NEEDTOBREATHE Classic Raises $300,000 for Charleston-Based OneWorld Health

Proceeds to fund medical clinics in some of the world’s poorest regions

CHARLESTON, S.C. – This year’s annual NEEDTOBREATHE Classic raised more than $300,000 for OneWorld Health – far surpassing the $200,000 the event brought in last year.

Each year, musicians, athletes and actors join southern rock band NEEDTOBREATHE for a charity golf classic at the Daniel Island Club, plus an auction and concert in support of OneWorld Health. The Charleston-based nonprofit empowers communities around the world to achieve long-term improvements in health and quality of life. OneWorld Health has built 12 medical clinics in Uganda and Nicaragua, helping more than 310,000 patients receive life-saving medical care.

“We are incredibly grateful for the partnership we have with Commonwealth and NEEDTOBREATHE,” said Michael O’Neal, executive director of OneWorld Health. “We are humbled by the overwhelming generosity of everyone and promise to steward the contributions faithfully as we continue to make life-saving care a reality for the communities we serve in East Africa and Central America. On behalf of the more than 100,000 patients we will serve in 2019, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”

The annual charity golf tournament was started by Commonwealth Cares Foundation, the charitable foundation of Daniel Island financial services firm Commonwealth Financial. In 2013, NEEDTOBREATHE partnered with Commonwealth Cares Foundation, lending its name to the golf tournament and adding a musical concert.

NEEDTOBREATHE, which has roots in South Carolina, is a long-time partner of OneWorld Health. One dollar from every concert ticket sold goes back to the band’s support of OneWorld Health. To date, NEEDTOBREATHE has raised more than $2 million through ticket sales, fan donations and the golf tournament and helped to open two NEEDTOBREATHE Medical Centers in Tola and Jinotega, Nicaragua. NEEDTOBREATHE band members include Bear Rinehart (vocals, guitar), Bo Rinehart (guitar, vocals), Seth Bolt (bass, vocals), and Josh Lovelace (keys, vocals).

On March 25, athletes and musicians hit the links at the Daniel Island Club for a day of golf, including Zack Bailey, University of South Carolina lineman; Adam Humphries, NFL receiver; Nick Mullens, NFL quarterback; Detrez Newsome, NFL running back; Bradley Pinion, NFL punter; Sterling Sharpe, former NFL receiver; and Hunter Renfrow, Clemson University wide receiver. Golfers and their guests joined NEEDTOBREAHTE for an evening concert at the Music Farm in downtown Charleston. Special musical guests included Gavin DeGraw, Andy Grammer, Johnnyswim, Kip Moore, and Collective Soul’s Ed Roland and Jesse Triplett.

“It’s incredible to see how this event has grown over the years. Each year, we raise more money, meaning we can have an even greater impact around the world,” said Britt Gilbert, founder of Commonwealth Cares Foundation. “This event is so much more than a fun day on the golf course and an amazing concert. This event brings health care to people who struggle to receive even the most basic medical care and attention.”

“This event is truly an example of people’s desire to make difference,” said NEEDTOBREATHE’s Bear Rinehart. “We feel incredibly fortunate we’ve been able to use our musical platform to support OneWorld Health and create true change in people’s lives around the world.”

ABOUT COMMONWEALTH CARES FOUNDATION
Founded in 2007 as a 501(c)(3), Commonwealth Cares Foundation is the charitable arm of Commonwealth, a Daniel Island-based comprehensive financial services firm with a division focused on providing financial planning services to physicians and the medical community. The firm brings a values-based philosophy, offering clients independent advice through a consultative, team-oriented approach. For more information, visit commonwealthcares.org.

ABOUT NEEDTOBREATHE
NEEDTOBREATHE is a GRAMMY-nominated rock band hailing from South Carolina, comprised of brothers Bear Rinehart (vocals, guitar) and Bo Rinehart (guitar, vocals), Seth Bolt (bass, vocals), and Josh Lovelace (keys, vocals). Their most recent album H A R D L O V E debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Albums, Top Current Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts and #2 on the Billboard 200, their greatest debut yet.

H A R D L O V E is the follow-up to Rivers In the Wasteland, which debuted at #3 overall on the Billboard 200 and spawned the RIAA-certified Gold single “Brother (feat. Gavin DeGraw).” The hit earned the group their first GRAMMY nomination as well as a pair of Billboard Music Award nominations.

NEEDTOBREATHE, well known for the aggressive touring schedule and impressive live show, celebrated four consecutive sold-out shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, as well as sell outs at Greek Theatre (Los Angeles), Ascend Amphitheatre (Nashville), Aragon Ballroom (Chicago), Verizon Theatre (DFW) and more. Last July, NEEDTOBREATHE released their 4-track EP Forever On Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions), which includes the single “Forever On Your Side (with JOHNNYSWIM),” and is the product of a 10-day recording session at Niles City Sound in Fort Worth, Texas (the famed location where Leon Bridges’ GRAMMY-nominated debut Coming Home was recorded).

NEEDTOBREATHE released their first-ever fully acoustic album – Acoustic Live Vol. 1 – in November 2018. The album, which was entirely self-recorded, produced and mixed/ mastered, represents over a decade of music from the GRAMMY-nominated band, with songs spanning across five of their six studio albums. For more information, visit needtobreathe.com.

ABOUT ONEWORLD HEALTH
Our vision is to see impoverished communities take ownership in a sustainable healthcare model, so that they become empowered to bring about long-term change and tangible improvements in their health and quality of life. Our mission is to provide quality, affordable healthcare to people in need. We have developed a model that provides affordable health care to the communities who need it most and does not require ongoing support to keep the doors open. Each OneWorld Health medical center offers a full scope of healthcare services to the community, delivered by trained nationals and offered at a price point that is affordable to the overwhelming majority of the population. Patient fees offset the costs of running the clinic, eventually meeting or exceeding the total monthly operating costs. For more information, visit oneworldhealth.com.

Photo credit Leigh-Ann Beverley