I am fundraising for Planned Parenthood Texas Action Fund. So far, I have raised $3,309.85 for Planned Parenthood via my facebook fundraising. Two separate anonymous donors have pledged $3,000 total in matching funds and $1,191.15 of $ for $ matching funds is still available. Anyone who donates $5 has made sure Planned Parenthood gets $10. A $100 gift gives Planned Parenthood $200!
It all started with suicidal depression
I’ve fought depression all my life but after a car accident last year gave me a concussion things got worse. So this April I started a six-week course of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to treat the depression. This requires, pandemic or no, that I go to an office every weekday for six full weeks to be treated. And each day, as I entered the medical complex where the office was I saw people out on the street corner with signs. Who the hell would be advertising during a pandemic shutdown? I wondered.
It turns out there is a real Women’s Health Clinic in this complex which offers not only pelvic exams, pap smears, mammograms but also abortion services. And the people I saw are Forced Birther protesters, determined to shame and humiliate women for their reproductive choices.
At first, I flipped them off but the more I thought about it, the less constructive that seemed. So, I decided to fundraise for Planned Parenthood Texas Action Fund off of these creeps. Better to light a candle than curse the darkness, right?
I put in what I could towards the effort, a $50.00 contribution. Then I posted it to Facebook and my friends and followers stepped up big time! Those first couple of days raised almost $500 and got a person to offer to match every dollar donated up to $1,500.00!!! Holy cow!
Fundraising Progress
My TMS treatment routine has become me getting treated and then walking over to the Forced Birthers with a camera and documenting the atrocities and lies. For example, on this day, April 30th, I decided to take a video rather than photos. First, I was accused of abusing a minor by filming her (of course, I blurred her face) but Texas law makes no provision for filming minors who participate in a public protest. Then you can see the Grim Reaper man accusing the clinic of being a part of the Ku Klux Klan (many clients I see outside are women of color). However, on other occasions I have heard him refer to women needing morals in their lives, lessons in keeping their legs shut and so on. Then an unmasked protester accosts me demanding info — which I gave her. I have nothing to hide.
Each day I post to facebook and ask people to give to Planned Parenthood Texas Action Fund. And, despite the economic situation the response has been phenomenal:
- 49 individual donors
- Average donation amount is $32.00
- Donations from UK and Australia!!
- $3,000 in $ for $ fund matches!
The process is simple: DONATE AND SCREENSHOT RECEIPT. CROP OR BLOCK IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. SUBMIT IT IN COMMENTS OR MESSAGES AND IT GETS COUNTED TOWARDS THE TOTAL.
Slow fundraising days
I’ve tried to be creative on slow fundraising days, pledging to tell funny stories or even reveal what is under my kilt — literally putting my ass on the line (mildly NSFW, possible snow blindness) to raise $$$ for Planned Parenthood right here in the protesters backyard. I know seeing these creeps every day is not pleasant. I’m looking for blogs (do those still exist) to promote this, organizations and people who will share. Any suggestions or thoughts?
Endgame for Fundraiser
On my last day of treatment — I have 14 treatments left!!! — I want to present the demonstrators with a enlarged mock check made out to Planned Parenthood for the total amount raised. I want to ‘thank’ them for participating.
But, I want that check I give them to be big. Really big. I want it to have FOUR zeros behind the one.
Can you please help make this happen? I’m pretty damn sure that with the fundmatch we can get to $6,000 total. But getting to $10,000 — that won’t happen with just facebook. Can Daily Kos help?
All you have to do is click to donate:
PLANNED PARENTHOOD TEXAS ACTION FUND
And give a screenshot of receipt so we can get the matching dollars.
Who’s in for women’s reproductive rights? We don’t want this jerk to have the final word, do we?
