What has 2018 brought me? I have been saying this for a while now, that every year has gotten better than the last, and this one didn’t disappoint. For starters, I got married to the most beautiful, wonderful and loving person in the world. There were so many incredible little moments and events leading up to what was the greatest day of my life. For those that played apart in the journey, you know who you are, and we can’t thank you enough. Alex, you make me a better person and I can’t wait to continue this lifelong adventure together. On an HPF level, well… I feel like I have been stalling to get to this because I don’t know where to begin. 2018 was a year of growth and progress for the organization. It was like watching a young man or woman start to understand what strength they possess to make a difference and we all witnessed HPF start to blossom. This year, we had our first anti-bullying event. It was a special night for kids at a showing of the “Black Panther” movie which was an opportunity to connect with children on the impact of bullying in a fun, educational and entertaining manner. We also had our first large-scale fundraiser, The Orange Tie Affair. It was a stunning night of music and stories for healing at the Camden Adventure Aquarium. The work that our team did on what was the first large scale collaborative effort is noticed when you have a media presence and a buzzing of sponsorships in line for April of 2019. The OTA is strategically held during Child Abuse Prevention Month because it provides us the opportunity to share the stories of heroes that have come forward, while showcasing the strength of many. There were a handful of other events that embody what it is that HPF stands for, that we were able to host. We had our first Brews against Bruises event during October, which is domestic violence month. The funds that were raised during Brews against Bruises, allowed HPF to achieve one of its original objectives, the ability to support other organizations that are aligned with ourmission on a financial level. This year for #GivingTuesday, we were able to drop off a check to Avanzar, a women’s shelter in Atlantic City, NJ. As we grow, we look forward to helping out numerous organizations that are doing tremendous work. Last, but certainly not least, HPF stepped to the forefront of digital innovation in the non-profit world with not just the release of a new website, but also introducing HPF Pulse. Pulse is making it easier for people to find help and in future iterations; we will create a community where heroes can share how they are overcoming obstacles. Pulse allows us to talk about abuse on a greater scale, which we believe is the next step in eradicating abuse. There were so many other heroes we were able to help on an individual level, but that we won’t name out of respect for their privacy. Thank you for your bravery and trusting in HPF. Your stories will help others. I cannot wait to see what 2019 holds. The Humanity Preservation Foundation is positioned for great success and will be at the forefront of navigating what could be a very enlightening time. I can’t thank our supporters enough. Friends. Family. Strangers. Loved ones. Heroes. You all are playing a part and it makes me so thankful to see so many Orange Hearts. My best to what will be an incredible 2019! Charles “Buddy” Custer Executive Director / Co-Founder
Executive Director Letter 2016
Ladies & Gentlemen, If you are reading this then congratulations – you have done the impossible. You survived 2016 and all that it was. There was a lot of chaos out there, but there was also a lot of love & kindness being shared. HPF as an organization witnessed this first hand through the number of people we helped (children and adults), the number of impressions we made and the amount of money that we raised. Spoiler alert: all were our highest totals since we founded this thing back in 2013. That does not happen without your participation and there is only more to come in 2017. The first couple of years at HPF were spent doing our homework. If you remember my first year-end letter, I spoke a lot about the shocking number of children that fall victim to abuse before the age of 18 (1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys.) Those numbers still exist today, but what has changed is the number of people that are willing to have a conversation. This year as an organization we presented to the highest total of schools, rotary clubs, businesses and other organizations that we ever have. Organizations that wanted to hear about how to prevent abuse and who wanted to know how they could help make a difference. These organizations realize that the fight cannot be fought alone and that “It is Not Okay”. For a while there was just a few of us fighting the good fight at HPF. This year we focused on expansion and building our team. We are now at over 25 volunteers who have all bought into the mission of preventing interpersonal violence. To see the level of involvement and the effort that this team brings on a daily basis is tremendous. I am so proud to be a part of this family – this family of individuals who all bring their own unique story. It is absolutely fascinating. Of course, with great people comes great work and that is exactly what we did. In 2016 we built the framework and launched tremendous educational/prevention programs. In April, we launched the first ever 30 for 30 series during Child Abuse Awareness Month. For all 30 days during the month of April, a different story was posted. There were