2020 Fundraiser

[Helene]

Our timing for this is, hopefully for the planet, as bad as it could be, but Victoria Leigh and I have been struggling for several months with the banks and PayPal, and we come up bloodied and battered, but with a plan.  Just in time for COVID-19 , but we're down to the bottom of our bank account.

We ask yearly for just enough to pay for the sites, bank fees, and payment processing fees.  These are closing in on $2K/year per site, or 4K in total, which is a formidable amount.  We hope to be able to get enough support to continue to do this only once this year again, but we'll see where we land.  We are asking each person who uses the site to consider contributing $20, but we do understand that everyone is being asked for contributions from every direction: from arts organizations, from relief organizations, to support local businesses, and that personal finances can be precarious, with job security an issue, too. 

We'll keep the sites up as long as we have funds to support them, and if it means re-launching the fundraiser when, hopefully, we will be release from self-quarantine, we will.  We'll also keep the links up here, even if they disappear from our home screen.  

If you are seeing this on your mobile phone or tablet using the software's mobile view, it has the same links as in this post, but you'll need to scroll to see it.

Our struggle with PayPal came to a draw, and since they won't let us use a business account anymore, the only option to pay by credit and debit cards this year is to have a PayPal account and to use our PayPal Me link.  We ask if you use this option to put your board name in the instructions box on the second screen.   (paypal.me/HeleneKaplan)  This came up too late to evaluate how to tweak our software provider's ecommerce option that has built-in links to other payment processing.  You can, too, use any bank accounts tied to your PayPal account.

On the positive side, since many people have the Zelle option through their banks and credit unions, we've set up our bank account to receive payments through the email option at bt4d.ba@gmail.com.

We know this is a big ask at this time.  We hope we can provide a little social solace while we're under lock-down, and for people who are on the front lines, whether in hospitals, emergency response, grocery stores, delivery services, and a lot more, you have our respect and appreciation.

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Helene
Check address removed

[Helene]

So far, we've had a core of people who have been very generous to our fundraiser, and we are grateful, especially in the world as it is now.  We're currently halfway there, having funded April and with enough in the bank to fund us  through September.  

I know that everyone is stretched and that the demands are high. If there is a way that you could, if you haven't so far, and you want us to keep the boards going, we'd really appreciate it if you'd contribute to our Fundraiser.

 

[Helene]

As of May 1, we've reached 80% of our fundraiser goal to cover us through the beginning of 2021 and to avoid another fundraiser until after the holiday season.  We only raise funds when we need to in order to keep the site going.

If you've looked into your budget and can donate, please do, and we'll close the fundraiser down for 2020.

And we really appreciate everyone who has donated so far, especially in these times.

[Helene]

Thanks to you, our generous donors, and your fellow donors on Ballet Talk for Dancers, today we cleared our goal to fund the site for a year!

I can't thank you enough for supporting us, especially this year.     and .   For those who wanted to, but couldn't, we understand and hope you have better times coming.  

And I also wanted to thank anyone who sent a check for their patience: it took me a while to wrangle the logistics of our offsite mailbox during COVID-19.  Everything we've received through today has been deposited.  If anything is in transit, I'll be checking again in a couple of weeks, since we're still under quarantine until the end of May in WA State.