1 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: I want to talk about be strong. My relief effort 2 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: takes me a couple of hours to decide how we 3 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: can activate and how we can help. We are at war. 4 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: It has been very challenging in the sense that you 5 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: say something and then you get attacked. Because I've been 6 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: so vocal and involved an instrumental in relief work around 7 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 1: the world for many years now. I started something and 8 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: I keep getting deeper. We started and I couldn't get 9 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: rain boots or flip flops. Literally, I was trying to 10 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: get Havana's flip flops and Catherine mattresses, and I remember 11 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: rain boots for Hurricane Harvey, which was my first relief effort, 12 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: and people were turning me away. And I ended up 13 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: doing a three hundred thousand dollars relief effort with money 14 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: and in kind, which was very hard to get, but 15 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 1: I scrounged it together. And that was when I realized 16 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: that cash cards would be a great model overall, because 17 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: people want the dignity and the freedom to buy what 18 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:22,839 Speaker 1: they want. So the money that we raised in many 19 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: of our relief efforts have been for cash cards in 20 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: certain scenarios. In most scenarios, there's a ground zero prior 21 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: to cash cards. Like, the real destitute and desperation is 22 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: when it's ground zero is what I call it, because 23 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: you're not even at baseline. You're at basic human needs. 24 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,919 Speaker 1: You're at mothers have formula, Do they have band aids? 25 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: Do they have wipes? Do they have toothbrushes? Do they 26 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: have hydration packets? You know, we're not at kids backpacks 27 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: and toys and chargers. We're not at construction materials, which 28 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: comes later in the rebuild. It's really very much like 29 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: you're starting to get to ground zero. So the cash 30 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: cards aren't in places until they have electricity and water 31 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,079 Speaker 1: and things like that. So we've been all around the world, 32 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: from Guatemala to Mexico to Puerto Rico, to the Bahamas 33 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: to where my team is still in Maui, in Poland 34 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: and Ukraine. I mean, it's really it's remarkable. And we've 35 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: done over three hundred million dollars in relief worldwide. And 36 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: we do not have pamphlets, we do not have rubber 37 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: chicken dinner charity events, we don't hire singers, we don't 38 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: have linens and flowers and any bells and any whistles, 39 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: and literally money walks in the door. Now I used 40 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: to beg. I used to beg, and now if I 41 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: decide I'm activated, money comes in. And it could start 42 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: with fifty thousand, with one hundred thousand on the first day, 43 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: and then somebody big will come in. It could be 44 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 1: Billy Joel, which it's been. It could be Matthew McConaughey, 45 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: which it's been. It could be David and Nicole Tepper 46 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: who owned the Carolina Panthers, which it's been. It could 47 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: be billionaires, it could be you know, companies and different celebrities. 48 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: And it's every time because people are passionate about different things. 49 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 1: But lo and behold. If I get really activated and 50 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: something is really important to you guys, and it's really 51 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: a tragedy, like what's going on right now in Israel, 52 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: someone will step forward and like the match. That's Nicole 53 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: and David Tepper, who you should think publicly and tag 54 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,679 Speaker 1: the Carolina Panthers. They don't ask for any credit. They 55 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: are chill. They are always wearing like jeans and T 56 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 1: shirts and sweatpants in the Hamptons, and they don't ask 57 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: for any credit. I just give it because they deserve it. 58 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: We've had brands like kind bar and delta and away 59 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: suitcases and drip drop and hydration packets and lumber and 60 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: everybody comes in. The point is you establish yourself in 61 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: the beginning and then people come to you, and it's 62 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: extremely remarkable. It's extremely I'm extremely fortunate. It's very hard 63 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: to go asking people for money, and when you get 64 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: the reputation that people just want to hand it to 65 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: you because I know one hundred percent is going straight 66 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: to the effort. There's no bus, no begging, no advertising. 67 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: It's called money to the people. And I'm very proud. 68 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: And it's very gnarly. It's very gnarly because every single day, 69 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: all day long, we're having conversations about things that are sensitive. 