So how do we do this?

I am back on our venue mission! I have decided we need to buy our Bosom Buddies house outright. The area I am looking is not very expensive. I reckon for a little over a million or about 200 000 dollars, I can purchase the house outright and set it up. 200 businesses in the US giving 1000 dollars each… doesn’t sound too impossible right?

Do you remember why we need this house….

Sewing center to learn job skills and sew bags

Storage area to sort, store and pack bags

Office for admin and counseling for PND and HIV and other issues

Large room for classes such as 1^st aid, nutrition, baby massage.

A place to weigh these babies, nursing advice, to have talks...

A labour/birth prep class so they have some idea of what will happen, especially my teen moms.

Classes for moms of birth injury babies… OT skills taught to them.

The need and possibilities are endless.  I have gone through a whole process trying to work out if it’s God’s will to provide this house or just my plans. The bottom line is I get to love & serve his people so much better this way and glorify Him all at the same time. I also went through a mental wrestle thinking it was a way too big impossibility. I don’t anymore, if Joshua could ask God to give him extra hours of daylight and literally stop the world to do so, He can so provide this house for us. I’m asking big here, I’m trusting big here and I am excited at the anticipation of a future post bragging about what our God can do. Go God!

Now I know you guys are divine and all but don’t have the serious moola for this house. What I need is ideas on how we are going to get it. I have just had an awesome team of Americans come her to serve our projects at Thembalitsha including BB. It is one small church but has so many amazing people coming out here to give their all, their excellence and compassion and generosity to poor South Africans.  They are His hands and feet and He gets to show off with them. I was telling them how the US accounts for half of all our clothing supply. That’s huge…. HALF!  I really believe the house will be US funded but the monthly running costs need to be SA funded. This community we serve needs to recognize the value of the BB house and support it accordingly.   I have no idea where to start but I am excited! Think girls, how are we going to do this???

Ps...remember we have Thembalitsha USA now with a proper bank account and relevant tax breaks, I will get all the proper details for those who want to get involved in the fundraising.  Yay!

Comments

[Tracey]

This may be a silly question, and I don't mean to insult you, but have you registered Bosom buddies as a Non Profit Organisation? (if you havent) this will make it credible as a business 9 not that it isn't), you will be entitled to grants and Gidani ( lottery ) will then be able to donate money to you. Every bit helps

[Mel]

Not a silly question but yes, we are registered under the Thembalitsha foundation.

[charne]

Shoo you right this is a big thing to tackle. But it is needed. Hope we can all put our thinking caps on and come up with a way to get this house funded.
Will keep bb in my prayers and ask God to give us the solution/answer

[dawnielle]

You could start with a fundraising link on your page with one of those thermomitors that measure how far you are to your goal. Then when strangers hit your page they will learn about it, too. I'll have a brain storming session with my inner marketing genius and see what I can come up with. I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!

[dawnielle]

You could start with a fundraising link on your page with one of those thermomitors that measure how far you are to your goal. Then when strangers hit your page they will learn about it, too. I'll have a brain storming session with my inner marketing genius and see what I can come up with. I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!

[Charne]

Ok i am very sad that this house is going to be possible cause of mostly US donations and i really wish and hope SA companies see the value in this project and get involved.

So i was thinkini that you know how Clover gives a few cents from every product sold towards the building of CHOC houses around SA,could bb not try do something like that? Could we not get j&j, elizabeth anne, pampers or some company like that to start a campaign and donate 10c from every product sold towards the bb house?

[Kelli]

How cool! I'll be thinking right along with you.

[V]

We are planning on climbing Kilimanjaro as a fundraising effort for special needs children. Wanna join us??

[Jeanne]

I also agree that the first step is a fundraising thermometer visible near the top of your sidebar and a "click here for further info" link below it so anyone casualyl coming across your site can easily see what you are trying to do. A bank account in the UK would also help or some easy way of donating. The pound is SO strong and pound donations could really help you, but if it's remotely hard for people to donate, they don't.

As for the fundraising ideas, you could ask people who are planning some sort of fundraising run/climb/walk to get sponsorship for you; or you could try an online raffle along the lines of Menu for Hope - ask international bloggers each to donate a prize (plus shipping) and then only allow people to nominate the prize they want if they donate over a certain amount. Click Yellow for Bri worked like this and was by all accounts very successful.

You are right though - the bottom line is that corporate sponsors/donors are your best bet, whether they be foreign or local...

