Booths 3848 and 3850 is going to knock your socks off at this year’s San Diego Comic Con International! The Hero Initiative is being generously sponsored by GameTap, the ever-expanding playground of video games from the arcade classics to console and PC hits. SDCC runs from July 25-29, 2007 so don’t miss out on any of the following awesome booth and convention activities!

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Just a reminder that the new FoL Anthology, THE GIRLS’ GUIDE TO GUYS’ STUFF will be on sale at the show.

They are here, and they are BEAUTIFUL!

Be sure to come see us at our booth, #832, at the San Diego Comic Con and meet some of the contributors to this great anthology!

Remember our Lulu Awards that celebrate the women of the comics industry? We hope you do! The 2007 Lulu Awards are being held Thursday, July 26 at 8:30 p.m. in room 10 of the San Diego Convention Center. We’ll have snacks and light refreshments all thanks to Minx, DC Comics’ new teenage girl-oriented line, our gold sponsor for this event. We are suggesting a $5 donation per person, and each donor will get a raffle ticket to win a copy of the hot-off-the-presses Girls’ Guide to Guys’ Stuff!

The CBLDF, Image, NYCC, Scholastic and Cartoon books are teaming for a big bash on Thursday night and it’s sure to be one of the hottest parties of this year’s San Diego. PLUS, the firsdt 300 guests receieve a gift bag which will include a copy of Jeff Smith’s RASL preview — with only 2200 of these printed, we suspect this may just be the hottest book at the show. Check the link for pictures of more of the swag.

CBLDF’s Comic-Con Welcome Party: Exclusives, Original Art & More!

Kick off the year’s biggest comics show in style at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s Comic-Con Welcome Party on Thursday, July 26 at the Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego. Sponsored by Image Comics, New York Comic-Con, Cartoon Books and Scholastic Grafix, the Comic-Con Welcome Party is presented by the CBLDF in association with Prism Comics. Join top artists for a night under the stars where you’ll receive an amazing gift bag, witness an exclusive meeting of the Drink & Draw Social Club, and preview the Fund’s amazing Comic-Con auction. The CBLDF Welcome Party starts at 7:30 PM on Thursday July 26. Admission is a $10 donation for CBLDF Members, and $20 and up for non-members.

The first 300 party guests will receive a gift bag featuring over $50 in great items, including

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Hero Initiative is sponsoring another Marvel vs DC softball fray, and you can buy a ticket OR go on Ebay to bid for a spot on one of the teams.

Join The Hero Initiative for the second annual Marvel Vs DC Softball Game on Thursday, July 26 at 3 pm at San Diego’s Morley Field. Players such as Joe Quesada, Humberto Ramos and John Romita Jr. will be battling Jim Calafiore, Adam Hughes and Dan Jurgens softball style to see who will win the coveted Stan Lee Trophy!

Travel to the game in style and buy your roundtrip transportation tickets now. All ticket proceeds benefit The Hero Initiative.

Or bid NOW for a spot on either team!

Go to here to win a spot on the Marvel Softball Team.

Go to here to win a spot on the DC Softball Team.

Oh my lots o’ stuff:

This is the big one! The CBLDF holds its biggest auction of the year at Comic-Con, and this year brings some amazing one-of-a-kind items to raise money for free speech! This year’s items include original art by Jim Lee, Jeff Smith, Todd McFarlane, Paul Pope, Neil Gaiman, Brian Bendis, Jim Starlin, David Lloyd, Juan Santacruz, Terry Moore, and many, many, many more! Click here for a full illustrated preview!

You will need a bidder number for this auction, which can be obtained, along with a full auction list, at the CBLDF booth #1831 or at the start of the event.

The CBLDF is also accepting pre-bids online.

Online bids will be accepted starting Monday, July 16 until Friday, July 27, 10:00 PM PST. All bids must be emailed to info@cbldf.org with “CCI SD AUCTION BID” in the subject line. Be sure when bidding to use the item name as it appears on the website.

This is not a silent auction bidding system. All bids placed online will be used as opening bids during the live auction on Saturday, July 28. In the event there are multiple bids on the same item, the highest bid will be the one accepted.

