What are your favorite pizza toppings?
Giardiniera, spinach, tomatoes, and garlic. It’s the best.

 

Tell us about a traumatic childhood memory.
Obviously the break up of the Spice Girls. Why, Ginger Spice, WHY?!

 

If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
This is always a tough question because I want to go everywhere and my wanderlust is constantly changing where I want to go next. But if I could hop on a plane RIGHT now, I would head to Punta de Mita, Mexico, where I interned last summer. Mexico has a special place in my heart.

 

What’s your preferred exercise method?
Pilates. Elliptical. Weights. Jazzercize. Repeat.

 

What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Getting a tan and the third season of Louie (June 28!!!).

 

Tell us a joke.
I saw a wino eating a grape. I said, ‘dude, you have to wait.’ (Thanks to the one and only – Mitch Hedberg.)

 

What’s your biggest fear?
Not meeting my weekly hug quota of 1,495,826.

 

Select your favorite happiness deliverers:
[ ] Smiles
[X] Hugs
[X] Glitter
[ ] High Fives
[X] Sunshine (Vitamin D makes the world go round!)
[ ] Other (please explain)

 

What attracted you to the fundraising coach position?
I’ve always been inspired by the passion and world-changing abilities that encompass the startup community and knew I wanted a job that I would be excited to go to every day. Plus, I help our users get the most out of their fundraisers and I get to work with some seriously awesome people.

 

What do you like most about GiveForward (so far)?
Everyone’s obsession with burritos and/or hugs. I guess the fact I work with some pretty passionate and exciting people is just the cherry on top.

 

What’s something surprising about you?
I have an extra vertebra. I’m special like that.

Not enough fun facts for you? Check our About Us page to learn about Kristen and the rest of our GiveForward Team!

Because moms are known to put the needs of others in front of their own, it is understandable that they have trouble asking for help when they are the one who needs care and support.  In honor of Mother’s Day this weekend, we are highlighting fundraisers that are supporting their mothers going through a medical crisis.  For these three moms, the overwhelming financial and emotional support that their loved ones have shown on their GiveForward page will be better than any card or candy:

The children of Marilyn Gross (AKA Lady M)  have all come together to raise $5,500 so far for her battle against a rare form of kidney cancer. Her pre-surgery mantra: “I Believe I will kick ass. I Know I will kick ass. I Will kick ass!”

Betty Goldberg‘s son, Christopher, says “I’m simply a desperate son trying to help his mom live her last days in relative peace.” He has raised almost $10,500 for at-home dialysis treatments for her to be closer to her family.

While Brenda Flowers is bravely fighting breast cancer AND caring for her 86 year old mother, her 4 children and 11 grandchildren have secretly raised over $8,000, and plan to surprise her on Mother’s Day with the news of the fundraiser.

If you know a mother/caregiver who is in need of some emotional and financial help, consider starting a GiveForward page for them to let the love and support last for more than just one day. Consider honoring your own mom by making a donation to one of these deserving mothers or any other project on GiveForward in her name.

Rather than running one marathon, Brad Feld is running 29 (if you are keeping track – that’s 759.8 miles), and in the process, raising money for 29 GiveForward families.

At only three years old, Draek Warner is one brave little boy. He, his younger brother, and mom were in a terrible car crash.  They were able to escape through a broken window, but Draek was trapped in his car seat in the crushed side of the car. Thanks to the valiant effort of three strong men, he was rescued.  His fight had barely begun, however because his injuries were very serious.  Draek was in a coma for four days, and doctors told his parents that the outcome was grim.

But what they didn’t know was that Draek is actually a superhero (photographic evidence above), and a coma is just one more evil villain to conquer. A flex of his muscles and a showing of superior willpower vanquished that no-good coma once and for all and now Draek is ready to take on his next opponent, Recovery.

His parents face a different kind of villain, one nearly as vicious and daunting to fight as Draek’s enemies: medical bills and other out-of-pocket expenses. Draek had to be airlifted to Salt Lake City, and his parents have dropped everything to be by his side. Family and friends have formed a justice league in order rally support for Draek and his family.  Their internet headquarters, a fundraising page on GiveForward has garnered loads of virtual hugs, prayers and donations.

