Digital Nonprofit Benevolent Welcomes Activist James Costa to Board

EVANSTON, Ill., July 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Benevolent is pleased to announce that filmmaker and activist James Costa will be joining its Board of Directors during a time of international expansion for the digital nonprofit.

Costa is excited to support Benevolent's work to help low-income individuals and families access the financial support they need to eclipse the cycle of poverty. Costa has spent his career advocating on behalf of low-income Americans, with a focus on nutrition and health as they intersect with income and food access. Costa also serves on the President's Council for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, whose work empowers people with the resources and information to successfully navigate their health with agency and self-determination. In much the same vein, Costa directed the 2011 documentary Lunch Hour, which addresses the National School Lunch Program and its effects on the health and nutrition of children from low-income backgrounds.

Previously, Costa served as Chairman of the Board for The Hunt's Point Alliance for Children and Vice Chair National Council for the Humane Society of the United States. He has also acted as an Advisory Council for the Sabre Foundation, which distributes educational materials to developing countries.

"I'm thrilled to be supporting the Benevolent team and the work they are doing to highlight the challenges those in poverty face every day," said Costa. "As Benevolent expands its scope to address the needs of people in developing countries, I'm looking forward to applying what I've learned from my previous work to help them meet these populations' unique needs".

"We're thrilled to welcome James," said Megan Kashner, Benevolent's Founder and CEO. "His strong background in documentaries and social activism will be a great addition to the Benevolent board."

Costa will be joining board members Adam Radulovic, Founder of XL.net; Jaimi Goodfriend, Founder of Trading Sciences; Mari Kuraishi, Co-founder GlobalGiving; Doug Masters, Partner and Deputy Chair of Loeb & Loeb; Chinwe Onyeagoro, Executive Vice President of Great Place to Work Institute; and Braden Pollock of Legal Brand Marketing.

Benevolent brings dignity and self-determination to both sides of the giving equation, illuminating the realities of life on the edge of sustainability. The platform enables users to hear and respond to others' stories of striving with dignity. With an average gift of just $55, Benevolent has enabled individual donors to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help those in low-income circumstances reach their goals. Recently, Benevolent funded its 750th individual in need.

SOURCE Benevolent

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http://www.benevolent.net