“The economy has affected so many Americans, who have been suffering and going without basic needs for so long, and there is seemingly no end in sight,” Bryson says.  “Without the help of the private sector, our communities will collapse and we will see a dramatic increase in crime and displaced Americans.  I am doing what I can for my community and urge those who can to help their communities as well.”

The Long Beach Rescue Mission’s President and CEO, Jim Lewis hopes the renovations will help avoid closure due to public health inspections as well as providing a tranquil and safe environment for the homeless.

“We provide a place of healing and hope,” Lewis says, “and as people enter to receive services, the feeling should be hospitable and welcoming.  The building should reflect that.”

The renovations come at a crucial time, considering no improvements have been made for the last 30 years and health inspections have become a real concern.

When asked about Bryson’s additional donation this year, Lewis replied  “Stepping up beyond his annual donation of food and supplies, providing sustenance to disadvantaged Americans and helping us further sustain and extend our ability to serve at such a critical time is beyond impactful.  Steve has truly had the largest impact on our ability to provide service to those in need for years.  He is now helping us rehabilitate not only the individual, but the actual building as well.”

The Never Forgotten Foundation was founded to provide resources and aid to underprivileged men, women and children locally and around the world.  The Long Beach Rescue Mission has provided food, clothing, shelter and spiritual guidance to thousands of the less fortunate since 1972.

Recently, a study emerged from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business that grabbed headlines in the non-profit world. Cause-based marketing and its influence on regular giving was researched by Aradhna Krishna, professor of marketing at the university.

Giving From the Heart is What it is All About

There are two main schools of thought surrounding this issue:  cause marketing encourages donors to selfishly buy and as a result donate less directly to charity, and cause marketing is a mutually inclusive venture that gives exposure to charities, as well as increases revenue from a population that may not typically or regularly give.

While both sides have grounds for argument, those arguments are not supported in this research due to a limited sample of university students whose results were generalized to the large population of donors. Yet with blog posts titled Cause Marketing Lowers Charitable Donations, Cause Marketing Cuts Direct Donating, and Cause Marketing, Selfishness Drive Consumer Giving, it is no doubt that a large stir has begun.

For those who have faith in everything they read, please do not feel obligated to finish the rest of this blog.

But for those who know that to make informed decisions, further investigation is always necessary, please read the aforementioned study here for yourself and decide if what is reported seems to fit the posts and articles it has inspired.

It has been said that a charitable act is only as positive as the heart from which it comes. When people look to do good for others regularly, who would we be as stewards of humanity to deter them from such a path?

The Elite O.C., Orange County’s premier young professional society, is holding it’s first ever charity golf tournament sponsored by BreezeIT. Every Elite O.C. event raises funds and awareness for a local charity. We are honored to announce that the young professionals of The Elite O.C. have chosen Never Forgotten Foundation as the beneficiary of their 1^st Annual Charity Golf Tournament being held at Aliso Viejo Country Club on Monday, April 25, 2011.

• Registration begins at 12noon
• Entrance fee is $100
• Tee-off is at 1pm

]]> http://neverforgottenfoundation.com/site/2011/03/255/feed/ 0 http://neverforgottenfoundation.com/site/2011/03/japan-tsunami-relief/ http://neverforgottenfoundation.com/site/2011/03/japan-tsunami-relief/#comments Fri, 11 Mar 2011 18:40:01 +0000 admin http://neverforgottenfoundation.com/site/?p=235 With haunting images of the advancing sea and heartbreaking stories of missing loved ones continuing to emerge, it is near impossible to not respond to the needs of those devastated by the 8.9 earthquake and tsunami that demolished whole citites of Japan on March 11th.

While NFF does not have a direct link to Japan, we are here to help you lend a hand.

Text 2 Help: Relief organizations make it as easy as sending a text to contribute to the cause.                   The American Red Cross- to donate $10 to the relief efforts, text REDCROSS to 90999                   Convoy of Hope- Text TSUNAMI to 50555 to donate $10

Google Person Finder: With limited communication and chaos continuing, if you are a missing person or are looking for a missing person, google person finder may be able to help.

Charitable Giving: The following non-profit charities are taking donations to deliver aid to the victims of the disaster.

Americares.org

World Vision

GlobalGiving

Save The Children

Please contact us if you looking for additional ways to give back.

