When I said I was going to start at the very beginning of my service dog journey here, I meant it. Well, almost. Most people would start off with advice about how to pick a company or organization to go with, but since mine just literally fell into my lap, I'm not really qualified to offer that advice. All I know is that the one big national organization that kept me on their waiting list for quite a number of years then told me that I was too disabled for one of their dogs. I found a local group here was willing to work with me. So, the only qualified piece of advice in the search arena that I can give is to go local whenever possible.
For me, the beginning chronicled here will be fundraising. I was so daunted by the seemingly insurmountable task of raising a little over $20,000. Any organizations like the one I went with that are not nonprofit, a fundraising goal/price is negotiated based on client needs, training costs, upkeep for the first year, which was optional in my case, and the inevitable sales tax. Always read that contract carefully before you sign it!
When I caught my breath, I became determined to get down to business. Here is how I accomplished my goal in a little over five months: (your time will vary greatly; I have been told that my speedy results are not typical.)
Two words: Social Networking!
It's 2011, so use the technology available to you. And the websites. Facebook, twitter, MySpace, blogs, anywhere you have a digital presence. If you have a friend who can, or are able to yourself, build a website specifically for fundraising, do so. I had a website complete with video and donation link. But even if you can't do that, promote the heck out of yourself on any of the above listed sites. Facebook is where I received most of my donations from.
Repetition is the key here. Make people aware of your needs by posting about it on one or all of the sites at least once every other day. At the very least. And ask other people to share the information. People like to feel involved in something good, and this greatly increases the number of people who will be made aware of your need.
And any time you reach a milestone number, post about it everywhere, even if it happens multiple times per day. People like good news, and they love to feel like something they are involved in is progressing, the faster the better. You need an example? Just think of those annoying PBS fundraising drives. The annoying part to you, the viewer, is the repetition that seems ad nauseam. But, PBS is still on the air, isn't it? Exactly.
My next method for fundraising was just to show up at some local dog centric events. My boyfriend made some business cards and T-shirts, and I passed the cards out, telling my story. For some people this works better than the virtual world as far as whether they will donate to you, because they can see your face in person. Once, a friend got me a table at one of these events. Another friend made a banner, another made the flyers. The key here is that teamwork is vital. You won't be able to do this on your own, so gather a team who really cares about you and your goal. The cards can also be passed out just anywhere you go.
The last direct method I would like to mention is not forget your friends and family connections. One of my largest donations came from a person I barely got to know in high school who is a good singer, so she put on a benefit concert for me at her church. That was amazing.
Also remember that a small bit of negativity could work in your favor as well, but always let it come from within other people, not you. A.k.a. the guilt factor. Seems bad to say, but it works. Have a sister or an aunt that hasn't gotten in touch with you for a while? They know this; and so if you give them a way to reach out and show they care, they will more than likely jump right on it. This should not be the way you get most of your donations, but mainly I'm just letting you know to let people know what you need and how they can help. If you're too proud or shy to do that, you will likely be unsuccessful.
Lastly, I would like to bring up the power of dreams and faith. This may seem a little out there, but if you have really wanted something for a long time, and believe it will come true, you are more likely to work toward making that happen. Sometimes, if other people, even complete strangers, see that believing spirit inside of you, they will help, and things happen almost like magic.
I discovered this when my boyfriend made a business transaction and asked his recipient to look on my webpage and consider a donation separate from the transaction. Not only did this person donate, they donated most of the rest of the amount I needed. This was utterly amazing to me.
The bottom line for this stage in my journey was hard work, perseverance, and humbling myself enough to ask others for help and accept what they gave.
I truly hope my journey helps someone else along the way.
