A while back a friend posted on her not-public-anymore-but-used-to-be blog about Project 1 Buck. Some of her husband’s college buddies were raising money to buy a computer for a community center. Click here to get the details.
This concept of their’s sparked an idea. I’ve been mulling it over for the past few months and thought maybe someone out there could help me move it past the idea stage and into the for real stage. I’m pretty good with ideas, but suck at execution.
The idea, Change for a Dollar. it would work similar to Project 1 Buck, but I want it to be more than just another charity to give to. I want the “change” to take place on both sides of the dollar.
- Like a standard charity, a physical need will be met.
- Unlike a standard charity, the giver will be physically, directly, live and in person involved with meeting the need.
Obviously, I would want overwhelming participation which would make it difficult to involve every giver directly, so one idea I had was to have a raffle. A contribution of $1.00 automatically enters the giver in the raffle. It would work something like this…..
A team of people and dollars, is needed to meet any given need. Once the money is raised through donations, draw the team from the raffle. All travel cost and accommodations, if any, would be included in the funds raised.
I know from experience that you can not be left unchanged after the opportunity to actively meet a need and change the life of another. It becomes real. No longer is it a picture on the tv screen or story on the internet. I want people to see, feel, hear, taste and smell the need.
Some need this experience as much as others need a coat. The needs may be different, the reasons behind the needs may be different, but both needs still exist. This is a way to meet both.
So, anyone else have any ideas. I’m not committed to the raffle idea. It was just one way that I thought might work.
Filed under: Mind Spew
What if you brought all the benefactors together and had a special dinner or reception type event and a presentation of the gift to the recipient(s)… so that they (the benefactors) could see the reaction of the person who they were helping… that way… they could give, you would do the leg work… and then they could see the fruition of their gift.
Only because you’re my friend Casey, can I say that I’m not digging that idea. “Seeing” the fruition of your gift is not the point of giving. And the money spend to do a dinner or “reception” could better be used elsewhere.
I like your idea….I think marketing is important though and of primary concern…Are you planning on spreading the word via word of mouth like 1Buck? A website? Got any ideas for a first project? Count me in! And let me know what I/we can do to help…Or we can all brainstorm it together….I’d like to make it work…
Casey,
One of the things I’m trying to accomplish is to get people out of their clean, safe and cozy world. Let them physically experience the other side. Removing the recipient from their dirty, dangerous and hard world, dressing them up and bringing them into mine for an evening wouldn’t really accomplish the double-side “change” that I’m looking for. Personally, I love a good meal and receiving gifts. We could have a reception with great food and everyone could bring me stuff.
Tammi,
My initial thoughts are to do it mainly through a web site, but the word would still need to spread somehow. As far as a first project, I don’t have any definite ideas. Could be something simple like take donations to buy groceries for a few families, put a team or teams together to deliver them and cook a meal for the families, or something grand like a medical mission trip to Ghana.I have visions of a web site receiving thousands of donations daily for several different projects.
Like I said I tend to be good with ideas but not so good with follow-through. This is something that I would really like to see happen, so I’m asking for help from people who are good at making things happen. “…brainstorm it together…” Definitely! Do you know of anyone else who could help?
Daniel is really good at brainstorming/acting on ideas. So I am volunteering him… since he wont get off his lazy butt and comment.
Amy Lynn,
Thanks for volunteering yourself and Daniel. I’ll add ya’ll to the list. Sometime, in the near future, I would like to get some folks together for a little brainstorming session. I’m still holding off waiting to see if we can get some more interest. I’m glad you decided to rise above “comment slacker” status.