User:Donthornton

Donald E. Thornton
Founder & Director of Marketing, UrbanGuardians.org Youth Initiative

Donald E. Thornton was born in Akron, OH, July 29, 1955. Don is Founder & Chair of B.U.I.L.D. Management LLC a recently formed company with an emphasis on developing Commercial & Residential collaborations that benefit under served and disadvantaged Urban Markets. B.U.I.L.D. is an acronym for “Businesses United In Land Development”.

Don is also founder of the “Women’s World Peace Charities” and "Urban Guardians Youth Initiative" that are programs to help support “Peace Building” and “At Risk Youth.” The “Youth Initiative” is a joint philanthropic campaign designed to annually raise a minimum of $100 million dollars on behalf of legally established “Urban Youth at Risk Programs.

Don graduated in the upper 10% of his class with a 3.8 GPA from Akron Central-Hower High School in 1973 where he earned a full scholarship to play basketball at Fairmont State College in Fairmont, West Virginia. He transferred to Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio where he became two-time, 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All District, “Team” MVP and also went on to become Honorable Mention All-American NAIA in 1976.

Don was a very gifted college fine art major where he won several awards and took "Best of Show" during an all campus “Fine Arts Competition” as a freshman. After college, Don continued his art career during which time he worked for several graphic design studios in Akron, Ohio. He moved to California in 1990 to further pursue his graphic arts career during which time he created several charitable events. He founded “Don't Give Up! Incorporated” in November of 1993, of which during its existence was a popular Los Angeles Human Crisis Organization.

Don and his staff rallied support for many causes. The Mission of “Don't Give Up!” was to "Rally Support for Youth At Risk, Promote AIDS Awareness, Advocate World Peace and Rally Support on behalf of all victims of Human Crisis". Don't Give Up! Inc., successfully produced and/or CO-produced several California based human crisis events, human crisis awareness rallies and charitable fundraisers during the 90's. Don launched a 4-year collaboration with the United States Postal Service back in 1994 when he conceived his "Let's Stamp Out AIDS!" slogan and campaign. The slogan was adopted by and involved several California United States Post Masters.

With the production of various Los Angeles Harbor Cruises and other events CO-created by his staff and volunteers, he was able to rally participation by LA Children's AIDS Center, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Caring For Babies With AIDS, The Elton John Foundation, The Magic Johnson Foundation and The Elizabeth Taylor Foundation. Don developed AIDS awareness collaborations with the support and participation of Mr. David Magdale, who was former Director of the Los Angeles Children's Hospital, Children's AIDS Center during the middle 1990’s among others.

Don's “Don't Give Up!” charity produced projects with the participation and support of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science, UCLA Community Outreach Department, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Tri-City Institute Drug Detox Center, Human Resource Programs, the P.O.W.E.R.S. Women's Network & Mentoring Program, One Child Our Village Foundation, Jammin’ For Kid's Sake and various LA Churches and non-profits.

During it’s existence, “Don't Give Up! Incorporated” frequently involved the entertainment industry and garnered the Endorsement and/or Support of several well known celebrities, such as the Whispers, Andréa & Sandra Crouch, Stevie Wonder, George & Corinne Duke, Kiki Shepherd from Kiki Live In Hollywood, Lou Rawls II, Fayard Nicholas of the famous Nicholas Brothers and popular “Main Ingredient” lead singer, Cuba Gooding Sr.

Currently Don is focused on increasing his support for “Youth At Risk” by way of his new “Urban Guardians Youth Initiative” that he CO-founded with his Washington DC, Akron, Ohio and Las Vegas associates. Don and his team of marketers are designing a series of high-profile quality events, such as the Urban Guardians Youth Benefit Concert planned for 2008 in Cleveland and the NBA All-Star Week Youth Benefit Concert targeted for 2008 in New Orleans.