GiveForward

Now you can link an Amazon Wish List to your fundraiser letting supporters know that they can donate helpful items straight to the beneficiary’s door! Head over to Amazon.com to make your Wish List TODAY! Then submit your request to add it to your GiveForward fundraising page and we’ll have it up in 3-4 days.

For detailed instructions please watch this video tutorial. Sit back and relax as our lovely Fundraising Coach, Adrienne, walks you through the steps.

Here are some tips to make your Wish List count!

1. Make your Wish List easy to find: add a photo and name your Wish List.

2. Make sure your Wish List settings are up to date: change the ‘ship-to’ address to reflect the beneficiary’s address & change the ‘surprise’ option so that you know when someone has purchased an item.

3. Add lots of items: Think about what the beneficiary may need during this tough time or contact them directly for ideas on what they want.

4. Make an update: Use this new addition to your fundraiser as an excuse to update all of your donors & huggers. Ask that they pass it along! (Forgot how to create an update? Click here).

What does a great Wish List look like?

Are you having a toy drive this Holiday Season?
Add some fun toys at different price points, check out an example here or check out 25 Lightsabers to defeat Darth Sandy.

Are you raising funds for a friend or family member in need?
People awaiting surgery or going through treatments might need some of these items or check out Barb vs. The Big C.

Was your family or friend affected by Hurricane Sandy or a house fire?
People rebuilding a home after a tragedy are trying to replace all of their belongings or see this fundraiser, Rebuilding for The Moore Family.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT GIVEFORWARD!

Barbara Spinelli loves writing about the changing trends in business, finance and politics.  She shared with us, how to verify a legitimate charity before you donate.

The holidays are a time when family and friends gather, exchange gifts, reminisce and sometimes offer aid and assistance to those who are in need. Unfortunately, there are scammers who use holidays and unfortunate events to their advantage and create fake charities that are not intended to help those who are in need. In the wake of hurricane Sandy, CNN.com reported more than 1,000 sites were registered with the words Sandy and relief in the domain. Some of these sites were registered before the hurricane hit. One site urged visitors to donate relief funds to help the victims of hurricane Sandy in Jamaica as the National Weather Service was reporting the storm was moving towards Jamaica. The site was tracked to North Carolina, but it wasn’t registered with the Secretary of State’s office in North Carolina and isn’t considered a legitimate charity.

Art Taylor, president of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance says over 70 percent of Americans open their wallets before checking the legitimacy of the charity. These reports may seem discouraging, but giving up on helping people who are in need isn’t the answer. So how can you tell the real charities from the fake ones? We made a list of the best legitimate charities and threw in a few tips, so you can know the good places to donate from the bad.

Give With Caution

Richard Kolko, a special agent in the FBI says, “scam artists will do anything [...] to steal your identity and your money as you try and make donations.” To avoid becoming the victim of a scam or of identity theft, Kolko suggests that donors use caution and apply these tips when making contributions:

• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.
• Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
• Verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of the organization.
• Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

Give Wisely

With so many charities popping up daily for different causes, it’s difficult to know which ones are legitimate and will actually get aid to those who are in need and the ones that will take donors, and the victims of a disaster, for a nightmarish ride. CharityNavigator.org is a site that makes it their business to research, ask donors for reviews and report the business practices of each charity. They offer several top 10 lists for different categories, like the top 10 celebrity sponsored charities, the top most followed charities and the most financially transparent organizations. Although there are many legitimate charities worldwide, many of these large companies, like American Red Cross, spend more on their administration than they do on fundraising efforts.

The queen of holiday crafts, Martha Stewart, offered many suggestions on her site for legitimate charities to give money and goods during the holiday season. The charities highlighted range from the U.S. Marine’s Toys for Tots program to the Meals on Wheels association and Make a Wish Foundation. The foundations and their ideas might even inspire you to come up with your own charity, be sure to get it registered if you do organize a charity. The extra leg work done to become legitimate is worth it and will help get more positive press and donations for your charity. Let the giving begin!

The team behind MyHealthTeams. From left to right: Andrew Jacob, Paul Nock, Eric Peacock (co-founder) and Mary Ray (co-founder).

Mary is co-founder of MyHealthTeams, a San Francisco company that creates social networks for chronic condition communities. The first site launched was MyAutismTeam, a social network for parents of kids with autism. Recently, MyHealthTeams launched MyBCTeam, a social network for women facing breast cancer. Mary currently lives San Francisco, CA with her husband and two dogs. 

