Karma Cares Archives

Karma Cares

Autism Awareness Series: Part 3

Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

Chicago-based Karma Members support autism research at the Rescue Our Angels event

Karma International is home to a community of driven individuals who treasure not only philanthropy, but relationships, which has been demonstrated though our countless charitable networking events. Over the past year, Karma has fostered an inspiring relationship as a corporate sponsor of Generation Rescue, the leading non-profit organization raising awareness and providing various forms of assistance to families coping with autism diagnoses.

In our latest venture with the impactful organization, Karma became a sponsor of the 6^th annual Rescue Our Angels event – a night dedicated to raising awareness, funds, and emotional support for families in need. All of the event’s proceeds went to Generation Rescue and its many autism-focused initiatives. Many Chicago-based Karma Members were in attendance that night to partake in the live charitable auction, walk the red carpet, and interact face-to-face with the ten families that Karma personally supports.

Members Luis Rivera and Roshan Parikh thoroughly enjoyed the evening and shared their experiences with Karma post-event. Here’s what they had to say:

“Being in the world of rehabilitation and having a wife that works in speech pathology, the Generation Rescue event was amazing. It was very well done and classy, and for me hearing the first hand stories from Jenny McCarthy and many of the families was very moving. Also, seeing some of the kids there as well interacting with everyone was inspiring. Finally, for me it felt great when the live auction generated so much interest and participation to support such a great cause. I am proud to support Karma by contributing to this charity. Karma’s total support for the evening totaled to $17,000, with more to come in an effort to support families who need medical treatment for their children.”- Luis Rivera, Karma Member

“I was really amazed at the coordination and execution of the Generation Rescue event. The city of Chicago and autism communities from around the world came together for an outstanding cause, creating a vivacious and standing room only venue at Studio Paris. I donated my Chicago Bears season tickets not because I have a personal connection with autism, but because when I sat with Generation Rescue’s executive director, Candace McDonald, I was so moved by what the organization was doing, I was compelled to contribute further.” - Roshan Parikh, Karma Member

Karma’s Executive Vice President of Business Development and Philanthropy, Marvin Epstein, expressed gratitude towards Members’ continued support for Generation Rescue, and appreciation of Karma’s newest Midwest participants:

“Over the years, Karma has been blessed to experience significant growth, and with that, our support and involvement with national charities such as Generation Rescue has also blossomed. We are pleased to have attracted the interest of individuals throughout the country, who have since become valuable Members. As an organization, our primary goal is to continue to support worthy causes and provide value for entrepreneurs throughout the US. With Karma’s recent expansion into Chicago, sponsoring the Rescue Our Angels event was a perfect opportunity to further our involvement with Generation Rescue and the result was a night filled to the brim with fun, philanthropy and progress.” – Marvin Epstein, Karma International’s EVP of Business Development and Philanthropy

To learn more about Karma International’s past involvement with Generation Rescue, please click here. For more information on Generation Rescue and how you can get involved, please view the organization’s website. If you’d like to join Karma on our path to further autism awareness, inquire about a membership today.

Autism Awareness Series: Part 2

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Creating a lasting impact:
Karma International and Generation Rescue offer grant to support families coping with autism

With April being Autism Awareness Month, Karma International and Generation Rescue have joined forces again to continue benefitting the special cause year-round. In this guest blog post, Candace McDonald of Generation Rescue shares some of the positive feedback received from families coping with autism and what Karma’s support means to them.

Here at Generation Rescue, we recently closed a round of our Rescue Family grant program, a 90-day plan that provides a “jump start” to treating a child’s symptoms of autism using biomedical protocols.

A highlight from this most recent round of the program is that several of the families were funded by our partnership with Karma International.

Through Karma’s partnership, many generous Karma members made donations last summer to help support families in need. Karma added Generation Rescue to its growing list of charity and non-profit beneficiaries and directly supported six families by funding their participation in the Rescue Family grant with more to benefit in 2013.

Families of the grant program are reporting the tremendous success of the program from their children in all areas, including:

There has been an explosion of language and communication.
They are witnessing an increase in affection, attention and an overall awareness.
Sociability and building peer relationships has been amazing.
Improvements in their health symbolizing the start in getting bodies back in balance.

