The Birth of Youngevity® Be The Change Foundation
Youngevity Be the Change Foundation was formed in 2013 as a 501 c 3 charitable organization but it was born in the hearts of our Founders, Doc Wallach, Steve Wallach and Michelle Wallach and in our President and CFO, Dave Briskie, and his wife, our Director, Sunshine Briskie, because our family of distributors and customers wanted to help those in need. Doc’s mission extends to better the human race through proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, yet this does not stop at the body itself. Doc knows that the word “body” includes the Spirit and our hearts beat not just because our minds tell them to, but also because we open them to extend a bridge of hope to the hurting. When we can band together and unite this mission, we can move mountains!
Our family of Charities are all 501 c 3 not for profit charitable giving organizations and all undergo a rigorous background check, including the financial records they are required by law to file annually. But, it is important to us that their mission be aligned with ours as well, so we continue our research to include personal meetings, conferences and communications with the Directors and the key personnel of the charity itself. Once this determination is made, our Director compiles a full report and makes an exhaustive recommendation to our Board of Directors who then vote on the approval. We are proud to state that currently, we have a unanimous record of inclusion of new supported charities into the Youngevity Be The Change Foundation! If you, as a distributor or customer, are interested in having a verified non profit be considered as a supported YBTCF charity, there is a procedure for just that!
- You must contact the Director of the proposed charity yourself and do the initial background into their mission.
- Prepare an extensive letter proposing their consideration (remember they must be a 501 c 3 organization) and the ways you believe the organization fits within the mission of YBTCF, along with the names and telephone numbers and email addresses and official website.
- Email this letter to Sunshine Briskie at bethechange@youngevity.com.
After careful research and consideration, you will receive a call and/or an email from Sunshine letting you know whether or not your proposed charity will be going to a Board recommendation and vote. Please note that Youngevity Be the Change Foundation is not equipped to support Churches, Synagogues, or Masques and does not enter into the political arena at all.
The Fabric Of Our Foundation
We are different than any other Charity we have knowledge of in many different ways, particularly in the direct selling space! We undertake no fundraising whatsoever (and never will so you don’t have to worry about being hit up to participate in cookie, popcorn or wrapping paper fundraisers) and we do not have a “Donate Now” button on our website which means you are never pressured into making donations. In fact, in our history, we have never solicited donations. We are completely funded by the purchase of designated Be The Change products and our Founders and President have made the decision to allocate 100% of the profit from the sale of these items directly to the Foundation. This means that with every purchase of these products you make, you truly are a philanthropist and helping to change the world. Additionally, our Founders and President pay the selling distributor a full commission for the sale of each item making this donation not “hurt” the distributor financially allowing you to truly act from your heart. Finally, we employ NO personnel whatsoever which means that not one salary is paid, we are completely volunteer run, and there are no operating expenses at all (except the IRS filings each year which Youngevity International generously also pays in its entirety). What this means to you is absolute knowledge that every cent donated by Youngevity International from the profit of the sale of these very special Be The Change products goes out to support our family of charities.
How We Help Our Family Of Supported Charities
It is often said that charity begins at home. Community action and service in the individual places where we all live is part of “Being the Change That Is Needed in the World”, as Gandhi himself famously said. At YBTCF, we believe we should get to know our Charities and join them with our time and in service, not just our donations. Of course, we make numerous financial donations in time of tragedies and significant need – and thanks to your support, we have the funds to help truly make a difference – but we also like to participate shoulder to shoulder in relationship with not only Charity personnel, but also the victims themselves whenever possible. It is not unusual to see our distributors and their teams or customers coming together as a group to benefit victims and potential victims in action in our communities. Sometimes this is carried out through our monthly RAK initiatives, sometimes a “kindness project” is organized such as installing smoke detectors in needy neighborhoods or running a 5 K to benefit service men and women who have returned home wounded, sometimes even at large gatherings, like Youngevity Roadshows or Conventions, you will see 100 to 300 of us working together to benefit those in need in the communities where we gather. Our actions in service are every bit as large a part of who we are as our financial donations are and we make an impact “For The Good” wherever and whenever we can. It is our hope that you will join us and be the change in your own way, in your own communities, or in the world by donating your time, talent and energy or purchasing a designated Be The Change Product as a regular practice. You won’t meet a nicer group of people who’s singular purpose and united focus is to make the world a better place. “Each one teach one so each one can reach one”.