JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Raising Funds

WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING......Whatever you guys come up with to raise funds for JPF or Brian count me in. There must be loads of ways to come up with some cash. We could have "a song for JPF" where everyone submits a song and posts it on Soundclick for paid downloads. All proceeds to go to where Brian needs it most. We could also compile an official JPF CD. The marketing expert guys could suggest sites to post it or ways to market it as either downloadable tracks or a hard copy CD. Let's see what you all can come up with.

Everybody has helped me out so much so count me in, if it wasn't for all of you, I wouldn't have been able to go the doctor for that first visit and get blood work done, so please let me know, thanks glyn

I have been trying to start something in regard to this on the fearless leader thread, Jim, but I haven't heard from Brian about how to get money to him. Whether to send it to him directly or through the JPF donate button. Personally I think we just need to send him the money. They need it now. Proceeds from albums are kind of iffy. Money is for sure. Everyone could send something. We have a lot of members. Even $5 from enough people will help out immensely.

a fund raising auction of donated musical gear and other stuff might generate more money

1. people donate items
2. we list them
3. min bids are set
4. time frame for bidding
5, silent auction bidding
6. bids close
7. high bid posted
8. high bidder pays paypal or check
9. receipt posted
10. donators ship to the highest bidder
......... donator absorbs shipping cost



If someone cannot donate items - they could donate services

1. email mentoring
2. song writing
3. musical instrument parts
4. cd artwork
5. consulting
6, web work
7. editing

think in terms of 1 hour blocks...............

Great idea I am sure we all have old software we no longer use or musical hardware and stuff lying about gathering dust. That will not only raise cash but help our fellow members.
Still think as a long term thing we could do something musical as well. Not all members can afford to donate cash.

$5 dollars? Yes, they can.

How about some House Concerts? (Unless they are snowed in right now.) Have a potluck get together and pass the hat.

Friendly bump......Need someone to help organise fundraising...I am not quite up to it at the moment.

Big Jim.......I'll help in anyway I can. If we had a central location and could get someone to donate a club, we could have a
JPF concert of sorts and charge an entry fee. I'll do whatever is needed. Just let me know.


Janet Snow

I think for the benefit concerts (which could be house concerts or club concerts), it might be easiest if we break into regions to do several of them - maybe call it a 'virtual road-trip' and execute them on the model of Brian's usual road trip showcases (we could tape all the performances too and send the video to him as a pick me up). We could charge an admission, pass the hat, raffle something - you get the idea.

I'm up for organizing a Massachusetts/Northeast event. Anyone want to coordinate timing other concerts around the country/world so they're all on the same week? We might be able to gain some national press attention for him if we do this as a coordinated effort...and you never know how that could possibly send help.

Anyone want to help me with a New England event?

Any active chapter coordinators, chime on in and let's see what we can come up with.

There's a "Donate" button on the right hand side of the forum screen (if you are letting the right side be viewed). Looks like only three (3!!!!!) of us have made use of that official fund raising vehicle. It is really easy to use.

Kevin

Yep, at least.

Idea: The JPF Newsletter. (Over 51,500 members, right)?

We could ask Brian and Linda Whitney to supply one of the JPF Mentors the full list of the JPF email members, to have him or her create a JPF newsletter that would then be sent to ALL members asking for a 5 dollar or more donation. Even if just 10% donate, that adds up nicely!

A detailed reason could be given for those not even knowing about Brian's condition yet, along with the JPF pay-pal account info, and a mailing address for those not able to use Pay pay for any reason.

The other suggestions could also be done, that would deal with the general public, to add to whatever the members come up with.

If we donate to JPF will that go to Brian? If anyone needs help emailing members, then I will help. Do we have Brian's consent?


Janet

My guess is that there are issues /complications-- donating through the button on the site when it comes to tax purposes.............

I think that a SEPARATE -- accounting might be WisE for medical bill donations......

need some tax accounting advice, I would think

Howdy All, Gus here. I have matted limited edition prints, of my
original artwork, which I would be more than happy to donate,
including hand made custom Barnwood frames, etc..
Framed prints could be raffled off, so those of us who are broke, have an incentive to help, as well as it being within our budgets.

For folks with more money, they could be auctioned instead......

I've never been able to figure out how to post my work to the
visual arts forum, so every one could check it out, & see if it fits their tastes, etc. but I have emailed a copy to some JPF'ers
including Beth who could tell you if it would be worth the
trouble.
But I have recieved, pretty good reviews on it, so maybe folks
would be willing to spend $10 to $20 for a chance to win a copy
with a frame and all. I have several available, so that would
increase peoples odds, or provide multiple opportunities etc.

