Please Donate to the Free Store Before OCF Closes its Donation Platform
Published on March 5, 2024 by Jung M.
Hi everyone,
We're reaching out with some bittersweet news. Last week, we received a notification from our current fiscal sponsor (Open Collective Foundation) that they're planning on closing at the end of 2024, but would stop accepting donations on March 15 (aka next week!). This is a big surprise to us as well as the hundreds of other groups, collectives, and mutual aid project that OCF supports, including ones that some of you are part of.
Even though we'll be losing our fiscal sponsor and donation platform, RPFS is not planning on closing its Saturday distribution of personal care, baby, and cleaning items to our neighbors. But we do need your help.
Here's how you can support us:
1. If you're a monthly donor who has the ability to donate more right now, please consider making a donation that is double or triple your usual amount to keep us sustained the next couple of months as we switch to a new donation platform.
2. If your monthly donation usually charges after the 15th of the month, please help us by paying it now.
3. Share our fundraising appeal from our IG page @rogersparkfreestore.
4. Look out for more info from us in the coming months on our next steps and how you can best support the Free Store's work (and hopefully restart your monthly donations).
5. Let us know if you're connected to a 501c3 organization that would be willing to provide free or low-cost fiscal sponsorship for us so that we can continue to receive one-time and monthly donations, and pay for rent and supplies at our neighborhood space.
We're reaching out with some bittersweet news. Last week, we received a notification from our current fiscal sponsor (Open Collective Foundation) that they're planning on closing at the end of 2024, but would stop accepting donations on March 15 (aka next week!). This is a big surprise to us as well as the hundreds of other groups, collectives, and mutual aid project that OCF supports, including ones that some of you are part of.
Even though we'll be losing our fiscal sponsor and donation platform, RPFS is not planning on closing its Saturday distribution of personal care, baby, and cleaning items to our neighbors. But we do need your help.
Here's how you can support us:
1. If you're a monthly donor who has the ability to donate more right now, please consider making a donation that is double or triple your usual amount to keep us sustained the next couple of months as we switch to a new donation platform.
2. If your monthly donation usually charges after the 15th of the month, please help us by paying it now.
3. Share our fundraising appeal from our IG page @rogersparkfreestore.
4. Look out for more info from us in the coming months on our next steps and how you can best support the Free Store's work (and hopefully restart your monthly donations).
5. Let us know if you're connected to a 501c3 organization that would be willing to provide free or low-cost fiscal sponsorship for us so that we can continue to receive one-time and monthly donations, and pay for rent and supplies at our neighborhood space.
We're so grateful for you - our community partners, neighbors, and donors - and appreciate your support through this unexpected transition.
Thank you from the Rogers Park Free Store collective members