Q&A: Global Empowerment Mission Founder Michael Capponi Talks Partnerships & Initiatives

Photography by Richard Alvarez, Daniel Rodriguez on February 22nd, 2021 in Editorials, Lifestyle

Global Empowerment Mission Founder Michael Capponi Talks Partnerships & Initiatives from World Red Eye Films on Vimeo.

Miami, FL – February 22, 2021 – Global Empowerment Mission is a nonprofit organization founded by Michael Capponi in 2011 as a first responder to global disasters. For two decades, the team has assisted in over 284 missions around the world from the 1999 Kosovo Crisis, earthquake in Haiti in 2010, to the current 2020 pandemic. Following the completion of immediate response, and recognizing the continued need for support, GEM began to bridge the gap between first response and sustainable development. In 2017, GEM began operating Bethenny Frankel’s #BStrong initiative, which fills this need by supplying unrestricted cash card distributions allowing beneficiaries to meet their individual needs. This partnership disrupts disaster response while activating and influencing the global community by going above and beyond real time emergency assistance to individuals and their families. GEM’s newest initiative involves assisting those affected by the Texas winter blackout through a new partnership with NCS Group, led by CEO Ignas Jurkonis, where NCS is providing their Unlimited Carrier fleet to BStrong and GEM for domestic trucking needs currently including the transport of their items from Miami to Texas.

The organization works as a first responder for disaster relief, bridges the gap between first response and sustainable development, and implements practices to ensure sustainable development. In addition to the three planned phases, GEM operates year-round programming that focuses on school and home reconstruction, education and empowerment, and environmental and health programs. The program goals are to bring people back to normalcy and elevate communities beyond the cycle of disaster response. The outcome of these programs are to provide long-term redevelopment, which mitigates the psychosocial impact of displacement. These programs create independence through sustainable initiatives as the communities have a vested interest in the programs and overtime grow and improve them on their own.

World Red Eye met up with GEM Founder, Michael Capponi, at their 60,000 sq ft. HQ warehouse here in Miami to get a closer look at the organization’s current efforts and discuss the changes they have been able to make to date. Read the full Q&A below.

Ignas Jurkonis & Michael Capponi

WRE: What is GEM’s main focus these days? How much aid have you distributed to date?

Michael Capponi: Supporting Disaster struck areas and also rebuilding education is our main focus. To date we’ve distributed $83,000,000 in aid, including what we’re doing for Texas.

WRE: How many countries and states have you supplied?

MC: 28 countries, all 50 states.

Ignas Jurkonis & Michael Capponi

WRE: What have you done for Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas to date?

MC: Evacuated over 850 people, sent 30 planes with emergency supplies, sent 24 barge runs with over 5M pounds of supplies including rebuilding materials and food for almost a year. We’ve also helped repaired 120 homes, completely rebuilt 3 schools, removed plastic from communities, and brought 200 laptops to students.

WRE: Tell us about these new family kits that you have created. Who will receive them?

MC: The aid industry is sometimes in disarray. There’s too much random things showing up at distribution sites and many times it’s not what people really need. These boxes are carefully designed to give a family of 5 the basic necessities to survive: food, hygiene, and COVID-19 protective gear.

Ignas Jurkonis & Michael Capponi

Getting supplies to areas within days is key to what we do.

Michael Capponi

WRE: Tell us about this exciting partnership with NCS Group?

MC: Getting supplies to areas within days is key to what we do. NCS Group has a fleet of 500 full size semi-trucks. These trucks will now be at our full disposal so that we can properly scale our operations.

WRE: We see on your website finance page that unlike most non profits, your corporate overhead is less than 3% annually. How are you able to do that?

MC: We run a tight ship. There’s only a handful of full time executive staff that works 24/7 because they understand the importance of what we do. The goods in the boxes are mostly donated; they are assembled by daily volunteers who work in our warehouse 5 days a week.

Ignas Jurkonis & Michael Capponi

Michael Capponi & Ignas Jurkonis

WRE: Is it true that over 60,000 various individuals have donated to GEM in the last 2 years? How did you assemble this massive network of supporters?

MC: All by divine order. Interesting how all the contacts I made in nightlife for 25 years are now used to doing food things. Add that with Bethenny Frankel’s network, her media reach and her powerhouse donors and we have created an engine that is very well oiled today. We’re able to launch a fundraising campaign, raise funds and get aid to a disaster all within 24 to 72 hours. That’s an art we have been perfecting for 20 years now.

Michael Capponi & Ignas Jurkonis

We’re able to launch a fundraising campaign, raise funds and get aid to a disaster all within 24 to 72 hours. That’s an art we have been perfecting for 20 years now.