Have you ever asked anyone for money? For money to help someone else?
I had three minutes to convince 100 women that the need of the students I represented was worthy of the $10,000 award. How to explain the impact of our organization in such a short time?
Public speaking energizes me but in this case, made me incredibly nervous.
Our program grew slowly over 5 years and all of a sudden we had a funding gap of $50,000! This was our first fundraising event with $10,000 at stake.
We went first with our presentation for the 100 Women Who Care Toronto West group. Sue Cardarelli from our board supported my and helped with the questions and networking.
Each of the 100 women donate $100 and vote on who they want to receive the money. First place is $10,000 and second and third $300.
The following week, we learned that we had been selected. The experience was both humbling and highly motivating. It’s the voices of the students that are truly compelling—they work hard and often have to fight for essentials like TTC passes to get to school, groceries, and clothing. Activities such as prom, sports teams, or school outings are often only accessible to those with money beyond the basics, yet these are the memories we cherish for decades after high school.