Vampire's Blood Drive: Going out with a SCREAM!

The Pledge 5 Vampire's Blood Drive benefiting LifeSouth is coming to an end, and soon Vlad the Vampire will be returning to his cozy-coffin home. The fun isn't over yet, though!

The drive was a huge success, and is going out with a SCREAM this Friday at Sharab Lounge in downtown Gainesville with the Vampire's Ball. At 10 pm, guests in their best Halloween costumes will join us for a night of free food, dancing, and chances to win prizes with competitions like the Mummy Wrap and Best Scream.  There will even be a list of daunting drinks, including:

Blood on the Rocks
Vampire's Kiss
Vampire's Lemonade

The Bloody Orange
Vamptini

Ages 18+ are welcome, and there will be plenty to do even if you're not enjoying our creative concoctions! This will be a blood-curdling night you don't want to miss. Click here for more information!


We've been so busy promoting the blood drive and Vampire's Ball that you are probably wondering what we are going to do with all this free time. The truth is, we have already begun work on our next two events! The first is a benefit concert benefiting Toys for Tots that will feature local talent at the Venue on November 19th. The cost? One toy donation that will make the holidays a little brighter for a child. There will be plenty of prizes raffled off and you can enter our t-shirt design contest for the chance to have your design on the event shirts!

In the mood to take a few risks? Then the next event is for you! Also supporting Toys for Tots is our charity poker tournament, which will be held at Ocala Jai-Alai on November 21st. Regardless of who takes home the pot, children will be the real winners at this event! What was your favorite childhood toy? Let us know by posting on the P5F Facebook wall and you could WIN!

Keep following Pledge 5 on Twitter and Facebook for more information! Make your pledge today to create change in your community.

Upcoming posts: "Benefit concerts resonate with communities," "Homelessness and children", "How much is that toy worth?"

--The Pledge 5 Team

MentorSHIP: Helping youth navigate rough seas

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."

-Winston Churchill

In 1904, a journalist by the name of Ernest Coulter lamented the harsh treatment of juveniles in the court system, stating to a group church members that "there is only one possible way to save that youngster: to have some earnest, true man volunteer to be his big brother, to look after him, help him to do right, make the little chap feel that there is at least one human being in this great city ... who cares whether he lives or dies." That day, Coulter gained 39 volunteers who became the founders of what is now the largest mentoring program in the country--Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Since then, mentorship programs have sprung up from many sources. Small towns, large universities and even nationally-endorsed programs such as the MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership have connected young people with somebody to encourage him or her to simply be more. Maybe it is more involved on campus, more motivated in school, or finding more reasons to smile. Whatever it may be, mentoring revolves around the idea that every person has something to give back, and in turn, something to learn. Mentorship is a two-way flow of information that participants agree has the power to change lives. The included quote by Winston Churchill strikes at the very nature of mankind--the most fulfillment in life comes from giving, not from earning. While we, as Americans, constantly seek to prove otherwise, every poll and study shows that humans find the longest-lasting happiness from altruistic activities. Some label it reaching the "meaningful life," a stage where we no longer focus on only finding joy for ourselves, but rather obtain that joy from knowing we positively changed the life of another.

Becoming a mentor is an easy way to move toward this stage. Every person has something to give. Are you a college student studying business? Mentor a high school student about personal finance. If you love children, there are dozens of ways to help them with activities ranging from sports to something as basic as being there with a congratulatory high-five when they get an A on their homework. An hour or two a week is a small time commitment, and it really can make an impact, particularly with young people. Growing up is when attitudes and ambitions are cultivated, and many youth struggle to find a role model and direction, particularly in lower income areas where both parents often work and going to college is not the norm. If a mentor can be there to remind them of goals and be a bright source of hope and encouragement, that child will see himself or herself in a new light both at the present time and as he or she imagines the future. Many "at-risk" children just need someone to believe in them in order to soar.

So, if you are looking for ways to fulfill your 5-hour pledge this year, become a mentor and help a young person navigate around the many obstacles and deterrents that life places in their paths. All children have sails capable of billowing in the wind, they might just need someone like you to be that first gust.