With Karma’s support, the entire program is optimized to help support families in their biomedical journey.

Data is collected prior to the start, and again at the end, of the program using the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC). The overall improvement in scoring showed an average of 33% in all categories measured.

We are so pleased to share some of the wonderful testimonials from the families funded by Karma:

“Honestly, my child is a completely different child. All the bad stuff that was getting in the way of my child’s happiness is gone and he is now a fun little guy who is learning so much. I teared up yesterday when he labeled three pictures correctly and then said ‘thank you’ when I handed him the card. This is what we have dreamed of: hearing our son’s voice and hearing him communicate. We are so excited for his future, and ours.”

“Wow! We can really tell that J was a sick kid before. It is so sad to me that psychologists and other professionals attributed all of J’s behaviors to his autistic brain. They said he needed to learn different things and learn coping skills. No, he was a sick kid that had no way to communicate what he was feeling! Now that he is eating well and taking great supplements he is happy!”

“Sociability is a huge difference here…he now loves playing with kids his age!!!!”

“He enjoys hanging out with other children. He actually has friends now!”

“He showed interest more in saying hi to strangers, playing more with mom and sister, and wanting to meet girls, he even went to sleep away camp and kissed a girl and danced at a dance.”

“Just thought we would share with you that we had an IEP meeting for T today initially for his behavior during the detox stage but we can gladly say that all his teachers and us as parents have seen a complete turn-around behavior wise and we are so proud of him and thankful for this opportunity. Not only has his behavior improved immensely but he also does not need speech therapy anymore. Thank you very much for this opportunity.”

“A is just a happier child. He is healthy. You can have a conversation with him. Meltdowns are less. He listens and understands more. We are happier as a family, and more in-tuned into what we put into our bodies. I think the stress of our son’s behavior and health is so much less than what it was just a few months ago.”

We wanted to personally thank the members of Karma International for their generosity in supporting Generation Rescue and the families we serve. Together, we have made an incredible difference in bettering the future of these children and their family’s quality of life.

Here’s to a wonderful and continued partnership in 2013!

To learn more about the Rescue Family grant and to apply, please visit;
https://www.generationrescue.org/member-log-in/join-grant/

To learn more about Karma International, please visit
http://www.karmainternational.com

Autism Awareness Series: Part I

Friday, April 26th, 2013

Karma dedicates the month of April to overcoming autism

April is National Autism Awareness Month and here at Karma International, we have focused much of this month’s charitable efforts on this important and impactful cause. As an organization made up of passionate philanthropists and an ongoing sponsor to one of the leading autism awareness charities, Generation Rescue, it is important to us as a community to remain involved with the effort to find a cure for autism.

Since the 1970s, The Autism Society has spearheaded a yearly month-long campaign to grow awareness, raise funds, and offer support of all kinds to families coping with autism. And over the past few years, the statistics in America have reached staggering numbers, with nearly 1 in every 50 children affected by this spectrum disorder, and those numbers continue to climb.

With estimated costs of raising a child with autism as high as $5 million, Karma and its Members – dedicated to making a difference – have embarked on various journeys to help the children, families, and communities in need of support. Our work has included inspiring projects such as:

Kandyland – Generation Rescue was named the charity beneficiary of our most recent Kandyland event, with a portion of all proceeds going to support autism awareness, treatment, and research. Through sponsoring ten children and families affected by autism, and large personal donations from multiple Members, Karma has solidified its long-term relationship with not only Generation Rescue, but also the families we support.
Autism Speaks LA – Karma Member Brian Gutierrez proudly represented the people of California as the Kick-Off Speaker for the 2013 Autism Speaks Los Angeles Chapter walk. To a full-crowd of 45,000 people at the Rose Bowl Stadium, Brian advocated for change and inspired the crowd to ‘make impossible possible!’ The event received substantial donations, pushing research initiatives that much closer to a cure.
Rescue Our Angels, Chicago – Karma International has joined forces once again with Generation Rescue, the leading national organization for autism treatment assistance. This month we signed on to sponsor more families in need of financial and emotional support. Through this sponsorship, we are able to provide the resources needed for to ensure each child receives proper care. On April 23^rd, Karma Members headed to Chicago for the Rescue our Angels event, a night dedicated to raising awareness, funds and goodwill for families coping with autism every day. Over the course of the night Karma International and its Members donated over $17,000 and took part in the enthusiastic live auction.

