The Total Altruistic Project® Foundation

Mission Statement

The Total Altruistic Project® Foundation is a nonprofit organization that identifies projects that heightens altruistic behavior in people which helps our environment, both ecologically and socially. Our organization then strives to implement the project to success.

Intro to Foundation Board Members

We are the T.A.P.® Foundation board members.

Many of us Board members have friendships that developed over decades. However, we were only brought together as a group, starting 2019, when it was decided that the idea of T.A.P. needed to be introduced to the public.  All of us joined because of faith & trust that true friendship brings.  All of us identified, later, that each has unique skills and experiences that smoothly progress the project into existence.

Board of Directors

Gary Blume

President

I am the president of the Total Altruistic Project® Foundation. I have always had a love for the outdoors. I ran cross-country from 8th grade through college because it got me outdoors. I received a degree in Forestry, and I taught Biology at Clairemont High School, San Diego for almost a decade. One of the awesome things about teaching at Clairemont High School was that I had access to a natural, dense canyon...an awesome place to use as a classroom when teaching ecology and the likes. I love life, and I know that there are a lot of people like me. I am the one who thought of all the good that would occur if there was a tool that would make picking up a piece of litter a bit easier and was at-the-ready, stationed along popular walking paths. At this point in time, I have counted 11 different entities that benefit from this project, and none that have been hindered from it. That's when the name of the project came to mind: the Total Altruism Project®.

Karen Durst, PhD

Vice President

Total Altruistic Project® Foundation, Vice President.

I received my B.S. at University of California, Davis and my PhD in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego. I have been a Licensed Clinical Psychologist for over 25 years working in a variety of clinical settings including Community Mental Health, Private Health Care, Private Practice and College Mental Health. I am currently semi-retired and continue working  with the University of San Diego in a leadership role within the Mental and Behavioral Health Team.  Prior to becoming semi-retired, I held the positions of Clinical Director of  Mental and Behavioral Health at the University of San Diego, Clinical Director and Training Director at Sacramento State University, Chief of Clinical Supervision and Training at Community Research Foundation and several other wonderful positons.

Now that I am semi-retired, I am enjoying binge-reading, participating in interesting projects and hanging out with friends and my Samoyed dog. 

Amy Blume

Secretary

Total Altruistic Project® Foundation, Secretary.

Loves exercising and being outdoors

Business & Communications degree, SDSU

30+ years full time real estate sales, San Diego (one of the best to work with)

Kathy Butterstein

I received my Education Degree in Biology from the State University College at Oneonta NY. and a Master of Arts from Union College in Schenectady N.Y. During my 33-year career, I taught General Science, 9th and 10th grade Biology, 12th grade AP Biology and Syracuse University’s Project Advance. In addition to my full-time job teaching high school students, I also taught Union College graduate students in the Master of Arts in Teaching program. In 2002, I was granted a one-year sabbatical and my husband and I spent the year working at the San Diego Zoo. During that time, we fell in love with San Diego and we moved back in 2007 when we retired. We soon became docents at the Zoo, and have been so happy we now call San Diego home.

George Butterstein, PhD

I received a BA in Biology and MA in Zoology from SUNY Buffalo and a PhD in Zoology/Endocrinology from Rutgers University. I taught at Union College in the Biology Department in Schenectady NY for 35 years. My research has been published in numerous scientific journals and was funded by the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation. I had sabbatical leaves at UCLA Medical School, the University of Maryland Medical School, the NYS Department of Health, and in 2002, a year at the research arm of the San Diego Zoo. Administrative positions included Biology Department Chair, Chair of the Faculty Executive Committee, and Dean of Arts and Sciences. My wife, Kathy, and I moved to San Diego when we retired in 2006.

Give Now

Downloads

CA State Tax Exempt letter (pdf)

aka: State Determination Letter

Federal Tax Exempt letter (pdf)

aka: Federal Determination Letter

Articles of Incorporation 2-27-2020 (pdf)

990-N Forms (pdf)

990-N Form: 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022

Board of Directors

Gary Blume

I am the president of the Total Altruistic Project® Foundation. I have always had a love for the outdoors. I ran cross-country from 8th grade through college because it got me outdoors. I received a degree in Forestry, and I taught Biology at Clairemont High School, San Diego for almost a decade. One of the awesome things about teaching at Clairemont High School was that I had access to a natural, dense canyon...an awesome place to use as a classroom when teaching ecology and the likes. I love life, and I know that there are a lot of people like me. I am the one who thought of all the good that would occur if there was a tool that would make picking up a piece of litter a bit easier and was at-the-ready, stationed along popular walking paths. At this point in time, I have counted 9 different entities that benefit from this project, and none that have been hindered from it. That's when the name of the project came to mind: the Total Altruism Project®.

Karen Durst, PhD

Total Altruistic Project® Foundation, Vice President PhD, Clinical Psychology
Licensed/Certifications: Licensed Psychologist CA Board of Psychology, PSY14605
Professional Memberships: American Psychological Association
Clinical Interests/Areas of Expertise: College Student Mental Health
Theoretical Orientation: Interpersonal and psychodynamic

Amy Blume

Total Altruistic Project® Foundation, Secretary Loves exercising and being outdoors Business & Communications degree, SDSU 30+ years full time real estate sales

Our Team

George Butterstein, PhD

I received a BA in Biology and MA in Zoology from SUNY Buffalo and a PhD in Zoology/Endocrinology from Rutgers University. I taught at Union College in the Biology Department in Schenectady NY for 35 years. My research has been published in numerous scientific journals and was funded by the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation. I had sabbatical leaves at UCLA Medical School, the University of Maryland Medical School, the NYS Department of Health, and in 2002, a year at the research arm of the San Diego Zoo. Administrative positions included Biology Department Chair, Chair of the Faculty Executive Committee, and Dean of Arts and Sciences. My wife, Kathy, and I moved to San Diego when we retired in 2006.