Family Violence Prevention Center & Domestic Violence Shelter will need to postpone annual fundraiser because of Covid-19, comes up with creative way to bridge major funding gap
St. Jude House (SJH) has been an anchor in the community since 1995, providing shelter, basic needs and comprehensive, compassionate programming and services to survivors of domestic violence at no- cost. The need for safe shelter for adults and children is on the rise for those who have fled a violent home life with little more than the clothes on their back, only to end up at St. Jude House, a family violence prevention center and shelter. Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic, St. Jude House will need to postpone its largest annual fundraiser, Stand Up for St. Jude House Comedy Night, scheduled for May, 29th. With the potential funding shortfall, coupled with community members having time on their hands during the “shelter in place” order issued in many states and cities around the US, St. Jude House is issuing a challenge to anyone and everyone to take the #makeupchallenge for St. Jude House.
“I must credit my daughters for sparking this fun idea,” Ryan Elinkowski, St. Jude House Executive Director explained. “They wanted to put makeup on my face and I made a deal with them, if 20 of my Facebook friends would donate money to St. Jude House to see this 'makeover', I’d let them have some fun. 12 hours, 38 donors and $750 dollars later, the #makeupchallenge for St. Jude House was born!”
Buffy D. Adams, St. Jude House Director of Development added, “As we come to the end of our fiscal year in June, replacing the delayed funds from the postponed Stand Up for St. Jude House Comedy Night plays an important role in St. Jude House’s ability to empower our clients and their children with tools and resources to break the cycle of violence in their lives. She points out that sadly, more children than adults are served annually. While we are a local organization, we serve adults and children from both Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties, as well as Chicagoland and beyond! Our mission and the vast epidemic of violence really resonate with the majority of the community and throughout the US. It is likely everyone knows someone who has endured or is attempting to escape violence in their home.”
Every minute, 20 people are abused by an intimate partner. 20,000 domestic violence calls are received nationally on a daily basis. St. Jude House served more than 650 women and children last year and received 1,600 calls to the St. Jude House 24-Hour Crisis Line. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience abuse at the hands of an intimate partner. While it is true, domestic violence knows no gender or socio-economic status, the majority of our clients are economically disadvantaged women and their children. In fact, 1 in 5 children witnessed violence in their homes.
St. Jude House has served more than 13,000 clients and children since it opened and provides more than 10,000 nights of shelter annually to those fleeing from domestic violence. St. Jude House empowers these victims through the provision of compassionate and comprehensive programs and services to break the cycle of violence in their lives and help them on their journey to self-sufficiency. The safety and security of clients during their stay is of the utmost importance to their continued progress and protection from their abusers.
“The steps to take the challenge are very simple,” said Adams.
Easy Steps to Set up your #Makeupchallenge for St. Jude House
Draft the challenge post for your wall. Here is a sample:
I am taking part in the #makeupchallenge for @St. Jude House!
If ________ (insert your goal) of my friends donate ANY amount to my fundraiser, tomorrow at _______ AM/PM, I will go live as ______ (name of person doing the makeover) gets to MAKE UP my face for an entire 3 minutes!
This will be fun!
LET'S GO!
- Facebook will prompt you to start a fundraiser, select the donate button for your page and choose St. Jude House as your recipient.
- Activate the Fundraiser
- Keep posting about it to get more interaction and donors
- Go Live or post pictures at the set time. DON’T FORGET TO TAG ST. JUDE HOUSE
- Challenge 3 (or more!) of your friends to the #Makeupchallenge for St. Jude House
- Remind them if they don’t take the challenge, they must donate to YOUR fundraiser
- Follow up
- Be sure to thank everyone