To learn more about Karma’s philanthropic efforts, visit our Karma Cares blog today and keep your eyes out for our next post, a guest view from Generation Rescue’s Candace McDonald. If you’re interested in helping us spread more good karma, please inquire about a membership. And remember, even though the end of April is drawing near, autism exists year round. If you would like to make a donation to Generation Rescue, please visit the webpage here.

Karma sponsors Rescue Our Angels event

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Karma International sponsors Rescue Our Angels event on April 23, 2013 in Chicago, benefiting Jenny McCarthy’s Generation Rescue

Karma, a social membership organization that combines the benefits of executive networking, philanthropy and luxurious events, has been named a sponsor of the 6^th annual Rescue Our Angels event, in an effort to raise awareness of autism and generate funds to support families coping with autism diagnoses. All proceeds raised at the event will go towards Generation Rescue, the leading autism awareness non-profit organization supported by star, model and actress, Jenny McCarthy.

The Rescue Our Angels event will feature red carpet arrivals, celebrity guest appearances, a live auction and hands-on booths or ‘experience zones’ to increase autism awareness, among other entertainment. The sponsorship marks the second time in less than a year that Karma and Generation Rescue have joined forces, after Karma donated proceeds from its 2012 Kandyland event to support ten families coping with autism.

Rescue Our Angels complements Karma’s recent expansion into Chicago through its Karma Chapters program – a new member-driven initiative to bring Karma events to different cities across the nation. Earlier this month, Karma Member, Roshan Parikh, hosted the first Chicago-based Cocktail Social at the Trump Tower, in which dozens of attendees celebrated such national growth of the organization.

Marvin Epstein, E.V.P of Business Development and Philanthropy for Karma International, said: “Karma is proud to once again partner with such a worthy charity like Generation Rescue. As autism diagnoses continue to increase at a staggering rate, affecting nearly 1 in 50 children, organizations must raise awareness and provide never-ending support to the children and families in need. We take pride in our continuous philanthropic outreach, and with the recent expansion of Karma into Chicago, it was no question we wanted to contribute by sponsoring the Rescue Our Angels event.”

Rescue Our Angels will take place on Tuesday, April 23^rd at Studio Paris in Chicago, IL. Over 400 VIP guests, including Jenny McCarthy, are expected to arrive at 7pm CST. For more information, please visit

http://www.rescueourangels.com/

About Karma International

Karma is a Beverly Hills, CA based private social membership organization providing its Members with remarkable experiences that enrich their lives, expand networks and benefit noble causes. Karma uses its global infrastructure of VIP Hosts to provide Members with the ultimate access for hospitality, nightlife, gaming, entertainment and luxury lifestyle amenities and services anytime anywhere. Karma is based on four main principles: Networking, Philanthropy, Revelry and Access. www.KarmaInternational.com

About Rescue Our Angels

The Annual Rescue Our Angels Cocktail Party & Auction was founded in 2008 by Michele and Peter Doyle. Inspired by the improvement seen in their now 11-year-old daughter, Caelan, from biomedical and behavioral therapies, the Doyle family wants to give other families the same opportunity. All proceeds of the event’s fundraising efforts go directly to Generation Rescue. www.rescueourangels.com/

About Generation Rescue

Generation Rescue is the leading national organization that provides hope, information and immediate treatment assistance to families affected by autism. On average, 25,000 families a year utilize the foundation’s services ranging from medical grants to parent mentoring to a toll free hotline to a free national autism conference. Autism advocate and Mother Warrior Jenny McCarthy has actively been involved in the organization since 2008. www.GenerationRescue.org

Karma philanthropy tactics featured in Foundation Center news

Friday, December 21st, 2012

Karma’s Executive Vice President, Marvin Epstein, featured in the highly regarded philanthropy website, Foundation Center.