some great stories that not only came from external sources, but also a few from our internal volunteers. No matter where they came from, each story had a focus on how to prevent abuse. We also introduced our weekly feel good blog posts – which quickly became my favorite weekly read and the DEFINED series. The DEFINED series will provide an educational spin on exactly what Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Bullying are. This year was also the introduction of our first media campaign. Our media team consisting all of volunteers, collaborated to develop a series of videos all with a focus on raising awareness and highlighting that “There is No Better Time Than Now”. What that means, is there is no better time than now to start having conversations, to volunteer, to donate, to get involved, to stand up for something that is bigger than all of us. The “There is No Better Time Than Now” campaign served as a launch platform for the HPF Ambassador Program. The Ambassador Program is a simple way for individuals in their communities to get involved by representing and promoting our mission to prevent bullying, domestic violence and child abuse. Each ambassador brings a unique perspective and a wonderful story of why they want to be involved. The platform is in place and we look forward to seeing this program grow on a National level. I encourage you get involved and find out how you can help in your community. On the tail end of the Ambassador Program launching came our #GivingTuesday efforts. #GivingTuesday has become a date recognized on an International level and something that we have participated in every year since our inception. I am sure you can guess, with a great team of volunteer support, this year was our best year yet. It was our best year for not only the total amount of money that was raised on #GivingTuesday, but also for the amount of people that we educated through a live school presentation by our Co-Founder and the distribution of our greatest prevention tool a newly designed website. Wrapping up what was already a successful 2016, came the release of the #OrangeChallenge. We admit, the #OrangeChallenge is a play off of the hugely successful #IceBucketChallenge. The Ice Bucket Challenge has single handedly done more for ALS research than any other program in such a short period of time. If we can mirror even a fraction of that, but for the prevention and awareness of the impact of sexual abuse on a child – we will make a difference. Keep an eye out for the Orange Peel Smiles out there and if you have a moment, post your own Orange Peel Smile with the hashtag #OrangeChallenge. There was a ton of great work on top of the aforementioned programs that occurred in 2016. Some small and some large programs, but all programs that had the intent of building a strong foundation for what is going to be a great 2017. 2017 will be focused on building all of our established programs while focusing on our 4 largest and main initiatives: The Oranges Application: an app that will revolutionize the way support is provided to victims and caregivers. Operation Disabled: a program that will incorporate wearable technology to help prevent non-communicative children from falling victim to abuse. The Safety Summit: an event/summit bringing together caregivers, educators and products that offer children safety all with the focus on keeping kids safe. HPF Virtual Reality: a story capitalizing on the VR platform that will offer a visual to the hardships and grey area that is created by abuse. The above initiatives will drive how we prevent
Executive Director Letter 2015
Greetings Everyone! As the final waning hours of 2014 begin to tick off the clock – I, like so many others, have been spending a lot of time reflecting on what a fantastic year it has been. On a personal level, I completely changed my life and moved to Wisconsin for a growth opportunity, leaving behind a tremendous network of family, friends and acquaintances (thank god for FaceTime). I took on the challenge of learning a new language, Spanish to be exact, and it has been quite the challenge to say the least (Aprender un nuevo idioma es difícil.) I also have been trying to be more present wherever I am and with whomever I am with. Being present has always been a struggle for me due to my short attention span and constantly running motor, but I believe it is very important to be ever-evolving as a person. Okay enough about me; let’s talk about what is truly important here – The Humanity Preservation Foundation, and the tremendous change we as an organization are attempting to make. In October, just a little over a year after co-founder Rhett Hackett and myself began this wonderful journey of attempting to prevent and educate those about the heinous acts of Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence and Bullying, we officially received our 501©(3) non-profit status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), deeming us an official non-profit organization. For those of you in the non-profit sector, who have gone through the process of attempting to receive status from the IRS, you know how long and arduous this can be. We were extremely fortunate to have a great organization in Philly Law Works provide thoughtful direction, and more importantly are ever indebted to Karolien Vandenberghe and the helping hand/guidance she provided. Karolien if you read this, THANK YOU from the bottom of our Orange Hearts! We couldn’t have done it without you. Secondly, HPF continues to be a presence in the public eye, raising awareness and educating everyone we possibly can. HPF presented to UPENN med students for the second year in a row and also took part in Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams’ second annual Violence Prevention Workshop. HPF was also able to bring on two official volunteers in Zack Rivera and Zachary Weintraut (I know – Zack attack). Zack R. has been providing his expertise in web design and marketing and Zack W. has come on in a Development Associate role, assisting in the development of some key initiatives we have planned for 2015 as well as assisting with fundraising. More to come! There was a theme here in this letter and that is that change, although sometimes difficult at first, is necessary for us to grow as people. Changing where you live, changing how you speak, changing how you interact with others, and changing perception/educating those on these difficult topics is necessary to see anything happen. From my general observations of 2014, I believe we as a race have really changed our viewpoints on Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence and Bullying/Harassment. These changes can be seen in the discussions that have come out some of the NFL abuse incidences, the assault incidences that occurred in India as well as the countless acts of bullying that are in the news every day. I truly believe the human race wants to do its part to make sure as a whole we are doing what is right and that we want to change. We at the Humanity Preservation Foundation will do everything in our power to make sure we can assist in this change. Thank you to each and every one of you that is doing your part to preserve humanity and cheers to an even greater 2015! Signed, Charles Custer Executive Director The Humanity Preservation Foundation
HPF will be featured on PHL 17’s “In Focus”
The Humanity Preservation Foundation will be featured on PHL 17’s “In Focus” with Steve Highsmith – slated to air on January 17th! HPF is positioning itself to make a difference in this world and we are looking forward to sharing our future plans and successes along the way. Watch for updates on when this interview will air!
Giving Tuesday
On this day of Giving Tuesday 2014, we hope that you will consider donating to the Humanity Preservation Foundation. We are dedicated and committed to the prevention and education of abuse in the form of Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence and Bullying so that those that have been victimized can heal and those that have not, can be protected. Your donation helps to fund our efforts to present into school systems, to parents, teachers, and children on these topics to help keep children safe! We hope that you will share in this effort and make a donation today!
4th anniversary of “200 Men Molested” On Oprah
Today marks the 4th anniversary of the landmark Oprah Winfrey Show that I had the honor to be on “200 Men Molested” It was the first time that I publicly spoke of my own personal story and speaking thereafter. My life changed forever that day in the best of ways! At that time, and going forward the outpouring of support from everyone has been amazing! The last 4 years have been incredible with new and exciting opportunities and I am so blessed! I dedicate today to the 199 other men who stood alongside me on that show – shattering the silence and breaking the shame! Today we honor those that have never had the opportunity or strength to stand or live within the silence – please keep them in your thoughts. If you have not had a chance to watch the show I have provided the link. Take a look and then have a conversation with your children, caregivers, and members in your community. We need to do something so that the innocence of children doesn’t continue to perish. Not sure what to ask or say? Shoot me a message and I would be happy to help you out! Together as a group we can make an impact. I am living proof of what a group of 200 men did four years ago! THANK YOU ALL! #oprahsmen #followtheorangeheart #protectourchildren
Round Table with RAPP featuring ISWAT and Walil
On Saturday, January 11th , – co-founder Rhett Hackett had the pleasure of being asked and participated in the inaugural radio show Down Town Hot Radio for the RAPP Show hosted by Andrea Johnson. Rhett, along with Torrance Young and Derrick Hook from ISWAT and Walil, an independent activist participated in a panel style talk show. The topic centered around today’s young men, the dangers they face, and why boys (who become men) don’t tell or speak up when they are affected by crisis or trauma. Speaking from the perspective of HPF’s mission, Rhett talked about child sexual abuse, domestic violence in the home, and bullying. It was discussed how these 3 things are intertwined with one another and the importance of educating young men so that they know – how to prevent these types of inhumane acts from happening, and that if they have been a victim of them, it is okay to speak up and get help. Additionally, the topic was rounded out by speaking to the subject of sex trafficking and how the number of children (boys included) are alarming. HPF also learned of ISWAT’s efforts in taking young men out of their urban environment and go camping – free electronics – so that kids can see that there is a bigger world beyond their everyday setting. It also provides them with the opportunity to come together as young men and be able to talk about issues. HPF is looking forward to learning more about this organization and broadcasting on RAPP in the future.
Executive Director Letter 2013
Hello Everyone, First and foremost, we want to thank every single one of you for making 2013 an incredible start to our journey. Since we started just six months ago, the Humanity Preservation Foundation has already spoken to 1,000’s of people about the effects abuse can have on everyone. We also have spoken to many about different ways to prevent these heinous acts from occurring in the future, but for that to become a reality, it will truly take a team effort. You are all apart of that team. I learned a lot in 2013 in regards to not just how many children are sexually abused before their 18th birthday (1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys) but also some of the simple things that can be done to prevent abuse from happening (eliminate one adult/one child situations, insist on background checks for employees, etc.). The prevention part is really not as difficult as some may think, it can be an ugly topic and it tends to scare some away, but in reality abuse is happening everyday and it shouldn’t take it happening to you, for you to want to do something about it. Pop quiz: How many of you can repeat how many girls and boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday without looking at the previous paragraph? That is the problem here, those numbers (1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys) are terrifying and should not be so easily overlooked. Something has to be done to prevent that. With 2014 beginning tomorrow, the future is bright for not only us at HPF, but every single one of you. Everyday we hear stories of people coming forward and either reporting acts of abuse that they have seen or been a victim of. I know this scares some of you and we as humans tend to take the “What is this world coming to?” approach, but really this should excite you. People are becoming aware of the effects abuse has on not only children, but everyone, and that is the first step in healing and preventing. 1 in 4 girls. 1 in 6 boys. Thank you all again and I wish every single one of you a Happy New Year and a healthy and happy 2014! Signed, Charles Custer HPF Executive Director The Humanity Preservation Foundation
GCASE & COMA present County Wide Professional Development Day
What do you get when you fill a lecture hall with 180+ educators, child study teams, and special needs education teachers? Co-Founder Rhett Hackett’s favorite kind of people to speak to, TEACHERS! This type of audience is at the core of every community – the school system. Most children at some point will come into contact with the folks that attended the conference November 6th 2013. Rhett had the opportunity to speak to them and tell them the story of his journey – overcoming child sexual abuse – and demonstrating that it is possible to heal, thrive, and inspire. Most importantly, provide tools and information on what to watch out for or how to teach children to protect themselves. The message that HPF took from attending the conference is that an HPF presence is indeed a good thing. When it came to Q & A after Rhett speaking – the flood of questions was amazing! It shows that people have questions that they finally get to answer, and that as a group we can all gain a better understanding of these horrible acts that happen to children when we work together. HPF would like to thank the following people; Kim DiPinto, Richard Gaydos, (Gloucester County, and NJCAP) and Mike Deninger from Male Survivor who presented as well.
Seth Williams’ Inaugural Violence Prevention Workshop
On Saturday, October 19th HPF had the opportunity to attend Philadelphia District Attorney Seth William’s Inaugural Violence Prevention Workshop. The workshops covered a variety of topics including Domestic Abuse, Self-Defense Techniques and Identifying and Preventing Sexual Abuse. Did you know that 8,000 women were turned away from the only shelter for women? Rhett Hackett and Miss Vicki from the Philadelphia Children’s Alliance hosted two lectures. Included were tips to protect children and an opportunity for Q&A along with story sharing. It was clear that when given the opportunity people have questions they want to ask and learn how to best keep children safe from child predators. DA Seth Williams wants to make these workshop available every year and is committed to make it happen! So HPF and the Orange Heart will be there. Will you?