Explore: MicroGiving’s Featured Donor
Make A Difference. Give Online.
This week MicroGiving will be spotlighting three of our top members on our blog. Thanks to all of you who left encouraging feedback on our previous post where we shed the spotlight on last month’s featured recipient!
Today MicroGiving would like to acknowledge Rayhawk, our featured donor for the month of June! We felt Rayhawk deserved the spotlight for her exemplary charitable contribution last month!
For those of you who follow our blog regularly you may recall our previous post How To Use Micro Charity To Make A Macro Difference. Here we highlighted the importance of micro charity and the tremendous impact a small donation can make. Special thanks to Rayhawk for her compassion to help others, and for being an example in our community!
Why do you give online?
I gave as a child and never knew why. I would get myself into trouble giving away things my mother bought me to those who needed it more, but I felt the risk was worth it. When I was old enough to understand my own feelings I realized giving was simply natural. The entire earth is giving. The earth gives us vegetation, mothers give birth to children, animals bring prey back to share with their communities so all can eat. Even solitary animals leave the rest for scavengers, herds migrate and graze together so all can eat; giving, sharing, helping each other is simply natural. It just makes sense that all living beings should only take what they need and give all else to those who do not have enough. I’m simply doing my part – it’s natural, and if I didn’t do it I would not feel like a part of the earth.
How does it feel to give online and help someone in need?
It feels like I truly belong as a living being on earth. Helping another brings you together with that person and sometimes their family. You walk together for a little while and when they reach their goal you share in that relief, if they don’t reach it you share in that sorrow too. I give as much as I can so I can share in the relief of having met a goal because I know how horrible it feels to stumble and fall…even worse if you fall alone with nobody there to care.
What makes Microgiving unique and special to you?
Identification is a requirement on MicroGiving as well as verification of need. I like screening processes that discourage scamming. I prefer to get to know the recipients who have provided ID verification and will discuss their situation. I prefer to evaluate the evidence myself and MicroGiving has the blog, bookmark and email feature that allows me to learn about the recipient by asking questions. That personal communication allows me to make an informed decision.
I don’t donate to a profile or application, I donate to the person and the tools that MicroGiving provides allows you to know the person behind the profile.
Other sites require no ID verification at all, some have no blog or email feature to allow you to communicate with the recipient and ask questions. MicroGiving has it all and I feel that what I have to share is going to someone who truly does need it and it’s not being used irresponsibly.
Stay tuned this week as we reveal our featured Charity! And don’t forget, online giving is for everyone!
Tags: donor, MicroGiving
1. July 2009 at 10:54 pm :
Hey Becky Congratulations its so good to see you up there. I know you work so hard and do so much for this site. I have never seen anyone promote the way you do.
1. July 2009 at 11:47 pm :
It couldn’t happen to a better person. You deserve the spotlight. You work so hard for people like me to hit my goals. I just saw you on Microgiving.com/profile/ page. Your moving on up…… I’m happy for you.
2. July 2009 at 1:12 am :
Thanks Michie, I do try to give something back for the help I have received. Promoting and microgifts seem to be the only way I can give back.
Christy, that video was done last year in July. Microgiving helped me get a mobility scooter in Feb of ’08…I’m actually surprised you hadn’t seen it before. I used to have that same one on my profile. I have my whole collection of videos on my profile now and that one is in there too. I was so scared to do that interview! My car broke down while I was there and poured antifreeze all over the parking lot…Oh what a day but I was glad to promote MicroGiving,
2. July 2009 at 11:27 pm :
Congratulations Becky well deserved honor you character show it all, I have seen your exemplary effort and courage, By helping others with the knowledge to utilize all various things offered on Microgiving website.
You are a true champion as a member and donor, Keep up your great work.
Thanks,
Jamel
4. July 2009 at 5:55 am :
I’m well familiar with Rayhawk because they have made me feel welcomed when I first joined Microgiving way back last year! A lot has changed with Microgiving since then BUT not with my relationship with Rayhawk who still continues to help me and encourage me about the merits of staying with Microgiving.
