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ARTICLE – Free Ways To Support
FREE WAYS TO SUPPORT
On April 7th, World Health Day, people across the globe tuned in to support #HopefromHome, a first-of-its-kind multi-platform digital fundraising event for COVID-19 relief efforts. With a global presence, #HopeFromHome brought together celebrities, athletes and creators, including Jacksepticeye, Kiera Knightley, Dikembe Mutombo, Jaiden Animations, Jeff Goldblum, Markiplier, and many more.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
It’s hard to imagine that it’s been four years since the Hope For Home charity livestream. With so many others happening at a pretty consistent rate, you’d think I’d be used to it by now. Over time though, I learned quite a bit about how these streams operate and the ways that they actually benefit.
While some may find it hard to recognize the appeal, it’s not all that uncommon for people to enjoy YouTubers, Streamers, and other content creators simply raising money for a cause they believe in. Heck, even I was hyped when this past year (2024) CDawgVA and Abroad In Japan broke 1 million dollars in donations for the Immunodeficiency Foundation. The excitement of the chat, and the experience of seeing that number slowly tick into the millions was breathtaking.
It seems far fetched that one could do that themselves, but truly it only takes a passionate soul willing to show love and commitment to an organization that is doing good in your community. That is why we are here today to outline some free options for raising funds, even when you have a small audience.
SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT
Honestly, even as the Brand Manager I am notoriously bad at this. I often scroll past content without much thought even if I enjoy it, or support the cause. However, I do try my very best to jump on and give love to place that I enjoy.
When it comes to marketing, the number one thing that is on everyone’s mind is virality. We know that it happens often spontaneously, and while there are a handful of people that claim to know the secret… It’s usually just a lie to sell you some sort of silly book. One thing that we know works, is engaging with users.
If you can’t donate to a cause, something you can do is share the cause. Share that post to your feed, whether its on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter[X]/Etc. Engaging with the content either through reactions, liking the post, resharing, clipping, making content through remixes, it doesn’t matter. When you do that, that tells the platform that they need to show this content to other people. For a small non-profit, every pair of eyes on your content helps. So don’t be afraid to reach out, engage, and spam the content with likes and thoughtful comments. It’s free, and takes just a second.
CHARITY LIVESTREAMING
Gather your friends, online and offline, and consider hosting a charity livestream! Through PayPal Giving Fund, many non-profits have access to donations on Facebook/Instagram streams that link to a charity. For other platforms, such as YouTube and Twitch, creators can utilize Tiltify and Streamlabs Charity. Twitch also has its own integration with PayPal Giving Fund, if you prefer those over the above options.
MICROSOFT BING DONATIONS
Do you use Microsoft Edge? Or, perhaps, Internet Explorer? Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, allows you to earn points through searching on their service. These points can then be used for giveaways, but in our case, you can assign them to be donated instead! With one click, you can use your… unique search history to help others. If you haven’t already, or are interested in learning more, you can check out the Give With Bing program.
If you would like to support the United Way of Southeast Iowa, you can visit this link here and it will redirect you to the Bing Giving search function to select our location.
VOLUNTEERING IN YOUR COMMUNITY
The oldest option out there. It’s completely free, and there are hundreds of community projects out there that are in desperate need for volunteers. United Way of Southeast Iowa has worked hard to come up with a centralized hub for those interested in volunteering, and if this is something you would be interested in we encourage you to check it out!
United Way of Southeast Iowa also has a list of varying DIY Opportunities for Volunteering, if you would like to dip your toes into participating with the community efforts. These can be altered, changed, and mixed around to fit your needs. There are tons of other options out there, but this list should help you get started on you new journey.
“TRICKLE” DONATIONS
I’ve always been told that saving your pennies, is like a trickle donation to your future self. In fact, here at the office I drop my change in a jar to save as essentially that: a future donation for the end of our annual campaign. It may seem like nothing, but challenging yourself with a small donation goal and donating it during the annual campaign is a good way to learn finances as well as how your donations truly impact others.
Simply saving a quarter a week, is $13.00 worth of donations. For our 2025 campaign this year, if each person donated that amount in just the downtown area then we would reach our goal quickly. It doesn’t seem so strange, now does it?
So pull out a jar, perhaps make it a goal each year to save your change and then donate it to your local United Way. See how much good that you can do, in just a few weeks.
While it may seem daunting, finding a cause that you are dedicated to and willing to support can bring a sense of fulfillment to your life. This fulfillment is contagious extending to friends, family, and colleagues. Your support, no matter how big or small, makes a difference in how our community is able to grow and sustain a peaceful and nurturing environment for years to come. Don’t feel afraid, to make that change and make that difference that you deserve to live in.
Cassondra McIntyre
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