At the risk of revealing his secret superhero identity, Draek speaks about his harrowing tale on the page,

“Everyone has been helping and doing what they can. All my other Grandma’s and Grandpas and lots of aunts and uncles and my cousins have been here to see me too and let my Mom and Dad know how much they care about all of us. My family who lives too far away is calling every day to check on me and everyone is saying prayers for me to get better. Please keep ‘em coming! I have a long way to go.”

Everyone here at GiveForward is sending the Draek and his family positive vibes during their time of need. Please take a minute to read Draek’s  secret missive and send some love and support, because a superhero’s powers can grow exponentially with help of friends.

Fertility Treatments
Average out-of-pocket costs of treatment can range from $1,000-20,000 depending on your insurance coverage, but the cumulative cost increases significantly with repeated procedures and use of medications. Parents trying to conceive will face unexpected out-of-pocket expenses such as consultations, tests, lab work, anesthesia, and the costs associated with third party help such as medication for a donor or surrogate.

These are few tips from No Baby On Board for paying for fertility treatments. (Click here to read them all) :

• Pay Cash:  Paying out out-of-pocket could mean discounts, especially if you pay up front.   How you accrue the money is up to you. (psssst….we suggest fundraising.)
• Loans: There are several companies that offer treatment loans such as the ARC Affordable Payment Plan and the IntegraMed Financial Services that allow you to make monthly payments. However, moms- and dads-to-be should be aware the interest rates tend to be very high.
• Shared-Risk Program: A number of clinics allow you to pay a large amount up front for about four cycles of IVF, if you don’t conceive, you are refunded a percentage.  Since there has been some controversy about safety and the ethics of these programs be sure to consult with your doctor and the Better Business Bureau before proceeding.
• Non-profit Organizations: Numerous non-profit organizations exist to help aspiring parents. They offer grants and other forms of assistance. From INCIID the Heart, Fertile Dreams, Madeline Gordon Gift of Life Foundation, Angels of Hope, FertileHope are a just a few.

If you or your partner is a cancer survivor there can be further expenses, and oncofertility is rarely covered by health insurance. (Click here to read our blog post  on fertility after cancer.)

Maternity Costs
Having the baby may be the easy part!  Average costs for childbirths in a hospital or birth center range from $1,500 for an uncomplicated birth to over $20,000 for a C-section.

A BabyCenter survey found that 39% of fully insured parents paid $1,000 or more for out-of-pocket medical bills related to childbirth, and 9% had expenses of $5,000 or more.

From prenatal vitamins to anesthesia, there are many expenses you might not even think of: Prenatal care: $0-$2,000, prenatal vitamin: $15/30-day supply, maternity clothes, childbirth classes: $50-$200/class, hospital nursery costs and anesthesia to name a few.

“One mom from our survey was hit with a $4,800 bill for her epidural. ‘We were surprised to learn that only 25 percent of it was covered by our insurance,’ she says.”

Home births can be less expensive ranging from $1500-3000, but are rarely covered by insurance.  If you go this route you will have to consider the costs of the midwife and equipment needed for the birth.

Web MD offers these tips to help pay for maternity costs:

• Get gently used maternity clothes from friends, resale shops and other sources like Craigslist. You are only going to wear these clothes for a couple months and quickly grow out of them.
• Comparison Shop for Vitamins: As long as your prenatal vitamins contain the recommended amount of folic acid,  600 mcg., you can shop around.  Sometimes you can get a prescription for the vitamins from your doctor, so all you need to worry about is the copay. Other times it is better to buy over the counter.
• Don’t Over-buy Baby Supplies: It is easy to get overwhelmed in the baby section of your department store.  Focus on the fundamentals; a car seat, a crib,  a changing table, some baby clothes, and a baby monitor.  Babies do not need many of the luxury items marketed to starry-eyed parents.   Watch for bargains and don’t exclude hand-me-down and resale options.
• Negotiate Birthing Costs: If  your insurance doesn’t cover the whole bill, talk to your health care provider about childbirth costs.  Often the hospital will give you a negotiated rate.  (Dr. Leslie Ramirez from Leslieslist.org, a website for comparison shopping for diagnostic tests and prescriptions, has some great advice on how to accomplish this.)

