How could we be a fundraising and charity blog and not talk about this?
I’m sure that our North American readers have heard about this, but if your not from around here, this is what is sweeping the news the past couple of days. You should be warned that the video is long and rough to watch at some points:
Well after the really abysmal conduct from the kids, who for some curious reason posted the video, it caught a lot more attention than they were expecting. Here in the next video Karen Klein’s story goes local then international:
A Canadian from Ontario, Max Sidorov, decides that he’s going to create a fundraiser Kathy the bus monitor and opens up a page on indiegogo, a social media site for causes. Max has been bullied in the past and knows what Karen was going through wanted to help out.
Lets talk about a cause going viral with a capitol V! Initially Max’s goal was to start a little fundraiser for Karen, who doesn’t make much on her bus monitor salary and send her on a little vacation. So he’s picturing a couple of thousand I guess. After the deplorable video and the story get picked up by radio and social media sites, local TV, international TV his social media fundraising campaign explodes!
Non Profits have been talking about this forever: The power of a compelling story and the means for people to contribute easily will equal a successful campaign.
As for Karen Klein, shes’s kept a level head through the whole affair and is not looking to press legal charges. After some of the boys have apologized and the anger from the situation has drained Karens’ quiet little vacation fundraiser has blossomed into much more! At the time of this writing the total in now $647,991.
If you would like you can contribute, check out Max’s Lets Give Karen -The bus monitor- H Klein A Vacation! fundraiser.
In the meantime, everyone is getting some love out of this, an online fundraiser for Max Sidirov has been started to thank him for his efforts in correcting this situation.
Great to see a good fundraiser and social media being put to good use.
twitter @justfundraising