ANYWAY, My main point is I will help any way I can, starting with
donating these if the can do some good..........
......................Blessings on Brian...............Gus

I have a Washburn starter guitar [acoustic] no case but its new. I`ll donate, and I can send a few bucks, when you get this figured out.. all the best wishes to Brian.

Hi Christine,
I'm still trying to understand this fundraising effort, but I am willing to toss around some ideas on the Massachusetts end. If anyone can help me understand JPF's needs. It appears Brian's needs are personal and medical in nature. Outside of that, I'm a little foggy. Feel free to point me to a post that will enlighten me.
Stanley

Dear spiritual,

Please read this post: http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/788320/page/1#Post788320

Brian is the founder of JPF and has kept JPF free for all members for a long time at his and his wife's expense for a long time. He gets some support from sponsors and a few donations from member from time to time, but he and his wife are not wealthy by any means. Anyway, I believe they do have medical insurance, but there will be a lot of costs not covered by it. He and Linda have been a blessing to all of us and we want to help them. That's about it. JPF could also use donations to help the organization and the website, but we want to help Brian with this latest situation.

Hi Everyone! Linda (Brian's wife) replied to an e-mail I sent her and said that they are OK for now and don't want folks to create any hardship on themselves but if we do want to send some money, the donate button would be the best way to do it.

She is very grateful to know that so many care.

Also, a little note to Brian from time to time, letting him know we are thinking about him would be a good thing. Just PM him or send an e-mail via his e-mail address.

YAY! The donate button is EASY! I do like the idea of benefit concerts and donating items for auction as well. I wish we all lived closer.

I agree the quickest and easiest fundraising method would be a DONATE button .. should there be a button specific to the cause??
Joanne

Yep on donating "Money" as Jean said. Other fundraising ideas work better for a "backup" cause they're necessarily slow and "iffy"
I'm in if it's been decided
Wy

Donation sent.







Janet Snow

Donation sent

Likewise. The button was easy to push.

It's secure and you can pay by credit card and don't have to establish a regular account.

The site gets a few, and fewer yet will donate. The newsletter gets sent to tens of thousands. Do the math!!!

John, check out the Donor's Honor list that pinned at the top of each forum. The names of everyone who donated since 2008 are up there. I think most of the people who gave some money were people who visited the website on a regular basis. The newsletter always has a donation link but I am guessing it is rarely used by the newsletter recipients.

A lot of people don't know what happened to Brian. When he is able, he may mention it in the newsletter but I don't think he is going to say send me money, lol. He has always been very low key about donations, even when he needed the money in a big way. However, it may be a good idea to post what happened in all the forums, since many people do not even visit the general forum and perhaps even mention it in your Facebook or myspace websites.

In the past few years, when money was needed the best momentum occurred when the drive was initiated by the JPF website regulars. So we are doing it again.

It may be a good idea to post what happened in all the forums, since many people do not even visit the general forum. We can to gently invite people to donate. It doesn't have to be a huge sum. $5 is affordable to most people who are working or have some income. The cost of a doughnut and a cup of coffee. To me it's a way of letting Brian know we care. He has enough to do just to heal and it would be a wonderful way to lighten the burden.

Yes, Jean, good method for the ones that come to the site.

MANY email members do not come here at all. But they get the newsletter. The BIG difference in this idea is that this newsletter would be a specific notice and simple request to the much higher amount of members, and not sent by Brian.

If only a handful act on it, isn't that just more to add to the pot? What's the harm in maybe adding more to the total?

(A Mentor getting the email list, and creating a short story and request. Nothing more to be in the newsletter).

The only issues that should be are; who can obtain the list from Brian, and the capability of that mentor to email that many at once. Whatever that leads to, is gravy on top of what the usuals do.

USING THIS TO BUMP, & STIMULATE OTHER DONATIONS
Howdy All, Gus here. I have matted limited edition prints, of my
original artwork, which I would be more than happy to donate,
including hand made custom Barnwood frames, etc..
Framed prints could be raffled off, so those of us who are broke, have an incentive to help, as well as it being within our budgets.

For folks with more money, they could be auctioned instead......

I've never been able to figure out how to post my work to the
visual arts forum, so every one could check it out, & see if it fits their tastes, etc. but I have emailed a copy to some JPF'ers
including Beth who could tell you if it would be worth the
trouble.
But I have recieved, pretty good reviews on it, so maybe folks
would be willing to spend $10 to $20 for a chance to win a copy
with a frame and all. I have several available, so that would
increase peoples odds, or provide multiple opportunities etc.

