The Brigade of Mercy
Pin It!In my previous write-up, I mentioned that I decided to establish a nonprofit organization of my own called The Brigade of Mercy. Well, this idea did not come about easily. I had a full-time job at a big financial institution with a great role and title, but this no longer appealed to me. After getting cancer, I had been reprogrammed to think about my purpose in life. I went on medical leave for a couple of months and hired a life coach who had been a dear friend and colleague of mine. She changed my life. She helped me sort things out and overcome my fear and uncertainty. She gave me the courage to move forward after being disoriented and in despair.
I went back to work and changed roles within the company hoping that things would get better. But I was getting frustrated. A few months later, I finally quit my job. My initial idea was to work for a nonprofit and give back to the community. However, my former boss, friend, and mentor gave me the courage to establish my own organization.
Two months after quitting my job, The Brigade of Mercy was officially registered in the state of Virginia along with a 501c3 status under the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). I formed a board, wrote the bylaws, built a website, and conducted my first ever fundraiser which was a tea party.
The Brigade of Mercy (BOM) is an impartial, neutral nonprofit that serves people of all races, nationalities, religions, and genders. Our mission is to provide charitable humanitarian relief to the destitute, homeless, orphans, refugees, and victims of war and other calamities. Charitable humanitarian assistance includes food, clothing, medicine, toiletries, toys, educational materials, and other items as needed. BOM strives to empower all, including women and children, to lead a life with dignity and honor. We provide immediate relief to people who have limited or no access to resources to stay alive, safe, and healthy. We strive to have an impact locally and globally, as our work has no boundaries. We are here to change the world and change one life at a time. Our slogan is Compassion Without Borders.
BOM is the product of a vision that took a few decades to come to life. BOM represents who I am. If you recall, throughout my childhood and adulthood, I travelled around the world, encountering people from different economic backgrounds. The people I met had different stories that touched my heart.
BOM is a volunteer run organization where 100% of the donations go directly to aid. All administrative costs are covered by our board members. Our model is not to provide money, but provide items that are needed by local schools, shelters, and other organizations. We also help internationally thanks to our networking circle where executive directors are based in the United States but work internationally to help, for example, people in Honduras, Jordan, Sierra Leone, and India. We do not ship items internationally as we know that the items will not pass customs due to corruption and black market. We work with the local executive directors who make sure that the donated items get to their international destinations through containers, medical missions, and special clearances. How do we ensure that the goods got there? We receive pictures and videos showing our success.
BOM is in its 3rd year and our journey has been unbelievable. More to come.
