This post from our current Environment beneficiary, Energy Action Coalition, calls young people to action--and to the polls--in service of our embattled environment.

By Courtney Hight, Executive Director of Energy Action Coalition

When an oil rig exploded off the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, the country was startled out of inaction, and we have all watched, day after day, one more example of the impact of reliance on dirty and dangerous sources of energy. Young people were ready to take to the streets, and Energy Action Coalition has since organized nearly 100 actions in response to the disaster.

Now, we’re ready to take that action to the polls.

For the first six months of our existence, membership in Foundation Beyond Belief included a $9 annual fee. This provided a small, reliable income stream to see us through the early days. Those of you who joined under that system helped provide that extra support we needed, and we thank you.

We've now decided to drop the membership fee entirely. New members can now sign up for our charitable giving program with no additional fee.

We still have operational costs, of course, but it's now entirely up to each member whether to contribute to the running of the Foundation. We hope this organization is valuable enough for members to designate a small percentage of their monthly donation to the care and feeding of the Foundation itself. If you'd like to do so, just log in, then click here to change your distribution.

Second-quarter beneficiary The Global Fund for Children gave us this report on how they're using the funds they received from Foundation Beyond Belief. Foundation members donated $1,975 to The Global Fund for Children last quarter.

The Global Fund for Children supports innovative community-based organizations around the world. These organizations reach the world’s most vulnerable children, those not touched by government and social service agencies.

We make small grants to these organizations and work to build their capacity. To date, GFC has awarded nearly $18 million in grants to 401 grassroots organizations in 75 countries. Our grants bring medical care to children living in remote areas, help children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic stay in school and receive the education they need to thrive, and raise awareness about issues such as domestic violence and human trafficking in local communities where they are an issue.