Birthdays are such a special time to celebrate life and those we love that surround us. When you are blowing out your candles this year, we hope some of our clients can become a special part of your birthday wish.
If you have always wanted a way to help others on your birthday, but have felt intimidated by the process of setting up and asking for donations, here are four simple guidelines that will help put you at ease and show you how easy it can by to help the clients of Mentors International and do some good on your birthday.
No donation is too small, and every little bit helps.
- $5 could buy some seeds to help a farmer increase their yield
- $10 could purchase training materials to help give a client the knowledge they need to help their business succeed
- $25 could help us provide additional training for our staff who spend countless hours mentoring and encouraging our clients on their pathways towards greater self-reliance
- $50 could stock a shelf for a mother starting her own sari-sari shop
- $150 could help buy fertilizer for a farmer allowing them to increase their crops yield.
1. Find the right platform
We suggest using Facebook. It has an easy to use feature where you can fundraise for Mentors International for your birthday through their website. Facebook charges no fees on donations made to nonprofits on Facebook.
2. Share why it is important to you
Let your friends and family know why helping our clients means so much to you and what the money will be used for. Here’s an example of what you could say:
Sample Letter:
Hello friends and family!
Instead of receiving a birthday gift this year, please consider joining me in my birthday wish to make a donation to Mentors International. Over 730 million people throughout the world live on less than $1.90 a day. With little education and even less opportunities, these families find themselves trapped in a cycle of poverty that has lasted for generations.
Mentors International is empowering, training and mentoring the world’s impoverished. After entrepreneurs’ complete business and financial training, they are ready to apply for micro-loans to invest and grow their enterprises. 90% of the clients we serve are women and mothers. As these entrepreneurs develop greater self-reliance, they become able to afford to feed their families nutritious meals, send their children to school, build better homes, and save for the future. Our clients have increased their incomes on average by 52% and have a 98.3% repayment rate. With our perpetual loan model, your reach and impact becomes greater.
We know that people aren’t looking for a handout. They want to work and provide the best for their families. They just need a hand up to get them started on their journey.
Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me by donating to Mentors International. (Share any personal experiences or thoughts here).
TOGETHER WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR GOOD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
Sincerely,
___________________
3. Promote your birthday wish
Post your letter along with the link to your fundraising page on your social media. Tweet it to all your friends and followers, post it in the Facebook invitation to your birthday party or send it out to family and friends. Just make sure you are reaching people who matter to you and might be interested in donating. You can also send personal emails to your closest contacts or make a couple of phone calls. To get the momentum of your fundraiser started, make the first donation yourself.
4. Share your progress
Keep your loved ones updated on your fundraising efforts. After you end your fundraiser and donate the money, contact everyone who donated and thank them personally for their contribution. Let them know how much money you raised overall, and talk about how that money will make a difference in the lives of families living in extreme poverty for years to come.
