NEVER SETTLE

In the News: Jeremy Pittman wins Jefferson Award

admin — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 18:55:16 +0000

NEVER SETTLE is in the news again! Our founder, Jeremy Pittman, recently won the Jefferson Award in his hometown of Indianapolis. The Jefferson Awards, presented by local tv station RTV6, honors Hoosiers who are committed to public and community service. The award aims to spotlight unsung heros in the community that are making an impact. This is a big honor, and we couldn’t be more proud of Jeremy.

Read the full story and watch the interview

A Cocktail Party in Indianapolis Helps People Around the World

admin — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:24:45 +0000

This summer Lynnae Gorman and Mindy Pittman hosted the very first Never Settle Cocktail Party. It was a fun evening with cold beer, cocktails, and tasty appetizers on Mindy’s candlelit deck. She began the evening by sharing the Never Settle story starting with her husband, Don Pittman, coining the phrase more than six years ago.

Afterward, the party moved inside to join a live video chat with Never Settle’s founder, Jeremy Pittman. He shared the impact we have made in 2012 by funding water, education, and disaster relief projects. Jeremy went on to explain the Never Settle Model and answer questions from guests.

But this wasn’t your average party. At the end of the evening a surprise was revealed: the fee to attend the event was not a cover charge but a 100% donation to the Never Settle project of their choice. Guests were astonished by the results!

10 school uniforms were purchased for orphans in Haiti
120 people were given access to clean, safe drinking water
Additional funds will support future local disaster relief teams

On top of all that, several guests became Never Settle Investors by giving to our Sustainability Fund. Our investors are some of our most generous donors. They help us keep the lights on and fulfill our 100% promise to all donors and fundraisers.

The impact from a simple backyard cocktail party was profound. Both Mindy and Lynnae were excited by the results of their fundraiser and challenged their friends to host their own. We think Lynnae said it best,

You don’t have to travel to Haiti or Ethiopia to make a difference. You can change the world right from your backyard.

Jeremy Pittman Nominated for 2012 CLASSY Award

admin — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:00:08 +0000

Jeremy founded Never Settle during his college years at Purdue University. Today, he is being recognized as a Classy Award nominee for Most Influential College Student. Focusing on outstanding philanthropic achievements by charities, businesses, and people, the Classy Awards is one of the most prestigious recognitions in the nonprofit industry. Our mainstream media seems to almost exclusively highlight “bad news” and problems in the world. Instead, the Classys tell the stories of thousands of people fighting for solutions to these problems. Jeremy is doing just that, and we couldn’t be more proud of what Never Settle has accomplished this year.

But Jeremy will be the first person to tell you that this award isn’t about him at all. While the personal honor is great, we are way more excited for the incredible opportunity to share our story and impact with a national audience. Our vision is to empower everyone to use their passions to change the world. To do this, we must reach a wider audience. The CLASSY Awards will help us do just that!

The CLASSY Awards is the largest philanthropic awards ceremony in the United States. This year’s nominees are expected to receive more than 250 million media impressions including top media sites like Huffington Post, MTV and CNN. This is a BIG deal!

But we need your help to make it happen! Here is what you need to do…it’s super easy:

Visit the Classy Awards Voting website.

Select the Midwest region
Scroll down until you see “Most Influential College Student or College Organization”
Select Jeremy Pittman
Click the button at the bottom that says “Submit My Final Ballot”

Voting is only open through Thursday, July 26th. You can only vote once, so it’s super important to share with friends via email, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or Google+. It only takes a few seconds, and it makes all the difference.

Reflections From Mindy Pittman on Relief Efforts in Henryville

admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:34:59 +0000

In one instant, Anne Bauer’s world completely changed. This single mom found herself huddled in her basement shaken by the F4 tornado that swept through her hometown of Henryville, IN and leveled her home, barn, and twenty acres of tree line. She was grateful to be alive but felt completely overwhelmed at the amount of debris and cleanup that was ahead of her. A team of nine from Never Settle arrived with chainsaws in hand ready to help where needed. After just one day of work on her farm, Never Settle was able to completely clear the pasture for her horses that was littered with glass, trees, and twisted metal. The debris and downed trees that completely covered the area around her home turned into stacks of organized cut wood, metal scraps, and trash to be hauled away. But the vast amount of debris removal was too daunting for just one team.

Members of Never Settle went to a nearby gas station to buy water for the workers and met a lady that was touched by Anne’s story and immediately came back to the farm with us with a truck and trailer! The news continued to spread and because of Never Settle’s influence, other small teams were sent to help from the official disaster relief headquarters in downtown Henryville. More wood was cut, large amounts of debris were hauled away and even the fallen trees in her pond were pulled from the water along with lawn furniture, metal, and wood from the side of her barn. By the end of the day, the farm looked completely different. It was truly extraordinary the difference that was made in just one day.

March 2 was a life-changing day for Anne Bauer. She lost her home, barn, and nearly her life. She told us what impacted her most was not the devastation of that day but the overwhelming love and support she experienced from ordinary people; people she didn’t even know. Anne wasn’t the only one changed that day. The volunteers representing Team Never Settle will never be the same again but they will be the first to tell you that there is nothing special about them. We are all just ordinary people with a strong desire to come together and use our talents and passions to change the world and today, we did.

