Hurricane Katrina Raffles/Donations from Biz?

[vivek]

Ever since the hurricane struck I've been mulling over ideas in my head about how to connect myself to these people in a volunteer way. I think many of us have felt this. I have started to think about how my business could assist, I am way up in Boston and there's little chance I can take the time off and volunteer in the South. Nor do I have the business funds to donate entire sessions worth of funds to the Red Cross. So I thought it would be a good start to brainstorm on here. I am leaving next week for a conference in Amsterdam but I'm considering upon my return trying to organize my clients in a giving drive of some nature. Is this a good idea? Am I overstepping my relationship with my clients to ask them to give? Will they be fed up with everyone asking them to give and now me too? Or will they be relieved to know their therapist wants to help as much as they do?I have heard of canned food drives where clients bring a can of food to their session for a designated charity, I have also heard of therapists volunteering chair massage for donations to a charity. As a reflexologist I cannot really do a chair massage, though I could do some short reflexology sessions (15-20 minutes). Hoping for you guys to help me with the balance here of ideas. My 20-year-old brother is already in Atlanta receiving training to recover bodies (he's a volunteer firefighter and medic), and I sometimes wish I didn't have a mortgage, pets and a husband to care for so that I too could be mobile to help.

 

[x.ILoveLeeS.x]

i think we've all thought about this and it really seems to be what you personally would like to do.  the idea i like better is to donate to a small charity who really needs the help in your local community.  with the holidays right around the corner, there are plenty of less fortunate people around us who also need to be remembered.  the red cross is getting plenty of donations for the hurricane relief effort.  anyway, you think the donations you give will go to the hurricane victims but the money you send could very likely go to some other cause.  

 

[Happened2me]

Very true. آ Fundraisers may be more effective if clients can see that its staying in the community. آ Everyone and their dog is trying to raise money for the south - and thats awesome, don't get me wrong! آ  Holidays ARE right around the corner, a toy drive would be nice or a winter clothing drive. I want to do a pet supply drive for the humain society - just have not gottten around to it.....I am planning to contact my state board to see if they want to organize a state wide massage week thing - any therapist who wants to participate can and they can advertise that my state is doing this on such and such a week and a % of procedes will go be donated to red cross or whatever.  I thought some MTs could get their local papers to do a little story on how they are participating in this state wide thing, good for the individual therpist as well as raise awareness for massage therapy in general.    Maybe contact your local board of reflexology.  

 

[Julian G]

I can't imagine that there isn't a person in the country who isn't aware of the hurricane and the desperate need for funds.  I'm apalled at Terab's suggestion that the Red Cross is already receiving plenty of donations and that your donation may not go to the hurricane victims anyway. This implies that they don't need any more money. There are many, many people affected by this in ways that we cannot even begin to fathom.  As I watch seasoned reporters and other professionals who have been exposed to other natural disasters and war and they are shaking their heads in disbelief and cannot find words to describe what they are seeing, it makes me cry.  I just cannot even imagine it.  This is not a problem that is going to go away overnight.  It will continue for a very long time.  Do you see how many homes are completely blown down, or totally under water?  Many of these people had no money to begin with.......how the heck are they ever going to get somewhat back on their feet without the generosity of people like us?I have faith that my clients are contributing in any way that they can.  I have decided that I will contribute funds on a monthly basis.  I have shared this with my clients and each month the funds will come from a different "source".  This month I am donating all of my gratutities, plus  for each client who uses one of their discount coupons, I will donate $10, if they bring in their discount coupon and forego the discount, I will contribute that amount as well.  I am hoping to encourage some of my clients who might not be making an appointment and using their coupons to come in.....my business will increase as a result of that.  PLUS......the hurricane victims will get $$$.  By letting my clients know that all my gratuities are going to the victims, I am hoping that they might be a little more generous this month than they might otherwise have been.  Certainly, there's an opportunity for my clients to dig into their own pockets to contribute by foregoing their discount or tipping more, but even if they don't......just by doing what they normally would do, it will be helping.  Will this make a difference in my income?.....perhaps, but I just cannot watch these poor people on TV with no homes, no soft comfortable bed, not knowing where their loved ones are, or having loved ones die in front of them, having witnessed dead bodies floating in gross water, leaving pets behind to die, not only losing their homes and all their possessions, but also their entire neighborhood, city and all their friends..........I just cannot do that and go to sleep at night not having done anything.  If I have to clip a few more coupons or eat pasta more often, maybe not go to the movies or get pizza in order to be able to afford to give up some of this income......then this is a very small sacrifice to make in comparison.  Traci, one of the posters on this board who goes by Art_of_Zen, lives in New Orleans and has her office there.  I was frantic with worry about her until the other day when I finally heard that she had evacuated to Arkansas before Katrina hit.  Still, she has no idea the condition of her home or her office.  I am earmarking a portion of the money I donate directly for her to help her and her son rebuild their lives.  I'm sure that through this, other charities are going to suffer.  It's only natural that when there is someone bleeding to death and someone with a scratch, the one bleeding to death gets the attention.  As winter gets closer, I definitely think coat drives are important.  I think anything that keeps our children safe should not be ignored.  And I do think that as the media starts to back away from New Orleans and people are not quite as aware of what is happening down there, they will begin to focus more on what is surrounding them.  For now, it is my feeling to focus on the severe bleeding.  Even Jerry Lewis donated a portion of the funds from his telethon to the Katrina Victims.  I am still supporting the Diabetes Foundation, Christopher Reeves Paralysis Foundation and other charities that I have supported in the past........just tightening the belt a little and getting creative with a few things to try to support Katrina folks on an ongoing basis.  

