Help Give Back This Holiday Season
I'm not the type to ask someone to do something I wouldn't do. In work, in the gym, with their diet, sleep habits, or, in this case, donating to a cause bigger than themself.
Last year, I asked for help to bring supplies to people effected by the Carr fire in northern CA, and I was gifted $500 in just a few hours, some of it from friends on ActiveRain, but ALL of it in one form or another from an online fundraiser - it was truly amazing! I was able to get a TON of great stuff from Target, Petsmart, and Costco to make a drive up to Redding and help those in need. With that $500, I matched it and offered a little over $500 of my own money to double the effort.
This year, I want to do it again. But I want not only your help, but to include something YOU care about as well. Here's what I'm doing:
Hoping to raise $3000 - the first thousand dollars going to the Orange County Rescue Mission in Tustin, CA, the second thousand dollars going to providing toys and gifts for children in need to make their holidays a little brighter (through various charities, namely Toys for Tots, Salvation Army, and Big Brother Big Sister), and the third thousand going to a charity or cause of YOUR choice. And just like last year, I'm going to match every dollar, up to $3000, between now and the end of November.
That means - y'all donate up to $1000, I match it for a contribution up to $2000 to Orange County Rescue Mission
Next $1000 is matched as well, for up to $2000 toward buying gifts for kids to help bring them some joy for the holidays via gifts and presents
Next $1000+ - matched again (up to $1000 with any additional proceeds being unmatched, but still going toward your cause) - up to $2000 to a charity or cause of your choice.
You can contribute 3 ways:
Venmo - @john-meussner
Paypal - paypal.me/JMLoans
Zelle - 484-680-4852
Why Cash?
Last year, when people sent $500, that money went a LOT further because once received, I went to each store, explained what I was doing, and was able to get substantial discounts as stores helped the cause - Orange County rescue mission will receive cash, but the Toys for Kids portion of the fundraiser I plan on involving stores to get additional discounts, so $2000 should end up buying about $2500 worth of toys at various stores. Sites like gofundme take a cut, which would take away from what we can accomplish.
The Charity of Your Choice
For anyone that contributes $10 or more, each $10 increment will be 1 entry into a raffle (so a $100 entry would be 10 entries) that I'll do at the end of the month. The winner of that raffle will get to decide where the funds beyond the first $2000 in contributions will go. When you contribute, just send me a note (through email, private message on facebook, in your venmo note, however!) to let me know what your cause or charity choice is!
Transparency
I don't like giving money out without knowing where it's going. I don't expect anyone else to, either. I'll be documenting this fundraiser fully through facebook (if we're not friends, let's be!), hand delivering a check to the Orange County Rescue Mission, and will share receipts online (and pictures of my Jeep hopefully packed full of presents). I'm tracking donations and entries for the 3rd part of the contest on a spreadsheet for the duration of collections.
Note: If we don't exceed $2000 in donations, the money will go, in order, to Orange County Rescue Mission and then the Toy Drive, up to the first $2000 contributed.
Questions? Other ways you'd like to help? Give me a call at 484.680.4852. Feel free to share or invite others to contribute. Hoping to make this a huge success and help bring some joy to those in need for the holidays.
Comments(6)