WINE4GOOD Pink It Up Program Charities

 

Below is summary information about the charities we work with in our WINE4GOOD Pink It Up Program.  To learn more we encourage you to visit the charities' websites, contact the charities directly, or see the information on them in charity monitoring sites like Charity Watch or Charity Navigator.  Note that some of the charities we work with are smaller and may not have a rating or detailed profile on these charity monitoring sites because of their size.

 

Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Office Location - New York, New York

Location(s) Serving - Worldwide

How long as a charity – Since 1993

Percent of Donation used towards research - 88% goes to breast cancer research, 3% goes to awareness programs, 9% to overhead.

Mission - To prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world's most promising research

Facts - They provide critical funding for cancer research worldwide to fuel advances in tumor biology, genetics, prevention, treatment, and survivorship.  It is the highest rated breast cancer organization in the US with an A+ rating from CharityWatch, the only breast cancer organization AND cancer organization to receive the coveted A+ ranking.  They also received a 4 star rating from Charity Navigator, its 14th such designation since 2002.  Both charity watchdogs are considered the leaders in independent organizations which monitor charities.

Charity History - Foundation was started by Evelyn Lauder, daughter in law of cosmetic giant Estee Lauder.  In the early 90's, a breast cancer diagnosis inspired fear and little hope.  Scientific understanding of the nature of the disease and how it moved through the body was in its infancy.  Investigations on prevention strategies were fledgling, screening methods were limited and treatment options were few.  Evelyn Lauder and her close friend Dr. Larry Norton set out to change that notion.  They believed research was the way forwarded and founded BCRF on the belief that funding was the only obstacle standing between breast cancer and a cure.

They started by creating the signature pink ribbon, and launched the campaign within the Estee Lauder Companies.  The program distributed the ribbons along with self-exam instruction cards at Estee Lauder companies across the world, helping to raise awareness about the importance of breast health and effectively placing breast cancer at the forefront.  Today BCFR stands as a testament to her fierce dedication, keen intuition, and extraordinary vision.

 

 

Feel Your Boobies Foundation

Office Location - Middletown, Pennsylvania

Location(s) Serving - Nationwide

How long as a charity – Since 2004

Percent of Donation used towards research - Around 80% of donations go directly to mission programs with about 20% going to administration. 

Mission - Feel Your Boobies Foundation is a non-profit breast cancer organization that promotes proactive breast health to young women through strategic education & outreach programs. Their campaign & programs focus on education and outreach primarily for women under 40 (pre-mammogram age).

Facts – Feel Your Boobies Foundation originated and is located in Pennsylvania however they now provide services in 43 states and at over 200 campuses including Penn State. The Feel Your Boobies Foundation is the only national non-profit that focuses 100% on breast health education targeting young women under 40.

Charity History - Founder Leigh Hurst and got some background on the foundation. The foundation is focused on the under 40 population. Founder Leigh Hurst was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 33 and started making T-shirts and other items and donated the proceeds to American Cancer Research and some other foundations, but she found those foundations all focused on an older victim population and research - she saw an underserved and still at risk group in the younger demographics. Leigh decided to focus on creative ways to educate young people on college campuses about breast cancer and risk and screening that wouldn't necessarily be thinking about breast cancer at a young age. Leigh knew from unfortunate personal experience that many younger women don’t really think about getting tested or getting checked out because breast cancer is perceived as an older woman's disease. Many college campuses don't provide breast cancer awareness education because they don't have the funding to do it so Feel Your Boobies Foundation funds these campuses in order to provide breast cancer awareness in ways and via messaging that would appeal to and get the attention of college women and twenty-and-thirty-somethings. With younger people starting to "Feel their Boobies" it can lead to diagnosis at a much younger age and can reduce late diagnosed cancers and reduce the need for mastectomies and other radical procedures and improve survival chances.    

 

 

Linked by Pink

Office Location - Erie, Pennsylvania

Location(s) Serving - Areas within a 45 mile radius of Erie, Pennsylvania.

How long as a charity – Since 2008

Percent of Donation used towards research - Around 85% of donations are used for medical costs, travel costs, or living costs for patients.  Other 15% for overhead (overhead costs are mainly costs incurred to set up fundraisers or events).

Mission - To increase awareness of young breast cancer while raising funds to provide emotional and financial support for local patients and their families.

Facts - Linked by Pink uses the donations to financially assist patients with medical costs, travel costs to get treatment, and living expenses such as grocery cards and helps with utility and rent payments.

Charity History - Linked by Pink is a volunteer run, local non-profit organization consisting of Erie area survivors diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 45 founded by Heather Stempka.  In 2008 Heather was undergoing her second treatment after being diagnosed with breast cancer.  When she found herself on leave from her job, she fell back on her pastime of creating calendars as presents for her family.  She felt she would be able to raise some money for organizations and meet other breast cancer survivors like herself.  She was featured in her local cancer centers newscenter, and put a call out to other young breast cancer survivors to share their story in a calendar.  Nine local women answered that call, and with the help of a local photographer published their first calendar in August 2008.  To offset the costs of the calendar, they held a softball tournament in September of 2008 and donated the excess $2000 raised to the Regional Cancer Center, where many of them received treatment.  After realizing they could continue this effort, the Linked by Pink foundation was born.

As survivors they want to be an inspiration for patients just as someone was there for them when they needed it.  They don't want the patient to battle alone, since all of them were in their shoes, sometimes more than once.  They get together for monthly meetings in Erie, and have impromptu meetings if the need arises.  They are also involved in the community to raise breast cancer awareness to younger women by doing walks and fundraisers.