FAQ's

ONE is Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life – united as ONE – to help make poverty history. We are a campaign of over 2.4 million people and growing from all 50 states and over 100 of America’s most well-known and respected non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations. As ONE, we are asking our leaders to do more to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that allocating more of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries.

ONE is nonpartisan; there’s only one side in the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty. Working on the ground in communities, colleges and churches across the United States, ONE members ask America’s leaders to increase efforts to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty, from the U.S. budget and presidential elections to specific legislation on debt cancellation, increasing effective international assistance, making trade fair, and fighting corruption. Everyone can join the fight at ONE.org.

"WE BELIEVE that in the best American tradition of helping others help themselves, now is the time to join with other countries in a historic pact for compassion and justice to help the poorest people of the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty.

WE RECOGNIZE that a pact including such measures as fair trade, debt relief, fighting corruption and directing additional support for basic needs - education, health, clean water, food, and care for orphans - would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries, at a cost equal to just one percent more of the US budget.

WE COMMIT ourselves - one person, one voice, one vote at a time - to make a better, safer world for all."

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.

ONE is a broad movement of Americans from every state and walk of life – more than 2 million people have lent their voices to ONE by visiting ONE.org and signing the ONE Declaration. More than 3 million Americans are also wearing white bands as a show of support for ending extreme poverty and global AIDS. ONE is Americans spreading the word in churches, coffee shops, on television, college campuses and the Internet.

Americans have always been a generous people – look at the outpouring of support for the victims of the tsunami, Katrina and 9/11. Yet, most Americans are surprised to learn that only 1.2% of the federal budget is allocated for the international affairs budget, and less than half of that is spent on fighting AIDS and poverty around the world. Surveys show people think we spend over 15%.

By directing more of the U.S. budget to provide for the most basic needs – and fighting the corruption that wastes precious resources – we can help transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries. By increasing effective development assistance, we can help enroll 77 million children into grade school; we can help provide water to almost 450 million people around the globe; we can save almost 5.4 million young children from dying of diseases that could be prevented with low-cost measures like vaccinations or a well for clean water.

ONE believes in a new partnership with the world's poorest countries, where increased assistance flows toward improved governance and initiatives with proven track records. Effective development assistance builds goodwill, hope and opportunity in nations where extreme poverty caused desperation, hate and hopelessness to fester. Development assistance increases our homeland security, economic security and builds a better, safer world.

ONE is a coalition of over 2 million people and over 100 non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations. ONE was founded by 11 of America's most well-known and respected aid groups: Bread for the World, CARE, DATA, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, Oxfam America, Plan USA, Save the Children US, World Concern, and World Vision. For the complete list of all coalition partners, please visit our partners page.

ONE is supported by Americans from every state and all ages, religions and walks of life, including such notable people as: Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Pat Robertson, Kate Hudson, pastor and author of the Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren, Jamie Foxx, Jars of Clay, Penelope Cruz, Dave Matthews, Salma Hayek, George Clooney, Bill Gates and many, many others.

By joining ONE, you show our leaders that you want to do more to respond to the emergency of AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE aims to bring the voices of every American together with ONE message and ONE purpose: to make poverty history. ONE is asking for your voice to help our elected leaders live up to their commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and do our share to make poverty history.

From the heartland to Hollywood, Americans are wearing white bands in support of ONE. Over three million Americans and millions of people around the world are wearing the white band, the international symbol of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. You might be a teacher, doctor or mother. You might wear it to school, church or a concert. Whenever and wherever you wear a ONE white band, without even saying a word, you are making the statement that you want more and better international assistance, debt cancellation and trade reform, and that you want to be part of a movement that is calling for America to join as ONE against this emergency.

Over 2 million people have signed the ONE Declaration – and all have signed as a direct result of being asked by ONE friend, family member, neighbor or colleague. All of us have a tremendous opportunity to take action and influence those closest to us by learning and talking about these issues. From Dr. King to Nelson Mandela, history shows us that big changes start with small actions. Together as ONE, we can start to make poverty history. ONE and the people and groups behind it have already campaigned effectively to increase assistance for treating AIDS and for the relief of the poorest countries’ massive debts. We are gaining momentum all the time, and helping save lives and rebuild futures in Africa and around the world with every victory.

Start by signing the ONE Declaration and lending your voice to the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty. Next, tell your friends by sending an e-mail encouraging the people you know to get involved at ONE.org. You can also join millions of Americans and wear the white band. Wearing a white band is something YOU can do, today, in your neighborhood. You can also get involved with ONE locally. ONE volunteers are active across America and are ready to help you use your voice in your community and beyond. Go to ONE.org to find out the latest actions – such as writing to the President or your Member of Congress.

ONE is a U.S.-based campaign linked to the international effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The Millennium Development Goals set a framework for how nations can work together to end extreme poverty. In September 2000, The United States joined 188 other nations to affirm a set of international development goals in the United Nations Millennium Declaration. The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reflect an understanding of the devastation that global hunger and poverty cause, and aim for a world that is free of such suffering.

The MDGs have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest people by 2015. Our leaders committed to these goals and it is up to us, as Americans and ONE supporters, to make sure that America keeps its promises to the world’s most vulnerable people. As ONE, we are asking our elected leaders to keep America’s promise by increasing effective poverty-focused development assistance, canceling debt, and making trade fair so that the world can achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

In 2006, total U.S. funding for foreign assistance was $22 billion. Twenty-two billion dollars sounds like a lot of money, but it represents only 1.2% of the federal budget. That’s 1.2% to fund essential development and humanitarian programs that foster economic prosperity, strengthen our national security and reinforce our commitment to humanitarian values.