Bid amounts placed online will not be disclosed before the item is auctioned. Winning bidders will be notified by email the week following the convention. Payment is expected within 7 days from said email.

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What is it with the boats behind the convention center thing? Seems to be this year’s hot trend:

Bid NOW at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300129989278 to win the ultimate opportunity to hang with Stan Lee on a yacht on Friday, July 27, 2007 at this year’s San Diego Comic Con International! Six winners will receive:

-Photo and face time with Stan aboard the Illusion TV Yacht, which is anchored in the beautiful San Diego Marina right behind the convention center.

-Two of your own personal comic books signed by Stan Lee and then certified by CGC with the prestigious Signature Series label.

-Lunch prior to meeting Stan Lee courtesy of Hero Board Member/CGC President Steve Borock. Lunch will be with Steve and System Of A Down’s Drummer Extraordinaire and life long comic collector, John Dolmayan.

The Hero Initiative will also be adding a page on their website that commemorates the event. This special page will feature the winners with the scans of their Stan Lee CGC Signature Series books along with their photo of Stan Lee and their name underneath the picture. Think of it as worldwide “bragging rights” to show of to your chat board/ my space/ comic space/ and other friends from where they live to any place in the world!

This fantastic opportunity takes place on Friday, July 27. Lunch at the Marriott Hotel next to the Convention Center will run from 12:30 pm-1:30 pm and you will meet Stan Lee from 2:30 pm-3:15 pm.

The fine print: Your two items for signing by Stan Lee need to be received by Hero no later than Wednesday, July 18 so we can have Stan Lee sign them and get them finished by CGC prior to the convention. You will receive your items at the event.

Images featured on the auction’s page are not up for auction but only examples of what you will win. This auction is non transferable and is for the winners only – no additional guests are allowed.

For more information on San Diego Comic Con International, visit http://www.comic-con.org/cci/index.php.

To see the amazing 35’ Illusion TV Yacht, which seats 10-12 people and was generously donated by Illusion TV, visit http://www.seaforthboatrental.com/sailboats/boats/large-catalina350.php.

For more information on CGC’s Signature Series, visit www.CGCComics.com.

Jim Lee sends An Open Letter to my fellow professionals and comics fans…:

…Right now, I’m asking you to join me in supporting the CBLDF’s work on this case. To date they’ve spent nearly $80,000 defending Gordon, and they expect the trial to cost another $20,000 on top of that. To ensure that they have the cash on hand for Gordon’s August trial, and to shore up their reserves for what could be a very litigious Presidential election year, they need our donations now.

Please join me in supporting the Fund by making a donation of cash, original art, high-grade comics, or even some of your time (like I did in 2003 when I did a signing at Defender of Liberty recipient Chuck Rozanski’s Mile High Comics as part of a CBLDF benefit auction). It’s up to those of us who rely on comics for our living to stand behind the Fund in protecting our own. The Fund needs all of our support to win this case, where a conviction won’t just harm Gordon, but its precedent could affect all of our livelihoods.

More in link. Jeff Smith is also giving and wants you to as well!

A couple of notes related to the late (and dare we say great) Dave Cockrum. Longtime friend Clifford Meth tells us that Cockrum’s widow Paty has approved the creation of The Dave and Paty Cockrum Foundation, a scholarship fund for a worthy cartooning student. Details are forthcoming, but Joe Kubert is coordinating the establishment of the fund, and the scholarship will probably be to the Kubert School.

Meanwhile, Meth notes that the hardcover Cockrum tribute book is currently available through Bud Plant and Aardwolf Publishing. It will be solicited in the July Previews. “It’s beautiful and contains 128 pages (the paperback was 88 pgs) with lots of new contributors, including George Perez and Tom Spurgeon. Some copies have original Dave Cockrum art tipped in,” says Meth.

UPDATE: please note corrected Zip Code in address below. It’s 62702 not 62704.

The local paper has a grim report on the recent death of artist Tom Artis, specifically the financial state of his family :

He suffered a massive stroke in June that left him comatose, relying on a ventilator to breathe and a feeding tube to eat.