ANYWAY, My main point is I will help any way I can, starting with
donating these if they can do some good..........
......................Blessings on Brian...............Gus

Joice Marie had an excellent point about taxes, etc. -- things would depend on how Brian has JPF set up for business/tax purposes. So, I'm glad to hear of Brian's input on the "Donations" button. Done! And yes, getting something out via newsletter would be excellent. So would a "news headline banner" on the JPF home page, but Brian would no doubt have to handle that...unless someone close by could *ehem* wrangle it out of him...

This website offers so many services -- a place to connect and network, but also TONS of information and resources. Asking folks to throw a few $$ Brian's way is, quite simply, asking them to show a little support and appreciation. (NPR does it all the time...)

Brenda

Gus
are you using a third party host for your work to post here. You cannot post directly into JPF. you need a third party.
Photobucket is one. It's free. And it's pretty easy.
there are others.
http://photobucket.com/

So the idea is to simply use the 'regular' Donate button on the right-hand side? (I can't find Brian's post.) There won't be any tax-related repercussions for Brian if extra money starts pouring in?

Donna

Curious why I do not see this.....

That's correct, Donna. No, there won't be a problem with taxes. Linda Whitney said to just use the donation button, so all is well with that area.

So far only 5 people have clicked on the donate button.

(However, a few more may have and their names may just not have been posted in the list yet or they may have donated anonymously. So if you have donated, don't worry, your name will show up pretty soon.)

Brenda, the input was from Linda, Brian's wife.

John, no one is privy to the e-mail list but Brian and Linda who are the administrators of JPF. When people join JPF and submit their e-mail addresses they are assured that the list will not be made available to anyone else. Brian would not approve of the list being used to ask for money for himself.

Thanks Bill, i'll checkout Photobucket, you the man........Gus

That's good, Jean. Thanks for the clarification.

Donna

Hi Folks,

Thanks so much for the support and concern. I just updated the Donations Honor Roll (which is the top post on all the boards Colin) to reflect the new donations. 6 generous folks have donated 165 dollars which will cover the co-pay for one emergency room visit (I've had several) and 2 doc appts. (I've had dozens). I think even with good insurance, we're into 5 figures, but the whole thing is well into 6 figures and growning (I have 3 hours of therapy per week at $85 dollar per 12 minutes). But it's been helping a lot and I am now walking without assistance (awkwardly and not very far, but it's getting better). I have much higher hurdles to overcome, but at least I can get myself around the house okay). I will tell the entire (amazing, harrowing, lucky and miraculous) story once I can type a bit fast than 5 words a minute. (This has taken an hour with breaks).

Thanks again. Please do NOT donate money if you don't have extra to share. We're getting by and many of you aren't doing as well. If Linda didn't have insurance, we would already have lost everything material in our lives.. but even if we did, we are still around and that's all that is really important. It was such a close call that all the rest is a bonus!

You guys are literally my extended family and I really appreciate the care and support!

Brian

We wouldn't have this great loving family if it wasn't for you Brian and Linda...iv'e seen myself the effects of the love here..and it's a great feeling...thank you Brian and Linda..glyn

I agree with you too John! I was referring to cash donations rather than setting up fundshowing shows which would take time... Of course the newsletter is a great way to bring attention to the effort and reach huge audience.

all the best
Joanne

We made a previous appeal via the newsletter to get donation help with the last awards and go ZERO donations. We have 20K site visitors per day and have gotten 7. Sadly folks assume someone else will step up due to the large numbers so little or no one does. However we did get thousansds of members to do 100's of thousands of hours of work judging the awards. So folks do things in their own way.

Right now I need at least 2 dedicated assistants to help out long term for JPF. I won't be able to do what we need to do otherwise.

Brian

No need to name people. Thanks Brian and Linda.

The people are named in the Donor list, Ben. I just copied and pasted. Thanks so much for caring, Ben.

We have 12 listed so far. Keep up the good work, folks, and spread the word to other JPF people you know who don't visit the board very often.

Thanks.

bump

bumpusamungus

bumpusamungus

After reading a few of these posts, why not get the local chapters involved? Perhaps each active chapter could organize an open mic type concert and/or poetry readings and charge nominal admission(at least five dollars but no more than twenty). Local clubs do that all of the time if one of their regular patrons or family members thereof fall on hard times. I think this would be a good idea, and I would participate if it fit into my schedule.