…I have answers for you.

First, I just want to say thank you to everyone who responded to my question.  And for being kind and genuine.

I was really terrified that my question would be taken wrong and end up ticking you guys off!

So, thanks for being real and not getting grumpy at me.  :)

I loved reading your responses, and I have so much to say!  So beware: this ain’t gonna be short!

I foget to donate…I don’t feel like going and finding my credit card.

I get that 100%.  In fact, one of my initial emails with the founder of GiveForward was hoping to set up a system where readers (you) could create an account and store your cc number.  That way, future donations could be made using a simple user/password combo…much like Paypal.  I have oftentimes not given to various causes because I honestly just didn’t feel like going downstairs, hunting for my purse and then coming back up again to enter a slew of numbers.  Unfortunately, GiveForward is unable to do this for security purposes.  :(

I give elsewhere and can’t give everywhere I am asked.

I can relate.  We once met a missionary who was asking for financial support and he said something like “…unless you don’t like what we are doing…” or something like that.  I was so frustrated by that.  The reality is that I may have agreed 100% with his cause, but at some point, I just have to say no.  I can’t possibly give to everyone who asks.  It’s just not possible.  So, if you aren’t giving because you are giving elsewhere, YAY YOU!!!!  Truly.  I’m stoked about that.

Would it really be worth it to give $1 after the fees are taken out???

GiveForward takes a 4% fee.  In addition to their percentage, the credit card companies charge 2.6% plus $0.20 per transaction.  So, if you were to give $1, $0.27 would be eaten up by fees.  That’s a lot.  Especially in the case of a buck.  That’s 27%!!!

BUT, let’s think about this for a sec: if 1,000 people think “I could give a buck, but I don’t want 27% of my money to go to administrative fees so I’m not gonna do it…” then we raise zero dollars for the charity.

Zero.

If 1,000 people said “Man, it really stinks that 27 cents get eaten, but I guess that still leaves 73 cents.  And I can’t really afford more than a dollar right now.” 

We would raise $730 for the charity!!! For a buck!  That’s more than we’ve raised in any single fundraiser to date!

(Please note that you aren’t charged 27% of what you give…it’s just how the math works out in the case of a dollar.  If you gave $5, the fees would be $0.53.  If you gave $10, the fees would be $0.86 and so forth…)

So, all of that to say, that I hate fees as much as the next guy, but yes, I still think that it would be worth it.

Your little bit + everyone else’s little bit = LOTS

I don’t know you.  I don’t feel comfortable giving a random internet stranger my credit info.

Please know that I never, ever, ever see your information or am in ANY WAY connected with the money.  Good grief!  I would die of stress if that were the case!!!  I set up the fundraisers through GiveForward.  They have a secure website, the legal means to take your money, and handle cutting the check to the charity, etc.  I don’t get a cut of the money.  I don’t have any kind of deal with GiveForward.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zip.  I just schedule guest bloggers, ask them who they want to fundraise for and then pair them with a giveaway item.  Anyone can set up a fundraiser through them.  I’m not special in any way.

I feel like every blog I read lately is asking me for money for some cause or another.

Funny enough, this was part of my motivation for starting this!  :)

I felt like every third blog I read was raising money for something.  It got overwhelming.

I also realized that so many bloggers had such incredible stories, yet there was no way I could read them all.

So, I thought: what if I kind of do a one-stop shop?

Read an inspiring story, be encouraged and if you feel led, give.

The Giveaways.

Oh my.

I had no idea.

Those came up a lot in your responses.

I always felt a little weird about giveaways because like some commenters said: once you read about someone’s sick baby, the idea of winning some hair clips is trivial.

At best.

Please know that my intentions with the giveaway portion of this site was just. for. fun.

Plain and simple.

It was not intended to be the sole purpose for people to give.

It was not intended to discourage people from giving because they didn’t like the “prize”.  (eek!)

It was not intended to really take center stage at all to be honest.

I just thought it would be…FUN.

A bonus.

