Who would mortgage his home to save a few hundred children he had never met, put planes in the air on a mercy flight into Soviet territory without a landing permit, and send tankers full of chocolate to children abroad? Who could make a company the Wall Street Journal labeled a "folly" at startup a model for the industry? Who has former President Bush described as "awesome" and the Pope asked for a favor? And, how did that favor—a promise to the Pope to raise $50,000 in humanitarian aid for the people of Poland then living under martial law—lead to the creation of one of the largest private relief agencies in the world?

Meet Bob and Leila Macauley, founders of AmeriCares. Born entrepreneurs and fearless philanthropists, the Macauleys operate with a sense of urgency and efficiency rare to the world. Routinely the first to arrive at the scene of a disaster anywhere in the world, AmeriCares has delivered $7 billion of aid in more than 137 countries.

AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization providing immediate response to emergency medical needs, as well as supporting long-term humanitarian assistance programs for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion. AmeriCares solicits donations of medicines, medical supplies and other relief materials from U.S. and international manufacturers, and delivers them quickly and efficiently to healthcare and welfare professionals around the world. To accomplish these results, AmeriCares assembles product donations from the private sector, determines the most urgent needs and solicits the funding to send the aid via airlift or ocean cargo to health and welfare professionals on the ground.

AmeriCares works with international and local nongovernmental organizations, hospitals, health networks and government ministries. Uncompromising security procedures assure that the assistance is distributed to the designated beneficiaries and not diverted.

The model is time-tested, cost-effective and experience-driven. Historically, each $100 in cash contribution enables AmeriCares to deliver more than $3,000 in emergency relief, including medicines, medical supplies and nutritional supplements.

AmeriCares responds to the needs of those suffering from adversity not just overseas, but in the U.S. as well. Key community programs include: Camp AmeriKids, AmeriCares Free Clinics and AmeriCares HomeFront.