Karma continually offers new and innovative strategies and solutions for donors and charities to achieve their goals. As part of Karma’s philanthropy strategy we provide our members and donor followers a myriad of options to support charities. While many individuals are contributing to a charity by making a monetary donations there are other ways to support a charity which in some cases can be as beneficial as cash contribution. Karma consistently highlights charities that are run efficiently and effectively and that are achieving the goals of their mission.

Most charity operations and management have specific strengths and weaknesses. As an example, a charity may be good at fundraising but not in programming; or a charity may be good at outreach but not in fundraising. Identifying these elements is a key to any charity’s success and knowing what they need from someone to support the growth of their organization will go a long way for them to achieve their goals.

The Foundation Center article details this type of strategy regarding charities in general and specifically one that Karma supports, Model Citizen. We hope this will give you more options and ideas of how you too can help a cause you are passionate about in 2013.

Read the entire article by clicking here: http://sanfranciscoblog.foundationcenter.org/2012/12/epstein-20121221.html

Karma on The Tom Roten Morning Show

Tuesday, December 11th, 2012

Karma’s Executive Vice President, Marvin Epstein, discussing Karma Philanthropy.

Over the past few months, Karma members have been getting together to benefit a special non-profit organization that has gained Karma Foundation’s full support, event sponsorship and philanthropic efforts – Model Citizen Fund.

Recently, the partnership between Karma Foundation and Model Citizen Fund was highlighted on The Tom Roten Morning Show, where radio host Tom Roten interviewed Karma’s executive vice president, Marvin Epstein.

Founded by Karma member Dan Fleyshman, Model Citizen Fund provides backpacks to the underprivileged around the world, giving them over 150 necessary hygiene, food and survival supplies needed to rebuild their lives. Through Karma’s sponsorship, Model Citizen Fund was able to reach out to Hurricane Isaac victims, helping victims of the natural disaster re-gain the confidence and self-esteem needed to carry on.

When speaking about the partnership on the radio show, Epstein said, “Anything you can do to help people that have less…and genuinely need our help and service is just a great way to give back.”

Listen to Marvin’s full interview on The Tom Roten Radio Show. To inquire on how your own organization can become a Karma Foundation beneficiary, please email Contact@thekarmafoundation.com. Please note, we only consider 501(C)3 non-profit organizations as beneficiaries.

CLICK HERE to listen to Marvin Epstein on the Tom Roten Morning Show.

Karma Members celebrate ‘Giving Tuesday’ year-round

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

Karma Foundation was conceived on the basis of four pillars, providing our Members, event guests and overall team with a strong foundation and dedicated purpose. These pillars include networking, revelry, access, and perhaps most importantly during this time of the year, philanthropy.

Creating unique partnerships with noble charities that allow us to donate elite event production and financial support is something we are extremely passionate about. Karma supports a variety of charities whose missions range across environmental protection, education, child welfare, curing illness, animal rights, cultural enrichment, and more.

Since 2005, Karma has produced hundreds of philanthropic social events, commonly filling venues to capacity with 1,500 or more guests. Our efforts, in turn, have helped raise millions of dollars for various organizations around the world, including Model Citizen Fund, Generation Rescue, Komen Foundation, and many more.

This Thursday, families and loved ones will come together to celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday dedicated to reflecting on all of the things we have to be thankful for, and how we can better appreciate the things we sometimes take for granted. And as we continue through the 2012 holiday season, it’s important to continue to embrace these traditions, along with newer and equally as important movements, such as ‘Giving Tuesday’.

Giving Tuesday is a recent campaign striving to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It is celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and lasts up until the end of December. The charitable day celebrates and encourages philanthropic activities that support nonprofit organizations, an initiative that Karma Foundation supports year-round.

There are many ways to get involved in Giving Tuesday – over 200 organizations are already involved with the philanthropic movement – and generosity comes in many forms, whether by donating volunteer time or committing financial support to a worthy cause.

