Debbie Carlitz is the Founder and President of The Carlitz Foundation. The Carlitz Foundation is charitable organization dedicated to changing the lives of children through funding for research and treatment projects for children suffering from autism and other diseases; and through community and humanitarian aid to the Karen orphans who have been separated from their parents by the tyranny of the Burmese Military Government. She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delaware in 1983, and a Juris Doctor Degree from Temple Law School in 1986. She was licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey since June of 1987. She worked as a lawyer for 21 years, in her own practice and various partnerships, during which time she handled Plaintiff's personal injury cases, commercial litigation matters and family law cases. She developed an interest in children's charities when her daughter was diagnosed with autism in 2000. She studied the disease and its causes for many years, reading books, articles and medical journals, and decided to become involved with charitable organizations serving the needs of autistic and other disabled children. She served on the board of directors of the Friendship Circle, a charitable organization in which teen volunteers visit the homes of disabled children to enrich the lives of all participants through friendship, education and community awareness. She also co-founded the Bucks County Autism Support Group, a support group for parents with autistic children, which primarily assists parents in deciphering the volumes of medical and alternative approaches to curing the symptoms of autism. In raising money for blood cancers by participaing in The Leukemia Lymphoma Society's team in training program, in which participants run a marathon for benefit of children and adults suffering with blood cancers, she learned a great deal about running sporting events for charity. Currently the foundation is involved in the planning, development and fund-raising for a new marathon, The Tribe to Tribe marathon, which will be run in Mai Sariong, Thailand on July 5, 2009. The Tribe to Tribe Marathon Project was created to provide funding for food, housing, and education for the Karen Hill Tribe orphans, who have been separated from their parents due to the tyranny of the Burmese military government. Click on the website listed above to learn more about the Tribe to Tribe Marathon Project and The inaugural event of The Carlitz Foundation

The inaugual project of The Carlitz Foundation was the brainchild of Debbie Carlitz' son Philip. When Philip and his friend, Andrew took a pleasure trip to India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Burma, he visited the Karen Hill Tribe Orphanage, which currently houses and educates 10 Karen orphans separated from their parents due to the conflict in Burma. In their desire to help these children, Phil and his friend came up with the idea to run a marathon to raise money for the orphanage and school and so was born the Tribe to Tribe Marathon project. The marathon which would be run on July 5, 2009, and every year thereafter. Participants will run a 5k, 1/2 marathon (13 miles), or full marathon (26.2 miles), and then enjoy a pre-race pasta party and post race banquet, and a trip to Chang Mae, Thailand following the race. The cost of the trip is being donated to the orphanag and schoo. The marathon is being promoted as a trip through RusticPathways, the largest teen travel organization in the world. Participants can also raise money for every mile they run or simply engage in fundraising activities by email campaign or fundraising events.

The current ruler of the Burmese Military Junta, General Tan Schwe, is listed second on the list of the 10 worst living dictators in the worldd. The Karen people are being raped, tortured, robbed, killed and driven from their homes by the Burmese Military Junta. The Kared people have been driven from their homes and are living in the jungle without food, water, medical attention, or shelter. Many are children who have been separated from their parents due to death or because they are the product of rape by Burmese shoulders and were abandoned by their mothers. These children are in need of food, clothing, shelter, medical care, medicine, and education. There is no aid by the United States, UN, or red cross as the Karen people have not been granted official refugee status by the UN. The Karen Hill Tribe orphanage and the Ban Vitaya school in Mae Sariong, Thailand is currently serving the needs of 10 orphans. The school and orphanage are being expanded to permit the introduction of 80 new orhans at a cost of 4400/yr per child.

The Karen Hill Tribe orphans and the Karen people who are in need of humanitarian aid, and your donations. You, as the donor of your time, products, or dollars. Nothing feels better than good karma generating activity such as charitalbe giving and knowing you have made a difference in the lives of others.

Your dollars can make a difference in the lives of children, who would be left to die in the jungles of Burma through rape, murder, starvation and disease. These children have no parents and no access to food, medical care and education without your help. You can help by lending the benefit of your expertise to The Carlitz Foundation. The Carlitz Foundation is seeking assistance with the launching of the Foundation, including marketing, event planning, accounting, grant writing, publicity, and especially computer and print design to enhance the web site, create print materials, and create a power point presentation, which will aptly demonstrate the plight of these loving and warm young children. The Foundation is also seeking volunteers for all positions and donors for our inaugural event, a dinner and casino night, which is in currently in the planning stages. There is nothing more special than saving the life of a child. You can make a difference in the world by making a donation to The Carlitz Foundation for the Tribe to Tribe Marathon Project or by loaning your time and expertise to help us make the world a better place. To make a donation or learn more about The Carlitz Foundation or the Tribe to Tribe Marathon, pleave visit our website at Carlitzfoundation.org, or email Debbie Carlitz at DCarlitz@Carlitzfoundation.org.