Development assistance reflects the best American tradition of helping others help themselves, compassion and generosity. In dollars spent, the United States contributes more than any other donor country. However, we spend just 0.17% of our national wealth on aid, the lowest proportionally among all donor nations except Greece. Canada spends almost twice the percent of their national wealth than we do, and Britain spends three times as much. Since major donor countries made a commitment to spend 0.7% of their national wealth on foreign assistance annually by 2015, we all have a long way to go to honor this commitment. Americans could lead the world in saving millions of lives and restoring stability for the poorest people in Africa and around the world.

Effective international assistance is national security, not charity. Poverty in the developing world is a serious global security threat, because poverty breeds hopelessness, desperation, hatred, anger and encourages the spread of radicalism. Failed states are countries in crisis, where people lack the tools they need to survive (access to clean water, food and life-saving medications). These countries often become breeding grounds for extremism and terrorism.

After World War II, President Truman and General Marshall took a little of our money to build a world that had more friends and fewer enemies. Today, U.S. assistance to the poorest people in the world is just as vital to our foreign policy, and to the future of millions of people. Americans giving our fair share may just be the best money we ever spent.

Everyone does what they can – whether it's getting our issues on TV or wearing the white band. From Hollywood to the heartland, Americans are joining the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty. Celebrities get media attention, attention they can uniquely focus on issues which wouldn't get enough attention otherwise – like the AIDS emergency in Africa. Due to the generous cooperation of some of the biggest names in music, movies, politics and religion, ONE is able to reach and mobilize Americans in an unprecedented manner, across all cultural divides.

On July 6-8th, the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations met in Scotland to discuss the major social, political and economic conditions that contribute to poverty.

However, before they met, something unusual happened. Across the world, ten Live8 concerts were held. At Live 8, 1 million people stood in Philadelphia – joining with the 3.8 billion people around the world who turned up, tuned in or logged on – to show they were also determined to change the world. ONE and the Live8 concerts sent President Bush to the G8 on a wave of support for doing more to fight AIDS and extreme poverty.

But that’s not all Americans did. Over 500,000 Americans also signed a letter to President Bush, asking that he support four bold commitments at the G8 summit: more and better international assistance, 100% debt cancellation, trade reform and renewed efforts to fight corruption in the world's poorest countries.

At the G8 Summit in Scotland, the G8 leaders reached an unprecedented agreement: $50 billion more a year in international assistance per year by 2010; AIDS drugs to all those who need it, and care for all AIDS orphans; Primary schools for ALL children by 2015; a commitment to protect 85% of vulnerable Africans against malaria; and 100% debt cancellation up to 40 of the world's poorest countries. These promises, if kept, are a historic opportunity to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty and save millions of lives. As ONE, we'll need to keep up the positive pressure and make sure our leaders keep these promises.

ONE is working in communities across the country, creating a nationwide constituency of Americans interested in and knowledgeable about the issues of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that Americans working at the local level can beat extreme poverty and AIDS globally. From Des Moines to Chicago to Portland, you may have met a ONE organizer in your community, handing out flyers, asking for ONE Declaration signatures and urging you to act locally to create change internationally.

Get involved immediately! Take Action. Ask your friends to join the campaign, volunteer in your neighborhood, wear a ONE white band and ask friends to wear a white band. Visiting ONE.org is the best way to get plugged in locally to this unprecedented national and international effort.

From concert venues to church halls to voting booths, the voices of faith communities are stronger and more relevant than ever in America. With compassion and commitment, religious leaders have both guided their congregations to and been spokespersons for taking action in the fight against AIDS and poverty in Africa. In every scripture, regardless of religion or faith, there is direction to help “the least of these” among us. The emergency of global AIDS and poverty calls out to all of our hearts, and these faith leaders believe that God has charged us all with ensuring dignity for our neighbors.

ONE is a campaign in which Americans do not have to take a side – there is only ONE side in the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that millions of Americans agree that we can reach across political divides to do something extraordinary, together. It is in the best American tradition of helping others help themselves, as well as in America’s long term self-interest, to beat AIDS and poverty.

Americans are united across the political spectrum on these issues. A national survey conducted by ONE after the 2004 presidential election found that 86 percent of Americans – regardless of party affiliation – believe it is important for the United States to put forward "a new effort to work together with other countries to help the poorest people in the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty."

There is a humanitarian emergency in Africa and around the world that is unlike anything we have seen in the United States in 100 years. ONE partner organizations are at the forefront of fighting poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS – both at home and abroad. From South Africa to the rural American south, we are all united in our shared work to end AIDS and extreme poverty.

Volunteer and Career Opportunities

If you would like to volunteer, please see Take Action and find your local ONE group to find out how you can become involved in the campaign in your area.

If you would like to intern, please see Internship Application to find out more information.

Please see Employment Opportunities for a list of openings and information on how to apply.

Donations and Fundraising

The ONE Campaign is funded through private and public foundations. ONE Action is funded through sales of merchandise and non-tax deductible donations.

ONE is an advocacy organization, and as such, doesn’t provide funding for development projects or facilitate trips, grants or scholarships.

Miscellaneous

Please see our Contact Us page and go to the corporate contact us form.

Please see the Contact Us page to find out the best way to reach the department you need.