Fundraising Fail

Selling pizza in libraries and study lounges during finals week sounds like a GREAT fundraiser, right?

Checklist:

• Paper plates
• Napkins
• A bunch of $1s and $5s for change
• Price calculation ($2/slice gives us a profit of $8/pizza)
• Time
• Location (UCSD's finals are after my fundraising deadline... had to go to SDSU instead)
• Most importantly.... pizza!

After finding parking and walking around an unfamiliar campus and study lounges, NOT ONE PERSON bought a slice. Though plenty of people had compliments on our brilliant fundraising scheme, and several people enjoyed sending us on wild goose chases to bother their friends. 

Fail. 

Well, at least we have lots of pizza to eat. 

$2200 left to fundraise in 2 weeks! 

The Dark Side of Chocolate

We watched the film The Dark Side of Chocolate this weekend.

The film is a heartbreaking story of child trafficking, slavery and labor in the Ivory Coast. The journalists follow the trafficking and slavery process from beginning to end. They interview people in the trafficking business and the anti-trafficking fight. They confront blatant lies and cover-ups and expose the tragic truth.

This little girl they intercepted in the trafficking process. She had open sores on her legs and said that her family will be disappointed that she is returning.

The film had great potential in its story telling, but an incredibly disappointing ending. After such an incredible story with great footage, the film ends with the journalists berating major chocolate companies to no avail. The last scene is broadcasting the film on a giant screen in front of a chocolate factory.

This is such an unfortunate ending to me because it provides no action steps. Addressing the chocolate industry is only a partial solution at best, and aggressive smear campaigns have not worked as well as positive reinforcement for the companies who are fair trade. The film gives no clues for consumer activism (how do I make sure to buy slave-free chocolate?) or any other viewer action step.

Ultimately, the film is like a well-designed, visually striking lamp with no light bulb.

You make everything glorious

Thank You for encouraging my heart, Lord. 

Our team had a great meeting on Sunday and hangout on Monday. It was refreshing and encouraging to my soul to hear how others struggle with fundraising like me. My team came around me and supported me, praying for me and coming up with all sorts of creative and generous ways to help me. I'm also continually thankful for Kenny, who drives me everywhere I need to be and walks every step of this journey with me.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!