If ever we doubted the power of these media sources, cast away the new-age gossip channels, bellowed of the irrelevant and erroneous nature of the beast, or deleted our access to that world, follow us as we sheepishly reactive our accounts, because whether we like it or not, those Harvard Undergrads and Under-35 Twitt-ivators have created a platform for revolutions and change.

Never Forgotten Foundation supports helping those in need be it a woman, a child, or a whole nation. And while social media trailblazers set out with intentions to change the world, they could not have comprehended the level at which they would so quickly succeed in doing so.

Click here to view the embedded video.

• Donate Time, Not Money- If the wallet is feeling a little empty but the heart is full, head down to a local homeless shelter or sign up to be a Big Brother or Big Sister. Both efforts will have an impact on you that goes deeper than signing a check.

• Hold a Garage Sale-Get out those old books, the jeans you no longer can button, and the five microwaves taking up too much room in your garage. Dedicate one Saturday morning to the bargain hunting crowd, and one Sunday afternoon to writing a nice check to your favorite charity.

• HostItYourself- Is your idea of a nice weekend unwinding with friends out on the town? Ever feel guilty about spending too much the next day? This weekend spruce up the house, invite everyone over to your place for a potluck, and strategically leave a “tip” jar at the door. As your buddies come in and out, give them the option to donate what they saved on a night out to a local soup kitchen. You do something wonderful while unwinding with friends.

• Sparkle ‘n Clean- We all appreciate the beauty of Southern California, but being so pretty takes work. Get some friends up early on Saturday morning (after one of your infamous charitable potlucks) and join the Surfrider Foundation for a beach cleanup. Stay the rest of the day to enjoy the sparkle of the ocean and the warm, clean sand.

Hard times on wallets does not mean hardened hearts. Be proactive in your philanthropic efforts and get back to the roots of giving.

The Big Night Out: If you are more the wine-and-dine type or looking to impress a first time date, try a charity ball or gala. The meals may be a bit expensive, but the dance floor and big band will be going all night for a good cause.

Be My Volunteer: www.VolunteerMatch.org is the ultimate resource to search common interest organizations that you and your Valentine can give back to this weekend. If your first date conversations rallied around helping animals, keeping our beaches clean, or feeding the homeless, there are many foundations looking for your passion to help them change the world one day at a time.

Sweets for Hearts: This will ensure time with the one you love all weekend. Call children’s hospitals, local nursing homes, or domestic violence shelters to set up a stop-in time. Spend quality time the days prior with the one you love while baking sweets or creating homemade Valentine’s cards and delivering them to those who are not always feeling secure and loved on Valentine’s day.

Plant the Seed of Love: Know an elderly neighbor, church member, or grandparent with a big house that requires lots of upkeep? Bring your Valentine along and help out with a few chores (i.e, rake the leaves, plant a few flowers, clean the windows), cook a nice meal, and enjoy the company of one of society’s wisest members. You are sure to leave enlightened and full of love.

So this year, don’t feel obligated to spend the big bucks, wait three hours for a booth, or scope out the last two theater seats together. Instead, spend quality time with the one you love improving other’s and your own quality of life.

Identify Your Purpose:
There is an invaluable joy that comes from the act of giving, the helping of your fellow man, but feeling alone should not dictate action. Much thought should be given to an organization you wish to fund and ultimately represent. Do not find yourself subjected to derision due to lack of research of the founders, the active volunteers, the benefactors and beneficiaries, or the fundraising efforts that take place.

Make It Your Passion:
The difference between donating a few hours or dollars to a worthy venture, and opening yourself to growth and change as a result of something you believe in, is passion. It is what keeps the wheels churning when everything seems to be in dyer straits. Passion brings excitement and uncertainty, and does not fear the unknown. When the odds are against you, passion assures you there a right path hidden. Needless to say, finding a cause you can passionately support is essential to building a meaningful, life-changing relationship.

Measure the Quality of Life:
The improved quality of life when dedicating your limited leisure time and hard earned money is not for your benefit alone; a ripple affect occurs. It is difficult for friends, family, and co-workers to miss the radiant positivity one evinces when engaged in charitable acts. The direct recipients of your donations are the most obvious candidates for an enhanced quality of life and as the ripple continues, a pay-it-forward model is created. In essence, the act of donating hits a nerve; it elates, inspires, and improves the lives of all involved.

