charity: water’s Post

End of year and holiday stress getting to you? Why not take a break and give to ETC? You’ll immediately know that you’re doing good in the community, which is good for you. Check “be awesome” off your list by giving now! TinyURL.com/etcdonate

Let’s take a critical look at this question: “How can we encourage more people to engage with our service?" This sort of question leads so many public services and charities to a dead end. Savvy practitioners don't 'get' people to engage. Instead, they listen to what they are passionate about and then support them in working in solidarity with others to pursue their passions. It's not about coercing people to do what we want, nor is it about only involving people to promote our services. The pursuit of institutional goals is not the sole purpose of life. We must discard unproductive questions that let down communities and exhaust practitioners to make progress. Instead, we should ask community-centered questions that enable communities and liberate citizens and practitioners to play to their strengths for the common good. Better questions lead to better outcomes.

Let’s take a critical look at this question: “How can we encourage more people to engage with our service?" This sort of question leads so many public services and charities to a dead end. Savvy practitioners don't 'get' people to engage. Instead, they listen to what they are passionate about and then support them in working in solidarity with others to pursue their passions. It's not about coercing people to do what we want, nor is it about only involving people to promote our services. The pursuit of institutional goals is not the sole purpose of life. We must discard unproductive questions that let down communities and exhaust practitioners to make progress. Instead, we should ask community-centered questions that enable communities and liberate citizens and practitioners to play to their strengths for the common good. Better questions lead to better outcomes.

Introducing Our Giveback Program – Supporting Community Programs and Causes Our Giveback program is designed to support community programs and causes. We provide organizations with a unique code, and their supporters can shop with us. In turn, 20% of the purchase amount goes to the organization to support their cause. This program was created in response to many individuals asking for help in supporting other organizations, programs, and causes. With the current state of the economy, it is challenging to obtain funding, and it is impossible to give back to everyone's cause/programs. We understand that each cause is just as personal and important to those involved, which is why this program allows for helping others while maintaining our organization. https://lnkd.in/eY7HpKG7

Empowering Communities One Piglet at a Time with Sesera Youth’s Piglet Project In the spirit of community and shared prosperity, the Sesera Youth’s Piglet Project is not just about giving; it’s about creating a sustainable cycle of empowerment. Each family that receives a piglet from us takes on a journey of care and commitment. As these piglets grow and become parents themselves, the original family’s joy is doubled as they extend this gift to two more families—each receiving one piglet. This isn’t just a project; it’s a promise—a promise of growth, support, and community resilience. With every new litter, the promise is renewed, and more families are welcomed into a circle of support that keeps on expanding. Imagine the impact: one piglet becomes many, and those many piglets continue to nurture new lives, new hopes, and new dreams. This is the vision of the Sesera Youth’s Piglet Project, where every contribution is a seed for tomorrow’s harvest. Join us in this beautiful journey of giving and growth. Be a part of a movement that’s more than charity—it’s a legacy of love and life that keeps on giving.

BMO Walk so Kids Can Talk - Kids Help Phones - This annual event is happening this Sunday, May 5, 2024 On Sunday, May 5, 2024, you can join Kids Help Phone at BMO Walk so Kids Can Talk in support of young people across Canada and their mental health. Kids Help Phone's free, confidential and multilingual e-mental health care services are always open, offering youth across the country a non-judgmental space to Feel Out Loud and get support through phone, text and online resources. "I just want to say thank you so much for being so kind and patient with me when we were talking, it meant the world to me that someone was caring about me and listening to me, there's no words to explain how much that helped. :)" — young person contacting Kids Help Phone Kids Help Phone has a responsibility and an ambition to transform access to more equitable mental health resources through the power of technology, data, innovation and more. With a Canada-wide community of supporters, Kids Help Phone is activating radical landscape change throughout the country's youth e-mental health care ecosystem. Because steady state is not an option. To help give young people's feelings a place to go: Register. Fundraise. Donate.

Are you looking for tax-efficient strategies for year-end giving? Read our six tips to learn how the Community Foundation can help. https://lnkd.in/edk-8v8N

Wondering how to give your kids an allowance? 🤔 Effective money lessons come in three parts: direct instruction, modeling from parents, and giving kids experiences with money. Teaching kids about money lets you show them what you think is important, like saving, prioritizing needs, or giving to charity. But kids also need to make their own decisions and mistakes. Those will resonate much more than a parental lecture — and that’s exactly where an allowance comes in!

Running an advocacy organization is a demanding enough gig to begin with. Every President or Executive Director knows that feeling of brushing their teeth before bed and remember those website updates they planned to make that afternoon. (Cue the expletives) 😄 What if someone told you it doesn't need to be that hard? What if you could go through your whole year focusing on running the organization and your website would magically run in the background? You'd call them a liar. So would we. Running a website is not magic, but it is hard work. We've made it our work so that you can focus on what's important - making a difference for those living with rare conditions. We'll take the whole thing off of your plate, take direction regarding updates, and we'll regularly meet each month to talk strategy. Over time, your website will become an extra team member, soliciting donations, sharing your message, welcoming new families, inviting researchers, and attracting interest from future industry partners. We're in your corner for your community. Let us know when you're ready to talk!

Fundraisers, is there anything better than asking supporters why they care about the mission of your organization? For me, hands down, there is nothing more fulfilling that hearing a donor share about their "why", and how they see our work as worthy of their gift of time or treasure. You might go into a meeting hoping to learn more about them but come out reminded of why you wake up everyday and do what you do. Of course, we also need to be asking lots of other questions, like: - How well do we communicate the impact of your gift? - Are we maintaining a high level of transparency about funding? - How can we be responsive to a need you see in our community? So many great conversations to be had, if we'll take the time to listen and engage our community of support, no matter the level of giving.