Tampa Bay's Only Multinational Foundation Launched 2016 Annual
Fundraising Campaign by Giving Donors the Opportunity to
Sustain an Actual Heartbeat
The #TweetABeat Campaign Kick-off, Resulted in a 55% Increase in
Donations Over the 2014 Campaign
December 3, 2015, Tampa, FL – On Tuesday, December 1, 2015, the Tampa-based nonprofit, Heartbeat International Foundation (HBI), successfully launched its 2016 Annual Fundraising Campaign with an online initiative called #TweetABeat. Visitors to HBI’s Website were encouraged to “Tweet” their decision to contribute a monthly financial gift to sustain the actual heartbeats of a third world patient.
The Foundation’s inventive 24-hour crowdsourcing initiative coincided with the 4th anniversary of Giving Tuesday – a global movement to create a national day of giving on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving.
Every year more than one (1) million people in the developing world die or struggle to go about their daily lives, because they cannot afford a pacemaker. Heartbeat International, a 501(c)(3) global humanitarian organization, saves lives by providing pacemakers, and associated medical care, free of cost, to under privileged patients worldwide. Since its establishment in 1984, by the late Dr. Henry D. McIntosh of Lakeland and Dr. Federico Alfaro of Guatemala, HBI has saved and improved the lives of over 14,000 needy patients in 30 developing countries! On June 18, 1986, Heartbeat International was recognized by President Ronald Reagan at the White House and awarded a presidential citation. This recognition was a part of a program that President Reagan established to stimulate private sector initiatives that promoted social responsibility.
HBI’s mission is made possible with the support of medical device companies such as BIOTRONIK, Boston Scientific, Medtronic and St. Jude Medical. In 2010, HBI formed a unique partnership with German cardiovascular device developer BIOTRONIK, whose generosity has helped HBI save more lives per year than ever before, with more than 5,600 product donations in the past five years. BIOTRONIK Employees also contributed $5,000 toward the #TweetABeat campaign launch.
“We have a small staff and a small annual budget,” said Laura DeLise, Executive Vice President of HBI. “However, while our 2016 Annual Fundraising Campaign is needed to help build capacity, of more value is the awareness created for our mission to combat Heart Disease. Our staff and Board of Directors set a powerful example as each one has made a campaign pledge.”
According to HBI’s Chairman & CEO, Dr. Benedict S. Maniscalco, “for this one day, #TweetABeat helped our online global followers, medical partners, volunteers, and staff feel the power of pulling together as a community. The result can only be described as inspirational.”
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Contact:
Frank Marangos
813.259.1213
fmarangos@heartbeatsaveslives.org
Vice President of Development
Local Foundation Launches International #TweetABeat Campaign
For Giving Tuesday, Tampa Bay's Only Multinational Foundation Embarks
on an Initiative that Gives Donors the Opportunity to Sustain an Actual Heartbeat
November 17, 2015, Tampa, FL – Tampa, Fla - On Tuesday, December 1, 2015, the Tampa-based nonprofit, Heartbeat International Foundation (HBI), will launch its 2015-16 #TweetABeat campaign. On the 4th anniversary of Giving Tuesday, visitors to HBI’s Website will be encouraged to “Tweet” their decision to contribute a monthly financial gift to sustain the actual heartbeats of a third world patient.
Every year more than one (1) million people in the developing world die or struggle to go about their daily lives, because they cannot afford a pacemaker. Heartbeat International, a 501(c)(3) global humanitarian organization, saves lives by providing pacemakers, and associated medical care, free of cost, to under privileged patients worldwide. Since its establishment in 1984, by the late Dr. Henry D. McIntosh of Lakeland and Dr. Federico Alfaro of Guatemala, HBI has saved and improved the lives of over 14,000 needy patients in 30 developing countries! On June 18, 1986, Heartbeat International was recognized by President Ronald Reagan at the White House and awarded a presidential citation. This recognition was a part of a program that President Reagan established to stimulate private sector initiatives that promoted social responsibility.
HBI’s mission is made possible with the support of medical device companies such as BIOTRONIK, Boston Scientific, Medtronic and St. Jude Medical. In 2010, HBI formed a unique partnership with German cardiovascular device developer BIOTRONIK, whose generosity has helped HBI save more lives per year than ever before, with more than 5,600 product donations in the past five years.
“We are dedicated to developing high-quality technology that saves and improves lives for people with severe cardiac conditions, and we also embrace our social responsibility to help ensure access to that technology, well beyond any business considerations,” said Manuel Ortega, Senior Vice President at BIOTRONIK. “The #TweetABeat campaign helps each participating donor do exactly that for a needy patient, and we’re proud to support it.”Giving Tuesday is a global movement to create a national day of giving. Each year, on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Heartbeat International invites philanthropic-minded individuals around the world to focus on one common purpose – to celebrate the heart-sustaining power of generosity.
According to HBI’s Chairman & CEO, Dr. Benedict S. Maniscalco, MD, the #TweetABeat pledge/donation options are based on the daily heartbeats (100,000) of a healthy heart. A healthy human heart beats an estimated 70 times a minute. Over the course of an average lifetime, the heart beats up to 3 billion times. By becoming a #TweetABeat donor,” Maniscalco promises, “individuals can personally extend life and help alleviate unnecessary global suffering!” “Now that’s something to TWEET about!”
Contact:
Frank Marangos
813.259.1213
fmarangos@heartbeatsaveslives.org
Vice President of Development