Lauren had a penchant for being organized, prepared, and ready to handle whatever life threw her way. So when the 26-year-old got engaged to her best friend Dmitriy, she decided to plan their wedding herself. In no time, Lauren had reserved a wedding spot, picked out her dress, nailed down their honeymoon plans to Italy, and was checking off the myriad of to-do’s for the event. Then, just two months after the engagement, Lauren felt a lump. At first she ignored it. Then, it grew. After a visit to the doctors, she got the call at work. It was breast cancer. Within two weeks she had a lumpectomy. The results came back – they didn’t get the clear margins they were looking for. It really hit her – this was bad. She was eight months away from wedding. Everything had been planned, but cancer has a way of not caring about your plans or anyone else’s.

She threw herself into research, as she faced decisions about treatment and reconstruction surgery: one nipple? Two? One breast? Two? None? She wanted to be able to connect with someone her own age, who had her same diagnosis, who had been through the same treatment decision process she was going through. But at the time, there was nothing available to her. Five major surgeries later, Lauren and Dmitriy walked down the aisle, cancer-free. By the pictures, you couldn’t tell the emotional and physical toll the earlier months had taken. Lauren says it was life-changing. The process wasn’t easy. She felt alone.  She was overwhelmed by the intense decision-making with no one near her age who could relate. She soon found her social support system drop away, because her friends simply didn’t know how to handle the situation, and she didn’t know how to help them know either. Lauren liked things organized and planned. At one point, she wanted to just cry on the floor and be left alone. She was on so much medication, and had so much to deal with, she thought surely her fight or flight mode would kick in and give her the extra boost and perspective she needed. It didn’t kick in, yet she found the strength to get through it all. Finally, her wedding day arrived, and when she saw family and friends she hadn’t seen together in years, she felt relief. Her wedding day wasn’t just about a marriage to her best friend, it was a celebration of her life, it was a celebration of the gratitude Lauren felt.

This summer, Lauren and Dmitriy celebrated their 1^st wedding anniversary, and she recently joined MyBCTeam.com, a free social network for women facing breast cancer. Whether newly diagnosed or 15 years out from cancer, women facing breast cancer can connect with women like Lauren, who’ve been in their shoes: diagnosed, busy with life, overwhelmed, scared, and just looking for life-affirming words of experience that it will be okay. Women use MyBCTeam.com like Facebook. They share their daily ups and downs. They share their very personal stories about their breast cancer experience, their recommendations of providers, their treatment decision-making process, and even better, they are available to answer questions. MyBCTeam believes it should be easy to find the best people around you to help. That includes women who understand exactly what you’re going through and the team of providers that can help you through treatment. There are women as young as 18 and as old as 65 on the site. Each is able to connect with someone who has been in their shoes. At times women feel closer to the MyBCTeam.com community than even friends or families. And while in-person support groups can also be valuable, when you’re going through treatment, you may not have the energy to get in a car and drive to a meeting. MyBCTeam.com lets you connect with women 24/7. And if you’re on the go or constantly in waiting rooms, MyBCTeam is also available on mobile (iPhone/iPad and Android Smartphones).

“I wish MyBCTeam was around two years ago, but I’m glad it’s here now, especially since I’m still coming to terms with just how much this process has impacted my life.”

Katie is Co-President of SWAN USA, a non-profit that offers support, information and advice to families of children living with  a syndrome without a name.  She currently lives in Gig Harbor, WA with her wonderful husband and three fabulous children. Follow Ellie’s story HERE

I never thought this would happen to my child. The chances were in our favor. I would never be the one who had a child with special needs.

My third pregnancy was quiet and uncomplicated.  I had always wanted a big family and couldn’t wait to meet our newest member. On April 22, 2011, I was finally able to hold my sweet little girl who had been comfortably resting close to my heart these past 42 weeks.  With one final push she drifted into my arms and was surrounded by family.  However, through our joy came a quiet hesitation: my heart said something wasn’t right. She wasn’t breathing on her own and she did not look like her siblings. Immediately, I knew there was something much more than I had expected.

Within a week, my greatest fear had become a reality…something was wrong on a chromosomal level.  So I franticly started searching for answers. As we waited on doctors, therapists, tests, labs and phone calls we feared the worst that one day we would get a call that our baby had a degenerative syndrome. Thank goodness that day hasn’t come but neither has the phone call with answers. And so the vicious cycle of uncertainty took over every aspect of my life and I could not stop until I had the answer.  I felt so strongly that we needed that diagnosis to move forward because with that comes a direction or even a possible treatment.