As a Karma Member, giving back has never been easier during this time of the year, as proceeds from our luxury Members-only events support various thoroughly-vetted charities. Members have a chance to attend the most unique and upscale networking experiences while paying-it-forward and donating to charity beneficiaries. In fact, Karma’s unique approach of establishing partnerships and encouraging our Members to create long-standing relationships with many deserving organizations has received both state and national recognition.

Karma Members also have the opportunity to participate in our annual Toy Drives, benefiting a variety of deserving charities each year. Continue to follow up on our blog for more information on this year’s Toy Drive and how to help families in need during the holiday season.

For more information on the charities we have supported through our Karma events, please refer to our philanthropy whitepaper. To apply for a Karma membership and experience our award-winning, elite philanthropic networking events, please complete an application here.

Isaac victims get good Karma

Friday, October 19th, 2012

Model Citizen Fund & Karma Foundation send Relief for Isaac’s Gulf Coast Victims.

View video from recent Karma & Model Citizen Fundraiser in Beverly Hills.

Model Citizen named Kandy Vegas beneficiary

Thursday, August 30th, 2012

Relief for Isaac’s Gulf Coast Victims

- A non-profit committed to providing backpacks to disaster victims will be sponsored at Karma’s upcoming Kandy Vegas event, with 100 percent of proceeds to benefit Hurricane Isaac victims –

Los Angeles, CA – August 29, 2012 – The Karma Foundation, an exclusive social membership organization that combines the benefits of executive networking and philanthropy with money-raising luxury events, has announced the sponsorship of Model Citizen Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to supplying backpacks filled with basic necessities to disaster victims and the homeless.

Model Citizen Fund is Karma Foundation’s most recent charity beneficiary, selected non- profit from Karma’s highly-anticipated event, Kandy Vegas. The event will take place Labor Day Weekend 2012, August 31 to September 3, at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Performers include Grammy-winning artist Chris Brown, Jersey Shore’s DJ Pauly D, DJ Paul Oakenfold, Rev Run, and others. Over 4,000 attendees are expected at this year’s Kandy Vegas event and 100 percent of the proceeds will go toward providing survival backpacks to victims displaced by recent Hurricane Isaac.

Model Citizen Fund delivers backpacks to disaster victims and the homeless across the globe. The backpacks are filled with a variety of items – including emergency essentials, such as solar blankets, ponchos, flashlights, and sleeping bags; nonperishable food and drinks; and health/medical supplies, like antibacterial soap, laundry detergent, and dietary supplements. The backpacks assist the disadvantaged by providing them with tools necessary to survive and rebuild their lives.

Dan Fleyshman, founder of Model Citizen Fund, said: “I wanted to do something that created a true impact that I could see, feel and touch. We started by giving out backpacks to homeless people that were walking by on the street. That, to me, was the real launch of our charity. That moment, that night, I could really feel how it affected my whole staff, how it affected the homeless person, how it affected me. That’s the impact that we want to create.”

Model Citizen is the latest charity to receive sponsorship from Karma, joining the ranks of past beneficiaries comprising philanthropies whose missions include environmental protection, education, child welfare, animal rights and cultural enrichment.

Marvin Epstein, Karma Foundation’s executive vice president of business development and philanthropy, said: “Philanthropic outreach is the core component and purpose of the Karma Foundation, and one that is making a lasting impact on charities and deserving families around the world. Karma is proud to add Model Citizen Fund to our expanding philanthropic roster, and we hope to develop a lasting partnership that will truly make a difference.”

You can read more about Karma Foundation and its sponsorship of Model Citizen on its website at, www.thekarmafoundation.com. To learn more about Model Citizen, please visit www.modelcitizenfund.org.

About Karma Foundation

Karma Foundation is a Beverly Hills, CA based exclusive lifestyle membership organization that provides its Members and Member guests with remarkable upscale lifestyle experiences that enrich their lives, expand their networks and benefit noble causes. Karma uses its global infrastructure of VIP Hosts to provide Members with the ultimate access for hospitality, nightlife, gaming, entertainment and luxury lifestyle amenities and services anytime anywhere. Karma is based on four main principles Networking, Philanthropy, Revelry & Access. More information about Karma Foundation can be found at www.TheKarmaFoundation.com.

