Global Empowerment Mission

10/08/2026

MEET THE TEAM | DR. PAUL NESBIT

Dr. Paul Nesbit serves as Executive Vice President of Supply Chain & Fulfillment at Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), bringing more than 30 years of experience in supply chain management, logistics, public service, and military leadership. Working alongside GEM Founder and President Michael Capponi, Paul oversees operational efficiency, integrating innovative technologies and processes that strengthen GEM’s ability to rapidly expand and scale humanitarian operations worldwide.

A California native and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Paul served as a Navy pilot, completing multiple deployments throughout the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf. During Desert Shield and Desert Storm, he commanded aircraft conducting reconnaissance and targeting missions, later flying counternarcotics operations across Asia and the Middle East. A trained linguist, he also served as a translator and search-and-rescue pilot alongside French naval forces on Réunion Island.

Paul was subsequently selected as military aide to General Colin Powell and General John Shalikashvili, both Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His assignments included international military cooperation, peacekeeping, and humanitarian missions across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Following his military career, Paul joined Northrop Grumman, leading teams supporting advanced defense and surveillance programs. Beginning in 2002, he dedicated more than two decades to developing businesses and nonprofit initiatives serving disadvantaged communities, Alaska Native populations, disabled veterans, and rural agricultural businesses.

Paul holds degrees from the U.S. Naval Academy, University of Paris–La Sorbonne, Georgetown University, Keller Graduate School of Management, and Liberty University, including an MBA and a dual-track doctorate in Business Administration and Supply Chain Management & Logistics.

10/08/2026

Our GEM Ground Teams teams and Disaster Aid are propositioned in Florida and Texas we will be on the ground immediately after Hurricane Isaias makes landfall working with our local ground partners, churches and agencies. To learn more and support this mission, visit GEM.org

10/07/2026

PALI HUB | PALI LTRG | GEM USA WEST

When the Pali Hub opened its doors on April 13, the mission was clear: create a place where survivors of the Los Angeles fires could access resources, support, and guidance throughout the long-term recovery process.

Six months later, that work continues to grow.

Since opening:
• 1,722 survivor walk-ins
• 417 Disaster Case Management cases
• $366,184 in aid secured through DCM

In September alone:
• 537 walk-ins
• 208 new DCM cases opened
• $65,282 in client aid provided

Behind every number is a survivor navigating the realities of rebuilding - a family searching for resources, a homeowner working through the recovery process, or a small business owner trying to move forward.

The Disaster Case Management team works directly with survivors to identify needs, connect resources, advocate on their behalf, and help navigate the many challenges that come with long-term recovery.

In September, Pali Hub partners provided 1,191 hours of service across disaster case management and resource navigation, financial services, wellness, and construction and rebuilding support.

In addition to DCM aid has provided $76,665 in direct recovery assistance through rental assistance and small business recovery programs.

As recovery continues, our focus remains on identifying unmet needs, strengthening community preparedness, and building a network of support that remains in place long after the immediate disaster has passed.

The Pali Hub is more than a resource center. It is a place where survivors can walk through the door and know there is a team ready to listen, help, and work alongside them. Recovery takes time. It takes partnership. It takes community. Very special thanks to the Bob & Beth McCluney Foundation for your continued support Beth

10/06/2026

INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE MISSION RECAP
GEM | Royal Carribean Group Response

On August 15, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Flores, Indonesia, leaving widespread destruction across the island. Homes were destroyed or badly damaged, communities were displaced, and continued aftershocks left many families sleeping outside or in temporary shelters.

GEM teams arrived in Indonesia within days.

With the support of our mission partner Royal Caribbean, we established an operational and logistics base in Maumere and began moving assistance across the affected areas.

The response quickly grew to span four regencies, 12 districts and dozens of communities across Flores, including some of the hardest-hit and most remote areas of the island.

Nearly 40 tonnes of food and drinking water were delivered, including more than 13 tonnes of rice, alongside thousands of hygiene and essential supplies.

Reaching communities across Flores meant adapting to the terrain. Trucks and smaller vehicles carried assistance across the island, while motorcycles took over for the final stretch in places where larger vehicles could go no further. Throughout the response, local volunteers, community leaders and residents worked alongside our teams to help get assistance where it was needed.

This recap captures only a fraction of what went into the operation, thousands of supplies prepared and packed in Maumere, long days on the road, teams working across the island, and dozens of communities reached along the way.

The support of Royal Caribbean gave our teams the ability to move quickly and operate at scale, from the first days of the response through the final distributions.

A look back at our response in Flores and at the people who made it possible.

10/04/2026

https://www.elnacional.com/2026/10/global-empowerment-mission-reporto-mas-de-474-millones-en-ayuda-para-venezuela-a-100-dias-de-los-terremotos/

Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) informó eque canalizó más de 47 millones de dólares en ayuda para Venezuela

10/03/2026

100 Day Venezuela Update 🇻🇪

Yesterday marked 100 days since the twin earthquakes struck , devastating major parts of the country. 

