Michael Capponi

Altruism | Global Empowerment Mission “Keep love in your heart.“ @GEMmissions

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Meet @michaelcapponi, Founder & President of @GEMmissions. Michael’s humanitarian journey began in 1999 supporting relief efforts in Kosovo through Feed the Children. He later assisted victims of the 9/11 attacks through the Red Cross & served on the Executive Board of United Way

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Since dedicating himself full-time to GEM in 2019, he has helped grow the organization from a $150,000 annual charity into a global humanitarian organization exceeding $262 million in annual revenue.

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Michael has participated in 100s of humanitarian missions worldwide, deploying directly into disaster and conflict zones. He continues to combine entrepreneurial thinking with hands-on leadership to maximize impact, empower communities, & help people recover when need most.

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Maui Wildfires - Two-Year Impact & Recap

Today marks two years since the devastating wildfires that swept through Maui. This event was one of deadliest wildfires in U.S. history in over a century.
Fueled by extreme drought, dry vegetation, and powerful winds intensified by Hurricane Dora, the fires tore through historic Lahaina, leaving behind unprecedented destruction.
102 lives were lost in Lahaina, many perishing from flames, smoke inhalation, or drowning while trying to escape.

Over 2,200 structures were destroyed, with estimated damages exceeding $5.5 billion, making it one of the most destructive wildfires in global history.

This milestone serves as both a moment of remembrance and a reflection on how far we've come in rebuilding lives, homes, and hope.

Through our Smart Partnership model, here's some highlights on what we've been able to accomplish in the last 2 years. While most organizations came and went, GEM remained, forming an immediate local Hawaii-Pacific branch, employing locals, creating jobs and hope.

Thank you to our impact partners @Bethenny, @HandlerRich @jefferies, @stableroadfoundation, David and Nicole Tepper Foundation, @pbunitedway #st_vincent_de_paul_charity @edfreedman, @marcbell, @mauigarrett @mauibrewingco, @sailtrilogy, @treecoveryHI @countyofmaui and the @govhawaii Department of Human Services.

Our commitment in Maui will continue for years to come. Our branch is here to stay, not only serving Maui but any potential other disasters in the Hawaii-Pacific rim. To learn more and how you can help, please visit: https://t.co/UG6I4Wbeiz
#mauifires #maui #hawaii #bstrong

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

@CNN interview with @kaitlancollins on solutions to the complex problems inside #Gaza. @michaelcapponi

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

As 2024 comes to a close, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to every single one of you who supported GEM’s mission this year.

This year was filled with challenges — natural and man-made disasters impacted countless communities worldwide. Yet, through it all, one thing remained constant: GEM’s unwavering commitment to delivering aid swiftly and effectively. Our mission is clear: to reach the most people, with the most aid, in the shortest amount of time, and at the lowest cost to you, our valued donors.

In 2024, we distributed over $160 million in supplies and innovative programs across the globe. With 370 missions spanning 69 countries, GEM’s reach has grown like never before.

We’re excited to share our 2024 recap video, highlighting the impact of your generosity. None of this would be possible without you. As we look ahead, we invite you to support our 2024 Year-End Campaign, honoring the lives touched by our collective efforts this year.

Thanks to your contributions, GEM continues to prove that more impact is possible with less cost to donors. We’re proud to maintain a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator in all categories—Impact, Financial, Leadership, and Culture.

The need for global relief is greater than ever, and GEM is committed to expanding our reach to help even more people in more places. With your ongoing support, we will continue delivering critical aid efficiently, with less than 3.5% corporate overhead.

Join us in making a difference. Visit https://t.co/l9mGsRL31w to support our work in 2025 and beyond. #GemMissions #Bstrong #HGBF

With gratitude,
Michael Capponi
@michaelcapponi
GEM Founder & President

#globalempowermentmission
#globalempowermentmissioneur
#globalempowermentmissionua #globalempowermentmissionmena #globalempowermentmissionhawaii #globalempowermentmissionasia #globalempowermentmissionlatam
#globalempowermentmissionafrica

[Michael Capponi @michaelcapponi]

RT @GEMmissions: Today marks 1000 days since Russia invaded Ukraine. Today also marks 999 days since GEM has been on the ground assisting U…

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Today @GEMmissions #Bstrong in partnership with long time Western North Carolina artisan supporters #thehorseshoefarm, launched our Small Business and Artisan Relief Fund. This is a place where the mountains hold magic and the artisans are the soul of these communities. This fund will support hundreds of small businesses, artists, artisans and craftsmen whose livelihoods were washed away from Hurricane Helene. We need to raise a very minimum of $5 million just for this fund considering the hundreds of small businesses that are wiped out. It's time to slowly shift from Phase 1 (band aids) to Phase 2 sustainability (cure). Thank you @GMA
Please go to this bio-link to support: https://t.co/RxjNEU3B3G
Special thanks to @Bethenny @Panthers #davidandnicoletepperfoundation #hurricanehelene #flooding #NorthCarolina

[Michael Capponi @michaelcapponi]

Thank you. More coming all week.

