Here is a letter to you all from the founder of The Generation Project explaining why you should vote for them. I promise that this will be my last post regarding this contest (but probably not the last post about this fabulous non-profit.)
Today is the last day to vote, so please take 20 seconds out of your day to make a difference for low-income children.
Here is Jessica's letter to you:
Hello friends!
As you might know, The Generation Project (the charity I founded about a year ago) is currently a finalist in the upcoming Chase/Facebook Community Giving Challenge. Last month, in Round 1, Facebook users voted The Generation Project one of the top 100 charities nationwide--we outlasted over 500,000 nonprofits and won $25,000. Now we're in the finals and are competing for $1 million! The Challenge runs from January 15-22, 2010.
I am reaching out to you specifically because you have been so supportive in the past. Those of you who voted in Round 1 (and in the previous contests we've won) got us to this place and we cannot thank you enough. The finals of this contest, however, are going to be unlike any other contest to date. We're estimating that we'll need 50,000 votes to win and the only way to do that is by involving our biggest supporters (ahem, you!) to help make it happen.
Although we are the youngest organization in the finals, we think we have a sound strategy and a good chance of winning. But, again, we can't do it without you. Please go to the following page, sign-in and vote for The Generation Project:
http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/1299749
What we'll do with the $$$:
We don't just deserve to win because we have a strong base of supporters. We deserve to win because we're going to put the Chase Million to work for kids in low-income areas. If we win, we'll use the first $250,000 to quadruple gifts given by our donors. The next $250,000 will triple any donor-designed gifts, and the rest of the money will double a donor's impact. Many nonprofits in the finals plan to use the million dollars to expand operations. Not us. We're going to make sure all of the money directly expands opportunities for kids growing up in poverty.
For more detail check out our contest page: http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/1299749
Or watch our video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq9EFGZ5PLU (our video is also on our contest page)
What is the Chase/Facebook Competition?
The Chase Community Giving challenge is the largest social media contest to date. Chase and Facebook are crowd-sourcing philanthropy, allowing Facebook users to vote on which charities receive $5 million in donations.
In Round 1, we outlasted over 500,000 charities to win $25,000. We are one of 100 charities in the final round, where the winner will receive $1 million. We are the only charity in the final 100 that helps low-income children in the United States.
What is The Generation Project?
The Generation Project exists because the range of educational opportunities available to low-income youth in the United States is tragically limited. We address that issue through a totally new take on giving.
Unlike traditional charities, where you write a check to an organization and don’t know exactly how the money is spent, The Generation Project provides donors at all income levels the opportunity to design and fund completely personalized gifts that benefit low-income K-12 students. The types of gifts that can be given through The Generation Project--like those that wealthy philanthropists give through their personal foundations--are limited only by donors' imaginations. For example:
- A young lawyer might sponsor an inner-city debate team
- A military veteran might sponsor an essay contest on freedom
- A cancer survivor might sponsor a hospital internship for students interested in medicine
- A former high school swimmer might sponsor a high school swim team, or collaborate with former teammates to sponsor a full-fledged league
- An artist might donate high-end art supplies
We transparently implement donors’ visions in schools, allowing high-need students to benefit from the diverse passions and experiences of individuals across the country.
Although we are a newer organization, we have already built partnerships with several national organizations, including Teach For America, Ralph Lauren, Office Depot, and several national law firms.
All the best,
Jessica Rauch
Co-Founder and President
The Generation Project
[email protected]
The Generation Project: Generate ideas. Empower education.
www.thegenerationproject.org
Organizational updates, student perspectives, and the latest on education and philanthropy: www.thegenerationproject.org/blog
