America's Giving Challenge: Bloggers Campaign Roundup

Sharing Foundation Khmer Literacy Program

I launched a bloggers campaign as part of the Sharing Foundation's America Giving Challenge.  I want to mention a few recent posts.

Everyday Giving Blog

Roger Carr has written a wonderful post about the Sharing Foundation's Khmer Literacy School.  I took that photo back in 2004 when I had the opportunity to visit Cambodia and observe all programs for a week.  The children sat at their desks, quietly writing the khmer letters on their little chalk boards.  Is that cool - the literacy school is green!  (Paper would be too expensive).

The students are the children of the poorest families of Roteang Village and who participate in the Sharing Foundation's farm project. The Foundation leases ten acres and provides seeds, tools, and irrigation equipment to indigent farmers who then grow their own vegetables. The surplus is sold, providing families with home improvement credits that can be exchanged for roofs, toilets, and water collection tanks.
TSF built and funds the Khmer Literacy School (Head Start) on the farmland for the nearly 150 children of these illiterate farmers, many of whom are now able to advance to the village public school, which requires basic literacy upon entry.

Roger recently shared some thoughts about why he is participating in the bloggers campaign.

1.  I am certain I would have donated to this effort in support of you. The donation happened due to the contributions you have made to me and my work via your blog. (law of reciprocity)

2. I probably would not have blogged about your fundraising effort if you had not sent a personal email to me requesting that I get involved. Even if I had, it would not have been on a weekly basis. Personal attention and trust got me involved.

Jack Bora and his grandmother

Bernie's Blog

Bernadette Feeney, an adoptive parent, started her blog just to help with the campaign!   Her son and her mom are pictured above.   One of her first posts:

My mother, Mary Lou Mannix was a great supporter and champion of the December 1999 adoption of my beautiful son, Jack Bora Feeney.  In gratitude for the apple of her eye (her first grandchild) THE SHARING FOUNDATION became her charity of choice.  Eight years later dementia has taken memories, but the love remains.  Heres a recent photo of Jack and Mom taken in December 2007.  This post also comes in hopes of a favor...

In honor of my mother, I'm asking friends and family to donate $10.00 to a wonderful fundraiser involving our beloved : THE SHARING FOUNDATION.

 

NpMarketing Blog

I turned to one of my favorite nonprofit marketing bloggers and colleagues, Marc Sirkin, for some advice and help with the America's Giving Challenge for the Sharing Foundation.  (Marc will launching a consulting practice soon).  I asked him about taglines for my email signature.

I've been using this phrase that is on our Global Giving Campaign Page
Route Out of Poverty for Cambodian Children

Marc suggests:

• Try guilt: Don't let it happen, donate to save children from the worst poverty
• Try hope: You can be the difference. Save a child from poverty.
• Try fear: If you don't act now, another child's life will be lost forever in horrible poverty.

Try these and test them... then when you find something that resonates, do that.
Go further Beth! Push it until it hurts and your  messaging is as sharp as the edge of a knife.

He mentioned that I could use Google Analytics to test the click through in my email signature.

Flickr Supporters

My photos are licensed with CC by which means people can use them as long as they give me attribution.  I usually get requests from commercial sites and lots of comments on my Cambodian photos.   So, I'm asking them donate to the cause in return for using my photos.

• Donate $10 or more to the Sharing Foundation through Global Giving Fundraiser set up by Blogger Michele Martin of the Bamboo project! 
• If we are four of the top causes to get the most unique donors, we'll win $50,000 for the Sharing Foundation as part of America's Giving Challenge. With $10 you can help improve the lives of over 1,500 children in one of the world's poorest countries.
• If you are a blogger and want to participate in this blogger's campaign, you can sign up here.

Comments

[Roger Carr]

Thanks for being open regarding many of your activities including this fundraising event. We all learn from it.

BTW I would respond to the "hope" email signature tagline. The other two would actually turn me off from participating.

[Roger Carr]

Thanks for being open regarding many of your activities including this fundraising event. We all learn from it.

BTW I would respond to the "hope" email signature tagline. The other two would actually turn me off from participating.