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The Holiday Give Toolkit
GivingTuesday – November 28th, 2023
$19,295 of $25,000 Goal
Help us reach our $25,000 goal!
Thank you for being part of our Ambassador team this GivingTuesday! Ambassadors like you – who give and encourage others to do the same – will be key to ensuring our year end campaign is a success.
Below are tools you can use to spread the word. Please reach out to Alison if you feel there is something you need that we are missing.
Download the entire 2023 Media Toolkit, or download assets individually below.
Send out your own appeal
Encourage your network to act and give. We challenge you to send a personal “ask” to 5 contacts on/by November 28th. You can mail or email your appeal. See sample letters below:
1. Email to send on GivingTuesday – November 28th
Subject: Join me in Supporting Pathlights!
Hi [first_name],
TODAY is the day! It’s November 28th – GivingTuesday, so the time to give is now. Please join me in supporting Pathlights.
As an [ambassador/board member] I truly believe that an investment in Pathlights is an investment in our community. On average, every day Pathlights receives 140 calls for help from our neighbors in the Palos, Lemont, Orland and Worth Townships. Many of these calls focus on critical, basic, life-sustaining needs such as access to food, lack of affordable medication, foreclosure and eviction, and protection from abuse.
This holiday season, their goal is to raise $25,000 through the end of 2023. Gifts made to Pathlights TODAY will be matched through generous gifts from our Board of Directors. Your gift can double its impact!
Join me in spreading the word or making a donation now through December 31st.
Thank you for supporting Pathlights!
[your name]
2. Email/letter to send before or during the year-end campaign
Subject: Let’s do something big together
Dear [first name],
Together we can change the lives of the older adults in our community. Please join me in supporting Pathlights this year.
As an [ambassador/board member] I see firsthand, the impact Pathlights can have. This year they helped Wes. Wes was living in an unsafe environment that created a high risk for neglect. His bed was heavily soiled, he was dizzy, in tremendous pain from bed sores, and had fallen out of bed many times. Village representatives and first responders alerted Pathlights to intervene and help Wes and his caregiver sister. Following a home assessment, a thorough evaluation of Wes, and meeting with relatives, our caseworker teamed up with another care provider who secured a caregiver and a relative stepped in to take over many caregiver duties, arrange cleaning services, and purchased Wes a new hospital bed. Pathlights’ case worker also identified emergency funds for ongoing support and has referred his sister to our Caregiver Resource Center to help take care of herself and Wes by joining support groups, stress-busting classes and using Respite to allow some time for self-care.
Your donation helps Pathlights provide critical support to help individuals like Wes. We all deserve to age with dignity and independence.
Donate today at www.pathlights.org/donate
Thank you for supporting an organization I care so much about!
Your friend,
[your name]
Be a social media champion
Please follow, like and share our posts OR create your own! Below are some social media posts to help get your friends excited and inspired to give on GivingTuesday through the end of the year. Feel free to create your own content as well. A heartfelt video about why you support the organization will incite more donations than just sharing a post.
Post reminders:
- Photos and videos get more interest
- When referencing Pathlights, please tag us by using @Pathlights
- Tag @GivingTuesday in you posts to help amplify our mission
- Use hashtags like #GivingTuesday, #givingback, #volunteering, etc.
Our social media channels are:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PATHLIGHTSIL
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pathlights/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqV5W57D3NHp9euSbGRjn3w
Sample posts:
1. Donate Now – Match
Everyone can have an impact on #GivingTuesday! Support @Pathlights TODAY by pledging your time, skills, voice, dollars to support older adults navigating the aging life cycle. Donate today and your gift will be matched by generous contributions from our Board of Directors.
2. Save the date
Mark your calendar! Nov 28th is #GivingTuesday. How will you give? Please join me and donate to @Pathlights. The nonprofit has been helping guide individuals down the path to safety and independence for 48 years and your support is needed now more than ever! Donate on #GivingTuesday.
3. Help us reach our goal
Help Pathlights reach their $25,000 fundraising goal this year! They need our support to continue to provide a high level care and service to our struggling neighbors.
4. Testimonial
Sylvia was pushed into early retirement when her husband, John, was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 62. After a year managing on her own, Sylvia connected with Pathlights. John required 24/7 supervision and companionship. Sylvia was exhausted, stressed, and grieving the many losses she was experiencing. The goal was to keep John at home but Sylvia was so worried that wouldn't be possible. John's social security income was 30% lower than expected due to early retirement. Their long term care plan provided a maximum of $70 per day of in-home care but John's care costs were $35 per hour!
Sylvia began utilizing respite through Pathlights which allowed her time to run errands and tend to personal matters. She joined Pathlights' Caregiver Connecting support group and Stress Busters for Family Caregivers session which helped her realize that it was the disease causing her great distress, not John. Gap-filling funds allowed Pathlights to purchase incontinence supplies for John as the disease progressed. These supplies cost $300+ each month. Ultimately, Sylvia was able to keep John at home just as she had hoped before he passed while under hospice care.
There are many caregivers in our community who find themselves in the same situation. This holiday season, please support our neighbors like Sylvia and John by making a gift to Pathlights. Your donation helps us empower more neighbors who need a little -- or a lot of-- help along the path to aging. Watch this video to learn more about how Pathlights helps and donate now!
Additional Resources
1. Flyer
2. Info Slips
