The Big Share goes live on March 7! The Big Share is a one-day giving event organized by Community Shares of Wisconsin that raises funds for its 70 member nonprofits, including the Council. “We see The Big Share as a huge collaboration—not a competition,” says Council Fund Development Director Lori Werbeckes. In fact, it’s a collaboration in a variety of ways.
For example, last year the Council teamed up with Disability Rights Wisconsin and the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin to present a Facebook Live event focusing on voting access. Another way is by partnering with members of our own board of directors to reach out to their own networks for support. The concept, called “peer-to-peer” giving, works like this:
The Council sets up a landing page within the Big Share website. On that landing page are links to individual peer-to-peer pages. The board member (or other supporter—it can be anybody who wants to raise funds for the Council) sets up their own fundraising page showing their dollar goal and a little about their story and connection with the Council. They send a link to that page to their family, friends and professional contacts. Those contacts give to the Council, adding to our Big Share total. It’s digital word of mouth with a personal touch.
Deen Amusa is a fourth term Council Board Member who set up a peer-to-peer page last year. He got the idea to set up his own page from seeing another board member’s post. “So I decided to reach out to my family and friends to test it out,” Deen says. “My family and friends know of my visual impairment and have been supportive over the years, so it was no surprise that they rose to the challenge and heeded my call on behalf of the Council.”
“I must say I was rather pleased with the response,” Deen says. “I am also an ardent supporter in other people’s fundraisers, so I was happy when they supported my causes as well.”
While most of the Big Share action takes place March 7, you don’t have to wait until then to participate. You can visit the Council’s page and make a gift any time…even today! Find our Big Share page at TheBigShare.org/organizations/wisconsin-council-of-the-blind-visually-impaired.
