Becoming a Fundraising Advocate
By Valerie Singley, Loving Mother and Grandmother
I started a GoFundMe page when my grandson, Ari Foss Silverman, did not survive childbirth (he was stillborn). Funeral expenses can be astronomical and a burden when the expenses are not part of financial planning. Funeral expenses are certainly not part of parents’ newborn expense planning!
My son, Aaron, and his wife, Laura, were going to make many decisions while planning their son’s funeral while struggling to cope with his untimely passing. The added stress of how to pay for the funeral was not something I wanted them to endure, so I asked Aaron if it would be okay for me to create a crowdfunding page to help raise money for funeral expenses. After he had the opportunity to speak with Laura, he informed me it was okay to proceed with creating a crowdfunding page.
A tragedy changes lives requiring a family to deal with many decisions as they begin to heal and search for their ‘new normal.’ Becoming a family member’s or a friend’s fundraising advocate is a blessing for them. You may find it also blesses you, as I did, because you are taking one item off their already full plate during a stressful time.
Not sure where to begin? Here are my recommendations based on my experience.
#1 – Ask permission.
The loss of a loved one, especially a child, can be an extremely difficult time, and you do not want to add anxiety to the situation by taking actions the grieving individuals do not want. In addition to asking permission you will want to ask about the use of pictures and social media. Listen carefully to their concerns and desires. This along with your personal relationship will provide knowledge of their personalities which are beneficial in developing the fundraising page and promoting it.
#2 – Choose your fundraising platform.
There are a variety of fundraising sites on the Internet. I selected GoFundMe simply because I had seen it utilized by many folks and the fees were reasonable. The fundraising platform you select will guide you through the page creation process by asking various questions.
#3 – Respect their privacy and desires.
When building the page, there was an option to advertise the GoFundMe page through various social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. I declined this option because I knew my son and his wife valued their privacy. Plus, they needed time to determine how they would use social media to convey their loss to their friends.
#4 – Promote the fundraising.
As I stated above, I declined the option to let GoFundMe promote the page through Facebook or Twitter which meant I would need to do some work. I choose to use messaging through Facebook and emails to my contacts. I drafted a short email which covered the loss that had occurred, the expenses Aaron and Laura would be facing and a link to the GoFundMe page. I ended the email with a thank you for prayers and any donations anyone might choose to make.
#5 – Ask for tax advice.
Since it was my first experience with this type of fundraising, I contacted my CPA to check if there would be any potential tax concerns. There were none for us; however, your income and goal amounts may differ, so this brief step is worth the effort.
I felt helpless when our loss occurred. I love my son, his wife and my grandson, Ari. Being their fundraiser advocate was a way I could be there. It allowed me to help cope with the loss and begin my healing process. I thank God that He knew how to bring me through this difficult time. My hope is that the Ari Foss Foundation, its educational information and our experiences shared will help you navigate through your journey.
Valerie Singley