By Merritt Frey, Executive Director
We've all done it -- got carried away at a charity auction and come home with a strange trinket we can't fit anywhere in our house or a gift certificate for an adventure we can't imagine ever taking. We shrug and tell ourselves the funds went to a good cause.
So why not just directly decide where those funds will go and spare yourself donating the dusty trinket to the thrift store two years later?
That's the concept behind the Auction for Action at Mali Rising's Soiree this Thursday. Often called a "paddle raise," this auction allows you to "bid" to sponsor much-needed programming at our schools. In exchange, we'll take you along for the trip as your sponsored items make a difference in our schools this school year with regular updates and photos.
Items you can sponsor at the Soiree this year include:
- $100: a set of 10 textbooks in one key subject (e.g., French, math, English, etc.)
- $1,000: 100 textbooks in one key subject for a full school
- $3,000: fill an entire classroom with books in 5 key subjects
- $250: sponsor professional training, peer support meetings, & direct support for 1 teacher
- $2,500: sponsor professional training, peer support meetings, & direct support for 10 teachers
- $50: underwrite 1 hand-washing station and hygiene training for a school
- $500: sponsor a year-long scholarship for a Mali Rising graduate to attend high school or a vocational school in a program such as nursing, agriculture, secretarial skills, etc.
The Auction for Action underwrites more than half of our in-school work each year. It also allows us to leverage gifts from foundations and individuals, making your gift mean even more! Come to the Soiree ready to bid...and if you can't join us on Thursday, consider making a gift now to support one of these needs. (Just select "Soiree 2017, auction for action" from the pull down menu and use the list above to select the amount you'd like to donate.)
