Santa Barbara, California - The nonprofit group, 2020 A Year Without War (2020 AYWW), has launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for its first paid staff positions. The goal is to raise $111,000 for three professional staff positions that are essential for expanding the global reach of the organization.

Founder, Professor Joseph White of Santa Barbara City College, will continue as volunteer Executive Director. White will be joined by many dedicated, hard-working volunteers from around the world who will continue giving their time to end war. The group is based in Santa Barbara, California, one of Puerto Vallarta's Sister Cities.

2020 AYWW's primary goal is to achieve a one-year global cease fire in 2020. The organization uses social media to engage the support of members around the world and is currently on a trajectory of increasing membership by a factor of 10 over each of the next five years.

By 2020, the organization hopes to reach its goal of at least 800,000,000 followers to create an anticipated social tipping point. 2020 AYWW is non-partisan, non-religious, not anti-military, not pacifist, and not a peace movement.

Joe White, a philosophy professor at Santa Barbara City College, hopes the movement he has started will lead to a worldwide, yearlong cease-fire by 2020. (Photo credit: Mike Eliason/News-Press)

From its humble beginnings at Santa Barbara City College 30 months ago, Prof. White and student volunteers have created a social movement that has grown to more than 30,000 followers in over 120 countries. 2020 AYWW has obtained proclamations of support from the California cities of Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Carpinteria.

In June, Santa Barbara County Second District Supervisor, Janet Wolf, presented a proclamation supporting the goals of 2020 AYWW. "Citizens of Santa Barbara County are proud that 2020 A Year Without War was born right here where the environmental movement was born and is destined for similar success around the globe," said Wolf.

2020 AYWW received its most recent resolution of support from the city of Akron, Ohio in September. The resolution, passed unanimously by the City Council, was offered by Councilman Jeff Fusco and President of the Council Garry Moneypenny. "We not only have residents, but we have city employees serving in the military," said Moneypenny. "There would be money savings, as well as the avoidance of mental anguish, physical disabilities, and deaths." 2020 AYWW continues to pursue proclamations from city governments world-wide.

2020 AYWW currently has over three-dozen partner organizations, including the Princess Basma Youth Resource Center (Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development), Beacon of Hope for Afghan Children Society, Catholic Church of the Beatitudes (Santa Barbara), National Veterans Foundation, and Veterans for Peace. Two strategic goals of the organization are to have 100 peace organization partners by 2016 and to formally request partners to demand a global peace in the year 2020.

To make a donation, please go to indiegogo.com. For more information about 2020 AYWW go to ayearwithoutwar.org. Join us, follow us, and share us throughout our social media on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube.