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Donate to Support Firefighting Hero Brandon Smith's Recovery, organized by Emily Blake

Let me tell you about a firefighting hero...who lost his Altadena home in the Eaton Fire. I had the absolute privilege of meeting Brandon Smith in 2017 while working at the LA Area Chamber of Commerce in its education, talent development, and smart justice departments. Brandon co-founded the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program in 2015. His organization works at the intersection of workforce development, criminal justice, and climate crisis by supporting formerly incarcerated firefighters in transitioning home and finding employment in the fire and forestry industry. FFRP co-founders, Brandon Smith and Royal Ramey, were some of the successful few to make the challenging transition from Fire Camp to professional careers within the US Forest Service and CAL FIRE. It took them both 11+ months to find employment after being released from prison. Brandon and Royal understood that lack of employment opportunities are one of the leading causes for recidivism. They created FFRP to ease this pathway for others who shared their lived experiences. FFRP is proud to stay that it maintains a 10% rate of recidivism across the 200+ placed in employment, compared to the California state average of 41.9% and National average of 82%. We are living through Los Angeles' most destructive wildfire to date. The Eaton Fire spread quickly through the Altadena neighborhood, destroying Brandon and his family's home with all their belongings. Brandon Smith is an absolute hero. During this time when many of us feel so helpless to stop the toll of human suffering these fires are causing, I wanted to do a little something to help support Brandon and his family. It's 4am and the third night of team LA no sleep, so I hope this is description is coherent. Brandon - you're truly a California treasure! Thank you for your leadership in helping people find purpose and redemption through firefighting service. Please donate generously to this hero and his family. Update 1/14: I have helped nonprofits and for-profits ask for money through grants since 2011. Business leaders often have a hard time asking for money for their great ideas. Brandon has grown as a nonprofit leader as a co-founder of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program and applies for grants in service of their mission to help others. I talked to Brandon this morning and he was so grateful I started this GoFundMe because he would never have started this campaign for himself. It is incredibly hard to ask for money for ourselves, especially when so many are in need. And having cash on hand is the greatest tool to help people who lost everything from these fires in navigating the crisis immediately. Additionally, I learned that Brandon's extended family lost their homes as well. This fundraiser will support his family, his grandparents, and additional family members. Funds will be used to cover temporary needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. This immediate access to cash on hand is so important to help families meet crisis needs now. Being the community driven, thoughtful, and giving leader he is, if we overshoot the goal, he will steward the rest of the money to help his neighbors and community of Altadena who are also navigating this crisis. Please know donating to this campaign will benefit Brandon, his family, his neighbors and the beloved Los Angeles community of Altadena. Through this tragedy and beyond, may we remember we belong to each other. -Emily Blake, MSW Read more

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Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website?

Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website and How We Support Other GoFundMe Campaigns

At LFEBridge Foundation, we are dedicated to creating a platform where individuals and organizations can maximize their fundraising efforts. As part of our commitment to supporting a wide range of causes, we incorporate articles and URLs from GoFundMe into our website. Here’s why you might see GoFundMe content on our site, how it benefits the fundraising community, and our relationship with GoFundMe:

1. Amplifying Reach for Fundraising Campaigns

Increased Visibility: By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our platform, we help increase the visibility of various fundraising campaigns. This additional exposure can attract more donors and supporters, helping campaigns achieve their goals more quickly.
Cross-Promotional Opportunities: Highlighting campaigns from GoFundMe allows us to support a broader spectrum of causes and connect with a wider audience. This cross-promotion benefits both the campaign organizers and potential donors looking for causes to support.

2. Supporting Campaign Growth

Advertising and Promotion: We understand the importance of visibility in successful fundraising. By showcasing GoFundMe campaigns, we provide an advertising platform that helps these campaigns reach potential donors who might not have discovered them otherwise.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with GoFundMe and featuring their campaigns on our site strengthens the fundraising ecosystem, ensuring that worthwhile causes receive the attention and support they deserve.

3. Expanding Donor Networks

Broader Donor Base: Featuring a variety of campaigns from different platforms helps diversify and expand the donor base. This means more people can learn about and contribute to a variety of causes, ultimately driving higher engagement and donations.
Enhanced Outreach: By integrating GoFundMe content, we help campaigns tap into new networks and communities, broadening their reach and potential impact.

How We Help Other GoFundMe Campaigns Grow

1. Featured Campaigns Section

Highlighting Noteworthy Campaigns: We have a dedicated section on our website where we feature noteworthy GoFundMe campaigns. This not only gives these campaigns a spotlight but also encourages visitors to explore and contribute to them.
Rotating Features: To ensure a diverse range of campaigns get visibility, we regularly rotate the featured campaigns. This continuous update keeps the content fresh and engaging for our audience.

2. Social Media Promotion

Sharing Across Platforms: We share selected GoFundMe campaigns on our social media channels to reach a broader audience. Our followers, in turn, can share these posts, amplifying the reach even further.
Engagement Strategies: Utilizing effective engagement strategies, such as storytelling and compelling visuals, we enhance the appeal of these campaigns, driving more traffic and donations.

3. Email Newsletters

Campaign Highlights: Our email newsletters often include highlights of impactful GoFundMe campaigns. By doing so, we bring these causes directly to the inboxes of our subscribers, encouraging more people to get involved and donate.
Donor Updates: We keep our donors informed about the progress and success of the campaigns they have supported, fostering a sense of community and continued engagement.

LFEBridge Foundation's Independence

It’s important to clarify that LFEBridge Foundation is an independent entity and is not part of or affiliated with GoFundMe. While we feature and support GoFundMe campaigns on our site, we operate as a separate foundation dedicated to collecting donations for various causes, similar to GoFundMe. Many of these causes are displayed on our website to provide donors with a wide range of options to support.

Conclusion

By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our website, LFEBridge Foundation supports a wide array of fundraising campaigns, helping them gain the visibility and donations they need to succeed. Through our promotional efforts and strategic partnerships, we aim to create a robust and supportive environment for all fundraising initiatives.

For more information on how we support fundraising campaigns or to explore featured campaigns, visit https://LFEBridge.com or contact us at support@lfebridge.com.

Read entire article on GoFundMe.com