About Model Citizen Fund

Model Citizen Fund is a non-profit organization that provides a platform where people can see a true and immediate cause & effect by donating backpacks with over 100 items inside to underprivileged people around the world, giving them the tools and confidence to build/rebuild their lives. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a famine stricken village in Africa, or a homeless shelter, our backpack will contain all necessary items to help someone survive. www.modelcitizenfund.com

Karma sponsors a new generation

Saturday, August 18th, 2012

Karma Foundation is proud to announce it has added another worthy charity to its philanthropy roster, by becoming a sponsor of Generation Rescue. Generation Rescue is a charity “dedicated to recovery for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders by providing guidance and support for medical treatment to directly improve the quality of life for all families in need.”

Generation Rescue was Karma Foundation’s most recent charity beneficiary at its annual marquee event, Kandyland. Karma announced its formal sponsorship of Generation Rescue on July 16, 2012 at a private check presentation hosted by Barry & Rosanna Shy, Karma members. The event was attended by Karma members who personally donated to the charity, as well as Generation Rescue president, Jenny McCarthy and executive director Candace McDonald. Jenny visited and took pictures with each attending Karma member, voicing her appreciation and excitement of the new partnership.

Jenny McCarthy, Generation Rescue president, said: “It’s so great to find a sponsor like the Karma Foundation, where its members truly care about the people served by the nonprofits they support!”

In line with Karma Foundation’s fundamental goals and values, the relationship was started after Karma voluntarily sponsored 10 autistic children to participate in Generation Rescue’s grant program, providing medical assistance and services of which their families could not afford. These families, similar to the Karma membership selection process, were selected from across the country and several more families are still being chosen.

In addition to subsidizing the costs for medical services, Karma Foundation with the help of Generation Rescue, will track the treatment and progress of each of these families. Unlike other charity support entities, Karma Foundation not only raises funds, it prides itself on developing and nurturing long-term relationships with each nonprofit, charity, and organization it supports.

Marvin Epstein, Karma Foundation’s executive vice president of business development and philanthropy, said: “Our ongoing commitment to each charity we support, in addition to donations, is what we refer to as our ’philanthropy legacy‘ strategy. We believe our strategy demonstrates a genuine and critical component to insure the long term success of these organizations.”

Candace McDonald, Executive Director of Generation Rescue said: “We are grateful to the Karma Foundation and its members for making a commitment to support our grant program to help provide treatment for families affected by autism. We appreciate not only their generous donations that they have made, but also the lasting partnership we have begun to build together. Their ongoing unique support strategy establishes an exciting initiative to help more families and create further awareness and growth for Generation Rescue.”

Generation Rescue currently helps more than 25,000 families affected by autism by providing education support and medical assistance. With mentors in 38 countries around the world, its services include a toll-free hotline, medical grants, parent mentors and conferences to educate and assist these families.

Bob Hellman, a Karma member, started generating fundraising momentum by making a $5,000 personal donation. “I am excited to be thought of as the ringleader of this member fundraising, but I am just glad to be part of it and very pleased that many of my fellow members joined in this effort”.

This type of member support and leadership through Karma Foundation is making an important and lasting impact on so many deserving organizations. Karma Foundation’s philanthropy legacy strategy and partnership with Generation Rescue will benefit those in need today, as well as set the bar for future Karma members to continue to help many generations to follow.

You can read more about Karma Foundation and its sponsorship of Generation Rescue on its website at, www.thekarmafoundation.com. To learn more about Generation Rescue you can read more at, www.generationrescue.org.

About Karma Foundation

About Generation Rescue

Every year, Generation Rescue helps more than 25,000 families affected by autism by providing education support and medical assistance, directly improving children’s qualify of life. With mentors in 38 countries around the world, services include a toll-free hotline, medical grants, parent mentors and conferences. It is dedicated to the recovery of children with autism spectrum disorders by providing guidance and support for medical treatment to directly improve the child’s quality of life for all families in need. www.generationrescue.org