Earlier that year, ceiling problems at the family’s home in the 1700 block of Clay Street displaced them. The house was further damaged during the March 12, 2006, tornadoes, and they stayed at the Quest Inn while they tried to get it repaired.

Artis’ final stroke put a halt to those plans, and the situation quickly spiraled downhill, Kim said. While Artis was hospitalized in intensive care from June to August, someone broke into the house and stole most of their belongings, including many of Artis’ original prints.

The theft was a difficult blow to Kim. Not only was the stolen artwork irreplaceable, she realized her husband likely would never draw again. Despite an article in The State Journal-Register about the crime, the pieces were never recovered.

Over at the Comics Reporter, Tom explains how you can help:

Friends of the family have set up an account for the family at a local bank, one of those things where they encourage you to walk in and make a contribution. In other words, it’s not one of those things set up to take advantage of the Internet. But having just talked to the bank, you can also mail a check or money order in.

You can make the check out to:

The Tom TC Artis and Family Memorial Fund

You can send the check to:

Marine Bank
Attn: Gale Krueger
1401 North Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, IL 62702

Would you please consider doing so? Even just two, three, five bucks. I can’t send much, either, but I’m going to send something.

I think there will be a whole lot of cartoonists in the next two decades that will be in need, and maybe there will be some talk between now and then about other, bigger things that can be done, but right now that’s a family that’s been through a lot that has a specific point of need where I think even the tiniest amount could be a help.

We think so, too.

This should be an awesome bash, and despite everything else going on tonight we’ll be there.

This Thursday, April 26, The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is proud to present a benefit book launch party for Nick Bertozzi’s controversial graphic novel THE SALON. Bertozzi’s graphic novel about the birth of Cubism is the subject of the Fund’s current casework. The launch party will be at The Village Pourhouse at 64 3rd Avenue in Manhattan, and will feature an open bar & appetizer reception from 7 - 8 PM, live music by The Cangelosi Cards all night, and a free signed Picasso print by Bertozzi for all attendees.

Since 2005, The Fund has been defending Georgia retailer Gordon Lee for distributing a preview of THE SALON which depicted Picasso in the nude. To date the case has cost upwards of $80,000, with the Fund successfully knocking out 5 of the 7 charges originally brought against Mr. Lee. A trial is expected in early June where the Fund’s legal team will work to defeat the two remaining counts.

The Salon benefit launch party is presented to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund in cooperation with JahFurry and St. Martins Press. The Village Pourhouse is located at 64 Third Avenue at 11th Street in Manhattan. The party is this Thursday, April 26 from 7 PM to Midnight.

kwik sloan

A working group made up of Finnish telephone companies, public transport operators and communications authorities has launched subprime personal loans to remind subprime personal loans users of courtesy, especially when using mass transit—what to talk about on the phone, and how to.

Lee’s Comics is holding a fundraiser for Fantagraphics legal costs in the Harlan Ellison suit at WonderCon:

Lee’s Comics situated at Booth #400 at the San Francisco WonderCon this weekend is holding a fundraising drive for Fantagraphics Books, which was recently sued by author Harlan Ellison. In order to raise money for legal defense, Lee’s Comics will be offering a line of exclusive prints with art by some of the biggest names in comics, such as Alex Ross, David Mack, Mark Shultz, Dan Clowse and others.

100% of the purchase price of these prints will be turned over to Fantagraphics, to help them win this lawsuit. If you like the great comics and books they publish, such as Eightball, The Complete Peanuts, or Love and Rockets, you can help out while getting a great masterwork, by a noted artist, to adorn you home or office.

These prints all feature exclusive art, and are not available anywhere else. The unsigned editions will sell for $20, and the signed editions will sell for $40. They measure 11 x 17, and all but the SPICE jam print are in full, vivid color. They look awesome in a frame. Most of these prints were given away gratis at Lee’s Comics events, and very few remain.

With each print purchase you are automatically entered into a free drawing for a $100 Lee’s Comics shopping spree. It’s good at our stores in Mountain View and San Mateo CA. If you can’t make it to the stores, it’s also good worldwide at our online store, which features hundreds of vintage collectors comics, apparel, preservations supplies and more. By buying one or more prints, you can also chose to be listed as a Friend of Fantagraphics on their webpage, or you can be an anonymous benefactor if you prefer.

