by Merritt Frey, Executive Director

I know I’ve done it and I bet you have too -- got carried away at a charity auction and come home with a strange carving we can't fit anywhere in our house. 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 updates and photos showing your donation in action.

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

• $350: A special, limited offering of three: sponsor a girls’ soccer team in one of our villages!

• $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 go even farther! 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.