You spoke out about some of your COVID-19 fundraising concerns, and we listened. We know that when most of the country is facing medical, personal, and financial stress, it can feel uncomfortable to reach out and ask for donations or support. You may be wondering: is it the wrong time to share my Help Hope Live campaign?
In this Blog post, we challenge that idea. These four insights will make you feel more confident and positive about reaching out for support and sharing your Campaign Page—right now.
1. Some of Us DO Have Funds to Spare
It’s true that many families are struggling with significant financial concerns right now. However, the truth is that not every individual or family is equally impacted. Some individuals who are in line to receive a federal stimulus check are not in need of immediate financial assistance, and because they know that others may have more significant financial and personal needs than they do, they may be looking for meaningful ways to give back.
Many of us are also naturally reducing our expenses due to COVID-19, whether by not stopping at the pumps as often as we used to, replacing our daily coffee runs with a homebrewed cup (or full pot!), or cooking meals at home more often than we used to. Small savings add up to the potential for more charitable giving opportunities.
For donors, it’s a priority to give to a trusted, secure, and verified nonprofit. That’s us!
Our 501(c)(3) status, medical and financial client verification process, and 4-star Charity Navigator rating mean that anyone who wants to make a difference can feel confident about making a donation to Help Hope Live. Special charity incentives under the CARES Act further encourage giving, both from individuals and from businesses that have resources to spare.
Be brave in your outreach knowing that while some individuals may not be able to donate right now, others may be on the lookout for ways to help a cause just like yours.
Keep in mind that there are also plenty of free ways for others to lend a hand. Need some ideas for ways to ask others to help without making a donation? Start here!
2. We Need a Purpose
With fewer commutes and nationwide stay-at-home orders, many of us are looking for ways to spend extra time from home—A LOT of extra time.
There’s been a significant increase in usage of social time-spenders like TikTok as well as smartphone apps, video games, and platforms such as Netflix and Hulu. Despite the abundance of entertainment out there, stay-at-homers from college students to retirees are reporting feelings of boredom and lethargy.
With so many extra hours on our hands, it’s difficult to feel that we are making the most of our new downtime. Beyond boredom and entertainment overload, even personal projects and self-care methods are beginning to feel overwhelming and stressful.
A new term has spawned for this trend: quarantine fatigue.
What does all this information tell us? A lot of us could use something to devote our time to that really matters. Supporting your Help Hope Live campaign could be the perfect fit for someone who is bored and restless at home but tired of mindless entertainment.
By asking for a hand, you can help shift the focus from “me” to “we.”
Asking friends and followers to do something as simple as sharing your Campaign Page could give them a renewed sense of purpose. This idea ties into our next reason…
3. We Need NEW Ways to Come Together
Along with quarantine fatigue, many people are experiencing an unexpected wave of social fatigue.
For some, virtual workdays are filled with endless video meetings, conference calls, workplace chat apps, and digital check-ins—and these social touchpoints don’t end after-hours. Add extended family group texts and video Happy Hours with friends on top and it’s easy to see why virtual social contact is becoming tiresome for a lot of us.
At Help Hope Live, we have known for 37 years that fundraising is about a whole lot more than money.
For many of our thousands of clients, fundraisers are a way to bring a community together with a strong shared purpose and feelings of connection, gratitude, and love.
While in-person events may be on hold, when you plan a virtual fundraiser and get friends and family excited about participating, you help your entire community to feel connected again in a unique way.
What does your social circle need right now? What will get them excited and engaged again? These are great questions to ask as you plan your next fundraising move. Consider asking friends to help you plan a fundraiser that breaks the mold, whether it’s a walk-a-thon, an adult coloring party, a gaming get-together, a kids talent show, or something completely original.
4. We Need Hope!
For so many of us, the COVID-19 pandemic represents endless waves of uncertainty, isolation, stress, and fear. Even though so many are spending their time encouraging others and trying their best to stay positive, we could all use even more hope.
Stuck at home all day, it can be challenging for us to naturally experience the happy encounters, positive updates, and everyday sources of hope that we used to rely on to help us power through difficult times. When you invite someone in your life to donate to Help Hope Live in your honor, you give them a quick and tangible way to make a lasting impact—and, as a result, you show them that despite all the challenges and chances that COVID-19 has brought with it, hope is NOT cancelled.
In the middle of an endless virtual workday, a third walk around the block, or a nighttime Tiger-King-and-chill routine that’s identical to yesterday’s,
each of us STILL has the power to make a difference.
Show your community that small gestures and donations not only make an impact in your day-to-day life but also give you more hope for the future. In the process, you’ll demonstrate how we can ALL find hope—no matter what challenges we face.
The Bottom Line: It’s Always Okay to Ask for Help
You may need to hear this right now: with or without COVID-19, asking others to help you is never selfish or out-of-place. In fact, our team believes that allowing others to help you is an act of compassion that brings meaning, purpose, and hope into your life as well as theirs.
You need community support to get through the challenges you’re facing. Your community needs ways to put their dollars, spare time, and talents to good use so they can stay connected with the true meaning of hope.
If you take just one thing away from this Blog post, let it be this:
It is always okay to ask for help and support.
No matter what is happening in your town, country, or world, your cause is as important and worthy as any other.
Ask with confidence and keep believing in the power of community to transform perspectives and change lives—not just your own.
…But You Don’t Have to Ask Alone!
We know that it can be difficult, humbling, and sometimes overwhelming to ask for help, even when you need it to secure critical medical care and a future for yourself or someone you love. When you fundraise with us, you never have to ask alone.
We are proud to provide personalized resources and one-on-one fundraising help to ensure that clients like you feel more confident and less alone in their ongoing quest to secure community support.
If you’re feeling a little stuck with fundraising, especially in light of COVID-19 concerns, we hope you’ll reach out to your Client Services Coordinator? Our team understands the challenges you are facing and stand ready to provide compassionate support. Your Coordinator can help you determine which resources and tools you need to be successful, from social media messaging guidance to a personalized fundraising video that makes the “ask” for you. Don’t forget to check out our full range of virtual fundraising resources, all of which are tailor-made for social distancing.
Now, repeat after us:
My cause is worthy of support.
My future is worth the effort.
My community loves me.
My hope is not cancelled.
