COMPASSION – sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it
Like most, watching the devastation in Ukraine unfold on the nightly news has my heart breaking for the poor Ukrainians who are being forced to flee their homeland for safety. Seeing the fear and desperation on their faces has brought me to tears multiple times. I have experienced losses in my life, but nothing that could ever compare to what the people of Ukraine are being forced to face.
This has made me realize more than anything, how truly blessed and fortunate I am. No matter what challenges or hardships I may face, I know I will never experience the level of anguish the Ukrainians are experiencing.
To say this has made me feel extreme levels of compassion is an understatement.
I am a strong advocate of prayer, and have been praying every day for peace in Ukraine, and safety for all Ukrainians, but as each day passes, with more devastation, my desire to do more has been growing and nagging at my soul.
BUT HOW?
I live on a tight budget, so making a large donation wasn’t feasible. I do realize though, that the needs are so great, any donation is worthy, but it felt like what I could donate was just a bandaid.
More and more organizations have been popping up that are collecting items to ship, which I will do, once I find one locally, but that still didn’t seem like enough. It was then that I realized maybe there was a way I could help by using my creative abilities.
SO, I set out to create a piece of chalk art that would represent Ukraine and the need for peace, with the intent that I could some how do a fundraiser selling tee-shirts with the art on it.
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – St. Theresa of Calcutta
Upon investigating ways to set up a tee-shirt fundraiser, I found the best and most effective route would be to set up the new design in my online shop through Spring, formerly TeeSpring, the print-on-demand company I use. 100% of my profits are donated to the charity of my choice selected from the listing of charities the company has an established relationship with.
SO, that is exactly what I did.
My PEACE FOR UKRAINE – TEES FOR PEACE campaign went live on Friday, March 11th. Spring handles all the rest: taking the orders, processing payment, printing, shipping and sending my profits to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the charity I chose, whenever I request the payout to be made.
It couldn’t get any easier and I’m thrilled.
I have posted info on Facebook and Instagram, and followed up with a paid boost of the post to flood Facebook and Instagram. The response has been extremely positive, and to date I have raised $447 dollars, $197 over the $250 goal I had.
To say I’m thrilled is an understatement.
The fundraiser is open-ended, so when I hit $500, I will request a payout to be sent to the IRC. Then I’ll start a new tally, donating in smaller increments depending on how sales are going.
As long as the war goes on, so will my fundraiser. I will continue to find ways to spread the word in hopes the sales will continue.
“Make the best use of what is in your power, & take the rest as it happens.’ – Epictetus
If you are interested in purchasing a TEE FOR PEACE below is the link:
https://www.thechalkcharmer.shopping/listing/peace-for-ukraine-tees-for-p?product=2
Information on the International Rescue Committee and their mission in Ukraine and Poland can be found here:
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
© Mariann E. Danko and Waking the Woman, 2022. All rights reserved.
Goddess Masthead © Pamela Danko-Stout and Waking the Woman, 2022. All rights reserved.
All art courtesy of the CHALK Charmer – 2022
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Waking the Woman 