[Nate Mook @natemook]

A major learning with modern climate disasters is the worst impact isn’t always where you’d expect. Big non-profits and US gov mobilized in Florida for Hurricane Helene’s landfall. Nobody prepared to respond in western North Carolina. As we saw with Florence in 2018, flooding is way worse than the winds. We need new models and new tactics to be ready for future storms—a FEMA 2.0. Thankfully, friends at @GEMmissions were able to get water & supplies into Asheville, NC today, the first to arrive. 🙏

[Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce @industryminja]

1/6...While on his way to a business mission to Latin America, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, Minister of @industryminja toured the Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) HQ in Miami today, July 17th.

@HillAubyn @AndrewHolnessJM @GEMmissions @michaelcapponi

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Community volunteers of all ages rallied together to assist the #globalempowermentmissionlatam ground team in unloading the aid and will begin assembling the GEM Family Necessities Kits. These efforts are in preparation for the distribution to those impacted by the catastrophic floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. To learn more about this mission, and how you can help please visit: https://t.co/bV7D5svbn4

#gemlatam #RioGrandeDoSul #Brazil #floods #NaturalDisasters #brazilfloods #humanitarian #humanitariancrisis #humanitarianaid #GEMmissions

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

This is the ribbon-cutting of another complete apartment building rebuild project that #globalempowermentmissionua just completed in the Myrotske village in Kyiv oblast. This project is a perfect example of our smart partnership model. @unhcr_ukraine supplied building materials, GEM paid labor and managed the project and some windows were replaced through our #GEM #HGBF window program.
50 residents from this building can now finally come home after staying in shelters or temporary housing since March 2022. @UNHCR Head, Karolina Lindholm Billing, Deputy Mayor of Bucha Dmytro Cheychuk, Deputy Governor of Kyiv Mykola Boyko as well as the residents of the building attended the opening along with our teams. The deputy head of Ukraine's Orthodox Church blessed the building for the residents. Now their healing process can start. When a survivor is in a temporary limbo state of being, it's harder for them to heal. Now they can start a new chapter in their lives.
Last year alone, the UN cluster report stated that GEM had placed over 78,000 people back into their homes through our repairs program. This also reverses a potentially larger refugee crisis by bringing people home to where they belong.
#ukraine #refugees #IDPs #HGBF @GEMmissions @refugees #ukrainerecovery

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

#GlobalEmpowermentMissiom Founder and President, @michaelcapponi receiving the “Order of Merit from St. Yuri the Victorious” granted by the Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and all Ukraine, (Head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.)
“Wherever I go in the world, I always try to go to Holy sites. They can be from any religion or even just naturally Divine places as God is in All Things.
I always have a few simple asks in my prayers. Mostly to have more Light into this world filled with darkness and pain,” Michael explained. @GEMmissions #Ukraine #GEM

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Snippets from just two Global Empowerment Mission and Howard G. Buffet Foundation distributions in the past two days out in Ukraine's oblast region. GEM Founder and President @michaelcapponi joined ground teams on distributions meeting families that live there. Simultaneously, with other team leads, we do a minimum of 20 to 30 like this per day along the entire 600 mile stretch of Ukraine's front lines in 6 oblasts. Tens of thousands of people are served daily. In March alone, 245 semi trucks of vital aid was delivered directly into people's hands. Over 3,5000 trucks have been delivered to date. Impact is all that matters. Please follow #globalempowermentmissionua on Instagram to see hourly updates on our various #GEM #HGBF programs inside Ukraine. These are all privately funded by HGBF. #GEMmissions @GEMmissions #Ukraine

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Today marks 6 months since Israel suffered its vicious attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023. We are one of two orgs supporting civilians affected by both sides of this conflict.

Here's our GEM - SmartAID Response
SUPPORTING EVACUEES ACROSS ISRAEL IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS:

⁃ 80,300 Evacuees supported.
⁃525,000 Hot meals provided.
⁃6 Safe Spaces established in Merhavim Municipality serving hundreds of children.
⁃3 Safe Spaces already renovated, serving farmers in Kibbutz Nir Oz, Kibbutz Be'eri and Kibbutz Cfar Aza with a plan to help 5 more Kibbutzim who were directly affected.
⁃6 Cargo planes with 250 TONS of Food & Non Food essentials were distributed in 6 affected cities and 49
Kibbutzim.
⁃245 volunteers provided 15,680 volunteer hours.
⁃3 logistical warehouses operated at full capacity for months in a partnership the Kibbutz Movement and the National Municipality System.
⁃Trauma Center offering counselling to hundreds of traumatised civilians from 15 Kibbutzim who were directly impacted.
⁃111 pallets valued at $1,681,810.42 sent from GEM HQ.
⁃Processed $1,986,462.70 for short-term incidental cash for Israelis living in shelters through our Israeli Evacuee fund.
⁃GEM also hosted Israeli-American families entering the United States through the US Government's evacuation planes in Tampa.

