Our mission is to produce and promote benefit events that raise awareness and funds for worthy causes eg. homelessness, peace, environment.

PEOPLE IN NEED (PIN) FUND ~ JOIN 4-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER EDWIN HAWKINS IN HIS APPEAL TO RAISE FUNDS FOR AMERICA'S HOMELESS

Whether it be hurricane, earthquake, tornado, flood, sickness, loss of work, mental illness, drug addiction, alcoholism or just plain bad luck ~ these types of disasters rip apart people's lives every day, dramatically increasing the number of America's homeless.

With Edwin's help we are making this urgent "People In Need" appeal to raise funds for permanent housing, counseling and job training for this growing homeless population who spend their nights hungry, alone and vulnerable on the streets of America, facing untold hardship and, sometimes, a violent death.

YOU CAN HELP RIGHT NOW ~ make a simple $9.99 tax-deductible donation ~ in exchange, you will receive a high quality "People In Need" mp3 download recorded exclusively for the homeless by 4-time Gospel Grammy Winner Edwin Hawkins, Gospel Diva Tramaine Hawkins and the Edwin Hawkins Singers. Your donation will be allocated to a special PIN Fund dedicated to providing permanent housing for America's homeless.


REAL AMERICAN FUND ~ Did you know that one-third of the homeless are veterans? 
Did you know that there are 400,000 homeless veterans on the streets tonight?  "A disgrace," says former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Jesse Brown, "That we have men and women who served in American uniform who are out on the mean streets with no place to go and few prospects for a better life."

Veterans are homeless for the same reasons that others are homeless, plus an additional few: the casualties of war, a reduction in educational benefits, physical and mental ailments, drug and alcohol abuse problems, and war related mental illnesses, such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all contribute to the tremendous number of our nation's veterans who are homeless right now.

The Benefit Network has set up a fund to support Homeless American Vets through donations raised in conjunction with our "Real American" CD release.  100% of net proceeds from the CD will go into our Real American Fund to be dispersed to Homeless Vets in the cities where it is needed most. 

US PEACE ARMY ~ The US Peace Army is dedicated to creating a peaceful world for ourselves, our communities and our environment.  We are looking for like-minded people to join in developing and implementing the Peace Army concept of voluntary community service both here and abroad, so, if you are interested in joining please contact us. Visit our website: US Peace Army


STARVING ARTISTS ~ The death of Sonny Zorro - the 'King of Venice Beach' - in April 2003, marked the end of an important era not only in the history of Venice but was a cruel benchmark in the history of the LAPDs abuse of its homeless population.  For 22 years, King Sonny had lived homeless on or near the beach.  He never bothered anyone and he had become a Venice icon, revered by famous musicians such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and others who admired his eclectic musical genius.  They would meet up with Sonny while visiting the beach, incognito, and many times they would try to persuade him to go into the studio to record his inimitable musical style for posterity.  Sonny resisted these offers, afraid of commercial success, preferring his nomadic lifestyle of art, poetry and music.  That's why, when Barbara Peck of The Benefit Network (TBN) approached Sonny in 1996 to record some of his music in their tiny 8-track studio, on Abbot Kinney Blvd., he agreed because he knew that it would be done for charity. 

The Benefit Network set up a memorial fund to commemorate the life and works of King Sonny Zorro. The fund will be used to help other 'starving artists' who are struggling to give form to their artistic expression. Now you can support our Starving Artist program by making a tax-deductible donation to the KSZ Memorial Fund

The Benefit Network (TBN) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 California public benefit educational entertainment corporation founded in 1987. We produce and promote benefit events and projects to raise funds and awareness for a variety of worthy causes.

Our primary purpose is to produce events and projects that:

raise public consciousness re: urgent social and environmental needs;  educate the public on current solutions; raise funds for nonprofit organizations providing solutions

IN THE BENEFIT NETWORK EVERYONE WINS:

• worthwhile organizations receive publicity and funding
• financial backers receive positive public relations
• entertainers are given a favorable showcase for their talent
• audiences enjoy quality entertainment

The Benefit Network (TBN) is run by volunteers, spearheaded by President/Founder, Barbara Peck. All projects are created on an individual basis and, thanks to our non-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt status and the help of professionals who volunteer their time and expertise, we get freebies, cut rates and "pro bono" services to help us along. In exchange, our benefactors receive a valuable tax break, 'good will' exposure and plenty of 'good vibes'.

Our projects arise spontaneously out of a need to address crucial issues present in this 'small' world.  Our primary focus has often been on the homeless population that continues to burgeon and embarrass the affluent business communities of Downtown, Hollywood, West Side and the Beaches in Los Angeles.  As we evolve we are aware of the unchanging, unremitting nature of the homeless problem.  This awareness leads us to continue our quest for social justice and equality for all, often swimming against the tide of establishment protocol.  We rise and fall with the waves of public opinion, as they go for or against the homeless cause.  

Our aim is to rise above a dispassionate view of humanity and call upon our community's compassionate collective consciousness to join us in providing for those less fortunate than ourselves..."the people in need are my brothers and sisters, there but for the Grace of God, go I."