This is just a brilliant site. You're probably sick of me saying that by now but it's just made so much difference to my life over the past fortnight.
Anyway, I was just thinking about just how much money it does cost to run a site like this along with all the other things that HAVOCA does in the way of offering support etc.
Is there any kind of breakdown you can give re how much is needed etc.
somewhere too you mention volunteers - what do these people do then?
do you have Xmas cards or anything which we could sell and raise the profile of this charity?
I'll never get sick of rants and rave about how good HAVOCA is. I put in a lot of time to making this site the sort of place I needed when I was in my early throws of healing, so I get a great deal of personal satisfaction when things come together.
You must of been reading my mind about donations - I've just posted a reply about the same thing in another section.
What we need money for:-
Maintain this website with its breadth of helpful information and links to many other sites (which are constantly changing)
Add new articles and current information, and maintain our new pages
Provide links to discussion forums, online peer support groups, and chat forums, serving as a "lifeline" of support to many survivors and their families
Provide support via email to survivors/victims and their support networks
Assist survivors and their families with helpful contacts and information
Aid professionals and victim advocates through fostering an environment where they can confer with one another, and aggressively work to grow this online community
Provide resources for professionals, churches, and other institutions
Help increase the visibility of other survivor groups to assist them in their efforts to help survivors and/or professionals
Educate the general public about child abuse, and be an advocate for social change in addressing these issues
Provide information services to the media
Legislative child abuse work
Coordinate volunteer efforts
Monitor relevant news stories and send them out as Media Updates to subscribers
Publish our quarterly eNewsletter
Organize conferences/retreats
Web hosting / Email hosting costs
Technical and administrative support
Publications, printing, and postage
Utilities
Supplies
We need hard cash for our internet hosts (£200/yr), running costs (stamps, phone calls, stationary etc) cost about £100/yr. The Proud To Be Me booklet cost £4500 (received funding from the lottery commision through The Lantern Project). We are trying to fund two books aimed at all abuse survivors, we may have funding for one of them, but as yet are still in the negotiation phases. When the computer bust we were very lucky to receive a donation for more equipment - but ink cartridges and paer cost a fortune every month.
Volunteers are HAVOCA Friends who provide email support, but we also need help raising money, or raising our profile worldwide. Christmas cards is a good idea, and I might look into it if I get the time. Our bookstore and giftshops are good sources of money.
Over all we run at a loss - but show me an organisation like ours that doesn't!
If everyone on our mailing list, who receives our newsletter, donated one pound, we could fund ourselves for two years. Now there's a thought.
Jamie don't know much about it but can havoca get gift aid on our donations I think its about 28p in the pound on a donation but you have to be a tax payer
Just an idea that if poss may make more from our donations
Because we are a not-for-profit group we don't have to pay tax. If we register as a charity we would then have to pay tax. It's a bit of a double edged sword. If we register as a charity we get more recognition but we lose money. If we stay as a not-for-profit we avoid tax but don't get the recognition.
I run a small jewellery bussniess so now alittle about costs but thats more than I knew. I will try and make a donation, but in the meantime I will try to think of fund raisers!
I think the Chirstmas cards is a great idea, but I realise it's the cost of making them.
If we where helping animals or children it would be a lot easier to generate support. as we all know through our own jounies, there is still a lot of stigma attached to victims of abuse and in particular adult 'victims'. Difficult to generate sympathic responses from individuals who haven't been affected by abuse.
Hi Jamie I was wondering if people from other countries who dont have a credit card could donate. I couldnt afford much but what I could donate I dont know if I could get to you anyhoo. Could I change my money at the bank and send it or something? seems unlikely. Maybe there is some way for credit-card-less-freaks like me to donate and maybe something could be posted?
In my country we have often had rock concerts held for stuff like this, though you have to get everyone involved to want to do it- the bands, the band manager, the venue manager, advertising people etc. It works well when you find a group willing enough though. Just a thought.