Lee’s Comics will also be accepting donations for Fantagraphics. Give as little as a dollar, and help this outstanding publisher in their hour of need. Now is the time to stand up and be counted.

You can see more prints here, here, and here.

Okay here’s a pretty cool auction from The Hero Initiative: VIP tickets to the Jimmy Kimmel show, time in the Green Room with Guillermo del Toro and getting to watch Tenacious D perform. As a reminder, the Hero Initiative benefits comics creators who are in financial need, so it is a good cause:

This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime! You not only get to see ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live and get the full VIP treatment, but you will hang out in their famous Green Room and get face time with Guillermo Del Toro, director of Hellboy and the Oscar nominated Pan’s Labyrinth! As an added bonus, you will see Tenacious D perform LIVE!

This experience happens this Friday, February 9 at 5:30 pm! Go to http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300079218712 to bid NOW!

LOCATION: El Capitan Entertainment Center, 6840 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028 (located directly across the street from the Kodak Theatre/Hollywood & Highland Complex)

ARRIVAL TIME: When you arrive at 5:30 pm, please let the audience coordinator know that you are on the VIP list.

PARKING: Audience members may use the Hollywood & Highland Complex paid parking lot across the street from the El Capitan. The show will validate your parking ticket for $2(4 hours) parking at the end of the show.

Show Requirements

· You and your guests must be at least 21 years old and have a valid state or government issued ID to attend a taping.

· The show asks that everyone dress like you are going out to a club. Please do not wear any white, beige or light blue clothing, elaborate patterns or logos, as they are not camera-friendly.

· No cameras, recorders, cell phones, pagers, books, food… etc. will be allowed in the studio. If you bring these or any similar items, you can check them at the door and pick them up as you exit the studio.

· Please be aware that audience members will go through a metal detector upon entering the studio. Please downsize any purses or bags you are bringing with you.

Meet Guillermo Del Toro At Jimmy Kimmel Live is a benefit for The Hero Initiative. The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays’ creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and entrée back into paying work. For more information, visit www.HeroInitiative.org or call 310-909-7809.

We have stayed away from what has become known as THE RICK OLNEY MEGA-THREAD, because, well, it’s like 10,000 posts long. Maybe if we get snowed in and the lights flicker out. We keep meaning to post our own sure to be humorous photo album entitled “One Night In Herkimer”, but you know, we don’t even have time to mop the floor let alone do that. Maybe one of these days.

Anyway, word has come of a new website called UNSCREWED where creators wronged by Olney and his Tight Lips Productions — and their friends — are uniting to produce a benefit anthology. Here’s the press release:

Creators get UNSCREWED!

People working their way up the ranks in comics, or other creative endeavors often become acquainted with the phrase “Paying Your Dues”. Often times paying your dues winds up with you not getting yours.

Speak with any creator about their “war story” and you’ll likely hear tales from their first few years, working on projects that never paid out, publishers who vanished like thieves in the night, or have even worse horrors wrought upon them.

One thing that unites most creative types is they all have at least one of those stories to trade. In some cases more than one, and therein lies a problem. Over the years a phrase has been coined speaking of “weekend publishers” people who come in, with pie in the sky promises, and deliver nothing, hurting only those that sought to create.

The UNSCREWED! anthology one-shot, to be released later this year, is intended to benefit victims of a large scale scam that has been perpetrated over many years by one such individual, uniting in a single volume dozens of voices that scream for accountability, and for getting just deserts.

Once relegated as being “just one of those things” goes through, this situation is now being challenged. No longer will people have to pay the ultimate cost for being conned.

There will be an auction to benefit those affected by this all to common occurrence. Countless items will be offered, from Names You Know to Names You Don’t, But Will Soon!

Look for one-of-a-kind specialty items, all offered for a worthy cause.. The proceeds of the book will go to a fund and be dispersed to those that fell victim to hollow words, and even more hollow actions.

