Some of my plans might be changing slightly.
I got an email saying that the program I was going to do in South Africa is not going to be happening past December 2010. Instead, they are starting a different program in Tembisa, which is between Johannesburg and Pretoria. It is at an orphanage instead of a school, although there is a pre-school. I would still get to stay with a host family, which is good. This program is also cheaper than the other one, which is also good.
I have to reply and tell them whether or not I want to do this program for sure. I am pretty sure I still want to do this program, but as with anything, I fear commitment and have to think about it. Really, not that much has changed except for the location.
Other than this, not a lot else has been happening in my preparation for volunteering. I have been preparing letters for my mom to send out (thanks mom!) and writing emails to those awesome businesses that have email addresses available.
I am also working with the fantastic Alexa on making some t-shirts for you to order! Watch for them because they are going to be awesome and made with love by Alexa :)
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Getting Some Things Done
I have decided to use my Monday off of work to start contacting businesses about sponsorship/donations. After the bicentenario celebrations of the weekend, I figured it was a good way to use my Monday off. Besides, if I get on a roll now, I will have almost all week to work on more emails and letter writing. I only have class two days this week, and the students told me that one of those would probably be canceled. That means, I might only have to work one day this week, and use the rest for writing emails! Yippie!
Contacting businesses is proving to be time consuming. Some businesses have contact information specifically about donation requests, and some of them outline requirements. Having the requirements outlined is nice so I know if I should even bother. However, I am sometimes unsure if I meet the requirements. I will still contact these places, but it sucks thinking I might just be wasting my time.
Another problem I have run into is the means of contact. Several businesses only list telephone numbers and snail mail addresses. These become very expensive means of contacting businesses in the States when you are living in Chile. I am hoping I have found a way around it though- I email my mom the letters with addresses, and she sends them out. Keep your fingers crossed she is willing to do this huge favor for me!
Finally, I want to give a huge thanks to Andres for being my first donor! I really appreciate it! Some others have contacted me about wanting to donate, but needing to wait until the next pay check/the new year/ etc. and I really appreciate that as well. Thank you!
Contacting businesses is proving to be time consuming. Some businesses have contact information specifically about donation requests, and some of them outline requirements. Having the requirements outlined is nice so I know if I should even bother. However, I am sometimes unsure if I meet the requirements. I will still contact these places, but it sucks thinking I might just be wasting my time.
Another problem I have run into is the means of contact. Several businesses only list telephone numbers and snail mail addresses. These become very expensive means of contacting businesses in the States when you are living in Chile. I am hoping I have found a way around it though- I email my mom the letters with addresses, and she sends them out. Keep your fingers crossed she is willing to do this huge favor for me!
Finally, I want to give a huge thanks to Andres for being my first donor! I really appreciate it! Some others have contacted me about wanting to donate, but needing to wait until the next pay check/the new year/ etc. and I really appreciate that as well. Thank you!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Another Way You Can Help
Hello friends! I have been working on more ideas of how to raise funds for my volunteering. I have received a couple of good ideas and some people are willing to help me with my fund raising activities. Thank you to everyone that has been helping me/offered to help me so far! It really means a lot to me!
I have created a profile on the Your Cause website. Please, take some time to look over my profile and my cause: Allison Volunteers. There are a couple of nice features about this website.
First, there is a goal tracker, so both you and I can see how close I am to achieving my fund raising goal. Currently, I am at $0, and my goal is to raise $4000 by January 7, 2011. Part of tracking my goal includes being able to see some of the most recent donations that have been made to my cause.
My Cause also directly links my profile to A Broader View, the organization I am going through for my volunteer service. The donations you make here will go directly to the organization to help cover my program costs.
Finally, one feature that I think is really neat about this site, is that people can offer testimonials about me. That means, those of you that know me should write a testimonial about me. Then, those that do not know me or do not know me very well, will be able to read the testimonials and get information about me from sources other than myself. They will be able to see what others think of me and my cause.
I am working on setting up profiles, making a list of businesses to contact, and spreading the word about my volunteering. I have been given two more classes at work, so the amount of time I have available to work on this is starting to decrease. However, I am still working hard to achieve my fund raising goals!
I have created a profile on the Your Cause website. Please, take some time to look over my profile and my cause: Allison Volunteers. There are a couple of nice features about this website.
First, there is a goal tracker, so both you and I can see how close I am to achieving my fund raising goal. Currently, I am at $0, and my goal is to raise $4000 by January 7, 2011. Part of tracking my goal includes being able to see some of the most recent donations that have been made to my cause.
My Cause also directly links my profile to A Broader View, the organization I am going through for my volunteer service. The donations you make here will go directly to the organization to help cover my program costs.
Finally, one feature that I think is really neat about this site, is that people can offer testimonials about me. That means, those of you that know me should write a testimonial about me. Then, those that do not know me or do not know me very well, will be able to read the testimonials and get information about me from sources other than myself. They will be able to see what others think of me and my cause.
