Spirit of America

Spirit of America Worldwide (SoA) was launched Spring 2003 by California computer guru Jim Hake. [1] SoA operated "under the auspices" of the Cyber Century Forum (web)—"a group dedicated to spreading US influence worldwide, with a particular emphasis on covert cyber-intelligence measures"[2]—from August 2003 to November 2004, "before receiving 501(c)(3) status." [3] SoA is a "nonprofit supported solely through private-sector contributions" which does not "receive funding from the government or military," its website states. Donations are 100% tax-deductible. "Spirit of America's mission is to extend the goodwill of the American people to assist those advancing freedom" and to "provide support to those on the front lines: American military and civilian personnel and people who call to Americans for help in their struggle for freedom," its website states. Initially, Spirit of America's "infrastructure" was "financed by Hake from funds from the sale of Global Information Infrastructure, a business that produced Internet content for businesses in the Internet's early days," the Stanford Business Magazine reported in May 2004. "Using the Internet now, Hake matches requests that come mostly from military personnel with Americans willing to donate cash or supplies."