Obama Names Charities to Share His $1.4-Million Nobel Award

President Obama today announced a list of 10 charities that will share his $1.4-million Nobel Peace Prize award.

"These organizations do extraordinary work in the United States and abroad helping students, veterans, and countless others in need," he said in a statement.

The organizations are:

• Fisher House, which provides housing for families of patients at major military and Veterans Administration medical centers -- $250,000

• Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, which raises money to help Haiti recover from the recent earthquake -- $200,000

• American Indian College Fund, which offers scholarships and helps tribal colleges -- $125,000

• Appalachian Leadership and Education Foundation, which helps young people in Appalachia pursue higher education -- $125,000

• College Summit, which works with elementary and middle schools and school districts to increase college enrollment rates -- $125,000

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund, which provides college scholarships -- $125,000

• The Posse Foundation, which steers college scholarships to promising public shool students who may be overlooked by traditional college-selection processes -- $125,000

• United Negro College Fund, which offers scholarship and internship programs -- $125,000

• Africare, which operates health, food, and water programs, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa -- $100,000

• Central Asia Institute, which promotes education and literacy, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan -- $100,000. (The co-founder, Greg Mortenson, is author of the book Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace, One School at a Time.)

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Comments

1. bill__huddleston - March 11, 2010 at 08:00 pm

Thank you Mr. President for your generosity and example.

Regards.

This in my opinion is the only appropriate response. Plenty of other sites have a snarky response.

2. lindsayn - March 11, 2010 at 08:57 pm

His money is going to organizations that are facing today's problems: education, veteran's health, international development. It's clear that they are all well-calculated choices, but done with a great degree of care. Let's hope these organizations realize the gift they have been handed (these are substantial grants...) and use it wisely.

3. smginyard1 - March 12, 2010 at 11:20 am

Donating the entire Nobel Prize of $1.4 million was selfless, and the charities chosen exemplify the President's desire to promote education in all our communities.

Continue to walk to the talk, Mr. President.

4. larry0928 - March 12, 2010 at 03:00 pm

The President is a man who puts his money were it is needed. Great pick

5. jmcarlin - March 12, 2010 at 04:49 pm

What about Special Olympics? That's the least he could do after his bowling remark.

6. dwolf625 - March 13, 2010 at 11:28 am

Our President is a strategic philanthropist and it's remarkable how interrelated these causes are.

7. kareneberdavis - March 15, 2010 at 11:18 am

It is interesting that the majority of the money went for education, especially for organizations that help people to enroll into colleges. A thoughtful list.

If you were a recipient how would you use the $ to leverage other donations?

8. berlin07 - March 16, 2010 at 07:16 am

A most careful and strategic choice to meet varied groups which could bridge the gap if donations used properly.