After a life-changing near-death experience in 2011, successful entrepreneur Michael “BigMike” Straumietis felt moved to make philanthropy a centerpiece of his life.

Living in Bulgaria at the time, he was horrified to see the poverty running rampant across the country and a government that did nothing to improve the poor living conditions. Not a single reputable charity existed.

So in 2012, BigMike took matters into his own hands. He launched Holiday Heroes, a non-profit organization that supports the disadvantaged, disabled, and families in need. From the start, he faced resistance from the government. People, including his supporters, insisted his objectives would be impossible to meet.

But BigMike was undeterred…

He rallied food and beverage companies, and with the support of corporate donations, provided over 27,500 families with celebratory meals for the Christmas and Easter seasons. Holiday Heroes also distributed tens of thousands of toys for children who would otherwise go without a gift to unwrap.

Never before in the history of Bulgaria have so many national companies, celebrities, and local businessmen banned together for such a worthy cause.

But Holiday Heroes was only a start.

In 2016 BigMike moved to Los Angeles, where he witnessed the dire conditions the homeless community of Los Angeles face on a daily basis.

The stark reality had a profound impact on him.

A lifelong entrepreneur, BigMike has enjoyed a great deal of success in the business world, including founding Advanced Nutrients.

He lives by the mantra that, if a company has the financial resources, then it has a social responsibility to help humanity as a whole.

BigMike spearheaded efforts in Los Angeles to improve the quality of life for the homeless. He founded Humanity Heroes which, to date, has helped over 40,000 homeless individuals and families, and has partnered with seventeen homeless shelters and charities.

A firm believer in direct action, BigMike walks the streets of Skid Row to ask the men and women he meets what they need most. Right away, it became clear they lacked the basic living supplies most of us take for granted on a daily basis.

Humanity Heroes responded by creating “Humanity Packs” — backpacks stocked with essential items that provide months of support, hygiene, and relief.

Today our team organizes the annual Skid Row Backpack Donation, where we distribute these life-giving essentials to homeless Angelenos.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Humanity Heroes donated 17,000 masks to homeless shelters and community organizations to help stop the spread of the disease in Los Angeles.