As you may or may not know, I'm biking across country for a third time this summer. I don't do these rides alone, I ride with a non-profit group called Bike & Build, an organization that raises money for affordable housing providers, such as Habitat for Humanity.
The structure of these trips is as follows: each of the 30 or so riders on the trip raise $4,000 to participate in the ride, the proceeds of which are given out (in grant form) towards local affordable housing groups along the route. Once on the road, we also volunteer roughly once a week on build sites throughout the trip, assisting in building affordable homes for deserving families who could otherwise not afford adequate, safe, comfortable housing. Naturally, the trips involve a great deal of community interaction (many of my portraits began as conversations with locals I met along the way); all-in-all, the structure of the trip is amazingly multifaceted and constructive.
As you can imagine, it's been difficult to raise money this year, in between the recession and having asked some my donors twice before for support. Furthermore, the businesses I've approached all seem to be counting their pennies.
So, I'm writing to you, and you, and you, here, today, through the power of the Internet, to ask you to help me to help you and to help me help others. What? How, you ask?!? Well... have a look at my diagram:
- You help me: Please consider donating to my trip this upcoming summer.
- Me help you: If you make a tax-deductible contribution $75 or more, I will send you an 8x10" print of your choice- select any image off my website. If you donate $150 or more, I will send you an 11x14" print. If you donate $250 or more, I will send you 2 11x14" prints.
- You help me help others: Your donations directly enable me to go out this summer, help build beautiful, affordable houses for those in need over 16 days, connect with a spectrum of hundreds of Americans (whose stories I'll bring to you this summer via my blog) and catalyze positive change across the country (yes we can).
I kindly appreciate any donation; this is a great opportunity and a great cause. If you wish to (tax-deductible-y) contribute, please do so online by visiting this page. If you've donated enough for a print, shoot me an email with your order and your address.
Thanks so much for your consideration, and please pass this letter on to any friends/photo community blogs that might have interest in this cause.
Yours,
Jake
2 comments:
A great cause and system for making someone's life better.
I didn't read your blog post Jake. Blah blah blah. My parents sent you two hundo fitty. What kind of print are you gonna send my dad? Make sure it's PRETTY and SAFE.
I did pay attention to your blog post enough to see your sweet diagram for how we help others by helping you. It's very convincing. And the colors, my god the colors Jake!
I'm just kidding I totally read the whole thing. I miss you bunches. Say. When does SC2SC end? Because I'll be on the west coast around august after my job ends. I should totally visit you in Portland. I'm making a habit of using bike and builders to couch surf. I'm beginning it for spring break when I crash in Mobrien's family's unfurnished condo in Daytona Beach. I've missed sleeping on a thermarest.
PS I just recently discovered (actually I probably rediscovered it because I took geography in elementary school) that Portland is in fact not on the coast. Oops. Well that explains why America has lost its grasp on the intellectual sphere.
PPS
I really did read your whole post. HI IVAN! <3333 God I really hope that's your dad and not one of your artistic friends.
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