Student Philanthropists

Ashley Patricio

The following article was posted in this month’s PayPal Quarterly Nonprofit Newsletter. I love it. Surgance needs some Ashley’s!

Student philanthropists

                         When Ashley Patricio learned that she could win a trip to see the Jonas Brothers by raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, she immediately got to work. "The prize motivated me at first," says 14-year-old Ashley. "But knowing that I'm helping people out is great."

                         Ashley raised $1,800 for St. Jude and won a coveted trip to Los Angeles for the hospital's Power of Youth event. A big Jonas Brothers fan, she was delighted to meet the celebrities. But what surprised her was how much she enjoyed getting to know the patients at St. Jude. "When I got there, I realized how cool it was," says Ashley. "I met a really great five-year-old girl named Ellen Taylor. I check up on her through her website all the time now."

                         Steven Foster, Ashley's father, encourages his daughter's fundraising. When asked how, he says, "We've always talked about helping others who need help. The prizes pulled her in at first, but then it became contagious. There's no stopping her now. We brainstorm all the time about what to do next. It's something we do together."

                         There have been challenges to the fundraising along the way. Steven explains, "When Ashley tried to raise money online, trust was definitely an issue. People were a bit skeptical. PayPal is a trusted name – and I think if PayPal was more prominently part of the experience, people would feel more comfortable making donations."

                         In addition to the $1,800 she’s raised for Power of Youth, Ashley's fundraising has included collecting $700 for the American Diabetes Foundation through a movie-a-thon she masterminded, and $2,000 for Change for Children. Inspired by her experience at St. Jude in L.A., she also volunteers at the St. Jude office in Seattle.

                         Ashley and her father believe that by taking fundraising online, more kids will get involved in philanthropy. "The younger generation is on MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter all the time," says Steven. "If companies make it easier for youth to fundraise through these social networks, more would do it."

brian AUDIA
President and CEO
Surgance, Inc.
Uncommon Partners. Common Ground. Remarkable Results.
www.surgance.com <http://www.surgance.com/>
702.468.4637 cell
702.309.SURG (7874) office

Posted via email from Brian D. Audia