70 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: You're talking about topics that are sensitive. You're talking about 71 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: is it Republican or Democrat. People want you to complain 72 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 1: and get political, and you don't want to do that 73 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 1: because we're about helping people. And then it becomes criticism, 74 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: why aren't you doing this, and why aren't you putting 75 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: the money there? And why didn't you do this? And 76 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: then it becomes posting, why didn't you post about Israel yet? 77 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 1: Why didn't you stand with Israel yet? When I've been 78 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: head down and you know, raised almost seven hundred and 79 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: fifty thousand dollars in two days with a goal of 80 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: a million dollars. And I am preparing to go down 81 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: to Florida to visit my warehouse to show you guys 82 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: where all of this aid lives like a costco, and 83 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 1: how the process works, and that we didn't have a 84 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: warehouse when I started years ago. We I did the 85 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: three hundred thousand dollars for Harvey, and then I wanted 86 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 1: to do something for Puerto Rico. I spent my own 87 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: I think it was like twenty thirty thousand dollars to 88 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: get down to Puerto Rico and fill a plane. And 89 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: I in the beginning used to be on every relief trip, 90 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: like in Guatemala, in Mexico, and and then I became 91 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: more instrumental in like moving all the streets, the strings, 92 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: Like I've got a team that is always on the 93 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: ground and flying into Malle and flying into Poland and Ukraine, 94 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: and this is what they do. And I often feel 95 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: guilty like why I should be there, and like then 96 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: I've got britann and I'm not going to bring her 97 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: into New Orleans during the or the playing the flights 98 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: get canceled because we're going into a hurricane zone and 99 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: like you know, and Paul was like, you are you 100 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: the prechairman of Coca Cola isn't putting the liquid into 101 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: every bottle? Like You're better served making all the decisions 102 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 1: like running the messaging. And I realize that Michael and 103 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: I are the greatest partnership ever. Global Global Empowerment Mission 104 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: is his five oh one C three and his five 105 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 1: oh one C three is rated very high on Charity Navigator, 106 00:05:55,680 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 1: and it allows for the infrastructure and the very small 107 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: staff of volunteers and being completely lead. And there's a 108 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: small percentage that goes to salaries and building and rent 109 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,799 Speaker 1: and all that stuff. And you tell the partners up front. 110 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 1: So for example, if David and Nicole Tepper are donating, 111 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 1: they decide they know what percentage is going to salaries 112 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: and rents, et cetera. Be Strong as an initiative. Any 113 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: money donated to be Strong, none of that goes to 114 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: salaries or any of that stuff. I came in, I said, 115 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 1: there can be no gray area. I'm a public person. 116 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: One hundred percent needs to go to the effort. So 117 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: if you donate to be Strong, one hundred percent goes. 118 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,359 Speaker 1: But there are people that are business people like in 119 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,719 Speaker 1: Nicolon David Temper, that realize that you need to pay people. 120 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: You can't people work. People in philanthropy work seven days 121 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 1: a week, eighteen hour days. Do not criticize charities that 122 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: have a good rating on Charity Navigator where it's a 123 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 1: reasonable percentage, because you don't want people that you don't 124 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: want volunteers three hundred sixty five days a year. You 125 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: know what kind of people you'll have, people come and go. 126 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: You don't want a revolving door, want rock solid people 127 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 1: that do take a reasonable and fair salary. And you 128 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 1: just want to make sure that the whole charity's overhead 129 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:09,279 Speaker 1: is legit, and you can look that up. But my 130 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: money that comes through to be Strong goes one hundred 131 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: percent to the effort. But there are times that someone 132 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: wants to donate a lot and I tell them, you know, 133 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: it's not the sexy charity Global Impairment Mission, because they 134 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: have a percentage that goes to the infrastructure, which has 135 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: to and a lot of people want to underwrite that 136 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: because they realize that that's the nuts and bolts of it, 137 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: that's the people on the ground. So it's just you 138 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: got to get educated and you have to work with 139 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: people that are transparent and the big orgs, most of 140 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 1: the big orgs, they've called us to help them. Puerto Rico, 141 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 1: two big celebrities wanted to spend thirty thousand dollars to 142 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: take planes. Guess what they call the big one, the 143 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: big one that you guys always think about, where they 144 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: have like crazy overhead and a ridiculous amount of money 145 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: never gets to the people because it's bullshit. They told 146 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 1: those celebrities to call us. They couldn't help them. I'm like, 147 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: we're nobody. How a fuck can't you help them? So 148 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: it's gnarly, it's aggressive. You're always sort of on the 149 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: edge of your seat and scared. But it's going very well. 150 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: And I'm going to my warehouse and we will be 151 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 1: sending cargo planes filled with aid. That is not where 152 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: the million dollars that we will raise will go. The 153 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: million dollars will be distributed to families and there will 154 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: likely be refugees, and that will be a whole different effort. 155 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: But in ground zero right now, this is the effort 156 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: of us loading cargo planes to go into Israel and 157 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: distribute aid that we get donated that is in our 158 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: costco size warehouse year round. So just felt like ranting 159 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: today and giving you a little education on be strong 160 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: and what we do