B the Difference

The Brandon Merritt Charitable Foundation, B the Difference, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed to provide support to individuals and their families battling Neurofibromatosis (NF) through our B Happy and B Kind programs. B Happy provides five-day all-expense paid hosted trips for selected NF recipients and their families. The B the Difference Board works with highly regarded NF doctors to select NF patients to be considered for this opportunity. The concept of this program is derived in Brandon Merritt’s memory and stems from his curiosity of adventure, love of the great outdoors, and appreciation for the simple moments in life. B Happy allows participants the chance to escape hospital beds, routine tests, MRIs, chemotherapy, and more to forget their everyday worries, while embarking on a journey they will never forget. B Kind was formed while our team was looking to assist families in alternative ways after temporarily suspending our B Happy program due to the pandemic. B Kind provides relief to NF families in the form of food assistance and medical and educational needs. While B Kind began as a COVID relief program, COVID- impacted expenses are no longer a prerequisite to be considered for relief. B Kind has provided assistance to families through food security, rent assistance, laptops and tablets for online schooling, hotel funds for out-of-state surgeries and appointments, school supplies and uniforms, co-pays for surgeries, and so much more.