Yank Barry
Since his founding of Global Village Champions Foundation in 1995, Yank Barry has become a world-renowned philanthropist on a quest to supply nourishment, as well as support for those in dire need. Barry has spearheaded his nonprofit organization’s efforts to supply nearly 1 billion meals in two decades while coming to the aid of regional crises such as Typhoon Pablo in Philippines, Haiti Earthquake in 2011 and currently the Syrian refugee crisis.
EARLY LIFE:
Born in Montreal Canada in 1948, Yank Barry began his career in the music industry. Over 27 years, Barry took on the role of singer, composer, arranger and producer. In 1965 his life in music started as lead singer of the Footprints. Two years later, Barry was named the newest lead singer of the touring Kingsmen, best known for the song ’Louie, Louie’ which frequently plays at celebratory gatherings throughout the world. Barry later went on to find success in advertising jingles for brands such as Dr. Pepper, Kodak and General Motors, among many others.
In 1990, Barry developed Vitapro, a dehydrated soy-based meat-replacement product. While traveling on business, Barry witnessed desperate living conditions that touched his heart, resulting in the commencement of VitaPro product donation to various charities and NGOs in Canada and the US.
GLOBAL VILLAGE CHAMPIONS FOUNDATION:
Recognizing the need for more support, Barry joined forces with ‘The Greatest’ boxer and humanitarian of all-time, Muhammad Ali to form Global Village Champions Foundation. Together the duo began distributing food (including VitaPro), medical supplies, clothing and educational tools to refugee camps, orphanages and disaster-stricken areas all over the globe at a rapid pace.
Global Village Champions Foundation works openly with local agencies and NGOs helping countless people in need, often traveling to politically unstable areas when very few would lend a helping hand. In fact, in 2006 Barry met with then Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi to persuade the leader to release the ‘Benghazi Six.’ Once sentenced to death by Gaddafi, the ‘Benghazi Six’ were emancipated just a few months later.
AWARDS:
Yank Barry is engaged in an ongoing fight against hunger, aspiring to one day see a world without hunger. As a result of this, Barry has received nearly two dozen awards and nominations since 1995. These accolades include:
- 2012 Nobel Peace Prize nomination
- 2013 Nobel Peace Prize nomination
- 2014 Nobel Peace Prize nomination
- India Humanitarian Service Award 2008
- Bahamian Red Cross Humanitarian Award
- Cote D’Ivoire Humanitarian Peace award
- Juarez Mexico Hands of Love and Hope Award
- Gusi Peace Prize for Social Services
- Philanthropy and International Humanitarianism in Manila
- Philanthropist of the Year at the GLA 2011 Awards
MEDIA COVERAGE:
TV Europa interview in Bulgaria
ADDITIONAL TELEVISION COVERAGE CAN BE SEEN HERE
PRINT NEWS COVERAGE:
09/25/2014: Bay News 9 – Well-known musician in Manatee County helping out refugees in Syria
09/25/2014: Bradenton Herald – Manatee’s ‘Jewish Schindler’ is working to save war refugees
09/09/2014: Jerusalem Post – ‘Jewish Schindler’ reaches goal of saving more than 1,200 Muslim and Christian refugees
09/09/2014: JTA – The Jewish Schindler – ‘Jewish Schindler’ reaches goal of saving more than 1,200 Muslim and Christian refugees
08/11/2014: Fox News – Iran’s Christians flee to unlikely sanctuary in Bulgaria
07/28/2014: Jerusalem Post – Jewish Schindler rescues Iranian Christians, Syrians and Iraqis
07/28/2014: The Blaze -Meet the ‘Jewish Schindler’ Who’s Helping More Than 700 Middle Easterners Escape Violence and Chaos
07/19/2014: Novavarna.net -Канадски милиардер купи хотел за бежанците в Наречен (Bulgarian)
07/18/2014: Trud.BG – Янг Бари отново дари храна на бежанците в Харманли (Bulgarian)
07/18/2014: Standart – Милиардерът Бари заведе 35 сирийци на хотел в Наречен (Bulgarian)
06/25/2014: Metro News Canada – Canadian businessman sues Wikipedia editors for defamation
06/25/2014: FAZ.net - Zehn Millionen Dollar für Diffamierung (German)
06/25/2014: TechEye - Wikipedia editors sued for defamation
06/24/2014: The Daily Dot -Wikipedia editors hit with $10 million defamation lawsuit
03/16/2014: Jerusalem Post – ‘Jewish Schindler’ nominated for Nobel Prize for Syrian refugee aid
02/16/2014: Jerusalem Post – Civil war fosters small thaw in Israeli-Syrian relations
02/11/2014: Novinite – Billionaire to Repopulate Bulgarian Villages with Syrian Refugees
01/29/2014: Manila Bulletin – Philanthropist Yank Barry donates meals to the Philippines
01/22/2014: Ocala Star-Banner – The Kingsmen (with Yank Barry) and more in a culture-full weekend
12/26/2013: Sarasota Herald-Tribune – Sarasota resident fights for peace all over world
12/16/2013: CNN -Evander Holyfield joins fight for Syrian refugees in Bulgaria
12/10/2013: SRQ Magazine – Global Givers
11/14/2013: Time – ‘Jewish Schindler’ Taps Boxing Legend Evander Holyfield to Help Syrian Refugees
11/13/2013: Jerusalem Post - ‘Jewish Schindler,’ ex-boxer team up to aid Syrian refugees
11/12/2013: Fox News – Evander Holyfield joins Yank Barry to fight for reeling Syrian refugees
11/12/2013: Washington Post – Photos of the Day
11/11/2013: Novinite – Boxing Champ, Billionaire Launch Refugee Housing Campaign in Bulgaria
11/11/2013: The Guardian – Best Pictures of the Day
11/11/2013: Chicago Tribune – Yank Barry, Evander Holyfield visit Syrian refugee camp in Bulgaria
11/10/2013: Standart -US boxing champion Evander Holyfield and Canadian billionaire Yank Barry take refugees in Bulgaria into hotels
08/07/2013: Celebrities Do Good – Shannon Elizabeth, Verne Troyer join Global Village Champions
3/28/2013: Canyon News – Yank Barry Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize
3/27/2013: Fox News – Life after Hollywood: ‘Louie, Louie’ singer Yank Berry nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
3/20/2013: WFLA-TV (NBC) – Sarasota business man nominated for 2013 Nobel Peace Prize
3/18/2013: Sarasota Herald-Tribune – Yank Barry Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
MEDIA CONTACTS
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