Karen Garner’s vision for a 70′s and 80′s retro second-hand store to benefit cancer patients seemed near impossible with the economy in shambles. But that thought quickly left her mind after she contacted local businesses to help make her dream a reality. As word spread of her good-natured endeavor, donations began to pour in from hardware stores, shop supply stores, and private donors. Volunteers appeared on her doorstep with paintbrushes in tow and a mission to make the most of an aged, dilapidated storefront.

Never Forgotten Foundation has also been humbled by gestures such as these. Our annual holiday drive has built new relationships in the community as companies and volunteers catch wind of NFF’s intentions to eventually. NFF’s Founder Steve Bryson remembers that customers and competitors indeed are still human and therefore challenges businesses to join our efforts or begin a program of their own.

These kind of events are not as rare as one may think. Sometimes scandal just sells better than heart-warming kindness. This testimony of what people are able to do by coming together for the benefit others in the community is truly inspirational.

For the full story of how Karen is building her dream, please visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/hampshire/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_9367000/9367782.stm

The passion to bring aid to the less fortunate is commonplace in the Bryson household. His daughter, Samantha Bryson, has not only volunteered regularly at the shelter, but also donated a year of her time to ensure that the orphaned children in Ethiopia are “never forgotten”. In January 2010, Steve’s son, Scott Bryson, helped organize and charter a private jet filled with food and medical supplies to help with the Haiti disaster.

As Bryson’s other organizations, including payment processor Global Electronic Technology (Inc.), record label I55 Productions (LLC), and online billing solutions firm OrbitalPay (LLC), continue to prosper, he is giving back more than ever. Along with theCalifornia donation, NFF also completed a similar project in Memphis, Tennessee. To support the Blues musicians in his hometown, who Bryson believes keep the city alive, he mailed out holiday cards with a significant cash donation with a goal of feeding the performers as well as to provide them with some extra spending money.

While the Bryson family solely funded previous years’ donations, this year the community has responded. Local businesses have been kind enough to provide discounted rates on meat, non-perishable items, and delivery methods. Without the support of the Bryson family, generous donors, employees of Global Electronic Technology, and the supportive local businesses, this year wouldn’t have been as successful as it was.

The directors of NFF chose the Long Beach and Orange County Rescue Mission as recipients for the donation because of their all-encompassing programs, which include assistance and counseling for victims of domestic violence as well as services for those suffering with drug and alcohol dependency.   Both organizations serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, as well as provide shelter and clothes to the less fortunate in the community. Reverend James Lewis, President of LBRM, has expressed the magnitude and impact of the Never Forgotten Foundation’s donation on the community, naming Bryson “one of the largest single donors we’ve ever had”. Mr. Bryson hopes that all his efforts will encourage others to donate more to the needy, and that alone is thanks enough.

About Never Forgotten Foundation (NFF)

The Never Forgotten Foundation is an international charitable organization created to provide assistance to orphaned children of war and poverty, as well as people in need on a global scale. NFF also works to support families and provides assistance to men, women, and children in need. To donate to Never Forgotten Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, please visit:http://neverforgottenfoundation.com/site/donate/ or call (888) 775-1500

About Global Electronic Technology, Inc. (GET)

Global Electronic Technology, Inc. (GET) is a leading technology provider of end-to-end payment processing solutions, including virtual terminal, payment gateway, GETShop, on-line ACH, loyalty and gift card programs. Founded in 2000 by Steven H. Bryson, GET has grown to epitomize the word “global” by extending from retail to internet-based transactions in the worldwide payment industry. For more information, please visit www.gettrx.com or call (888) 775-1500.

About OrbitalPay, LLC

OrbitalPay, LLC offers a premier online billing solution and merchant accounts with competitive rates for web-based companies in e-commerce, retail, and small businesses. Offerings include secure transaction services and industry innovative fraud scrubbing for merchant accounts from a leading hybrid PSP. For more information, please visit www.orbitalpay.com or call (888) 776-8801.

About I55 Productions LLC

I55 Productions LLC derived its name after the main highway traveling through Memphis, Tennessee. The idea behind the record label came from Steve Bryson, a Memphis native who wanted to share some of the best local talent in his beloved hometown with the rest of the world. Having grown up with some of the Beale Street regulars, he thought it time to provide an avenue for them to share their extraordinary talents with those who may not call Memphis home. For more information, please visit www.i55productions.com.