Adoption Costs
The average cost for both U.S. and international adoptions range between $15,000 and $35,000. This includes (but is not limited to): the home evaluation fee, legal and immigration fees, travel for both you and your child-to-be, medical expenses for the child, donations to the agency or orphanage, etc. Not to mention all the stuff you will need to make your new family member feel at home such as clothing, car seat, baby monitor, crib, etc. (Look above for tips on affording all the accoutrement of parenthood)

Fortunately there are many resources for prospective adoptive families.  A publication on adoption expenses from the National Endowment for Education suggests the following:

• Tax Breaks:  Talk to your accountant about writing off the costs associated with your adoption.  There are also subsidies available for military families, tax credits, and provisions of the Family Medical Leave Act that may apply to your situation.  You should explore all these benefits.  (Click here for more information)
• Employer Programs:  Many employers offer grants or some other form of assistance for adoptive families.  Talk to your HR department for more information. (Click here to view a fact sheet on this topic from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
• Non-Profit Organizations:  There are thousands in grant money available for families looking to adopt from dozens of organizations if you know where to look.    The National Adoption Foundation is a good place to start.  (Click here for a large list of adoption resources from Christian Family Adoptions.)

GiveForward and Your Village Can Help…
A new baby is a joyful event for family and friends. Whether you are trying to conceive, already expecting or seeking to adopt,  the whole village can offer advice, words of support and donations to help prepare for baby’s arrival with a fundraising page from GiveForward.

At the GiveForward headquarters, we talk about two things, and two things only: pizza and/or puppies. In our minds, these puppies are picturesque, and most likely wearing a silly sweater or encapsulated in a YouTube video.

However, sometimes there are not-so-nice dogs in the world, and unfortunately 4 year old Levi had to find this out the hard way after suffering from a vicious dog attack. Levi’s story is so inspiring, and seeing the amount of love and support his friends and family are showing him on his GiveForward page resulted in his fundraiser being picked as staff pick of the week!

One day, 4 year old Levi was outside in his yard playing frisbee with his two older brothers when the frisbee landed next to his neighbors fence, which contained 6 dogs. When Levi bent down to pick up the frisbee, two dogs attacked, and attempted to pull him through the fence.

Luckily, his brothers are superheroes in training, and were able to call for help and grab Levi away from the dogs. Levi sustained injuries to his eye, nose, check, jaw, shoulder, and arm.

Doctors are unsure if Levi will be able to regain the use of his right arm and his right eye, and they had to rebuild his entire nasal cavity. Levi’s family is raising money for ongoing treatment and rehabilitation.

We encourage you to check out Levi’s page on GiveForward and send some love his way!

GIVEFORWARD THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE FAKEGRIMLOCK  JOINING TEAM AS ADVISOR!

GRIMLOCK MAKE GIVEFORWARD EVEN MORE AWESOME THAN IS NOW, IF POSSIBLE.

HE PROVIDE GIVEFORWARD ADVICE ON LEAN STARTUP, TWITTERING, AND BACON.

GIVEFORWARD NOW ON PERMANENT NO-EAT-FRIDAY LIST.

Though there are already ample ways to participate in World Give Day, we’re launching a new fundraising contest for GiveForward users to satisfy those with competitive tendencies.

During the week leading up to World Give Day, fundraisers can participate in the World Give Day Video Challenge, where users post videos on YouTube explaining their cause.  The fundraiser whose video has the most views will win a $250 contribution from GiveForward. The winning entry also will be featured on GiveForward’s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.) and displayed at the very top of our Facebook page for one week.

