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Here’s an idea of the kind of work that Fund Raising Innovations can do for you. This letter raised $10,000 in three weeks for a small battered women’s shelter. Veteran shelter workers in other agencies called to say it made them cry. You don’t get the same impact without seeing the whole package on letterhead but you get the idea. (The agency name is fake but the letter is real. And so is the story. Honest.) Dear Sally: The shelter was full, almost to capacity. Children were laughing and playing on the stairs, chasing each other and having fun with their new toys. Mothers and a few staff members were sitting in the dining room munching on some scrumptious cookies that someone dropped off. There was eggnog in the fridge. It was Christmas morning. There was a soft knock at the door. Outside stood a woman and her young daughter. Her face was puffy -- from crying or a beating, it was hard to tell. It didn't matter. The mother held a small bundle with one hand and clutched her daughter with the other. The girl's eyes were wide with a strange mixture of curiosity, fear -- and relief. The women in the dining room, warm from sharing a holiday with new friends in a safe place, greeted the woman, got her some food and wished her a "Merry Christmas." She thanked them but said she didn't celebrate Christmas. She was Muslim. Quietly, she mentioned that today was her daughter's birthday. Could they celebrate that? The women jumped into gear. Holiday paper was pulled from a new doll and replaced with birthday paper. Someone made a special cake. Everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to the little girl who had to run away from her abusive father on her special day. I tell you that story because I want you to know that every kind of woman, from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds, comes to us for refuge from violence. And our volunteers and staff do everything in their power to comfort women and children who are forced to leave their homes in fear. Your generosity makes these rescues possible. Your gift to XYZ Shelter will help nearly 400 women and children who will come to us in 1998 looking for a place that is safe from violence, safe from fear, and safe from brutality. Thank you. Sincerely, Shelter Director P.S. Share your joy in this holiday season. A $45 gift will give one night's protection for a woman or child who is fleeing in fear from a dangerous home. Your generous gift will help women and children build new lives in peace, security and dignity.
ã1997, 1998, Jeane M. Vogel, Fund Raising Innovations, All rights reserved. |
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