In the Community

Host a Speaker or Lecturer

Leigh, Phoenix, Arizona

In summer of 2007, Leigh and her friend Tina invited Pakistani Mukhtar Mai to Phoenix to create awareness of her story in America. Much to their surprise and delight, Ms. Mai accepted their invitation. Leigh and Tina then worked with a travel agent friend who made the travel arrangements for free. They also found a graphic designer willing to donate time to make a PDF marketing piece that they could email or make into fliers that would advertise events to be held in Mai’s honor. They also secured free printing to make the fliers.

With about five months to plan, Leigh and Tina worked to create three different events over three days: 1) a luncheon hosted by a community member; 2) an event at a non-profit organization that helps women help themselves; and 3) an event at a museum where they sold signed copies of Mai’s book for $100. In total, the book sales raised over $3,000. While Leigh and Tina spent their own funds to buy the books for Mai to sign, they felt it was an appropriate donation to make to the project.

Ms. Mai’s visit generated multiple news articles, a story on NPR, as well as interest from Arizona State University in bringing Mai back to speak to students. While thrilled at the success of the events, Leigh cautioned that hosting an international speaker, as well as multiple public events, takes a lot of work – and could easily be a full-time job for the host. She points to having partnered with organizations that have infrastructure and staff as key to their success.

Ironman!

Brian, San Francisco, CA

While not every one will undertake an Ironman this year, you might choose to participate in a bikeathon, walkathon or marathon. Brian shares a sample email that he sent to friends half-way through his training to let them know about his efforts not only to complete an Ironman but to raise $10,000 for Mercy Corps. Brian continually updated his friends and family about his training and progress against the fundraising goal on his lively blog. To accept donations, Brian set up an account with justgiving.com, which securely accepts donations online for a small service fee. Mercy Corps now has the ability to set up a similar donation account on their website. If you are interested in exploring this option for your fundraising campaign, please contact Minda Seibert at mseibert@mercycorps.org

Sample Email Template

Hi Everyone:

As many of you know, I am training for an Ironman event (2.4 mi swim, 112 mi bike, 26.2 mi run) being held in Coeur d'Alene Idaho on June 22nd of this year. I began training in October of 2007. This is new territory for me as even though I have always been a swimmer, combining that event with a huge bike ride and then a marathon all within one day is a completely different undertaking. I've been inspired by many of you that have competed well in these events in past years. I have started a blog where you can track my training and race results.

To me, the physical challenge in an event like this is reward enough in and of itself. Having traveled all over the world and lived in Asia for a brief time I recognize how extremely fortunate I am to have the opportunity to train for an event of this magnitude. I am combining my training with a focus on raising money for Mercy Corps, a Portland, OR based non-profit that focuses on disaster relief and capacity building in communities. Why Mercy Corps? I find they share many of the values that I do, they are focused on world wide problems...from responding to Katrina and domestic natural disasters to the most troubled regions of the world (including Sudan, Kosovo and tsunami relief in Southeast Asia following the 2004 Christmas disaster). They operate without the constraint of borders where they are needed most. They are also one of the most efficient non-profits out there with more than $.90 of each $1 donated actually going to programs rather than administrative costs.

My goal is to raise $10,000 in contributions to their efforts. A lot of you have already donated to the cause and I truly appreciate your generosity. With your help, we are already 50% of the way there. For those that are interested, you can donate securely through my blog site and it is tax deductible. Your Company may match your donations which would really help out with the effort! Regardless if you donate or not I appreciate any positive encouragement as I ramp up my training through the end of May in anticipation of one of the most challenging days of racing I have ever faced.

Brian

P.S. Please check if your company has matching donations.

Benefit Dinner and Community Engaging Classes

Emma, Camas, WA

In the spring of 2009, Camas High School graduate Emma Sagor completed an amazing senior project that involved designing and teaching a four-week community class as well as producing a benefit dinner and silent auction in her hometown. Calling her project “Small City, BIG Difference” (SCBD), she created the service-based initiative with the goals to create community awareness and advocacy for international humanitarian aid efforts, and to raise support for Mercy Corps.

“Start the Ripple, Spread the Knowledge, See the Change!”
Emma launched the “Small City, BIG Difference” project by developing a four- week class to educate, inspire, and motivate the community. Thirty students of all ages signed up to learn how humanitarian relief organizations fulfill their missions. To prepare to teach the class, Emma spent the summer before her senior year researching what makes humanitarian aid work and what are the challenges of providing relief programs throughout the world.

The first class was titled “Understanding a Conflict” and focused on global hunger. Each student was assigned to focus on Kenya, Somalia, or Ethiopia and to examine causes of hunger through five lenses: economic inequity, agricultural sustainability, political and governmental security, inadequate education, and health and disease. The purpose of this exercise was to show how the problem of hunger is a symptom of numerous causes, and how these causes can vary depending on the individual case.