There are a few rules to be eligible to win the World Give Day Video Challenge:

• Must have a public fundraiser on GiveForward.com
• Must have or create a youtube account to post video
• Video must be 1-3 minutes in length
• Include “WGD Video Challenge” in video title
• All entries must be sent to worldgiveday@gmail.com no later than 2pm Friday April 27th.
• Number of views are not counted if they are not within the contest run time April 27th-May 4th (regardless of when they were initially uploaded)

This is a great opportunity to both promote your fundraiser through video and support World Give Day.  Your video should briefly describe your fundraiser and share your thoughts on giving.  Remember, the video with the most views will win, so get those creative juices flowing to catch everyone’s eye!

To participate, send your Youtube video link, as well as a link to your fundraiser to worldgiveday@gmail.com no later than 2 PM on Friday, April 27th.

We will add your video to the World Give Day Video Challenge playlist, and keep track of the number views.  We will count the views from Friday, April 27th to Friday, May 4th at 2 PM and present the victorious video on World Give Day!

This contest is a great way to integrate video into your fundraiser and cool way to see other fundraisers on the GiveForward website.  So grab your camera, boot up your webcam, and get ready for your close up! Enter GiveForward’s World Give Day Video Challenge!!

Also, be sure to join the World Give Day discussion by visiting our blog series or following @WorldGiveDay on Twitter.  There’s certainly no shortage of ways to contribute to World Give Day, so go forth and smother the universe in acts of giving!

If you have any questions about rules or participation, feel free to contact a World Give Day expert at worldgiveday@gmail.com.

Chicago Internist, Leslie Ramirez

Do used car shopping and health care have anything in common?  According to Dr. Leslie Ramirez, the answer is yes.  Dr. Ramirez is the creator of Leslieslist.org,  a website that helps people comparison shop for diagnostic tests and prescription drug prices.  On the site, users can shop around, negotiate, and price match to ensure that they are getting the best deal.

In an interview with GiveForward, she offered some tips for health care consumers and insight into the campaign for better cost transparency in health care.

What made you decide to start Leslieslist?
It is a given that the uninsured are not getting the care they need, but trends are showing even the fully insured are struggling. A succession of people came into my office who were choosing to delay or refuse care due to the cost.  Here are a few of their stories:

• Debora M.* had blood pressure of 180/110, but didn’t buy the medicine I prescribed to her because she couldn’t afford the cost.

About a third of insured Americans don’t take their medicine the way they should. They split doses to stretch them out and buy them less often. 

• Joan K’s* radiologist recommended that she get an MRI due to “a shadow that might be lymphoma.” Although insured, Joan had a very high deductible; her MRI would cost over $3,000. She worries whether she has cancer while she debates whether she can afford the test.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, since 2008 the majority of family deductibles have risen to at least $2,500, and the amounts continue to rise.   The economy and job loss are forcing families to make tough decisions.

• Carmen R., who had recently lost her job and at 60 was still too young for Medicare, told her daughter that she would skip her yearly mammogram since she wasn’t sure when her next paycheck was coming.

Carmen R. is my mom.

I realized that I could (and must) do something to help them. I knew that the blood pressure medicine Debora needed could be bought for $5 at Kmart, and If Joan and Carmen got their tests done at an independent facility, they could pay a fraction of the cost. I made this website for them, and for the many many patients (and their doctors) out there who can relate to their stories.

*The names of patients have been changed

Since starting the website, has health care cost transparency improved? 

It’s definitely improving.  I’m seeing interest in Leslieslist from people of all backgrounds. New York and other states are passing laws to provide patients of the pricing of their top 100 medicines. This would be incredibly helpful if it was more widespread. Also, the market is starting to take notice.  One of my proudest moments was when I was contacted by a radiology facility.  They had lowered the cost of their MRI so they could be on top of the list, because Leslieslist is filtered by price!

What are top five things patients can do to be informed healthcare consumers?

5) Negotiate & Price Match… You can negotiate when buying medicines. Recently I called CVS and was given three different prices for the same drug.  You assume it’s set, but its not. Some pharmacies even participate in price matching, such as Jewel-Osco. Bring printed proof of the lower price to the pharmacist and ask if they can match it.

 4) Talk to your provider…Prices at the doctor’s office can be flexible. Often if you explain your financial situation, the doctor will work with you.  Every doctor I know feels this way.  Also, hospitals have a charity care requirement in order to maintain their budget requirements. They have a motivation to help you, you just need to ask.

