I am intrinsically a shy person. I don’t make it a habit to pass around a hat asking for donations for this cause and that cause. It is NOT my thing. But once in a while, a cause close to your heart moves you so much that you just gotta champion it and let the winds of fate do its magic.
My first fundraising effort in 2011 raised over $700! A lot of money for generous souls to give. It was overwhelming. I felt unworthy, which was silly of me really. I wanted to do it again every year. But then, I will be “asking” the same bunch of people to give, wouldn’t I? That thought did not sit well with me. So I gave it a pass for the next few years.
Every year when City2Surf season approaches (August), a Sri Lankan workmate of mine will prompt me with a question. “Charina, are you raising funds for a charity this year?” My reply,”No, Dissa, not this year.” “If you are, please let me know and send me a link”. I swear that this was our office kitchen conversation every year. Dissa, unknowingly, and regardless if it was mere polite conversation, kept on reminding me to get out there and champion a cause.
This year, I complied.
I hesitated fundraising for Warrah (woe me!) because they are such a small school. No one knows about them, not even the special needs community. Back in 2011, fundraising for Austim Spectrum Australia (or Aspect) made a lot of sense. Their name speaks volumes. Aspect helps families deal with autism, every day. It was easy for people to comprehend what they are about.
I could have raised funds for World Vision or Plan International, both have given generously to Typhoon Yolanda. These two are my charities of choice. But Warrah School was calling out to me. They have sent notes about the need to repair this, maintain that, improve this, so on and so forth. Although Warrah is a private school (not exclusive as exclusive goes), their grounds require extensive upkeep being located in a bushland area (Dural). The student population is 16, which is fantastic by itself if you are a special needs mum. This small number means more care and attention is given to your child! But, how can the parents of 16 children support the school? Our tuition fees are kept very low, after all we are already spending so much for our children’s wellbeing. Yes, government funding is available, but in my mind, funding is on a per student basis. The smaller the student population, the less funding the school gets. There’s your Catch-22.
So I contacted Warrah about my fundraising plans. They need to register at EveryDay Hero, City2Surf’s online fundraising platform provider. Warrah School had to pay $400 for a one-year membership. That meant, I need to raise more than $400 before Warrah starts receiving a penny. The registration process took one month to complete. There were bank accounts to open and forms to sign.
Finally, in early July, Warrah and I are ready. My EveryDay Hero page was ready.
The moment I raised money above $500 was when I allowed myself some happiness. To reach $1000? Ah-may-zing. It was better than amazing. It was phenomenal! Does phenomenal exceed amazing in superlative terms??! As of this writing, 30th of July, I have raised $1215!!!
My question to you is, have you thought of fundraising for a cause close to your heart before? But you did not proceed because you were daunted? Were you thinking, like I did, why people would give their hard earned cash to you? My answer to you is this ~ They Will. Believe me they will! There is Goodness in all of us. See my workmate story above.
Here are some lessons I learned from my fundraising experience. I am sharing this to encourage you all to just do it. I mean, if you believe in someone else’s work or you want to make a difference in the lives of orphaned children, it is worthwhile to get out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there.
Be very specific about what you ask. Then get ready to receive.
1. You must have a story that connects. What does the charity mean to you? What made you go that extra mile to raise funds for them? Your story must connect to people’s hearts. It is all about empathy, not sympathy. Make a list of where the money raised will be used for.
2. A call to action. Use words that will make people read past your first sentence. For example, you can say, “Help me reach my money goal of $1000 for so-and-so.” People respond better to the word “Help“.
3. Get personal. Maybe for your first email blast, you can address it to a group of like-minded individuals. For your second email, reduce the number of email addresses to up to 3 only. Get intimate.
4. Be subtle. There will be folks who want to donate the very first time you asked them, but then they got distracted, moved on to the next thing and have forgotten about you. Send them a second email but change the tone by not asking for donation. Instead, tell them how well your fundraising is doing. This will serve as a gentle reminder of their very first thought.
These are just some of what I’ve learned. The number one reason people donate to charities is because they were asked! It’s that simple.
There is a catch though. You have to do something in return. You can’t just pass the money-hat for nothing. You have to: Walk for a Cause, Run for a Cause, Sing for a Cause (concert), Bike for a Cause, Bake for a Cause ……. Do something for a Cause. After all, there is no “free lunch” in this world.
But you know what ~ Nag exercise ka na, nakatulong ka pa! What could be better than that?
THE END.
My Warrah School Fundraising Page is RIGHT HERE. Please DIG DEEP. Any amount is absolutely WELCOME!
Warrah kids perform The Bells Choir.
Migo is fearless and passionate on stage. He recites As I Grew Older.
My Warrah School Fundraising Page is RIGHT HERE. Please DIG DEEP. Any amount is absolutely WELCOME!
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