After years of philanthropic endeavors, in January of 2007, O.A.R. officially established and launched the Heard The World Fund to support sustainable, educational and youth-oriented programs in the United States and abroad.

Here, you can view some of the organizations, schools, causes and foundations O.A.R. has sought to help between 2003 and the present.

Classroom Wishlist
(www.classroomwishlist.org)
An organization providing teachers with a resource to post their desired classroom supplies. O.A.R. focused the efforts of their 2006 summer’s earnings on helping this organization fulfill wishlists that would directly benefit over 2000 students.

Seven Hills Foundation
(www.sevenhills.org)
The Seven Hills Foundation works to advance and sponsor rehabilitative, housing, educational, healthcare, social and related services on behalf of persons with physical, developmental, emotional, or other life challenges. The organization had a table at the band’s summer 2006 Tweeter Center show (Mansfield, MA) and $.50 from each ticket at the show was donated to the Foundation.

American Red Cross
(www.redcross.org)
O.A.R. supports the American Red Cross, our nation’s premier emergency response organization that offers care to victims of war, victims of devastating natural disasters and aims to prevent and relieve suffering around the world.

Liberty High School Band
Jerry DePizzo (O.A.R. saxophonist) grew up in Liberty, Ohio. For the past 3 years he has chosen to donate proceeds of “Chuck’s Bucks” for band equipment to his former High School. On June 25th, 2006, the band along with The Hard Rock Cafe in Cleveland presented a check to the Principal and band teacher of Liberty High School Band.

The donation is used to provide new instruments and repairs to existing instruments for the LHS Band.  O.A.R.’s efforts over the years have inspired the school board to allocate funds for additional music programs that are available not only to LHS band members but the entire student body as a whole.

Kids Fight Cancer
(www.kidsfightcancer.org)
O.A.R.’s support of Kids Fight Cancer, a not-for-profit that funds the Oncology Center at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, has gone directly to funding the construction of the Activity Center to provide an educational, creative and entertaining environment to help keep the kids’ fears down and spirits high.

Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC)
(www.csaac.org)
Founded in Montgomery County, Maryland, the CSAAC is a private, non-profit agency that has been providing services for children and adults with autism since 1979.

Un Mundo
(www.unmundo.org)
Un Mundo is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a comprehensive and revolutionary approach to development work. Our mission is to promote dignity, community, and self-sufficiency while facilitating access to health care, education, and livable wages in marginalized communities.

Homeless Pets Foundation
(www.homelesspets.com)
The Homeless Pets Foundation provides critical medical care, food, foster care and comfort to homeless animals.  They’ve placed over 10,000 pets in homes since 2002.

Operation Smile
(www.operationsmile.org)
Operation Smile mobilizes a world of generous hearts to heal children’s smiles and transform lives across the globe. As an Operation Smile Smile Ambassador, Benj attended/observed a medical mission with the organization in Lima, Peru during their May 2007 mission. HTW Fund continues to support their organization.

Maryland Fallen Police Officers Memorial
(www.mdfallenofficers.org)
Maryland Fallen Police Officers Memorial is dedicated to honoring Maryland’s fallen law enforcement heroes by raising funds to build a statewide memorial to pay a lasting tribute to all of them.

Elias Fund
(www.eliasfund.org)
The Elias Fund empowers local Zimbabwean communities through strategic partnership and resource allocation.  They provide hope and opportunity to the people of Zimbabwe.

Pets Alive
(www.petsalive.org)
Pets Alive is a no-kill shelter, located in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, an hour and a half from NYC.  Their mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and place animals in need.

Rock For Reading
(www.rockforreading.org)
Drummer and bassist, Chris and Benj, combined two personal donations to support this Chicago based organization.  In their history, Rock For Reading has donated over 200,000 books to underprivileged youth in the Chicago area.

Autism Speaks
(www.autismspeaks.org)
Autism Speaks funds global biomedical research for the prevention and treatment of autism as well as works to raise public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families and society. During the Summer of 2006, Benj participated in a charity softball game. The band also donated an O.A.R. package for their charity auction.

Adopt-A-Minefield
(www.landmines.org)
Raises funds in support of the United Nations effort to remove and raise awareness of landmines around the world. The band auctioned tickets to three dates on their Summer Tour 2005.

Musicians On Call
(www.musiciansoncall.org)
Live performances are given by volunteer artists who give in-room performances for patients undergoing treatment or who are unable to leave their hospital beds. Marc visited a NYC hospital and gave bedside performances for patients.

Make a Wish Foundation
(www.wish.org)
The Make-A-Wish Foundation has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work.  On May 19, 2001 O.A.R. played a show at Thomas S. Wootton High School (their former high school) to grant a wish for a boy associated with the organization.

Habitat For Humanity
(www.habitat.org)
Habitat For Humanity International is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. The band also auctioned off 2 tickets to their Madison Square Garden show for Hurricane Katrina victims in January of 2006.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
(www.leukemia-lymphoma.org)
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. The band has donated numerous signed memorabilia to help various groups affiliated with this charity.

MusiCares Hurricane Relief Fund
(www.grammy.com/musicares)
This fund was established by The Recording Academy and MusiCares to help musicians directly affected by Hurricane Katrina. Richard auctioned his custom made guitar in 2005 for this cause.

The ONE Organization
(www.one.org)
ONE aims to help Americans raise their voice as ONE against the emergency of AIDS and extreme poverty, so that decision makers will do more to save millions of lives in the poorest countries. The ONE organization has set up booths at my O.A.R. shows and will continue to do so in the future.

USO of Metropolitan Washington
(www.uso.org)
The USO is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide morale, welfare and recreation-type services to our men and women in uniform.

IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America)
(www.iava.org)
O.A.R. worked with IAVA to amass pledges to support the Veterans and Troops who serve or have served in Iraq and Afghanistan through the campaign website www.openupyourarms.org.

MPD Foundation
(www.mpdfoundation.org)
MPD Foundation’s primary mission is to stimulate and finance original research in pursuit of new treatments and eventually a cure for Myeloproliferative disorders.

National Alliance for Autism Research
(www.naar.org)
NAAR is dedicated to funding global research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism; to raising public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families and society; and to bringing hope to all who deal with the hardships of this disorder.

Mighty Mutts
(www.mightymutts.tripod.com)
Mighty Mutts is a non-profit organization, dedicated in rescuing and finding permanent homes for lost stray dogs and cats based in New York City. Marc has visited Mighty Mutts HQ and has volunteered on numerous occasions to walk the dogs.

United Cerebral Palsy
(www.ucp.org)
United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) is a leading service provider and advocate for adults and children with disabilities, including cerebral palsy. As one of the largest health nonprofits in America, the UCP mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities through an affiliate network.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society
(www.nationalmssociety.org)
The goal of this charity is to end the devastating effects of MS.

National Transplant Assistance Fund
(www.transplantfund.org)
The mission of NTAF is to help raise funds for transplanet and catastrophic injury patients by providing compassionate support, education and expertise to them, their families and their communities.

Maryvale Elementary Parent Teacher Association
Chris’ mother works at this school in Maryland. The band has donated considerable amounts to help fund several projects for the school including their annual school fair.