Our brilliant geneticist Dr. Lawson Yuen informed us that there was a test called exome sequencing that would give us the best possible chance at getting answers but it came with a hefty price, $16,000. Insurance wouldn’t cover this but in my mind that was not a barrier, just a hurdle on the pathway to results.  We were referred to Give Forward and were so impressed by the look and feel of the site. I had never done anything like this before and didn’t like the idea of asking friends and family members for donations. But I knew this wasn’t about me and my insecurities. It was about Ellie and giving her the best life imaginable. I had to know if there was something we could be doing to help her and so we just went for it.

Quickly, the fundraiser took on a life of its own and so much more came out of this experience than originally expected. Give Forward coached us through the whole process and gave us a platform to share our story and bring awareness to children with undiagnosed syndromes. We received countless words of support and encouragement that gave us the fuel we needed to persevere.  Having had hidden our struggle from so many, fundraising gave us a voice to reach out to others.

Through the success we were having with Give Forward, it empowered me to do as much as I could for the undiagnosed community. I met the president and founder of SWAN USA (Syndromes Without A Name) Amy Clugston, to learn about the organization’s mission and what I could do to help. I was so impressed by this AMAZING mom who was quietly sacrificing so much to help people like my little girl and me.  She created an informative website filled with the resources I had been looking for but feared didn’t exist. There were tools for diagnostic searching, support groups for undiagnosed families and current information on the genetics community.  She worked hard to form partnerships with organizations, such as the Rare Genomics Institute, by connecting families of the undiagnosed community with researchers who have recently been successful in getting results. I just knew I needed to be a part of something this wonderful and I immediately joined SWAN USA. When Ambry Genetics, the lab performing my daughter’s exome sequencing saw what we were doing, they reached out in a huge way and are generously providing four FREE exome sequencing tests per year to undiagnosed families.

It all started with a simple fundraiser that was just supposed to help us raise money for our daughter’s test but with the success of Give Forward, it has opened doors for so many more.  We ended up raising hope.

Carissa is a 25-year-old breast cancer survivor and grateful recipient of a GiveForward fundraiser. A University of Colorado graduate, Carissa now lives in Minneapolis with her boyfriend, Jamin.

I imagine that all cancer patients remember the moment they were diagnosed with impeccable clarity. That moment – the official delivery of such dreaded news – is so distinct that it feels as if it occurred mere hours ago rather than months earlier.

My nurse Jeanne called me at work on November 2nd. “We did find cancer in those tumors,” she told me. My heart stopped at that moment. I choked out a response as I shuffled into a quiet room at my office. I tried to scribble all the information she gave me, but I was barely listening to her. All I could think was cancer, cancer, cancer.

Breast cancer? How? I was only 24 years old.

The news spread within a few hours and before I knew it a flood of support engulfed my family and I. Friends and family stocked my fridge, filled my mailbox with kind notes and sent positive vibes and prayers from all over the country. By the time I got to my first chemotherapy appointment, I felt like there was an army behind me.

As I settled into the role of a cancer patient, I thought a lot about those that had come before me. Strong is a word often associated with patients, and it had certainly been a common thread among all the encouragement I received. When I thought of strength, I thought of invincibility. I pictured unyielding mountains and huge, healthy redwood trees.

There were certainly times when I felt strong. Maybe not redwood tree strong, but strong enough to wonder, how the hell am I doing this? How did I shave my head? How did I make it through those chemotherapy treatments? The surgery? How did I show up to work every day? It seemed I recognized my strength most in retrospect.

And then there were times when I felt anything but strong. Nights spent quietly crying myself to sleep; days completely wasted as the chemo haze overcame me. Sometimes I didn’t know exactly what I was upset about, other than the obvious. I found myself completely enveloped in my own grief as I cried and cried and cried.

About two months into treatment, I finished reading a book about cancer in your 20s and 30s. The passage below, an interview with a twenty-something woman with cancer, stuck with me:

“Being strong is not just about being inspirational or having your sh*t together. It’s about being able to freak out, too, so long as you don’t get stuck there. Being strong is admitting that you are vulnerable ‘cause we don’t want to believe that anything can affect us… You know what? It’s affected me. I’m in shock right now. I’m freaking out. Maybe I’ll start healing now that I’m actually able to be sad. I don’t want this to go on forever because it’s actually very draining, but in my weakness I feel stronger.”

