The Charity Charge Show

In episode 34 of The Charity Charge Show, Stephen Garten chats with Ray Wezik, the Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at the International Myeloma Foundation(IMF).

Ray joined the IMF advocacy team in 2014. In his role, Ray helps to expand the IMF’s state policy initiatives and grassroots network with a focus on prevention, innovation, access, and approval of treatments for people living with multiple myeloma.

Prior to joining the IMF, Ray advocated for homeowners affected by the mortgage crisis, using his skills to negotiate alternatives to foreclosure and eventually establishing his own firm.

Ray earned his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Roanoke College in 2007. He passed the bar in Maryland after earning his law degree from Tulane University in 2011. While at Tulane, Ray ran the Alternative Dispute Resolution section for the school’s student-run moot court team, winning several international competition awards in Chicago and London.

Founded in 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the first and largest organization focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. The IMF’s reach extends to more than 525,000 members in 140 countries worldwide. The IMF is dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients while working toward prevention and a cure through our four founding principles: Research, Education, Support, and Advocacy.

In episode 33 of The Charity Charge Show, Stephen Garten chats with Jeff Rum, the co-founder of Yearly.

Jeff is Co-Founder of Yearly and is Founder & CEO of ignite: action An award-winning creative director and marketing strategist, Jeff has nearly 18 years of experience in marketing and communications, brand strategy, social media, and digital advertising. Jeff’s consulting work includes projects with Fortune 500 companies such as Bose, Fossil, Mercedes-Benz, and PepsiCo and he has led campaigns with nonprofits including Human Rights Campaign, Save the Children, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and United Nations Foundation. In 2018, Jeff published his first book, Post with Purpose: A Digital Strategy Handbook. Jeff received his BA from American University in Communication: Visual Media and Jewish Studies. He received his MA from Georgetown University in International Studies. He resides in Potomac, MD with his wife Jessica and three children, Eva, Maxim, and Ori.

Yearly makes it fun and easy to create digital annual reports that inspire and delight, saving organizations time and money. Yearly's mission is to change the way annual reports are created and experienced. Yearly aims to break the mold and disrupt the age-old annual report.

In episode 31 of The Charity Charge Show, Stephen Garten chats with Phyllis Everette, the CEO and Founder of Saffron Trust Women's Foundation.

Phyllis is a woman of passion, vision, and purpose is the Founder of the Saffron Trust Women's Foundation (STWF). An organization that strives to remove barriers creating better life outcomes for women. Before STWF, Phyllis served as Program Director of a Health Clinic, working with Women's Health Care. Phyllis has 25 years of experience in corporate environments. She has been employed at Warner Chilcott Pharmaceuticals, ADP Brokerage, and Dell. Phyllis started her first organization In 2000 where she was the founder of Parents Taking Action Today ( PTAT )advocating for parents whose children were incarcerated, leading support groups for parents at the Essex County Juvenile detention center in Newark, New Jersey, where she also published a weekly newsletter. Phyllis also served as Executive Director of Family Support, a non- profit organization, centered on creating healthy families.

Phyllis holds an MSM Specialization in Organizational Structure, BS in Business, concentration in Human Resources Management. She holds a Certification in Supportive Employment and is a practicing life coach.

Phyllis Everette aka writer Saffron Trust put pen to paper to heal her wounds. What culminated was a story, “From Insanity to Serenity,” filled with drama and an overarching theme and message of recognizing the importance of community and how significant surrounding love, forgiveness, and freedom is important to live your truth. Focusing and praying to understand how to fulfill the purpose God had intended for her life, led Phyllis to become active in causes far bigger than her.

Writing her memoir, she undertook a literary journey that encompasses her personal life experience which describes a journey in her heart. Phyllis strongly feels her journey directed her to the mission of STWF. Her hope and desire for her personal story are that readers remain steadfast and become consciously aware of what forgiveness means, and of a much greater duty that each of us is morally obligated to recognize. Phyllis has 3 children and 4 grands, who she quotes “are the wind beneath her wings”.