Class 2: “Finding Allies” focused on how diverse humanitarian relief agencies met the challenges of a specific crisis, including hunger-focused groups (Oregon Food Bank), local organizations with an international focus (UN Association of Oregon, “O” Ambassadors), and groups that successfully mobilize community-wide efforts (Habitat For Humanity, etc.). Class attendees not only benefited form learning from the expertise of these established groups, but they also learned how to set up a sustainable group in Camas devoted to humanitarian relief.

Class 3: “Effective Community Activism” revolved around the important role of community advocacy in confronting global issues and featured Mercy Corps staff members Minda Seibert and Jana Potter who made a presentation to the class. Emma says of the experience: “[Mercy Corps’] support of our endeavors, wonderful advice, and portrayal of the importance of advocacy helped set our efforts on the right track from then on.”

Class 4: “Make a Plan!” was designed to be directed by the class. The students decided to host an event to raise community awareness and support of humanitarian aid relief, under the banner: “Start the Ripple, Spread the Knowledge, See the Change!” At the final SCBD class meeting (on Nov. 19th), the group divided into six committees, with individuals taking on leadership roles such as Volunteer Coordinator, Silent Auction Coordinator, and Entertainment Liaison to help plan and staff the benefit dinner and silent auction.

A Benefit Dinner and Silent Auction for 175 Guests
In partnership with thirty Small City, BIG Difference class members and over 100 student volunteers from Camas High School, including fellow senior Blair Hunter, who catered the event as his senior project, Emma hosted a benefit dinner and silent auction for 175 guests on April 25, 2009 to benefit Mercy Corps’ Portland Action Center. Featuring a formal three-course meal, musical entertainment from Camas High School’s choir and jazz band, a keynote presentation from Julie Mancini, Director of the Portland Action Center, and an auction, the event raised nearly $5,000.

Just as important to meeting a fundraising goal was the event’s emphasis on educating the community and inspiring long-term, sustaining activism. Emma says: “I don’t believe people intended on coming [to the event] and feeling any inclination to act beyond that evening. Upon leaving, hearing attendees saying, ‘you’ve inspired us to continue to serve,’ or, ‘we’ll be attending the Action Center when it opens!’ meant the world to me and all the volunteers. That was TRUE success in my eyes!”

Publicizing the Classes and the Benefit Dinner
The classes were advertised primarily at Camas High School, through a district-wide Community Education catalog, and through fliers designed pro bono by a friend of Emma’s with graphic design skills. A small article also ran in the local newspaper, Camas-Washougal Post Record.

To publicize the dinner, the Small City, BIG Difference group organized presentations, sent press releases, and generated word-of-mouth buzz to meet their ticket sales goal. Each SCBD student was challenged to sell a minimum of four tickets and many went above that and sponsored entire tables.

The SCBD youth members presented at every school’s March/April staff meetings, school board meetings, and High School club meetings, as well as meetings held by the local Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, and Soroptimist Club. Each presenter was equipped with a “presenter packet” that included Small City, BIG Difference and Mercy Corps talking points as well as information cards with ticket-purchasing instructions. These presentations brought in the greatest ticket revenue as they offered a great group discount (1 table, 8 seats, at $150.00; $50.00 off.) Emma says: “We wanted to stress that attendance and education was as much a goal as fundraising.” A front page story in the Camas-Washougal Post Record also helped push ticket sales above their original goal.

Securing Auction Donations and Lessons Learned
To secure donations for the silent auction, the SBCD group compiled a list of potential donors, including family friends, business colleagues, and city connections. Emma then wrote a requisition letter to the prospective donor. Because the group looked within their circle of friends and acquaintances, Emma says it was fairly easy to amass donations. One thing she learned from the experience was the danger of last minute auction additions. She says: “We added a high-bid item at the last minute and didn’t realize a very serious glitch with auctioning that particular item off. The disappointment of losing the potential proceeds of that item could have been avoided had we planned just a bit more in advance.”

Emma also cites time management as a lesson learned. She says, “So much goes into planning an event like that: entertainment, advertising, ticket sales, food preparation, set-up, décor, etc”. Emma suggests that any one considering hosting this kind of benefit allow plenty of time to plan and to surround oneself with a great team of motivated individuals. She says: “The support of Mercy Corps, the school, the district, Community Education, and the service organizations was indispensable, and while I understand every community is as special as Camas, understanding your city’s own resources is absolutely vital! Without teaching the class first and establishing that base, the Benefit Dinner could not have occurred.”

Be the Change You Wish to See in the World
Emma’s senior project heightened her faith in the power of community. In her commencement board speech, she shared this “statement of overall learning”: “I am not a special case, a unique individual with a special gift that allowed this project to occur. All I did was become so passionate about a cause that it pushed me through the good and the bad. I know that everyone is capable of this passion, and that everyone believes in striving for a higher good. Above anything else, above any dollar total, ticket number, class attendance, or hour log amount, I will consider this project and this dream a success if I showed at least one person, maybe one of you in this room, that they, too, can “Be the Change they Wish to See in the World” with a little faith, hard work, and a whole lot of passion.” Not only SHOULD we “Be the Change”, I learned that it is completely possible for everyone, every Small City to “Be the Change”.