I am working on setting up profiles, making a list of businesses to contact, and spreading the word about my volunteering. I have been given two more classes at work, so the amount of time I have available to work on this is starting to decrease. However, I am still working hard to achieve my fund raising goals!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Initial Ways You Can Help
As my first step in raising funds for my volunteering, I have installed a button here in my blog. It is really easy to use. Just click on donate, and the button takes you to the PayPal site to make a donation. You can chose the amount you are willing to donate. It really is easy- I promise. I know some of you do not have an excess of cash flow, but even something as small as a $5 donation is much appreciated.
Another way you can help is to spread the word about what I am doing and encourage others to donate. Tell people about my blog where people can read about my preperation for volunteering, and eventually they can read about the volunteering itself! From there, people can also click on my donate button. If you or someone you know would like to make a larger donation and would need a receipt and other paperwork for tax purposes, please let me know. I have the proper forms and procedure available.
Yet another way you can help is by donating materials I can take with me. There are very few resources available at the school and orphanage, and those that are available are often not in the best condition. Some ideas include: toothbrushes, toothpaste, vitamins, first aid supplies, balloons, games/puzzles, anti-bacterial soap, bubbles, markers/crayons, child scissors, cassette player with children's music, pencils/pens, books/coloring books, and pavement chalk. If you would like to send any of these supplies with me, please let me know. It is greatly appreciated.
Again, I would love to hear any ideas you all have for fund raising. It is going to be a challenge raising money from down here, so I would love to hear of any creative ideas you might have.
Another way you can help is to spread the word about what I am doing and encourage others to donate. Tell people about my blog where people can read about my preperation for volunteering, and eventually they can read about the volunteering itself! From there, people can also click on my donate button. If you or someone you know would like to make a larger donation and would need a receipt and other paperwork for tax purposes, please let me know. I have the proper forms and procedure available.
Yet another way you can help is by donating materials I can take with me. There are very few resources available at the school and orphanage, and those that are available are often not in the best condition. Some ideas include: toothbrushes, toothpaste, vitamins, first aid supplies, balloons, games/puzzles, anti-bacterial soap, bubbles, markers/crayons, child scissors, cassette player with children's music, pencils/pens, books/coloring books, and pavement chalk. If you would like to send any of these supplies with me, please let me know. It is greatly appreciated.
Again, I would love to hear any ideas you all have for fund raising. It is going to be a challenge raising money from down here, so I would love to hear of any creative ideas you might have.
Making the Decison
I have wanted to volunteer abroad for some time now, and I have finally found the perfect time to do it. About two weeks after arrive back home from Chile, I will be leaving again. This time, I will be going to the great continent of Africa where I will spend 2 months in South Africa and 11 weeks in Tanzania. I am really excited about finally having the opportunity to get involved in this manner.
One of the most challenging aspects of making this decision is the funding. I am going to be doing fund raising to cover costs, and I think it is going to prove to be challenging to do this fund raising from another hemisphere. Costs include program fees, flights, visa/entry/exit fees, etc, and right now I am thinking I am going to need to raise about $7000 (this is a rough estimate) by the middle of January. The organization I am going through, A Broader View, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, which means my expenses and donations made to my trip are tax deductible. I would love to hear about any ideas you have for fund raising or opportunities you hear about for possible funding.
In both South Africa and Tanzania I will mostly be working with children. In South Africa I have signed up to work in the education field, and I would help with teaching, upkeep of the school, and mentoring students. In Tanzania I have chosen to work at an orphanage. At the orphanage I would be involved in helping with every day routines (brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating, etc), and I will have the opportunity to help with teaching the children. I also might get the opportunity to help with construction projects, which I am really excited about.
I am really excited about this new adventure I am going to have because I will be able to encounter first hand the harsh reality that these people live, and I will be able to offer them help. I will be able to see and experience a completely new way of life. I also hope that I will be able to share my experiences through my blog and enrich our understanding of how the world works.
One of the most challenging aspects of making this decision is the funding. I am going to be doing fund raising to cover costs, and I think it is going to prove to be challenging to do this fund raising from another hemisphere. Costs include program fees, flights, visa/entry/exit fees, etc, and right now I am thinking I am going to need to raise about $7000 (this is a rough estimate) by the middle of January. The organization I am going through, A Broader View, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, which means my expenses and donations made to my trip are tax deductible. I would love to hear about any ideas you have for fund raising or opportunities you hear about for possible funding.
In both South Africa and Tanzania I will mostly be working with children. In South Africa I have signed up to work in the education field, and I would help with teaching, upkeep of the school, and mentoring students. In Tanzania I have chosen to work at an orphanage. At the orphanage I would be involved in helping with every day routines (brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating, etc), and I will have the opportunity to help with teaching the children. I also might get the opportunity to help with construction projects, which I am really excited about.
I am really excited about this new adventure I am going to have because I will be able to encounter first hand the harsh reality that these people live, and I will be able to offer them help. I will be able to see and experience a completely new way of life. I also hope that I will be able to share my experiences through my blog and enrich our understanding of how the world works.
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