Inspired by the philanthropic endeavors of our friends over at Lowbrow Customs, we decided to do something similar ourselves. Since I'm an old washed up jarhead and Camp Pendelton is only about twenty five miles from here, doing something that supports our local Marines seemed a logical fit. Tons of our customers are military men and women and we wanted to do something that gave back to them. There are a lot of great organizations out there, and the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund was the one we felt suited our mission best.
Here's how the SFF describes itself:
The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit set up to provide immediate financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. We direct urgently needed resources to post 9-11 Marines and Sailors, as well as members of the Army, Air Force or Coast Guard who serve in support of Marine forces. The Semper Fi Fund provides relief for financial needs that arise during hospitalization and recovery as well as assistance for those with perpetuating needs. Our program provides support in a variety of ways including: Service Member and Family Support, Specialized & Adaptive Equipment, Adaptive Housing, Adaptive Transportation, Education and Career Transition Assistance, Therapeutic Arts and Team Semper Fi.
Our streamlined structure keeps overhead very low – at 5% – because we realize every dollar saved can be put to better use elsewhere. The American Institute of Philanthropy has given us an “A+” rating and Charity Navigator has given us their “Four Star” rating, the highest rating for each organization.
So, here's how it works. We printed up a few of these pint glasses last year for some gifts, but never made them available to the public. Now they are available in the online store and anyone can buy them. They are not available any other way from any other source. You can be guaranteed that 100% of the purchase price (not just a portion) goes directly to the SFF at the end of every quarter. The glasses are nice pub-quality units and every time you hoist a frosty one in it you can thank yourself for supporting the people who are the backbone of American Freedom. You can buy 'em here.