Like getting a free trial size bottle of conditioner with the shampoo…

that you would have bought anyway.

You don’t buy the shampoo because of the 2 ounce bottle of conditioner…but hey, it’s nice to have.

The idea with the giveaways was just that winning free stuff is fun.  It’s cool to win something.

Please know that if you donate and happen to win the giveaway item, but don’t want it for whatever reason, I can always pick a new winner.

Please, please…don’t not give because you don’t like the prize.

Because that is so not the point.

Ever.

In fact, based on your responses, I am seriously considering scrapping the giveaway portion of the project altogether…

Sometimes I skip the guest blogger posts because I can’t take the stories.  Sometimes I just have to protect my heart.

Oh honey.  I’m there with you.

Truly.

I know EXACTLY how you feel.

There are books…books that come highly recommended…that I want so badly to read…

that I set down and never pick up again.

Because my heart will break into two if I continue.

And please know that you are not the first person to tell me that.

Do not feel bad for protecting your spirit.

It’s a precious commodity these days.

But also know that every guest poster has always ended their story with a praise.  A lesson learned.  A blessing.

Life doesn’t always go as planned.

For anyone.

So don’t feel alone.  Don’t feel sad.  We’re all there some way or another.

I can’t afford to give.  No…really.  I can’t.

I’ve been there too.

The stories I could tell you of the first few years out of college.

Painful.

So please, know that I understand that too.

I think, though, that this is part of why I started this whole thing.

The idea that I believe that most people DESIRE to give.

They truly want to.

They wish they could.

With all their heart.

But they feel like they can’t.

Or, whatever little bit that they might be able to give won’t make a difference anyway, so why bother?

The idea of giving, the problems of the world…too much, too many, too big.

Overwhelmed to the point of being frozen.

They don’t not give because they don’t WANT TO…but because they don’t feel like their portion is worthy.

I see that in so many people.

This desire to help others.  To love others.  To reach beyond themselves.

I see that in your comments.

In your words.

In your hearts.

How can I provide a way to show people that their little bit really DOES help?

How can I pool together a lot of littles to add up to one big?

Not out of obligation.

Not out of guilt.

Not through a fancy website or a slick pamphlet.

But just a bunch of everyday folk with a couple of extra nickels.

So that’s what this was/is all about.

Providing a simple, easy way to connect with one another.

A simple, easy way to reach beyond your front stoop if you aren’t already doing so.

If you have a few extra minutes, I would urge you to please read the Frequently Asked Questions section of my blog.  It answers many of the questions that were asked in the comments of the last post.

When you started this, you said it was for God and that the amount didn’t matter…

You’re right.

100%.

The amount doesn’t matter.

BUT…if you are a blogger you know what I mean when I say that there are times that you just pour out your heart into the computer, hit publish…

and…

crickets.

Nothing.

One comment.  Maybe two.

Putting together a consistent schedule of guest bloggers, setting up fundraisers, etc. all takes…well, a lot of time.

It takes a lot of time on my end.

And for my guest bloggers.

So, I guess that at some point, you just have to honestly assess the way in which you are spending your time.

I have three kids.

A husband.

A house to maintain.

And friendships to nurture.

I love blogging.

But at some point, you have to think: “Is this working?  I have little extra time…is this how I should be spending it?”

So, while the amount doesn’t matter, it is tangible.  And I can’t help but wonder if this idea was/is a good investment of my time.

Does that make sense?

I’m not closing up shop.  I think that you guys have made it clear that you enjoy the encouragement and expsoure/awareness.

Maybe I’ll find a way to focus on that more somehow.

:)

SOOOO…get ready because Monday…

you got it…

a new guest blogger, a new fundraiser, and a new giveaway (that is not the reason you should be giving and if you don’t like it, give anyway)!!!!!

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jeannett

I'm a mom to four. A wife to one. I believe in story. I love telling you about mine and would love to hear yours. There's really no sense in wasting our suffering and not sharing in each other's joy. We're all in this together...even if it doesn't always feel like it.

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