The recognition and success that Phyllis has achieved that continue to inspire her, gave her pause when asked, “why me”, with “why not me”. Her signature mantra is “Born to give herself away.” So, she is committed and has dedicated her life to unconditionally helping to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Phyllis socially engaged in her community. She is pursuing coursework in Undoing Racism and Undoing White Supremacy Austin, addressing multi-racial communities to end personal structural, and cultural racism to building a racially just Austin.

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In episode 24 of The Charity Charge Show, Stephen Garten chats with Andra Liemandt, the founder and CEO of The Kindness Campaign.

Andra Liemandt is the founder and CEO of The Kindness Campaign, a national nonprofit devoted to research-based emotional intelligence and anti-bullying. Launched in 2015, TKC designs interactive SEL (social emotional learning) curriculum and programming for schools and workplaces, with a focus on developing kind leaders and emotionally aware schools and companies. Under Andra’s leadership, TKC’s reach grew from five schools to 82 in two years, and today, serves over 40,000 students. Over the past two years, the organization has partnered with Bumble, KIND Bars, Dell Inc., Nordstrom, and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation to bring TKC’s on-site programming to children and adults nationwide.

After a career in large corporate account management and pharmaceutical sales at Dell Inc. and Abbott Laboratories, Andra pivoted to philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. Now a national speaker on kindness and bullying, Andra has given keynote addresses for AT&T and IBM conferences, Paul Mitchell Schools nationwide, and the National Charity League. She is a recipient of Austin Woman’s Way Business Award for Social Impact (2018), and was a finalist for the Phyllis Richards Austin Icon for Children Award (2018). An active philanthropist, Andra currently serves on the Girl Scouts of Central Texas 2019 Women of Distinction Committee, and is on the advisory board of Baylor Scott & White Health. In 2015, Andra was named Cover Woman for Austin Woman Magazine’s September Edition, and in 2018, she joined the board of the GRAMMY Museum.

Andra is also the founder and drummer for The Mrs, a pop-rock band that has appeared on “Good Morning America,” “The Queen Latifah Show,” BuzzFeed, People Magazine, and Billboard. Their first music video, released in 2014 and featuring their signature “Magic Mirror,” currently has 5.4 million views on YouTube. Since then, The Mrs has shared the stage with Maroon 5 and Jon Bon Jovi, and has enjoyed musical collaborations with Paul Oakenfold and more.

In Episode 100 of the Charity Charge Show, Stephen talks to Grant Trahant, Founder of Causeartist and RefiJobs. His mission is to show that everyone — from shoppers and professionals to entrepreneurs and investors — can change the world by making decisions that benefit the people and places around them.

Interested in listening to the full episode and hearing more from other nonprofits? Check out more episodes here.

Stephen and Grant Trahant talk about what it takes to build a business or nonprofit from the ground up, reflect on what Stephen's learned from 100 conversations, and the unifying power of listening to and spending time with others.

Since 2013, Causeartist has been read in 150+ countries. Over this time Grant has interviewed 700+ social entrepreneurs, impact investors, and impact ventures from around the world.

The mission has always been to highlight innovations within ethical fashion, regenerative farming, climate tech, fair trade products, impact investing, and sustainable travel.

He also hosts the Disruptors for GOOD podcast and the Investing in Impact podcast.

Connect with Grant on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Grant on listening to others and seeing what truly unites us:

One advantage I get from talking to people around the world is that I experience that no matter where you are, no matter where you live, people still want the same thing for themselves, for their communities, and for their kids.

Whatever it may be their level of passion is the same. Whether they're from India, Southeast Asia, Delaware, Toronto, or Mexico City, wherever it may be, everybody's problems are pretty similar.

It could be dealing with mental health or dealing with economic issues, although different places approach problems and issues differently there are always people trying to solve them.

We're unified in trying to solve problems together on all continents and cities around the world.

About Causeartist

causeartist – [cause-artist] noun. a person who uses their talents and skills to impact the world.

Since 2013, Causeartist has been read in 150+ countries. Over this time I have interviewed 700+ impact entrepreneurs, impact investors, and impact ventures from around the world.

Causeartist is a global community of social entrepreneurs, builders, creators, and conscious consumers, who believe business can positively impact the world.