Gainesville Mentorship Opportunities:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Florida
Foster Grandparents of Alachua County
Take Stock in Children
Master Money Mentor Program
Kids Count of Alachua County
...and plenty of opportunities if you are a UF student:CHAMPS

SOAR (Strengthening Opportunities and Reaching Out)
Project MASCOT
After School Gators

Of course, there are many more opportunities out there, but hopefully this will help you get started!

Don't forget to donate blood during the Vampire's Blood Drive! You still have until this Friday! Also, be sure to make it out to the Vampire's Ball on Friday, October 29th. Celebrate a successful blood drive in your best costume with us at Sharab Lounge...if you dare!


--The Pledge 5 Team

Nightmare on Non-Profit Street

And how a strong non-profit has nothing to be afraid of!

Halloween is just around the corner, are you ready? For one night everyone will be spooked with costumes, decorations and spine-tingling movies that tap into their worst fears. For non-profits, however, it can seem as though Halloween never ends--at any time our nightmares can come true! A director might get the shivers when he or she thinks of running out of funds or the cancellation of a big event, but a strong organization has nothing to fear!

Worst Nightmare #1: "You work with who?"
When somebody works for a non-profit or charity, every upcoming event is marked in the calendar, the mission statement is committed to memory, and he or she might mention the name 100 times per week.  Approaching potential sponsors, donors and the community is daunting enough, but it becomes a bad dream when those groups have never even heard of the organization that employee has put so much work into. Of course it is to be expected if you are the new kid on the non-profit block, but here is how to avoid that awkward situation in the future.

1. Be focused. Have a specific goal, a relevant title, and clear mission statement.There should be no confusion about what exactly an organization does!
2. Continuing that idea, an organization needs to be useful. Find a need, then fill it. If another group is already doing what you do, then the chances are that others won't take notice. 
3. Picture for a moment what happens when you burst a water balloon. Not only does water splash everywhere, but all the little balloon pieces fly off, too. That should be an organization's name. Have a website, comment on other blogs, and put it on every social media site. Include the name in every message, PSA or piece of paper that goes out of the door. Have a logo on your office window and a sign at every event you're even remotely affiliated with. The more times community members see and hear your name, the less you'll have to worry about them not knowing who you are!

Worst Nightmare #2: Event cancellation.
Does the thought of rain make you scream? Would the cancellation of a 5K permit send you running? Do you get goosebumps when you imagine a venue scheduling over your reservation? If you answered "yes" to these questions, chances are you have been there before, and probably with a non-profit organization. For small organizations in particular, large amounts of the budget go towards planning and promoting an event, and a cancellation can be devastating. The key is to be prepared and ready to jump into some serious crisis management! Here is how a non-profit can find it's way out of this scary situation.

1. Before the event, have a backup plan for scenarios such as bad weather. How much you can plan for varies each event, but always be prepared for as much as possible!
2. Immediately address guests/participants, sponsors and staff. Guests might want a refund, but you can always offer something such as free admission to your next event. Likewise for sponsors. If they donated any items or funds, they deserve just compensation and an explanation about what went wrong. Maintain a positive image and good relations with all parties!
3. Financially, the best bet is to try and move the event to another day so no funds are wasted. If that isn't possible, it honestly comes down to doubling fundraising efforts and focusing on future events to cover any lost costs.

Worst Nightmare #3: Pockets are eerily empty.
Funding. It's the never ending battle of all non-profits. Another large portion of budgets often go into fundraising efforts, but if yourself with empty pockets, you can work hard on fundraising, apply for grants or make your way onto websites that consolidate organizations into one location, such as NetworkForGood.org.

If you really run out of money completely, it can be difficult to get back onto your feet. The best plan is to avoid this situation entirely!

1. Maintain good accounting practices. Basic? Yes, but it is essential to always understand your financial position.
2. Prioritize spending. Make a budget and be careful about where the money goes. It would be a shame to provide lunch every Friday for employees and then not have enough money to cover advertising costs of a new initiative. 
3. Set goals. Once again, this seems rudimentary. However, having a goal to strive for can motivate the whole team to work harder and might encourage donors to give more when they see the specific number you are reaching for!
4. Be interesting. Few people will pick up the phone, listen to a brief introduction and donation request, then jump out of his or her seat with excitement. Always have original events that the community can be excited about, and work to make sure anyone you are addressing really understands your mission and cares about helping your organization reach it's goals.
5. Part two of that last bullet is how you make potential donors and participants care. Well, I hate to say it, but human nature is a little bit selfish. Always strive to make relationships mutually beneficial. Have contests, prizes for participants and/or opportunities for sponsors to promote themselves. 

