Family Creates Easy Fundraising Online, Detroit Zoo Benefits

In January, our family produced a website styled after the Million Dollar Homepage, a website created by an English student.

The idea behind the site being that people or businesses upload photos which are linked to websites provided by the person. It produces a mosaic looking image that has thousands of links embedded on a page. We thought the idea was fun looking and the system might be used to generate funds for organizations and charities. So, we decided to give it a try.

In March, the Detroit Zoo, dealing with a financial crisis, was in the paper and on the news often. My daughter, Allie, who is ten years old said "well, we can't have the zoo close; so why don't we put up a page as a fundraiser and help them out". So, we did just that.

We've since been circulating the zoo fundraising page Web site to businesses and individuals. In March, we raised $307 for the zoo and delivered it this past April 12 to Patricia Mills, of the Detroit Zoological Society. She was very happy to have us visit! We'll get back with her monthly as funds are raised. Filling up the entire page for the Zoo would provide them with $12,000 in additional funding.

Our goal is to have dozens of fundraisers going. Each charity or organization receives its own page and decides on the pricing stucture of that page. Any type of group can be involved. Our job is to administer the site, their job is to encourage log-ons to the site and donations. Schools can raise money for computers, Seniors for their Graduation/All Night Party, a local business can sponsor a food bank drive and link our address to their stationary for a few months... The possibilities are endless.

The beauty of the online fundraiser is in the ease for all involved. Donor's log in and use a credit card. Organizations don't have to pick up supplies, track orders, etc. They can hand out flyers, send emails to grandma and grandpa across the nation etc. The pages stay on the web for years (five years minimum)and we hope that they keep people connected in some sense. As they log on for their fundraiser we hope that they'll say "oh there is the Brown family with their posting," etc. We'd like to create little fundraiser communities within each page while providing some needed financial assistance.

If we all just give a little bit and teach our kids to do so, we can create huge things!

We hope you will help support the detroit zoo by visiting our page.

EDITORS NOTE: The writer has stated that any tips to the tip jar connected to this story will be donated to the Detroit Zoo.