- Mindy Pittman, Team Never Settle

Photos of Team Never Settle in Henryville, IN.

Video Interview with Henryville Tornado Survivor

You can support early response diaster relief efforts by donating or volunteering

Indianapolis Team Clears Debris in Henryville, IN

admin — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 23:00:43 +0000

A Never Settle Team from Indianapolis spent the day clearing debris in Henryville, IN. They returned to the same property first visited by a Never Settle team of Purdue students. But this group came prepared with tools and experience. The 9 person team brought trucks and chainsaws to help remove splintered trees and debris from the owner’s 20 acre property. Take a look through the gallery to see the impact that was made in just one day at Anne Bauer’s home.

Anne Bauer tells members of Team Never Settle her story from March 2, 2011 when a E4 tornado ripped through Henyrville, IN. The storm nearly leveled her home and completely destroyed barns, cars, and equipment.

World Water Day – Where is the Water?

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:56:19 +0000

Unless we act now, more than 40 percent of the world’s population will live in areas experiencing high water stress by 2050, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Providing true access to safe drinking water and sanitation to a fast-growing population will require all the technological innovation, political will, passion and support we can muster.

Full story @ devex.com

Image via The Atlantic

Celebrate World Water Day

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 06:00:56 +0000

Today, March 22nd, is recognized by the United Nations Water Group as World Water Day. We live on a water-covered planet, but only about 1% of the world’s water is available for human use. The rest is locked away in oceans, ice, and the atmosphere. Water is the single most important resource for all life and development.

Life cannot exist without water.

Yet, 1 billion people do not have regular access to clean, safe drinking water. And 2.5 billion people don’t have a toilet. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases killing more people every year than all forms of violence (including war.) The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation. Just a few dollars is enough to provide one person with clean drinking water and sanitation for literally decades.

Celebrate World Water Day and spread the word!

Watch and share this video.

Donate your voice.

Give children the gift of clean drinking water

At an average cost of $1 per child, we will reduce illness and days of school missed for children in Cambodia. Improved health means opportunity and a chance for each child to fulfill his or her maximum potential. In many cases, the larger community surrounding the water project will also have free access to clean water. We supply spare parts, maintenance, education, and training for 10 years empowering community leaders to take over ownership by year 11. Sustainability at its finest.
GIVE WATER TODAY

My 21st Birthday Fundraiser – 1 Year Later

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:51:31 +0000

Just over a year ago, I celebrated my 21st birthday. Instead of presents or drinks, I asked friends and family to give a $21 donation to help me start a “different kind of non-profit.” Together, we raised a little over $1,000 to get NEVER SETTLE off the ground.

Since then, hundreds of you have joined the mission to push the status quo and never settle. Here is what we have accomplished together since my 21st birthday fundraiser:

Built an awesome website.

Made ourselves official.

NEVER SETTLE inc. is incorporated on the state and federal level.
Our application for 501(c)3 tax exempt status has been submitted and is currently being reviewed by the IRS.
We have partnered with dozens of businesses and non-profits to make NEVER SETTLE a reality.

Made a global impact.

We delivered much needed supplies to orphanages in Haiti. This trip also served as a need assessment for future education projects.
We partnered with charity:water to help fund a modest portion of a 1.2 million dollar drilling rig in Tigray, Ethiopia.
We funded early response tornado relief teams throughout the Midwest. Multiple volunteer NS Teams have done supply drops and cleared debris in Henryville, IN.
We gave clean, safe drinking water to 1,000 children living in urban Cambodia.

From the beginning, Never Settle has empowered ordinary people to change the world. And we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. We are just getting started.

Jeremy, Founder

A Major Water Investment in Tigray, Ethiopia

admin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:30:55 +0000

Purdue Students Clear Debris on Spring Break

admin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:51:02 +0000

HENRYVILLE DIASTER RELIEF UPDATE #1

March 9th marks the last day of classes before Spring Break for the nearly 40,000 students at Purdue University. Most take the opportunity to migrate south to warmer weather and beaches. My friends and I are not much different. After all, I’m writing this post from a poolside in Tampa, Florida. But for the people living in Henryville, IN or other numerous towns hit by the severe tornados early this March, Spring Break will look very different.

Earlier this week, I was visiting a local campus bar, enjoying a few drinks with friends when my friend, Sarah, told me that she was from Henryville, IN. Her mom lived on a large property over looking Henryville, but after the storm, the house was nearly leveled with debris and destruction covering the entire property. My jaw dropped. I was completely speechless. My friends and I were planning on taking a road trip to Tampa in the next few days. We would literally pass the Henryville exit as we left Indiana. How could we not help?

Without training, proper supplies, or any clue what we were getting ourselves into, a few college kids stopped in Henryville determined to help our friend any way we could. If not nothing else, we wanted to show her that we supported her and cared about her.

Here are pictures and video from Team NEVER SETTLE’s first stop in Henryville, IN.