American Aid Society of Paris  350€
AAWE has been supporting the American Aid Society for many years. Pam Combastet, former AAWE President, is now the President of the group. The Society helps Americans in need and are looking to revamp their inactive website. An established charity to help Americans in difficulties when they are in France. the American Aid Society is a small, Paris-based charity that has been dedicated to helping Americans in need in France since 1922.

Learn more at www.facebook.com/americanaidparis/

Agir pour la Santé des Femmes (ADSF)  800€
ADSF is working with La Cité des Dames, a safe place where women sans domicile fixe (SDF), along with their pets, can be sure to have a secure, clean place to stay. The women are evaluated as to their social, medical and psychological situations and are guided toward the appropriate structures that meet their needs for the longer term. Created in December 2001, via the initiative of Dr Bernard Guillon and twelve founding members, ADSF wanted to respond to a lack of interest in gender health and a lack of advocates in the specific field of women’s health in humanitarian action.

Learn more at www.adsfasso.org

Cancer Support France – 500€
Deborah Lillian, former AAWE President, created this chapter of Cancer Support France as a group where English speaking people living in France, touched by cancer can receive free confidential support and help. Their goal was to set up a group coffee morning for their clients who wish to have a time to benefit from meeting other clients and sharing information.

Cancer Support France is a network of independent affiliated associations that have developed in recognition of the needs of English-speaking people affected by cancer. Each association organizes itself according to the needs of its own area. They are supported by an ‘umbrella’ association, which started as the original association, ‘Cancer Support France’ in the Poitou Charentes.

Learn more at www.cancersupportfrance.org

Friday Mission Lunch at the American Cathedral in Paris – 1000€
Since 2006 AAWE has been supporting this joint effort by American churches and synagogues in Paris to provide a weekly lunch for at least 64 needy Parisians. AAWE member Leslie Charbonnel has been a volunteer chef for the lunch along with a team of volunteers.

The Mission Lunch began in the early 90s with a hot lunch cooked and served by three volunteers to about twenty people in need. The Mission Lunch was conceived as an expression of hospitality, where everyone would be treated with dignity and respect in an environment where social spirit and fellowship are given special importance. There is a very mature collective and ecumenical collaboration with the four other participating churches/synagogue and AAWE. Now, nearly 20 years later, the Mission Lunch at the American Cathedral in Paris has grown to 60-64 guests, with numerous volunteers, many who participate week after week.

Learn more at www.acparis.org/friday-mission-lunch

MOBIL’ Douche – 850€
Perhaps you have seen one of the RV’s that MOBIL’Douche has transformed into a traveling shower available to people who are homeless throughout Paris and nearby suburbs. The Association was founded by former Sans Domicile Fixe (SDF) who found that one of the main obstacles to getting back into the mainstream of society was the difficulty in maintaining a decent standard of personal hygiene.

By offering homeless and poorly housed people the means to take a shower, MOBIL’Douche aims to enable any person in difficulty to achieve the best state of health, constituting one of the fundamental rights of every human being.

Learn more at MobilDouche.com

Princess Margot – 800€
The Princess Margot association provides support to both children with cancer and their families. They organize group activities for children and are hoping to be able organize an annual trip for the children and their families to enjoy a summer vacation time in the mountains.

Learn more at www.princessemargot.org.

Association World Radio – 350€
Provides Parisians with news and information in English for the expat community. AAWE’s donation is being used to help purchase the materials necessary for training young journalists who are attending journalism school in Paris.

YES Akademia (YAKA) – 350€
AAWE member Sandy Gogel’s daughter Sarah, founded this association and is currently the Directrice Generale. The mission of YAKA is to ensure equality of opportunity for young people from marginalized backgrounds in France and internationally, to prioritize their success and allow them to share a dynamic of global citizenship, openness and fulfillment.

YAKA is a citizen project aimed at young people, which implements an innovative course (ie based on sharing and intercultural immersion) to allow them to gain confidence and achieve their dreams. YAKA’s vision is to create a virtuous spiral through which young people help each other to support the development of their communities. YAKA accelerates the skills of young people from all walks of life so that they develop their entrepreneurial spirit and change their perspectives locally and globally.

Learn more at yesakademia.ong