In a world where we feel all alone chasing our dreams, where we fall prey to the dark nightmares lurking in desperate times, we are in reality a family, a community. What affects one of us will assuredly affect all of us, if it is left unchecked. Together we will stand up to abusive practices and declare that our business is not just an idle hobby

For more information concerning this project, visit http://www.unscrewedcomic.com for details and how YOU can join in the battle for accountability.

Teshkeel is teaming with UNESCO and Aramex, a Middle Eastern transportation company, to deliver comics to children in several nations, including Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq, to brighten this time of year.

Kuwait based Teshkeel Media Group. today announced that they have joined with Aramex, the leading transportation company and UNESCO to help children and teens in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine . As the centerpiece of the partnership, Teshkeel will be giving away comic books featuring their Islamic superheroes, THE 99 as well as books featuring internationally renowned comic characters like SUPERMAN, SPIDER-MAN and ARCHIE. More than twenty thousand copies of these various comic books will be distributed this Eid to children and their families in these locations through the joint efforts of Aramex (who is donating the shipping and transit services for the project) and UNESCO.

Headed by Naif Al-Mutawa, a UNESCO award winning children’s writer, Teshkeel is the Arabic publishing partner for Marvel, DC and Archie comics and the creator of THE 99, a superhero property based on Islamic culture and history, which debuted to worldwide acclaim in June 2006.

The project came in response to the strong interest Teshkeel’s publications have been receiving from children throughout the Middle East coupled with Al-Mutawa’s desire to encourage literacy, positive messages and positive role models for children too often faced with violent conflict and disadvantaged living conditions.

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ringtones fundland

For this reason, most retailers will refuse the return of mp3 ringtone to converter SIM Card.

Clifford Meth sent us this news a few days ago, and we lost it in our inbox, but it is certainly worth repeating: a new hardcover tribute to the late Dave Cockrum, to be released in February. eth was kind enough to send us a cover rough, as well.

Aardwolf Publishing will release The Uncanny Dave Cockrum Hardcover in February, 2007. This beautiful, prestige edition will include all of the articles and art tributes originally collected in the now-sold-out Uncanny Dave Cockrum Tribute (2004) but completely overhauled. In addition, new artists (like George Perez) and writers (Tom Spurgeon) have been added to the project, as well as more than 20 pages of never-before-seen Dave Cockrum art.

Participants on the project include: Neal Adams, Sergio Aragones, Dick Ayers, Mark Bagley, Randy Bowen, Travis Charist, Chris Claremont, Gene Colan, Peter David, Alan Davis, Diane Duane, Will Eisner, Harlan Ellison, Mark Evanier, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons, Mike Grell, Tony Isabella, Joe Kubert, Bill Messner-Loebs, Steve Lieber, Jim Lee, Stan Lee, Pablo Marcus, Bob McLeod, Alan Moore, Jerry Ordway, Tom Palmer, George Perez, Joe Quesada, Robin Riggs, John Romita Sr., Joe Rubinstein, Marie Severin, Dave Sim, Walter and Louise Simonson, Tom Spurgeon, Roy Thomas, Herb Trimpe, Billy Tucci, Len Wein, and Marv Wolfman

“Dave and Paty were looking forward to this book coming out in February and we’re sticking to our commitment,�? said Clifford Meth, Cockrum’s close friend and editor of the collection. “I’m sorry Dave won’t get to hold the final product in his hands but his family will.�?

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The Hero Foundry is an organization devoted to raising money to aid the devastated New Orleans library system, and they’ve put together a convention sketchbook benefit:

