Movember. Batkid. The Ice Bucket Challenge.
Give people a compelling story and a reason to act—it’s about turning hope into something tangible. And because both communication and philanthropy rely heavily on connections, we've seen an explosion of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) fundraising efforts pop up in the digital space. Some fizzle into obscurity, whereas others go viral, suddenly swept up by social consciousness and inspiring the world.
“Today’s fundraisers want to do things the way that works best for them,” says Erin Pierce, development officer for community events at London Health Sciences Foundation (LHSF). “The DIY model offers a flexible and customized approach to raising money.”
Before COVID, LHSF had already been exploring the DIY platform, and despite the pandemic, people still dedicated themselves to making a difference. They just had to get a little bit creative.
A year after her cousin, Julie, lost her battle with cancer in 2019, Kris Bannerman wanted to commemorate her legacy. However, lockdown restrictions made it impossible for the family to get together in person. This prompted Kris to organize a virtual yoga fundraiser with LHSF in support of cancer care at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). By the time she had come out of her resting savasana, Kris’s DIY event had brought in $4,800.
“Doing a DIY fundraiser with LHSF was easier than you could ever imagine,” Kris says. “The whole team rallies around you. They helped me turn Julie’s love of yoga into something meaningful.”
Similarly, Jukka Schotter completed his own DIY campaign. In memory of his mother, Gabi, who passed away from pancreatic cancer, Jukka chose to hike the entire 900 kilometres of Ontario’s Bruce Trail. Leaving Niagara at the end of May and finishing in late June, his trek raised over $50,000 for LHSC’s Baker Centre for Pancreatic Cancer.
“That shows you the power of fundraising in the digital age,” says Lindsay Manz, director, events and community engagement at LHSF. “There are so many different audiences you can tap into now.”
LHSF has even been exploring the realm of streaming. As part of its Heroes of Health initiative, the Foundation recently incorporated Twitch to try new and exciting fundraising opportunities. This extension will help unlock some of the most difficult achievements in modern day medicine.
“The possibilities are endless,” Lindsay continues. “It lets people use their passion to support health care in London.”
In fact, Twitch is more than World of Warcraft raids and battle royale tournaments. Podcasts, cooking shows, crafting, as well as sports and fitness are among the many other avenues one can turn to enjoy original, user-generated content. Lindsay and Erin say they’ve only skimmed the surface of streaming, but they also point out how LHSF’s Heroes of Health Stream-a-Thon raised over $70,000 toward COVID relief in April, 2020.
LHSF knows with great fundraising comes great power. The power of discovery. The power of next-gen upgrades. The power to save a life. So, let’s plug in, suit up and stream on.