 

[Ross G.]

Hurricane Katrina Raffles/Donations from Biz?

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I am looking into my local food bank to consider a shelf-stable food drive. I didn't realize it but one non-profit provides 16,000+ meals a year in the town my business is in. They are also taking food by truck to the states Katrina hit, I am excited about the local and national efforts of this organization and think this will be a good solution for me. I will continue brainstorming about Katrina, I like KneadedMassage's idea about donating tips and discounts.

 

[2/20/2009]

hey kneadedmassage, you shouldn't be appalled at what i stated because it's true.  if you know about the red cross you understand that you make a donation to the red cross...it isn't a donation to the hurricane relief fund.  when you donate your money to the red cross, they use that money where they deem necessary.  believe it or not, the hurricane victims are not the only people suffering in our country right now.   and i never stated that they have enough money, you can never have enough money.  shitte, i didn't get appalled by the fact that you're thinking your business may increase because of your efforts. (not exactly charitable thoughts you know)   now, giving money directly to a family who you know was affected that's a whole different story....dragonflies, sounds like you've been checking out some local stuff.  it's amazing when you start to see what's out there in your very own community isn't it?  16,000 hot meals a year, someone's appreciating that charity!  sometimes it can be difficult to find something local until you start to ask around.  there are so many amazing people who have come up with so many different charities.  stuff i think most of us don't even think about.  keep poking around and you'll find a charity that hits a chord with you.  (not saying you haven't already)

 

[littleash]

After 9/11 when it came to light that the donations being made to the Red Cross that people thought were going to 9/11 victims were actually being used all throughout the Red Cross, things changed a little and it is now possible to note on your donation what you want it to be used for.  So, if you earmark it for Katrina Survivors, then that is where the funds will go.  If people do not earmark it for that, or if they contribute to other organizations who dole things out as they see fit, then as Terab pointed out, Katrina Survivors are not the only people in the country who are in need and the money will be put to good use for someone in need and that is a good thing.  Terab, I did not say you STATED that they had enough money.  I said you IMPLIED it, which you did by encouraging people to support local causes and then saying " the red cross is getting plenty of donations for the hurricane relief effort." and then going on to infer that one's donation will not be used for hurricane victims.  As for me not having charitable thoughts by noting that my business might increase........I merely pointed that out so that those folks who might be looking for ways to help and might be thinking that it would be a hardship to donate their gratuities plus some other $$ might realize that if what they are offering also increases their amount of business, it might take a little of the "pinch" out of it for them and make them a little more willing to give the idea a try.  My business is in a very good place right now and if I do get an increase in clients, I will be working at a level a notch above where I want to be, but I'm okay with that if I can donate more $$$ to the hurricane effort.  Others may need to increase their business if they want to make donations, and still be able to make their rent, and if my idea can help both causes, then I was throwing an idea out there.  Dragonflies, I'm so glad you found an organization that you are excited about.  It sounds like you have found a perfect scenario for you......supporting locally, as well as Katrina evacuees.  In the end, we do all have to do what we are comfortable with and have a passion for.  Thank goodness we have a mix......those of us like Terab who is supporting local charities, Dragonflies choosing a charity that hits both, me....trying to maintain my support of other charities, as well as Katrina Survivors.  We all have different passions, as well as different levels of means.  Some can donate $$, others can donate time, others can offer prayer.  It is all important and has tremendous meaning to us, as well as to those we give to.