I began to understand that succumbing to sadness did not translate to failure, lack of positivity or absence of hope. Instead, these moments helped me process what was truly happening to me. And in acknowledging my own vulnerability, I felt the strength that so many supporters willed me to hold. Admitting vulnerability not only gave me courage, it also allowed me to accept the help of family and friends. Along with the sadness that came with this diagnosis, there were some very special gestures, small and large, sprinkled along the way.

One incredible gesture was the creation of the Run for Carissa fundraiser that my childhood friend, Nicole, orchestrated. The donations rolled in within minutes of the fundraiser’s launch. The first from a stranger. The second from a classmate I hadn’t spoken to in over 15 years. Then, old friends. Neighbors. Teachers. Family. I couldn’t believe the outpouring of support, the generosity and the genuine concern and understanding from so many.

Some may think of money as an impersonal gift, but the donations I received were unbelievably personal. Each and every time I picked up a hospital bill, I silently thanked all of the people who donated to the fund. Even with insurance, the out-of- pocket costs of cancer shocked me. Without the help of Nicole and the kindness of those who donated, my financial circumstances would have been much bleaker and the road to recovery all the more difficult.

The creation of the Run for Carissa fundraiser helped me understand that people really do want to help. And a part of this experience was to accept their goodness with humility. As I embrace my new cancer-free life, I know I will never forget what I have been through; nor will I forget the people who helped me along the way. In whatever way I can, I will pay their goodness forward.

Guest post by cancer survivor Elise Silverfield May “I am a two-time cancer survivor and am determined not to let my illnesses define me.  My greatest joy is being a mom to my amazing teenage son.” 

When a friend is diagnosed with cancer, our tendency is to jump into “helper” mode. Since we can’t actually fight cancer for our friend, we want to do the next best thing: make their fight easier.

I’ve had the unique opportunity to be on both sides of this situation, as a cancer patient and a helper, and it’s given me a wonderful perspective. I know what was helpful to me, and those are the things I try to do for others. While there are numerous ways to help cancer patients, below are my suggestions for cancer support:

• An organizational calendar—If you are planning meals for a cancer patient, give them a calendar detailing which days meals will be delivered, what the meals will be and who will be bringing them. This lets your friend know what to expect and also makes writing thank you notes easier. CareCalendar.org lets people go online and indicate which needs they will be helping with such as meals, carpool, etc. Others can check the calendar to avoid duplicating efforts.
• A countdown chart—When I was first diagnosed, I made a funny chart to put on the fridge. I had circles for every treatment, and a big smiley face after the last one. Each time I finished a treatment, I marked another circle off the chart. It may seem like a small thing, but being able to see my progress really helped. I’ve done the same thing for friends, and they felt the same way. Get as creative or simple as you want. The main thing is to see that progress is being made.
• Pictures of happy times—Fighting cancer can be draining and depressing. If your friend is in the hospital, make a collage of happy pictures. This is a great reminder that life is good, and there are more happy times ahead.
• Financial assistance—Very few people will ask for monetary assistance. However, medical bills can add up quickly, even with insurance, and helping financially is one of the best ways to provide cancer patients with cancer support. Giveforward.com is a fabulous resource for helping with medical bills and other expenses. It’s easy to set up, and friends can donate any amount they choose. The last thing a cancer patient needs to worry about is the high cost of treatment. Give Forward helps alleviate that concern and lets cancer patients use their energy to fight their illness.
• Time—If you truly want to help your friend, give your time. Be there if they want to talk, cry, or scream. Offer to drive them to do errands. Help sort the laundry or clean the house. You don’t have to give expensive gifts…your time is an invaluable asset when it comes to cancer support.

Friendship and love are powerful tools and can make all the difference for cancer patients. Your friend became a survivor the day they were diagnosed. Remind them of that, always!

If you enjoyed this piece, you’ll love Elise’s other guest post “How to Help a Friend Fight Cancer” – check it out!

Soldiers risk their lives for our country. Although the government provides services for the nation’s 24 million veterans, many need additional help. Often they may not qualify for a program, or the programs they are enrolled in fall short of meeting their needs. In some cases, benefits may expire even though the veteran still needs assistance.

