Storyteller and True Crime Podcast Host John Allen Launches Nonprofit - The MrBallen Foundation

Organization Dedicated to Honoring Victims and Supporting Families Affected by Violent Crimes Through Education, Training and Financial Support

AUSTIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Founder of MrBallen Productions and top true crime podcast host, John Allen, today announced a nonprofit to honor victims and support families affected by violent crimes: The MrBallen Foundation. The organization received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status earlier this year and is dedicated to honoring victims and supporting families affected by heinous crimes through education, training and financial support.

Allen, one of YouTube's biggest creators and better known to his millions of followers as MrBallen, crossed over into audio when he premiered MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories in February 2022 to number one on Spotify's global podcast charts. The show maintains its position in the top charts each week, and Allen's growing platform and origins propel his passion for giving back today. As a former Navy SEAL who was medically retired in 2017 after being injured in Afghanistan, Allen knows that it is a lifelong process healing from trauma and violence.

"I've had the honor of speaking with both victims and their loved ones, spending countless hours hearing their stories, learning, and researching how these criminal cases have dramatically impacted their lives," said Allen. "It is my hope that the MrBallen Foundation can be a valuable resource to aiding both victims and their families through financial support, as well as providing training, educational resources, and a pathway to give back. I encourage anyone interested in learning more about our mission to visit https://mrballen.foundation/."

Victims of heinous crime are faced with residual effects far beyond the physical impact of the crime. There are psychological, financial, and emotional traumas that need addressing for proper, holistic healing to begin. The MrBallen Foundation provides dynamic solutions for victims of violent crime and organizations already doing needle-moving work for victims and their families through financial support and resources. Over the last 60 days, Allen and the MrBallen Foundation have already donated over $150,000 to various organizations like the LOVE>hate Project, an organization founded by the family of a victim of violent crime and dedicated to ending violence against women; OneStar and Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas, two Texas-based organizations working to provide direct relief for the victims of the recent tragedy in Uvalde and their families, and more to support critical needs and immediately make an impact. "We were just setting up our foundation when the news broke on May 24th that 19 children and 2 teachers had been killed in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas," said Allen. "As parents of three young kids, my wife and I cannot even imagine the pain the families of these victims are facing. It made sense that our first grant from the MrBallen Foundation would go to the Uvalde families—along with our prayers for strength and healing."

Quarterly the MrBallen Foundation Honor Grant Program will be awarding a financial grant up to $25,000 to a 501(c)(3) organization that supports victims or their families who have been affected by a heinous crime, the inaugural recipient being the LOVE>hate Project. "The MrBallen Foundation infused a lightning bolt of energy and exposure into our cause and our work, dropping $25,000 into our project account and pledging to do it every year," said Dr. Buck Blodgett, Founder and Executive Director of the LOVE>hate Project. "There's an old saying: actions speak louder than words. MrBallen can wordsmith with the best of them, but his actions outshine even his words." In addition, the MrBallen Foundation will also be providing expedited financial assistance to victims and their families directly through their Hope Grant. Knowing that time is of the essence for so many victims and their families, this grant program is meant to be responsive to the immediate needs of those impacted by a heinous crime.

One violent act has a ripple effect from the victims to their loved ones and entire communities. In MrBallen's upcoming YouTube video set to be released on Sunday, July 10, he tells the story of one such victim, Tristan Beaudette, a father and an experienced outdoorsman who packed his two young children up for a fun-filled, summer weekend of camping and adventure in the woodlands of Southern California. To honor Tristan and his family, the MrBallen Foundation has made a $25,000 donation to Experience Camps, a program for grieving children who've experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. The camp is a no-cost program filled with compassion, connection and play that empowers grieving children to embody a life full of hope and possibility.

The MrBallen Foundation Board includes members with combined backgrounds in law, philanthropy and crime victim advocacy, including the Foundation's Executive Director, Laurie Gift. Gift got her start in the nonprofit industry more than 40 years ago, setting down a career path that has taken her everywhere from helping to distribute medical disaster relief to countries all over the world, providing assistance for pregnant teen moms, teaching job skills to victims of human trafficking, and more. Gift has served in various executive roles for organizations across the nonprofit sector and brings a wealth of knowledge, wisdom and hands-on experience. As a victim of crime herself, Gift has made it her life's work to serve as a champion for those most vulnerable in today's society. "I know that John and the MrBallen team feel the same way as I do about serving victims of heinous crimes and their families," said Gift. "I believe strongly that anything is possible through authenticity, transparency, and collaboration, and I'm so proud to be a part of an organization like the MrBallen Foundation that aligns with these values."

For more information, visit https://mrballen.foundation/ and follow the MrBallen Foundation on Instagram @MrBallenFoundation, Facebook @MrBallenFoundation, LinkedIn @MrBallenFoundation, and Twitter @MrBallenFnd.

About the MrBallen Foundation
The MrBallen Foundation (MBF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to honoring victims and supporting families affected by violent crimes through education, training and financial support. Victims of heinous crime are faced with psychological, financial, and emotional traumas and residual effects far beyond the physical impact of the crime that need addressing for proper, holistic healing to begin. The MrBallen Foundation was founded by John Allen to provide dynamic solutions for victims and organizations that provide support to them through financial support.

About John Allen aka MrBallen
Host of the popular true crime podcast, John Allen burst on the map in 2020, first on TikTok and then on YouTube where he quickly scaled his audience to become one of YouTube's biggest storytellers. Better known as "MrBallen," Allen is a former US Navy SEAL turned YouTube sensation who most recently launched his hit podcast, MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories. The podcast is true crime-focused while also exploring strange and mysterious occurrences, and routinely ranks in the top five on the overall Spotify Podcast charts each week, with staggering audience growth between 17%-20% month over month since the show's inception in February 2022. In June 2022 alone the show delivered seven million impressions and is showing no signs of slowing down, as Allen continues to fascinate new and established audiences with unparalleled storytelling each week. For more information subscribe to MrBallen on YouTube or follow @MrBallen on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Press Inquiries
For the MrBallen Foundation:
Laurie Gift: [email protected]

For John Allen aka MrBallen
Ethos Group: [email protected]

SOURCE MrBallen Foundation