Global Empowerment Mission Latin America (GEM LATAM), in partnership with We Love🩵, the US U.S. Department of State, Embajada de los EE.UU. en Caracas and the incredible Venezuelan diaspora (across 37+ states and multiple countries), has been able to do so far for the Venezuelan people. 

To date, our impact includes:

•Total Value Delivered: $47,424,540.22 worth of aid 

•Total Pallets & Weight: 9,010 pallets (8,238,069 lbs / 3,736.73 metric tons) 

•Transport & Logistics: 31 cargo planes, 265 containers landed in VZ (90 in transit), and 5 military landing crafts 

•Priority Relief Goods:
161,155 GEM Family Necessity Kits 
26,043 GEM Non-Food Kits 
43,045 cases of Water & 28,974 cases of Hydration Beverages 
61,765 cases of Baby Supplies & 16,548 cases of Shelter Supplies 
12,190 cases of Medical Supplies & 114 Generators 

•Individuals Served:
July: 277,354 (Food & Hydration) | 144,125 (Non-Food Items) 
August: 149,539 (Food & Hydration) | 68,108 (Non-Food Items) 
September: 141,649 (Food & Hydration) | 128,796 (Non-Food Items) 

We will be here for the very long haul. Our partners, We Love🩵 are spearheading the major repairs of 2 schools already. Our goal is to repair at least 10 schools in 2027. In December 2026 we are launching a major rehousing program for IDPs who lost their homes.

We still need your support and we need communities to keep delivering food and shelter supplies to HQ till Christmas PLEASE.

Thank you for all your support. Thank you to our donors and corporate partners.

10/01/2026

Today, GEM President Michael Capponi and Global Empowerment Mission Latin America (GEM LATAM)’s Colombia Operations Director, Simon Rodriguez signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Daniel Suarez, Director of the reconstruction division for Fundación Solidaridad por Colombia and Alexandra Ruiz Farah, part of the team, marking a powerful new partnership in phase 2 of Colombia’s recovery.

Founded in 1975 by former First Lady Nydia Quintero de Balcázar alongside her daughter, renowned journalist Diana Turbay, Solidaridad por Colombia has spent more than 51 years serving vulnerable families and communities throughout the Colombia.

The foundation’s history is also one of extraordinary resilience. Diana Turbay was kidnapped in 1990 by a group acting on behalf of Pablo Escobar and tragically lost her life during a failed rescue operation in 1991. Her commitment to Colombia and her family’s legacy of service continued forward, and today her daughter, María Carolina Hoyos | Resiliencia & Liderazgo, leads Solidaridad por Colombia as its president, carrying her grandmother and mother’s mission into a new generation.

This partnership brings together GEM’s international humanitarian response experience, global logistics network and disaster-response capabilities with Solidaridad por Colombia’s more than five decades of local knowledge, trusted community relationships and deep understanding of the Colombian people.

Partnerships like this demonstrate what is possible when international experience is combined with strong local expertise. By working together, GEM and Fundación Solidaridad por Colombia can respond faster, reach further and build stronger, more effective humanitarian programs for communities across .

10/01/2026

GEM Founder & President, Michael Capponi was in last night at the Official Residence of the United States Ambassador, joining the U.S. Department of State Disaster Response and Humanitarian Assistance team and key partners.

GEM is honored to be working with U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Hugo Guevara, Nicolás Fernández de Soto of UNGRD, Sean Mariano Garcia, Disaster and Humanitarian Response Regional Director for , Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil and our own Simon Rodriquez, GEM LATAM Colombia Director of Operations.

To date, our officially registered GEM LATAM Colombia branch has reached over 125,000 people across more than 74 municipalities in 6 departments, delivering over 650,000 pounds of humanitarian aid valued at around 5.7 million dollars. We're also starting repairs on hospitals and schools by winter 2026.

Response only works when governments and local partners move as one. Grateful to everyone strengthening that coordination for communities affected by the earthquake.

09/30/2026

Join Global Empowerment Mission on November 15, 2026 for the Give Miami 5K Race + Family Festival Series GM up here: https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Miami/givemiami5k

09/30/2026

GEM Europe & Asia continues to scale its humanitarian response in Nepal following the devastating flash floods.

The first air shipment supporting GEM’s response has now arrived in Nepal, carrying an additional 1,400 GEM Family Necessity Kits with the support of Airlink, adding to the assistance already being delivered by our teams on the ground.

The kits will now be distributed across flood-affected communities, providing families with essential supplies as recovery continues.

We are grateful to Airlink for supporting the air transport of this shipment to Nepal, the Nepal Peace Scouts and the Government of Nepal, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, its Disaster Policy Coordination and International Relations Section, and NDRRMA for their coordination and support throughout the process.

Our teams remain in Nepal, working alongside local partners and continuing distributions in affected areas.

The response continues. To learn more visit the link in our bio, or visit GEM.org to support this mission.