Pearl Jam Backspacer

The Economy is shit, so we felt like it was particularly important to extend our resources to provide much-needed funding in a time of need for a few of the organizations close to our hearts. It’s never enough, but here’s where we’re steering our resources this holiday season:

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Ed:

The Actors’ Gang www.theactorsgang.com The Actors' Gang is one of Los Angeles' most enduring theatre ensembles. Founded in 1981 by a group of renegade theatre artists, the Gang's mission is to create bold, original works for the stage and daring reinterpretations of the classics. Our work is raw, immediate, socially minded, and crafted with the highest artistic standards.

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Mike:

Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc. www.advocacyforpatients.org Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc. is the only advocacy organization in the United States that provides free information, advice and advocacy services to patients with chronic illnesses in all areas of need including health and disability insurance, Social Security disability, employment discrimination, school-based accommodations, resource location, and more. All of our services are free.

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Stone:

Assistance League of Seattle http://seattle.assistanceleague.org The Assistance League of Seattle is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and adults by meeting community needs through the collective strength of our volunteers and philanthropic programs. Their largest philanthropy is Operation School Bell, where they provide new school clothes to elementary students in need with the cooperation of Family Support Workers and The Seattle School District. Bread of Life Mission www.breadoflifemission.org Bread of Life Mission exists to break the cycle of homelessness in men's and women's lives through a recovery model that thrives in a culture of family whose members include volunteers, board members, businesses and churches. Farestart www.farestart.org FareStart provides a community that transforms lives by empowering homeless and disadvantaged men, women, and families to achieve self-sufficiency through life skills, job training and employment in the food service industry. Lakota Oyate Wakanyeja Owicakiyapi Lakota Oyate Wakanyeja Owicakiyapi (LOWO), Inc. is the tribally chartered public child welfare agency for the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. LOWO provides support and services that are strengths focused and culturally based to children and families with complex needs that have led to concerns of child abuse and/or neglect. The Lakota values, beliefs, and practices provide the foundation for the work of LOWO. Northwest Harvest www.northwestharvest.org Northwest Harvest is Washington’s own statewide hunger relief agency. For over 40 years, they have served communities across the state. They annually secure more than 18 million pounds of food for distribution to nearly 300 food banks and meal programs throughout Washington. More than half of those they serve are children and the elderly, the most vulnerable members of our population. Stewardship Partners www.stewardshippartners.org Stewardship Partners is a community-based organization that works collaboratively with private landowners to restore and preserve the natural landscapes of Washington State. They promote environmental practices in agriculture, forestry and land management that protect water quality, restore fish and wildlife habitat and support local sustainable economies. Sweet Home New Orleans www.sweethomeneworleans.org Sweet Home New Orleans is a non-profit agency that offers social services and financial assistance to the city’s musicians, Mardi Gras Indians, and Social Aid and Pleasure Club members. Treehouse for Kids www.treehouseforkids.org Treehouse For Kids provides services for foster children that no other agency addresses: money for extra-curricular activities and summer camp, professional educational support services, resources to fully participate in the everyday activities of growing up, clothing and supplies to help them fit in at school and more. Veterans Green- Jobs Alliance www.veteransgreenjobs.org The Veterans Green Jobs Alliance (VGA) was founded on the belief that military service veterans are one of the most valuable leadership resources available to our country in these challenging times. With their demonstrated discipline, commitment and training in a wide variety of skills, veterans are ideally suited to become leaders in rapidly growing ‘green’ jobs sectors—renewable energy, energy efficiency, green building, sustainable resource management, and disaster preparedness, response and rebuilding. The VGA is creating a future in which veterans—allied with a broad coalition of public and private organizations—build a new foundation for America’s energy independence, ecological sustainability and economic security. Wild Salmon Center www.wildsalmoncenter.org The Wild Salmon Center identifies and proactively protects the most important wild salmon ecosystems of the North Pacific. When we work together to conserve salmon we support sustainable economies, clean water, vast food webs and the services that these rivers provide the global community. Yele Haiti www.yele.org Yele’s mission is to create small-scale, manageable and replicable projects to contribute to Haiti’s long-term progress. Each of Yéle’s projects is conceived to renew hope for Haitians to rebuild their nation. Yéle Haiti wants to project a new forward-thinking image that accurately reflects Haiti’s youthful population and their unique and irrepressible spirit, which is an integral part of their culture. YouthCare www.youthcare.org Every youth should have a warm place to stay, healthy food, caring adults, and opportunities to grow and succeed. YouthCare delivers services that meet the needs of Seattle’s homeless and at-risk youth.

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Jeff:

Buffalo Field Campaign www.buffalofieldcampaign.org The Buffalo Field Campaign exists to stop the slaughter of Yellowstone’s wild buffalo herd, protect the natural habitat of wild free-roaming buffalo and native wildlife, and to work with people of all Nations to honor the sacredness of the wild buffalo. Missoula Food Bank www.missoulafoodbank.org Missoula Food Bank is an emergency food resource serving Western Montana families in need. They are proud to offer food to all who seek their services, regardless of their personal circumstances. Through their free grocery store and community outreach programs, they value the dignity of their clientele and celebrate the opportunity to be of service to each other within a diverse support network.

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Matt:

Seattle Drum School Student Scholarships www.seattledrumschool.com Seattle Drum School is the best vocational school for drum set and percussion studies in the Northwest. From beginners through professionals we offer private and class instruction for many instruments. Seatlte Drum School believes that children of all income-levels should be allowed the chance to learn to play and offers scholarships to those in-need. Home Step www.thpinfo.org The HomeStep Mission is to provide safe, supportive housing by giving participants the skills and resources they need to become self reliant and to leave homelessness permanently.

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Our manager:

Doctors Without Borders (Darfur) www.doctorswithoutborders.org Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international independent medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters, and exclusion from health care in more than 60 countries. We’ve earmarked funds to support internally displaced people (IDP) camps throughout the Darfur region, Rising out of the Shadows (ROOTS) Young Adult Shelter www.rootsinfo.org The ROOTS Young Adult Shelter serves homeless young persons between the ages of 18 and 25 seven nights a week. They are the only shelter program in Seattle specifically addressing the needs of homeless young adults. These young people are too old to access youth shelter programs but often feel unwelcome or threatened in emergency programs serving mostly older single adults.