Most veterans are eligible for enrollment in Veterans Health Administration (VA) benefits, however access to care and benefit amounts are determined by the government’s assessment of numerous factors including severity of service-related health issues and length of service. Historically the VA healthcare system was provided exclusively to veterans with service-connected disabilities, but as of 1996 the VA extended services to all veterans and has become an important “safety net” for many veterans who would otherwise be uninsured.

Unfortunately, even with this expanded scope, not all veterans are covered. A research team at Harvard Medical School found that over 1 million veterans between the ages of 18 and 64 were uninsured in 2008.  About half of uninsured veterans are classified in the lowest priority group, and are not currently eligible for VA healthcare, while others may be eligible, but live too far from VA facilities to access services.

“Like other uninsured Americans, most uninsured vets are working people – too poor to afford private coverage but not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid or means-tested VA care,” said Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, a Harvard professor on behalf of the Physicians for a National Health Program.

Uninsured Americans have trouble accessing medical care, and veterans are no exception.  The study found that in 2008 approximately 25% failed to get necessary care due to costs and 44.1% were not able to see a doctor or nurse at all.

Injuries sustained in combat and ongoing health issues from service-related injuries, sickness or environmental exposure can be detrimental for a military family’s finances.  When a road-side bomb went off near Private Doug Rachowicz’s vehicle in Afghanistan, it killed four of his fellow service members.  Pvt. Rachowicz survived but with serious injuries.

His family, including his mother, father and sister rushed to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to be at his side, despite the fact that some of them are ineligible for the benefits of the Family and Medical Leave Act.  As the cost of travel and lodging for the Rachowicz family pile up, friends and family have started a fundraising page on GiveForward to help.

The Rachowicz’s situation is indicative of the challenges faced by many military families. Military service exacts a heavy toll on soldiers and their families. According to a recent report by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, the unemployment rate among veterans is 13.1% and many more are underemployed. 21.3% of veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 fall below the national poverty level. Even if their basic health needs are met, service members often have expenses that exceed their income. Bills accumulate while they are deployed and time spent job searching after returning home can cripple their finances.

So far the Rachowicz family has raised $435 towards their goal of $5,000.  Their family and friends have offered an outpouring of support on their GiveForward page.  All Americans deserve access to high quality, affordable health care.  It is especially devastating that the men and women who have sacrificed for their country, often placing themselves in harms way, face difficulties accessing and paying for health care when they return home.  If you know a  military family in need of financial and emotional support, consider starting a GiveForward page for them.

Here at GiveForward, we see fundraisers starting everyday by loved ones wanting to support a family member who is going through a medical crisis. However, there is one fundraiser on the site that isn’t just for one person, but 3 members of one family battling cancer at the same time. We chose The Castillo Family Battling Cancer as this week’s staff pick as a chance to send all three members bravely battling cancer lots of love and positive vibes to get well soon!

In 2004, Lilia was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. Even after extensive radiation and surgeries, the cancer spread to her lungs and bones. A mere 5 years later in 2009, her brother, Marco, was diagnosed with Lymphoma of the throat. Marco is selflessly volunteering as a cancer research patient at M.D. Anderson Cancer Treatment Center in Houston in hopes that he can contribute to finding a cure for this terrible disease. Living through this is the matriarch of the Castillo family, Beatriz. Unfortunately, Beatriz was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. A fundraiser has been created in hopes of alleviating some of the debt that each Castillo family member faces as a result of their illnesses. Like so many cancer patients, their surgeries, treatments, doctor’s visits, and medications make it difficult for each person to stay afloat. Lilia, Marco, and Beatriz struggle to pay for their daily living expenses that are now coupled with their amounting medical bills. Throughout their family ordeals, every member of the Castillo family remains optimistic and embraces every new day with rejuvenated morale and hope.

Everyone at GiveForward is sending the entire Castillo family lots of love and positive vibes, and we encourage you to check out their GiveForward page and show your support!

Create a fundraiser today to help a loved one who is recovering from Hurricane Irene.

It’s the easiest way to support a loved one in need.

Image Courtesy MSNBC

Start a Fundraiser for Hurricane Irene Recovery Today!

Natural disasters, like Hurricane Irene cost $109 billion a year, globally.  While some costs are covered by insurance, often, homeowners are left with thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. If they are like most people in this country, they haven’t prepared for that kind of financial burden.  As a friend or family member, you may be wondering what you can do to help.  GiveForward makes it easy.

By creating a GiveForward page for someone recovering from Hurricane Irene, you enable loved ones all over the world to provide emotional and financial support.

How can GiveForward help?