Skip the doilies, speeches and jazz combos — all this fundraising effort needs is beer and checkbooks.
The debut “100 Men Who Give a Damn About Yolo County” fundraiser kicked off at Blue Note Brewery in Woodland on Wednesday; sure enough several men in the community appeared to give their damns — in the form of $5,900 — to a local nonprofit.
Based on other successful groups including Davis’ “100 Women Who Care,” the fundraiser is based on efficiency and effectiveness. Community members gather to hear three different nonprofits pitch their organizations and efforts. After that short time, participants perform a silent vote that will decide which of the organizations receives the total funding. Then all participants write a check for $100 toward that organization.
Pitches given, checks written and beers down the hatch, the whole process takes less than an hour.
All Leaders Must Serve walked away from Blue Note with the money, tailed by Citizens Who Care and Yolo Interfaith Immigration Network.
That’s not to say the outvoted groups walk away with nothing.
“This is a win-win all around,” stated Michael Rooke-Ley, one of the organizers. “All three nonprofits get great exposure.”
ALMS aims to educate and train young adults between 15-25 years old for job placement. Citizens Who Care services the elderly and their caregivers via visitation programs and Yolo Interfaith Immigration Network serves and advocates for immigrants in Yolo County, including educational, recreational and support services at the Madison Migrant Center.
Many community leaders arrived for the event including county supervisors Matt Rexroad and Don Saylor, Woodland mayor Angel Barajas and Jesse Ortiz, the county’s school superintendent.
The event didn’t quite attract 100 participants for the debut gathering, but Rooke-Ley said 59 donors is a good number to start.
“The response has been overwhelming,” Rooke-Ley stated, “but not really surprising in a county where public service runs in our veins, where there’s a commitment to lifting all boats. Our love for our community and for our country is second to none.”
http://www.dailydemocrat.com/g...athering-raises-5900
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