When the Internet became a viable platform for business ventures, many of us saw the enormous opportunity for growth and change. Using this to our advantage, OrbitalPay quickly became a merchant services leader in the payment processing arena.
With financial good fortune, I have always believed comes the responsibility to care for those in need. During a speech in Scotland in 1908, Mr. Winston Churchill uttered the following words: “What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?” I have spent much of my adult life keeping this message at the forefront of everything I do.
Often, charitable people are overwhelmed with the task of vetting each organization that requests a financial contribution in attempt to identify which entities will use those donations in the most helpful manner.
Often, charitable people are overwhelmed with the task of vetting each organization that requests a financial contribution in attempt to identify which entities will use those donations in the most helpful manner. This is one of the reasons I decided in 2011 to create Never Forgotten Foundation, a non-profit organization with the sole purpose of giving back.
With many nonprofits, financial donations are often broken down and distributed to cover administrative costs meaning only a portion of funds actually go toward the cause. I wanted to ensure that Never Forgotten Foundation was different. I have become a master of running a lean, low-cost, high-yield business structure over the years and am happy to be able to say that 100 percent of donations received are extended to those in need.
Since Never Forgotten Foundation’s inception, we, along with the volunteer efforts of our dedicated staff, have donated more than 100,000 meals to Los Angeles and Orange County residents in need. Both of my children have grown up to incorporate the philanthropic attitude into their own lives.
My daughter, Samantha, spent an entire year ensuring orphaned children in Ethiopia were not forgotten. Scott, my son, helped to organize and charter a private jet filled with food and medical supplies to help with disaster relief efforts in Haiti following the massive earthquake in 2010 that devastated the nation. Treating others with compassion is a life passion for me and I am most proud that I was able to instill this in my children as well as cultivate it in each of my business ventures.
You may recall being a part of the Ice Bucket Challenge, a campaign aimed at curing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS. That effort became a viral video sensation with everyone from Brett Favre to Bill Gates to the President of the U.S. doing their part. While many people watched those videos, few are aware that the Ice Bucket Challenge actually raised more than $41.8 million in donations. According to the New York Times, in just the first two months, 700,000 new donors helped to double the $19.4 million that the association received during the prior year. It was an incredible success and their effort continues to generate good will to this day.
This summer, OrbitalPay will be sponsoring a fundraising effort through a partnership with Never Forgotten Foundation called Cartwheels of Compassion. The Cartwheels of Compassion campaign will generate important funding for five causes close to our hearts — breast cancer research, childhood leukemia, veteran aid, drug abuse recovery and assistance for victims of domestic violence. To learn more about these efforts and find out how you can participate in the Cartwheels of Compassion campaign, please visit NeverForgottenFoundation.com and the OrbitalPay Facebook page. This will be a fun campaign that everybody will flip over!
Steve Bryson is CEO of OrbitalPay, which offers a premier gateway billing solution as well as merchant accounts with competitive rates for all business types.