofit group based in Washington, D.C. The alliance works to support parental choice and increase quality educational options for African-American students. Contact through Tanzi West, director of communications.

Jewish Women International advocates for the rights of women and children, including victims of abuse, in the Jewish community. It has offices and chapters around the United States and convenes the National Center on Domestic & Sexual Violence in the Jewish Community. The media contact is Deborah Rosenbloom, JWI chief program officer.

B’nai B’rith International is a humanitarian, human rights and advocacy group in existence since 1843. Its Center for Human Rights and Public Policy fights anti-Semitism worldwide and speaks out on domestic and international policy matters of concern to Jews. B’nai B’rith’s headquarters are in Washington, D.C. The executive vice president is Daniel S. Mariaschin.

Alliance for School Choice is an organization in Phoenix that works to provide more educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. Contact through communications director Malcolm Glenn.

The Center for Education Reform is an organization based in Washington D.C. devoted to changing the current education system structurally, influencing policy and creating better media practices when covering education.

The American Red Cross is teaming with African American religious and civic groups to train volunteers who will be ready to help when future disasters occur. The Red Cross has sent trainers to work with groups from the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the NAACP.

Brenda Muñiz is author of the report “In the Eye of the Storm: How the Government and Private Response to Hurricane Katrina Failed Latinos,” completed for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), a national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. It was issued in February 2006.

GuideStar and other groups track the performance of nonprofit groups – although the relief arms of some faith groups, if they are not separately incorporated, do not qualify.

The ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project believes reproductive freedom is a core civil liberty and works to ensure that everyone has access to reproductive health care. Louise Melling is director. See a list of ACLU offices across the country.