Well, readers, now you know three of our worst nightmares! Like anything, though, they are a lot less spooky when someone shines a little light on them. Do you have any advice or want to share your experience about a non-profit nightmare? Be sure to comment or tweet it to us @Pledge5!

Don't forget that our Vampire's Blood Drive is still going on, and the Vampire's Ball is just around the corner! Follow Vlad the Vampire on our Twitter and Facebook Pages to hear about all the prizes and contests going on! Ve Vant Your Blood! Give back to the community today.

--The Pledge 5 Team

Donating blood: Nothing to be frightened of!

Hello!

It is day four of our Vampire's Blood Drive, and our vampires have been busy! While many people donate blood at least once a year, there are many more who never do. This post will address the common concerns and the process of donating blood, hopefully encouraging more people to participate in a blood drive and help save lives! After all, according to the Red Cross, the #1 reason people choose to donate is because they "want to help others!" It is certainly one of the easiest ways to make a difference in your community.


To start off, here are some quick facts.

1. People with O- type blood are universal donors, meaning their blood can be given to people of all blood types. Only 7% of people in the U.S. have O- blood type!
2. More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day.
3. Every two seconds a blood donation is needed in the U.S.
4. A healthy donor may donate red blood cells every 56 days
5. The average adult has about 10 to 12 pints of blood in his body. Roughly 1 pint is given during a donation.
6.If you began donating blood at age 17 and donated every 56 days until you reached age 76, you would have donated 48 gallons of blood. That can save over 1,000 lives!

Now, a little more information about what to expect before, during, and after the blood donation process.


BEFORE
What should  I bring?
A photo ID. Also be prepared to answer questions about your medical history.
Am I eligible?
Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 year-olds may donate with written parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and not have donated blood within the last 56 days. There is no upper age limit to donate blood.
Can I donate if I have a tattoo/piercings?
You must wait one full year before donating blood after getting a tattoo, but there is no deferral period for piercings as long as a sterile needle was used!
What if I have traveled/lived outside the country?
This will only matter if you have been to certain parts of Haiti or the Dominican Republic in the last year, or if you were in the United Kingdom for a total of three months or more from 1980 to 1996. Remember Mad Cow Disease?
Should I eat before?
A meal or snack at least two hours before donating is recommended. If you can include iron-rich foods such as spinach, red meat, beans or seafood that's even better!


DURING
How long will it take?
The entire process (registration and medical history, mini-physical, donation, and refreshments) will only take about 45 minutes to one hour.
Will I pass out?
Most donors do not pass out. Just enjoy the snacks ( who doesn't love free food?), hydrate, and stay seated for a few minutes after donating and you will have nothing to worry about!
Will it hurt?
The only pain may be a small pinch when the needle is put in your arm. Afterward, there is no notable sensation while blood is being collected.


AFTER
Where does my blood go?
The blood is first sent to be tested for any transmissible diseases, then sent to hospitals based on need form local distribution centers. All the while, your blood donation is kept at a safe and comfy temperature during it's secure journey.

How long will it be until my blood is replaced?
Blood volume is replaced in 24 short hours! However, you have to wait 56 days to donate again for red blood cells to be replenished.

Any more questions? Visit LifeSouth's website. Hopefully, we have debunked any spooky stories you might have heard about donating blood!

So don't be scared...help save a life donate during the Vampire's Blood Drive!

-The Pledge 5 team

Pledge 5 Foundation and LifeSouth Present Vampire’s Blood Drive

It's finally here!

Tomorrow is the first day of the LifeSouth Vampire's Blood Drive! This vampire-inspired campaign is aiming to fill our local blood banks AND raise awareness about the need for blood donations with wickedly fun events and opportunities to win!

More details about the events are available on the events tab of our Facebook Fan Page.