 3) Opt for Independent Laboratory Facilities…Because they have less overhead costs, freestanding testing sites offer better prices; often as great as 1/10 of the cost of major hospital facilities. They are also more flexible with negotiations and may offer discounts if you pay up front.

 2) Buy from Costco and other wholesale clubs…Wholesale clubs often have strict parameters for drug pricing.  For Costco this is the wholesale price plus 14%–resulting in really affordable prices for consumers.  You do not need to be a member to shop at the pharmacy.

For generics, wholesale clubs are your best bet! Most retail pharmacies continue to charge a higher price after a drug is offered in a generic form–despite the fact that the drug is now more widely manufactured, thus cheaper–because they know you are used to paying the higher price.

 1) Shop around...In my presentation for students, I use the image of a used car salesman, because anything goes when it come the vast discrepancies in prescription and health care pricing.  Whether you use Leslieslist to track prices, or call around yourself,  you can make informed health care purchases.

Even if you comparison shop and take advantage of all of Leslie’s tips, health care is still expensive.  You can help a friend or loved one pay for their out-of-pocket medical expenses with a GiveForward fundraising page.

A little about GiveForward: We’re fun. We’re young. We like burritos. As an up-and-coming Chicago startup (did you see us on ABC or Crains?) we do very serious work, but try not to take ourselves too seriously. We help people raise money for their loved ones battling cancer and other illnesses. We also happen to throw an insanely fun ugly sweater pub crawl every December, and an employee vs. bosses burrito eating contestevery summer. If you join our team, we can guarantee this will definitely be the most fun position you’ve ever had (and hopefully the most rewarding as well).

The three positions we are hiring for are:  two PR/Marketing interns, and one Video/Interactive media intern.

Here is what we look for in a PR/Marketing intern:

• A passion for helping others.
• Experience with social media including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, Reddit, Foursquare, LinkedIn, etc.
• Experience with blogging, particularly using the WordPress platform.
• An appreciation for chocolate, gummi candy and vegetables.

Here are some things that would be awesome to have, but aren’t deal breakers:

• Experience with event planning.
• Experience with Public Relations.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Can bring mad tunes to the GiveForward turntable.fm room.
• Can take initiative with projects, while  completing assigned tasks; freedom to use your individuality to create your own projects that improve GiveForward is highly encouraged.

What will you be working on?  Great question! Among other things you will be working on:

• Press outreach.
• Managing GiveForward’s social media platforms.
• Working on our bi-monthly enewsletter.
• Updating the GiveForward blog.

Here is what we look for in a Video/Interactive media intern:

• A passion for helping others.
• Experience with social media including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, Reddit, Foursquare, LinkedIn, etc.
• Experience with various video mediums including YouTube.
• Ability to be creative while multi-tasking.
• A love of storytelling.

Here are some things that would be awesome to have, but aren’t deal breakers:

• Mad burrito eating skills.
• Familiarity with managing online communities.
• Works well under a deadline.
• An uncanny ability to quote movies like Mean Girls and Bridesmaids word for word.
• Can take initiative with projects, while  completing assigned tasks; freedom to use your individuality to create your own projects that improve GiveForward is highly encouraged.

What will you be working on?  Great question! Among other things you will be working on:

• Creating weekly videos including video fundraising tips, around the office fun and makeover montages.
• Helping to organize GiveForward’s YouTube channel.
• Exploring new ways to interactive with GiveForward users.

What we do not look for in any of our interns:

• Robots
• Someone who color-coordinates their leisure suits.
• People who are allergic to helping others.
• Evil monkeys
• People who use all CAPS. Seriously, don’t yell at us.

Most importantly we are looking for passionate people. We look at resumes but we really care most about cover letters. To apply, please send us your cover letter, resume and anything else you think would impress us (hint…hint…we really want a pony) to jobs@giveforward.com.  Or if you have a friend who you think would be perfect for this position, please forward it along!  All positions will be unpaid but we are happy to give college credit.

Love,

The GiveForward Team