Hope that helps, even just a little :)

[Jane]

Hi, Mel

I'm a long time reader but haven't commented. I not a happy clappy ;) but I enjoy your passion for Christ.

I found this song that I thought you would enjoy. It speaks about listening to Christ. They are a up and coming band from Durbs. I think you would enjoy the message behind the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9BK46Vaq6U

I hope you enjoy it.
Jane

[africankelli]

Mel, I have lots of ideas for you. First off, are you a recognized nonprofit -- 5013c in the US? If you are, I have a dozen grant apps I can send your way for this. Also, I think you need a marketplace to sell these bags with the stories of the women you are trying to help. Donors are much more interested when they know the person they are helping, even if that "knowing" just comes through a photo and a story.
You can do this! With the Lord, everything is possible. And this ministry is incredible.

[Tammy]

Hi there!

I'd love to personally give a donation! I also own a small company and would be interested in committing a set, monthly dontation to your wonderful cause. It will only be a drop in the bucket towards your goal, but hey, every little drop helps, right?

I agree with others that the "donation button" or "link" on your blog sounds like a good start. Make it as easy as possible for people to give, if the process is complicated, you may miss out on some donations!

You are amazing Mel, and so are the moms you're helping.

Let me know how you feel about the idea of a set monthly dontation that you know you can count on and how I might go about doing it.

Blessings,

Tammy

[Clover]

Are you familiar with Ten Thousand Villages- they sell fairly traded crafts at stores across the US and Canada. Their website is tenthousandvillages.org- I just checked and I don't see anything about how to sell stuff but maybe you can email someone there about getting the baskets, etc. sold through them. And I agree about the fundraising thermometer.

[Cakes]

And.maybe.a.donation.button.that.others.of.us.can.put
on.our.site.

Ill.check.with.Chowders.denomination.and.see.how.we.can.add.a.mission.

[Brandy]

Make yourself a "business plan" of sorts. Includes who you are helping, why you are helping them, what your needs are (break it down into specifics and what it costs), how much everything costs. Include pictures and stories and personal accounts of how BB is helping people. Make it personal and convey both your passion for the cause and urge others to have the compassion for these wonderful SA women.

Set up appointments in your local area with small and large businesses and go to them, give them your plan and ask for help. Explain the benefits of giving to your cause. Have a US Ambassador of sorts do the same here. Write AND e-mail larger baby care and women's companies, in SA, the US and International (Gerber, Pampers, etc), send your plan and ask for help. If you want to dream big, you have to go big everywhere.

Research blogs who are similar to yours- start reading and start commenting and asked to be added to their blog rolls- your traffic will increase and you never know who might see your page and be touched and be able to do something big, something you've never imagined.

Good luck :)

[Coral]

I can't give you any ideas, but I am blown away by your huge plan.

Good luck Melly!!

[goodsandwich]

How about contacting Unicef ( www.unicef.org/southafrica/index.html ), or the Carter Center in Atlanta Georgia US ( www.cartercenter.org ), the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, or Global Action for Children ( globalactionforchildren.org )? All of these organizations may have funding available.

[angel]

wow... thats some goal mel! i just know its going to work and you'll have the bb house in no time at all!

[Tania]

Try contacting banks here in the US, banks LOVE to give to chairty!! It is a great PA move for them, and they always are looking for great chairites to give monies too. I would get a "business" plan together to show them what you do, how you do it and why you need the donations. I would google "largest banks in the US" or something along those lines and start making calls or sending emails in regards to their criteria for donations. It might seem like a lot of work but trust me, they love to give lot of $$$$$$$!

Good Luck!

[Christine]

Hello - Hmmm, yes, after working for two large Catholic institutions and several non-denominational non-profits in the US, I've learned a thing or two. (Don't let'em fool you - those nuns can work a room!)

You might want to check out:
http://www.igive.com/welcome/
(or a similar service must exist for South
Africa, but it might take some searching)
A sample of a site using igive is:
http://www.mothersandmore.org/Membership%20and%20Support/igive.shtml

Might I also recommend a "Matter of Taste" evening - local restaurants and culinary arts schools have stations where they cook and serve and it's a bit of a black tie, roving meal? Though it sounds like you have previously done such an event. Check your local library to see if they would allow you to use a large conference room for free.

Also, creating a webpage on www.squidoo.com lets you create a mini-website on particular topics and you can make a small profit whenever people visit. I don't know how it works, but it does. People can also choose to make their own squidoo pages and choose for the funds to go to your organization if you list it as an option. (Hard to explain, check it out...)

Best of luck!