The blood drive will run from October 15th until the 29th and will go out with a scream at Sharab Lounge on the 29th with Vampire's Ball. Come celebrate the end of the blood drive with costumes, drinks and dancing. On Halloween, October 31st, Pledge 5 will also be hosting the Run for Your Life 5K! Runners will wind their way through campus on a thrilling course including a mile-long Terror Trail. You've never given back to the community like this before!


The Vampire's Ball and Run for Your Life 5K are going to be a perfect end to a successful blood drive, but we have plenty of special contests planned to get your blood pumping during the drive, too! Check our Facebook Fan Page during the drive for details.


The time has finally arrived, so grab your garlic and get ready...The vampires are coming! Donate blood during this year's Vampire's Blood Drive.

--The Pledge 5 Team

Thinking outside the donation box

The most prominent challenge in the non-profit sector is that of fund raising. Everyone has been asked to donate money to support a cause or an organization at some point or another, but honestly, most people are tired of giving only cash. So why not raise something other than funds? How about participation? Awareness? Recognition? When we stop to think about the most crucial needs of a non-profit organization, money is not necessarily number one.

Here are the top five ways you can support your favorite organization without writing a check!

5. Give something you already have.
Donate old clothes, toys, reading glasses, cell phones or even that can of green beans you know you will never eat. Often times your spring cleaning can be an excellent source of items to donate to those who need them most!
4. Support their website and social media.
Many times a charity or non-profit can earn greater amounts from advertisements and sponsors when more people visit their websites and are actively using social media outlets to follow an organization. This is also rewarding because you may connect to other supporters in the community and never miss out on a special event or important update. So get to clicking! If you need somewhere to start, here are a few sites that earn money directly from your clicks:
The Hunger Site
Care2
Free Rice
3. Be an advocate.
One of the best marketing tools is the human voice. Become an advocate by talking to your friends and family about the issue and what an organization is doing to help. Encourage others to not only care, but to become an advocate, too!
2. Participate.
The key to success is support! Become an active member in the efforts of your favorite charities. Whether you choose to attend their special events or share links to their websites with others, increased participation helps a group gain recognition and to be more effective.
1. Volunteer.
Without a doubt, the one thing most non-profits lack is manpower. More valuable than money is your TIME! Email directors and see if they need help with large events, operations, or volunteers to help directly with their cause. Volunteering provides a great sense of fulfillment and extra sets of hands are often the driving force of a non-profit. Volunteer alone, with a friend, or rally your group from school or church to spend an afternoon helping together! Here at Pledge 5 we encourage everyone to give at least five hours a year to service! Make your pledge today!

So there you have it, five great ways to support deserving organizations without spending money. Share your involvement or other ideas by commenting on this blog, the Pledge 5 Facebook fan page or on Twitter!

Before we go, be sure to donate blood during our annual blood drive! One donation can save three lives. Visit Facebook for more information! We need your support to make this event a success.

--The Pledge 5 Team

Non-profits take off with social media

If an issue was a plane, it would be easy to fill its cabin with the ideas, motivation and enthusiasm to find solutions. The plane could take the ideas and move them across the country, even around the globe. However, a plane cannot take flight with an empty tank, so what fuels its engines to move those ideas? In the past it was advertisements and newspaper articles. Today? Social media is the fuel of change.

The purpose of this post is to shed light on the true power of social networks in the fight for change, followed by how Pledge 5 is joining the revolution. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have collectively changed the lives of millions, so let us take a closer look.

BLOGS

The obvious place to begin is the world of blogging. After all, you are reading this one! Blogs provide the opportunity to provide more in-depth information and updates to the public and are the perfect place to centralize links to related pages, such as Facebook or Twitter accounts. More than just informing, blogs can be utilized to increase word-of-mouth between the blogs of individuals. Recently, Pedigree donated one 20-pound bag of dog food to an animal shelter for each time a blog site posted about its adoption program. The result was 375 bags of dog food and a lot more talk about Pedigree. Apparently, a little more talk CAN help walk the walk…or in this case, the dog! 

FACEBOOK

Facebook is an instinctive choice to include in a post about social media. Through the ability to “Like” just about anything on the site, post statuses, share links, and communicate with anyone at anytime, ideas can spread in a viral manner. There is more than just conversation happening on this networking site, though, especially if you happen to be a non-profit organization.