The theme for this year’s Sketchbook was Supermen and Mutants in honor of the release of Superman Returns and X-Men 3. The book contains some tough looking mutants and lots of strong supermen as well as many drawings by artists who chose to do their own character, or just something completely different. Among the amazing artwork featured are drawings of Superman by Brian Hitch, Brian Denham, Dustin Nguyen, Ryan Sook, John Paul Leon, Ben Dunn, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Scott Kurtz, J.E. Smith, Marc Andreyko, Andy Lee, Tim Seely, Franco, Zander Cannon, Josh Middleton, Yanick Paquette, Dave Johnson, Mitch Breitweiser, Bill Tucci, and Kody Chamberlain. Members of the X-men family are represented by Bill Sienkiewicz, Charlie Adlard, Art Balthazar, Billy Tan, Tone Rodriguez, Marc Wolfe, Greg Horn, Taki Soma, David Finch, Talent Caldwell, Chris Moreno, Angel Medina, and Paul Milligan. Other contributors are Tony Bedard, James Kolchalka, Steve Galgas, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, Gabe of Penny Arcade, Kurt Busiek, Cheeks, Mike Mignola, Skottie Young, Scott Kolins, Jeff Amano, and Buzz. In all there are 44 individual drawings in this beautiful sketchbook. Images from the book are available at www.theherofoundry.org/sketchbook.
The sketchbook can be found at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190059663564

More in link.

James Sturm, of the Center for Cartoon Studies, writes to tell of us a holiday auction to be held next Saturday, December 9th, from 1-4. Most of the items will be sold locally, but there are three up in Ebay:

If anybody wants to to bid on any item that’s not on e-bay they can e-mail auction@cartoonstudies.org up until Saturday, December 9 at 12 noon.

FANTASTIC FOUR: UNSTABLE MOLECULES
Click to bid on Ebay item number: 270062457687

Stan Lee Signed Fantastic Four: Unstable Molecules with Original Art Also Signed by R. Sikoryak and James Sturm
For Serious Collectors Only! Long out-of-print first edition of the Eisner Award Winning trade paperback with cover by Craig Thompson (Blankets). Unstable Molecules is signed by Stan Lee, James Sturm, and R. Sikoryak. This item includes original art by R. Sikoryak, whose original pieces are rarely sold.

THE ONION, 1988
Click to bid on Ebay item number: 270063139080

Three issues of America’s premiere humor tabloid The Onion, from its first year of publication. These early issues are quite rare and are seldom seen on the market. Interior comics include work by CCS cofounder James Sturm and Onion editor Scott Dikkers.

Seth Signed Art
Click to bid on Ebay item number: 270062453966
Un-cut press sheets for the Center for Cartoon Studies Inaugural Catalogue featuring artwork by renowned Canadian cartoonist Seth. Seth’s graphic novel, It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken, has been selected as one of the 100 best comics of the 20th century by the editors of The Comics Journal. His work is currently serialized in the New York Times Magazine.

We frequently post news of fundraising efforts for The HERO INITIATIVE (formerly ACTOR), but a quick review might be in order. ACTOR stood for A Commitment To Our Roots and was founded to help cartoonists in need — drawing the funny books is a job without benefits and pensions, and when you’re sick or old enough to be considered out of it, there may be no work, and nothing to fall back on. The story of HERO helping Bill Messner-Loebs is pretty well known, but in a nice interview at Tales of Wonder, director Jim McLauchlin talks about some other cases. Most disbursements from HERO are kept private, for obvious reasons, but it’s important to hear of real life cases and know that this money is going for a damned good cause:

Armando Gil is a comics vet who wound up wiped out when an animation company he worked for went under, and he went unpaid. He didn’t even have the money to renew his driver’s license, and his car got impounded. He was working at a box factory, and couldn’t get to work, and the downward spiral was really starting. We were able to get him some dough to get his car back, and he’s been working steadily, albeit in a field that’s not his first choice—not many kids grow up wanting to be box-makers. But we were able to steer some work his way, and he’s wisely used that dough to reset himself in the art field. He bought a scanner, and finally got an Internet connection, which, face facts, is a business essential. We were able to help him land a new animation job that should get him a few thousand dollars in first quarter of 2007 as well.

and

We’ve even kept people alive. There was a moment at the San Diego ComiCon in 2004 that was surreal. An artist that we benefited came up to me to thank me for the help we had given him. He was shaking my hand, with tears streaming down his cheeks. He had been living on about $90 a week, and was eating one meal a day before he found us. He didn’t know what to do, or where to turn, and he was ready to take his own life. He had literally written the suicide note when he stumbled across us. We were able to get him back on his feet, and he’s alive today, doing much better. This man wants to remain anonymous, but there are many, many more as well, both public and private.

This is a good thing. Support The Hero Initiative.