Thank You for Creating a Fundraising Page

Welcome and Thank You!

Thank you for choosing to give your time and energy to help make our Support-A-Walk for Breast & Ovarian Cancer a success. We are so grateful for your help! The purpose of this blog is to share some ideas and tips to make it easier for you to help us make this year's Walk the best one ever!

The Support-A-Walk has TWO important missions: To raise funds needed for the FREE help Support Connection gives to those whose lives have been turned upside down by breast or ovarian cancer; and to bring attention to the needs of people affected by these diseases. Our hope is that one day there will be no need for such events, but until that time, Support Connection's goal is that no one should walk this path alone.


Friday, August 28, 2015

It's OK to Ask



Hello again to all of our Firstgiving fundraisers. Summer is almost over, which means our 21st Annual Support-A-Walk on October 4th will be here soon! So far we have 59 Firstgiving fundraisers. Of those, 26 fundraisers have reached out for donations and have collectively raised more than $18,000.

Do you feel hesitant to ask others to donate? Don't worry- it's okay to ask! Most people are happy to support a good cause. Here are some tips to help you:

INSPIRATION: Donors consider it a gift to participate in something bigger than themselves. Tell people enthusiastically about why you're involved - they will be inspired and excited to give!

STORIES: Some fundraisers choose to tell personal stories to encourage others to support us. Maybe Support Connection has helped you or someone you know. If you wish, you can tell your story on your Firstgiving page. (Here are some great examples: Barbara's page and Marisa's page. OR, you can share these more personal details in the emails you send.

IMPACT Donors like to know their contribution has an impact. Use these quick facts about Support Connection to let people know their donations will make a REAL difference:
  • Close to 90¢ of every dollar donated goes directly towards our free breast & ovarian cancer support services.
  • ALL of our services and programs are provided FREE of charge: counseling, support groups, educational programs, wellness classes, resource referrals.
  • Each year, our Peer Counselors help more than 600 different people. Many people come back to us multiple times.
  • Our services are unlimited. We're here as often as you need us, for as long as you need us.
  • We do NOT receive funds from ANY national cancer organizations. Your donations enable us to do what we do.
Now you can ask! There are several ways to reach out:
  • YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ACCOUNT: Send your message to all your contacts. Remember to include the URL or page address of your fundraising page.  It's at the top of your page and looks like this: http://www.firstgiving/fundraiser/YOUR PAGE NAME/walk2015.
  • YOUR FIRSTGIVING ACCOUNT: Firstgiving has great email tools! Login to your account atwww.firstgiving.com.  Select "Edit", then "Send your page via email."  Follow the steps to add email addresses then send your messages.
  • SOCIAL MEDIA: Login to your account at www.firstgiving.com. Select "Edit" then look for easy ways to share via Facebook and Twitter. OR, View your own page and use the share icons on the top left side.

Thank you!    

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Beating the Summertime Blues

Hello again to all of our Firstgiving fundraisers. It's hard to believe, but summer is almost over. Our 21st Annual Support-A-Walk on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 will be here before you know it! We now have  41 Firstgiving fundraisers. Of those, 18 fundraisers have reached out for donations and have raised more than $14,000 altogether. 
  
Remember: The funds you raise help women with breast and ovarian cancer and their families receive support from our Peer Counselors all year long. Support Connection relies on these donations - they enable us to do what we do!

Asking for donations in the summer can be challenging. You may find your friends and family are away on vacation enjoying a break from work and school.

Here are 3 activities you can do now to take advantage of the summertime lull:

PERSONALIZE YOUR FUNDRAISING PAGE: You can:
  • Add a picture.
  • Write a personal message explaining why you're raising money for Support Connection. (For a great example, click here  to see Maria's fundraising page.)
DRAFT A REMINDER EMAIL: Reminders are important! We all put things off and need a "nudge" now and then. So:
  1. Draft an email now, reminding friends and family about your fundraising.
  2. Send it right after Labor Day when everyone is back and ready to move into action.
ADJUST YOUR FUNDRAISING GOAL: Are you close to your original goal, or have you already surpassed it? Awesome! That means people are eager to support you. So:
  • Consider changing your goal and revising your message to let people know how happy you are to receive such great response.
  • Reach out to your supporters and encourage them to join your efforts by sharing your page with others they know.
 Thank you!