Facebook Causes hosts over 350,000 organizations in over a dozen categories. Facebook users can join causes, donate money and track the most popular causes. To date, over $25 million has been raised for various charities via these easily set-up Cause pages. The last time we looked, the largest Cause was the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, which had 1,243,004 members and $1,172,916 donated. By the way, the Pledge 5 Foundation also has a Cause page. The Pledge 5 difference is that we ask for HOURS, not money. Pledge your hours today!

There is a lesser-known aspect of Facebook that has helped raise money for non-profits: Birthday Wish. On a user’s birthday, he or she can sign up and ask Facebook friends to donate to a cause in place of buying a present. When friends are planning on spending money on a gift anyway, this is a feature full of fundraising potential!

TWITTER

Which social network is capable of pinning Ashton Kutcher against CNN in a race to one million followers? Twitter, naturally. In 2009, the world watched as Kutcher finally reached one million, declaring a close victory over CNN. Kutcher was not the real winner, however. Malaria No More received $100,000 from each competitor to purchase life-saving bed nets. At $10 each, the impact was significant. Even more impressive? As of about two weeks ago, the message carried by Malaria No More’s social media campaign had been heard by 174 million people.  The increase in awareness and donations has led Ray Chambers, founder of Malaria No More, to predict that malaria will be no longer be a cause of death by 2015.

When Twitter first began, the public must have thought it was crazy. How can anything be said with only 140 characters per post? However, Twitter has become the ideal tool for non-profits, including Pledge 5 (follow us!), to generate conversation and update followers about special events, promotions and news. Donations can even be directly collected through their Twitter profiles. Short has never been so sweet. 

YOUTUBE

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a video accessible by an international audience worth? 

YouTube has many features tailored to the need of non-profits. Organizations can include call to action overlays and have access to increased uploading capacity. YouTube also has YouTube Video Volunteers, a collection of experienced film makers ready and willing to help organizations create quality videos to post on YouTube. Furthermore, videos can optimize the search task of YouTube with thought-out titles and tags. A great example is the “Michael Jackson in Uganda” video created by Invisible Children. Considering how often the King of Pop is searched by users, the video has high chances of appearing in search results.

The visual aspect of videos can be very powerful, and if used correctly, can raise thousands of dollars in a single day. The UN’s World Food Programme successfully raised $36,000 for World Food Day with its Billion for a Billion video campaign, which encouraged the one billion internet users to help the world’s one billion hungry. Without a doubt, a YouTube video can be the winning act for a non-profit.

 

WHAT ABOUT THE PLEDGE 5 FOUNDATION?

It’s clear that social media is becoming an integral component to the success of non-profits. Pledge 5 is starting several new social media initiatives that we hope will help us raise the number of hours pledged! We have the Twitter account, the Facebook Cause, the Facebook Fan Page, and of course, this blog. We are only missing one ingredient: YOU. Please help us meet our goals! We are hosting competitions from now until December 31^st to increase participation. Our final goal is 400 Twitter followers, 400 Facebook Fans, and 1,000 supporters of our Facebook Cause. 

Our first benchmark is to have 100 fans on Facebook, 100 followers on Twitter, and 250 supporters of our Cause by our Run for Your Life 5K on October 31^st. Here is what you can do: 

First, become a fan of the Pledge 5 Foundation on Facebook, and then invite your friends! Next, join our Cause on Facebook and pledge your 5 hours. If you have another 30 seconds to spare, follow us on Twitter. Lastly, keep reading our blog!

During October you can participate not only in our annual blood drive, the Vampire’s Ball and our 5K, but online you can compete against others in our vampire costume contest! During this month, post a picture of your SCARIEST vampire self to our Facebook page to win a FREE ticket to the Vampire's Ball in downtown Gainesville on October 29th! This will truly be a night to sink your fangs into with dancing,costumes, food and drinks. You can also tweet your image to us @Pledge5. The more followers and fans we have, the more fun our events will be so please support Pledge 5 today! It’s easy, free and will help create change in our community.

Check back later this week to read about our exciting upcoming events for Pledge 5’s annual blood drive. With Halloween around the corner, there is only one thing vampires want…to collect your blood!

-The Pledge 5 Team