I also love reading their blog and the stories of what’s going on in their lives!
4. July 2009 at 9:00 am :
Thank you Jamel and Martina
I’m not quite used to this kind of attention, but I’m glad I was recognized as a donor because that is where most of my pride is found. I am a giving person and I try my best to give whatever I can in all forms, from animal rescue and sanctuary of the crippled critters to small gifts to someone who needs a hand up. For me sharing is simply natural. I wish I could say I give huge amounts..the truth is I give micro amounts but I’m not proud of how much I give, I’m proud that I’m a very unselfish person who has and would again give the shoes off my feet and shirt off my back…those are not just sayings, my mom is on FaceBook, her name is Susan Nelson, My sister is there too Carrie Ryan…you can ask her and she will tell you I have actually given up my shoes and walked home barefoot because someone needed them more than me. I got in trouble for that…my mom worked hard at minimum wage for those shoes, but I thought then, and still believe now I did the right thing. I got evicted for running an electrical cord to my neighbors house because she had no power, that was documented by a film maker from the Open Society Institute in New York who was doing a documentary about my life as a disabled wife of an incarcerated spouse.
I have been in lots of trouble for my sharing nature, but I can’t change that anymore than I could change my eye color. It’s simply who I am.
4. July 2009 at 10:50 pm :
Since becoming a member of MicroGiving foundation, I have followed all your comments, donations, messages and socilal website. Your tremendous effort and ability towards helping others on a daily basis, I think is extra ordinary achievements that you displayed.
With that said i take this moment on behalf of all recipients who may not have the recourses to say Congratulations to you Becky.!!!!!!!!
Jamel
6. July 2009 at 10:01 am :
Wow, way to go Rayhawk, cool interview. I enjoyed reading it. Best of luck to you and thank you for your helpful comments Rayhawk. Sincerely, Penelope
7. July 2009 at 2:24 am :
Thanks Jamel, it’s nice to know you are following me on social networks. I hope you have visited my website too. http://rayhawkfam.com I live most of my life online and those who know me in real life (there are many IRL friends of mine of FaceBook) will tell you that what you see on the net is pretty much what you will get in real life except I’m not as well spoken as I am well written.
Thank you Penelope
I’m hoping all your wishes come true.
7. July 2009 at 8:58 pm :
I am pleased to see that you were featured Rayhawk. You are the only member who welcomed me to this new site. I appreciated your encouragement and caring. I have never had to ask for help like this before, but I am like you; I gave until I gave out, and now I am in trouble financially. But, I still have hope that things will work out for me. I am doing all I can to help my situation, and I believe that something will work in my favor in the near future. God bless you for your thoughtfullness and caring. You deserve the recognition.
8. July 2009 at 3:08 am :
Thank you Dorothy for your very kind and touching words. It is emotionally, spiritually and sometimes even physically very difficult to admit you are in trouble and need the help of others. I prefer to be the kind of donor who doesn’t really just give money and walk away, but I like to be a part of the persons team, a friend, someone who will stand with you during your time of struggle.
If you are doing all you can to help your own situation something will indeed work in your favor in the near future. Whatever spiritual path you walk…or none at all it’s a deep common belief that good things come to those who work for them. Working doesn’t just mean being hired by an employer…everyone can work and earn good things in life even if they can’t be gainfully employed. I believe you work and earn by helping yourself and others in any way you can within your physical and environmental limits.
You will make it through this
16. July 2009 at 9:04 pm :
I know you feel really great about this, as you so deserve it!
Becky, you are always thinking of others even when thinks are tough for you.
This world is more blessed to have people like you in it!
Congrats!
Hugs, Lois
19. July 2009 at 8:03 pm :
Aw, thank you lois. Everyone left such nice comments and I do indeed feel great being recognized for what I do for others. That is something that is very important to me…leaving a positive and noticeable mark on the world before I leave.