GEM & SmartAID have provided support to people from all walks of life who were impacted in Israel.

Among them Jews, Christians, Muslims, Ethiopians, Ukrainians and many more.

We at GEM wholeheartedly condemn the horrific attacks that took place & stand against all forms of terrorism. We pray for all hostages to be released immediately. #globalempowermentmission @smartaidint #stableroadfoundation #gemmissions

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

These snippets give you an idea of what our brave mission leads #globalempowermentmissionua do every day for the last two years in Ukraine.

They risk their lives delivering vital aid to families living in the front-line regions of this war.

These families struggle to survive under constant missile and artillery strikes. Despite the danger, our teams cover over 400 locations on a 600 mile stretch of the front-lines per month. We now distribute 225,000 GEM HGBF family necessities kits every month. To date, we have delivered over 2.3 M kits to Kharkiv, Summy, Kherson, Donetsk, Dnipro, Zaporizhia and Chernihiv oblasts.
We wanted you to honor our warriors not only in Ukraine but around the globe.
#globalempowermentmission #ukraine #wars #conflictzones #foodsecurity #HGBF

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

This is our
#globalempowermentmissioneur branch in Warsaw, Poland. This branch is where we receive imported aid for our work in Ukraine. This aid is shipped from our global headquarters in Doral, Fl and from international partners around the globe. It arrives here, gets sorted and then gets transported to our #globalempowermentmissionua branch in Kyiv, Ukraine. The infrastructure and systems we created in April 2022 here, have given GEM the ability to deliver almost 200 M in aid to Ukrainians in dire need of essential living supplies. Over 3,250 full size semi trucks of GEM HGBF aid has been directly delivered into civilian hands on or near the front lines or neighboring countries with escapees. In addition to GEM Europe, we also have a GEM EU (registered chapter in Poland). This chapter supports European disasters throughout the region.
#globalempowermentmission #poland #HGBF #warsaw

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Maui Fires GEM Mid-Long Term Recovery Update. This video showcases the construction progress of the new school that GEM Hawaii in partnership with @stableroadfoundation is building and co-funding for Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina, Maui. In addition, GEM Hawaii has already processed 152 Households (413 individuals) for 6-12 month @airbnb stays. This is through the @govhawaii DHS Rental Assistance Program (RAP). We have also distributed over 36,000 of our Family Necessities Kits in partnership with @mauifoodbank and @countyofmaui #maui #hawaii @edfreedman @handlerrich @jefferies @kainoagram #globalempowermentmission #mauifires #bstrong #GEM #nicoleanddavidtepperfoundation

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

UKRAINE • stat update.
IMPACT is all that matters to us and people in need. Our dollar vs impact is amongst the highest in our sector. Bigger bureaucratic agencies with multi billion dollar budgets have much less output.

Here's some key numbers on what our #globalempowermentmissionua branch in Kyiv, Ukraine has been able to do since the onset of this war.
(These numbers do not include what #globalempowermentmissioneur has done.)
• 2,415,242 GEM HGBF Family Necessity Kits distributed. 73,480 pallets (50,000 +tons)
• $195,023,831 in supplies distributed.
• 131,926 window panels replaced to prevent 203,098 people from being homeless.
• 6,233,640 liters of water distributed in regions with no water.
• 1426 generators distributed/installed to areas that lost all power.
• 965,365 seed packs delivered to households that can plant vegetables.
• 180 private homes, 7 clinics, 10 apartment buildings, 2 civil buildings and 9 schools completely rebuilt.
• 965,365 seed packs delivered to households that can plant vegetables.
• 180 private homes, 7 clinics, 10 apartment buildings, 2 civil buildings and 9 schools completely rebuilt.
•Public donor funds were only used in 2022.
•2023-2024 solely supported by the Howard G. Buffett
•Foundation.
•We always show our supporters what actually gets done. Many raise big dollars in crisis and we barely ever see them doing much. This industry must be disrupted because without that, it's the people that suffer more.
#ukraine #Disruption #efficiency #globalempowermentmission #HGBF
@GEMmissions

[Global Empowerment Mission @GEMmissions]

Just two weeks ago, we promised to significantly increase our output and capacity inside #Gaza and remain firmly committed to our mission. Here's pics of our latest #globalempowermentmissionmena convoy of over 5 Million food portions (37 trucks) for Palestinian civilians inside Gaza. The aid in these trucks will be distributed throughout Gaza by
#GEMmena & @AneraOrg teams. This includes the northern closed section. Please support us: https://t.co/qMuDm5prJL

We cannot do this without your support.
@GEMmissions @aneraorg @hayakarimaofficial
Thank you to our partners and donors @hcicanada
@medglobalorg @insanvakti #RamscoOrganics @rawyamansour