“During my life I have learned one lesson: that the most important thing is to realize why one is alive.”
That’s the philosophy that led Craig Keeland, Founder & President of ViaViente, to create the unique healthful drink that’s energizing people’s lives and helping them restore their youth and vigor. It’s also the philosophy that has led Craig to conclude that, “It is our responsibility to others in this world to give back.”
On May 12, 2008, a devastating earthquake hit China’s Sichuan Province. Hundreds of aftershocks followed the earthquake leaving more than 60,000 people dead or missing, hundreds of thousands injured and an estimated 5 million people homeless. ViaViente responded with financial support to the American Red Cross for recovery efforts. Funds were designated to be used to provide immediate relief to victims of the earthquake, including purchase and distribution of supplies, coordination of logistics and transportation of disaster workers.
Craig believes that life is not just about “building bridges or tall buildings or making money, but to do something truly important, to do something for humanity. To bring joy, hope, to make life richer for the spirit, to truly be alive, that is the most important thing.”
That belief has become a cause for Craig and for ViaViente. A cause that he has pursued for years.
And from the very beginning, the company has recognized the importance of giving back to others.
As Craig puts it, “We at ViaViente have been greatly blessed by the generosity of others and want to pay it forward.”
Consequently, The ViaViente Family is committed to extending its reach around the world and living up to the ideal that “To whom much is given, much is expected.”
Because of their diet, these people are among the healthiest and longest living people on earth. Their spirits make them some of the richest people on earth. However, if you measure their riches in tangible terms, they live very modestly with very few financial resources.
To give back to the people of the region and to ensure that their children have a bright future, ViaViente created the Andes Children’s Foundation in 2003, simultaneously with the distribution of the first bottle of ViaViente.
Through donations of ViaViente’s management and leaders, ViaViente helps support the children of 10 schools within the Vilcabamba Valley. These donations supply much needed basic school supplies like pencils, paper, textbooks, desks, chairs, tables, computers and printers, Internet access, microscopes, video projection, and even the completion of a school building high in the mountainous region.
The Andes Children’s Foundation is an important cause that members of the ViaViente family are very passionate about. The ACF was only the beginning for what has become ViaViente’s tradition and culture of giving.
In 1991, Craig Keeland began the tradition of supporting the people of Vilcabamba Valley. In 2003, ViaViente began formally supporting the children of the Vilcabamba Valley by establishing the Andes Children’s Foundation. This Foundation contributes funding and materials in support of the children’s education. The Andes Children’s Foundation is another area for ViaViente to expand its mission of “Restoring Health & Hope Around the World.”
Craig Keeland’s long-time friend Nancy Brinker founded the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation more than 20 years ago in memory of her sister who was a victim of breast cancer. Since its founding, the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has invested $630 million for breast cancer research and education. ViaViente is proud to be among the significant sponsors of the 2006 Race for the Cure.
Via also supports Breast Cancer Research conducted by Dallas’ Baylor Hospital and their commitment to eliminate breast cancer. ViaViente is a significant sponsor of the 2006 Annual Celebrity Women’s Luncheon benefiting breast cancer research at Baylor Hospital.
The 2006 luncheon was hosted by Olympic Gold Medalist Peggy Fleming. Peggy is a breast cancer survivor herself and serves as the host for ViaViente’s DVD, Twelve Weeks to Optimum Health.
MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Center directly benefited by ViaViente’s sponsorship of a two-person bicycling team that raced across the continental United States non-stop in eight days. When two of Craig’s friends learned that a young girl named Emily was stricken with a rare cancer that only affects children, they vowed to raise money for research to help find a cure for this type of cancer.
They were driven by the belief that a cure for this rare children’s cancer could be found in time to save Emily’s life. Race Across America gave these two remarkable athletes and ViaViente a venue to succeed in their goal to help MD Anderson and Emily conquer her cancer and save her life.
ViaViente’s cash contribution of $20,000 helped the team cycle from Oceanside, California, to the Atlantic seaboard and allowed them to raise additional money for MD Anderson to find a cure and eliminate this rare form of children’s cancer.
Contact Crisis Line is an important crisis intervention program serving the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Contact Crisis Line assists individuals facing emotional crises and helps them recognize and create options that can help them reclaim a healthy cycle of life.
Craig Keeland attended a benefit for Contact Crisis Line hosted by Tonight Show host Jay Leno. After meeting with Jay Leno that evening, Craig personally donated $10,000 on behalf of ViaViente’s worldwide family members to support the work of Contact Crisis Line.
You’ll find hundreds, maybe thousands, of companies that claim their people are “family,” and that they are committed to helping communities.
But at ViaViente, the commitment to giving back and to helping and supporting the Via family and their communities is demonstrated every day. Via is continuously seeking new opportunities to help others and to give back. It’s a responsibility that is a part of the fabric of the company.
ViaViente continues to give back and to support important causes that help others. This is truly a company that is proud to say, “We Are More Than A Company…We Are A Cause®“
