Loading...We are five days from Christmas and twelve days from the New Year. At about this time for nearly every December of the blog’s existence I have opened up a holiday giving option that can help out people who really want to be on the blog but cannot afford the membership fees.
In most years we we have been able to give out something like 70-80 gift memberships. To qualify to receive one, a person had to send me their contact information and to tell me a bit about their circumstances, why they could not afford membership fees (I don’t pry: I just want a general idea). I provided gift memberships only to people who really needed them. Some of the stories have been heart-breaking. Luckily, virtually everyone who contacted me has been able to be given a gift membership.
I will post on my social media (Facebook and Twitter) as well as on a public post here, the availability of memberships. I will give out as many as we have. Would you like to provide one or more people the opportunity? I get requests *ALL* the time — not just in response to this annual announcement (dozens then) but also throughout the year, often a couple of times a week. Your donation can make it possible.
As you know, annual memberships start at $29.95. So let’s think in terms of $30 increments. If you’d like to donate a membership, that would be $30. Three? $90. 827? $24,810. You get the idea.
This is a win-win situation. Your donation is completely tax deductible, and you can make someone(s) very happy here in the season of giving.
If you are interested in participating, just take two very simple acts: (1) send an email to [email protected] (do NOT comment here, on the blog) indicating your intention to make a donation and specifying how many memberships you would like to donate; and (2) make the donation on the blog itself (just login, go to the bottom of the landing page, and choose one of the two donation options, either Paypal or Stripe). We will be collecting these donations over the course of the holiday season (no term limit, just give when you’re ready) and be giving them out as quickly as they come in.
Many many thanks to those who have already made donations to the Blog (and therefore, to the charities we support), and for all who are willing to do so now!
Is there a method for members to gift individuals who are not members a membership?
Yes, on the home page where it says DONATE it also says GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS. Click on that.
Twice when clicking on link to try to donate three memberships, “Oops, This Page Could Not Be found” 404 is the result.
Sorry bout that! Here you go: (1) send an email to [email protected] (do NOT comment here, on the blog) indicating your intention to make a donation and specifying how many memberships you would like to donate; and (2) make the donation on the blog itself (just login, go to the bottom of the landing page, and choose one of the two donation options, either Paypal or Stripe). Does that work?
Is it possible to gift the gift membership I automatically get as a gold member, or is that not the point of this?
I don’t really see myself using it otherwise, and would gladly donate it to anyone who would want it but couldn’t pay for whatever reason.
Yes, as a gold member you can certainly gift the gold membership to a family member, friend, colleague, neighbor, dentist, plumber, or anyone else you appreciate who may want it! But, right, that’s not the point of the fund raiser. It’s an interesting idea though… We’ll have to think about it. THanks.