Well, I think I've got a good version to start with. I published it in a note on my Facebook page, and asked for feedback from friends, before hammering out a final draft - but I'm almost satisfied with it. Made up a bunch of letters, using it for a template, all personalized and addressed to companies such as Mrs. Butterworth's.
For that one, I only requested 5 bottles of syrup. We estimated needing about a total of 10, but I want to keep our requests small. There is always the possibility that they will donate more. Since there are several companies that might donate the same items, our odds of having everything donated are increased with every contact. I will try to finalize the draft tomorrow and get them printed and ready for mailing. But, I also need to get on the Fiscal Sponsorship requests......so definitely lots to do. .....enough for tonight, tho. ;-)
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I've been researching online on how to write a really good donation request letter, and have alot of good samples and tips. I think I'm ready to tackle this now. lol Today I will at least complete a template - but I'm hoping to get the list of companies and contact info together and have everything personalized and ready to print out tomorrow.
I considered emailing the companies first - but I think going the old fashioned way with an actual letter on paper is how I'm going to go about this. Still a little unsure. I guess I will add that to my list of things to do today.....research a little info on which is better. I'm also putting the finishing touches on my honor box designs. Oh, yeah.......did I forget to mention those?? I started a candy route with our VP this past month, in which 10% of all profits will go to Our Shared Hopes. So far we have two machines on location, with another going out on Saturday. I also bought some really cheap, plain honor boxes. I have 10 of them, and we are pretty sure that one already has a home. That is why I am playing with designs. Need to decorate them professionally and make people want to put their money in. With honor boxes, there is a greater risk of being ripped off....but what I've been told over and over is that for the most part, people are honest. As long as it is in a good location where people can see it, most won't steal. Even if a few do....that is why the markup is so high. To cover the risk of loss. But the way I see it....the boxes themselves were only about $4.00 a piece, including shipping, and the candy bars are very cheap, if you know where to look......so I'm taking a shot at it. I guess we will see, won't we? Time to get back to work. ;-) Ok, this is my first attempt at writing a blog.....and to be completely honest, I don't think I've ever really read one either......so please bear with me. I will try to sum myself up as quickly and honestly as possible. My name is Nikki, and I am a single mother of 3 who has been laid off from the Telecommunications field and living on unemployment for about a year and a half. I have two daughters, 17 and 14, from a 5+ year marriage, and a 4 year old son from a 2 year relationship. I live in a fifth wheel trailer in my former brother-in-law's yard, since my former father-in-law passed away last month. Only my younger two kids live with me. My oldest daughter lives with my parents nearby, because I simply cannot afford a big enough place to live. After my divorce (I then had only two kids), I put myself through college at ITT Technical Institute back when it was actually a really decent school with very dedicated instructors. I loved it. I graduated in 1999 with honors and an Associate's of Science degree in Electronics Engineering Technology. Jobs weren't easy to come by after graduation (big difference from today, right?), and I wound up in the telecom field as a contract installer. I loved my work, and loved even more the fact that I could do it better than most of the men I worked with. I worked my way up very quickly to lead several times (my last job was at Boeing, which was very cool, since I got to show off a little in front of the 'Big Wigs'), but they were contracts.......and contracts always, always end. Now, I'm waiting for August 5th to finally get here so I can take the aptitude test to finally begin the hiring process for a low voltage electrical apprenticehip. Enough of my history...on to how Our Shared Hopes came to be. ;) So, like I said....there I was: unemployed...too much time on my hands....and a website which allowed me to reconnect with over 90% of my high school class, and hundreds of others just to play games with. I was sitting there at 3-something AM one night, as usual, when an idea that had been bugging me once again popped into my head. For years, I have been wanting so badly to do something.....anything.....to help others like me, or worse off, who have families that they were struggling to support. Especially those who have no roof over their heads. Had sooooo many ideas......a french toast feed.......handing out homemade blankets.....simply driving to Seattle or Tacoma and serving hot chocolate to the homeless on the street on Christmas day. Things of that nature. But, of course.......how the heck could I ever do that??? No car, no money, very limited contact with other people who might want to help. Then came that night on Facebook. When I thought......here I am....wasting time. Doing nothing while waiting for a job I can live off of to come along. When I have this enormous resource right here in front of me....with sooooooo many contacts........why not post a status and see just how many people in the area would want to give up their time to help me throw a Christmas brunch??? .......and Our Shared Hopes was born. February 27, 2010. It became incorporated as a nonprofit organization on April 12, 2010. So.....now we are planning our first event, a Christmas Brunch, which, thanks to our former Fundraising Coordinator, will be held at the Marion Grange hall in Buckley. I am also preparing to file our Master Application with the State of Washington hopefully in the next week or two. I would sooooo much like to do it now, but.....unemployed+single mom=not this week. I have been researching fiscal sponsors to help with the cost of becoming tax-exempt.....as that fee is $400. Luckily, the master app is only $20 - so I can handle that on my own. But the 501 status......yeah, right. It's ok tho. I'm on it. So now that I've brought everyone up to date.....or simply bored everyone to death.......I'll finally close my first post. Not sure how often I will update, but I will try to post as we go about doing all of the things necessary to accomplish feeding 100 people in less than 4 months. Thanks for reading! |
AuthorNikki Thurston Archives
November 2023
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