In order to help us raise funds for our 3 main beneficiaries this year, we have decided to employ a new concept devised by Phil Macdonald and David Smith of PMCI.

Up until now, we have relied mainly on lump sum donors in the form of corporate sponsorship to raise money for the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drives. With the increase in space at the new Fountain of Life Children’s Center allowing them to accommodate more disadvantaged children, and thus increase their operational costs, and the addition of two new beneficiaries, the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind in Naklua and the Eastern Child Welfare Protection Institute in Huay Pong, Rayong, we are looking for every way possible to maximize our efforts in raising money this year. As a result, we intend to put to use PMCI’s concept of pledging monthly donations over a 12-month period and target a different database, in addition to our normal methods of raising money.

During a ‘soft launch’ at the Dusit Resort beginning of June 2002 for this new program, the response was very positive, offering versatility and appeal to a wider range of potential donors. Several persons have already signed up and ‘pledged’ for this program. Additionally, this concept has the added benefit of now allowing us to have funds coming in year round.

Presently, the types of pledges available are:

When one joins the Pledge program they will receive a kit:

One can join the Pledge program by using our online pledge form, by contacting members of the organizing committee for the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive, such as Graham or Woody at JCD2002@care4kids.info, David Smith at pledge@care4kids.info, or one of our Pledge Volunteer Collectors soon to be named. We will then set up an appointment to see you and explain the program and how to join.

The Pledge Volunteer Collectors will initially come around with your Pledge Kit and then each successive month to collect your pledge, issue you a receipt and update your pledge board.
We have high hopes for this Pledge for Kids concept and believe that this may help us give significant help to our 3 beneficiaries.

In this vein it is important we mention that the new Fountain of Life Children’s Center, which was officially opened recently, was a wonderful windfall from gracious donors such as the Oak Foundation and the Japanese government. However, the nice new premises did not come with any extra funding to run the new Center. And now with the new capacity to accommodate more children, the maintenance costs will undoubtedly become higher.

This is where the Jesters and our fund-raising Associates come in. Our role at the Center is, and always has been, covering the majority of their operational expenses, especially those that directly benefit the children.

Specifically:

These are examples of tangible results we get from helping the Center.

We also get the same gratifying outcome with our other two beneficiaries: the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind, which provides housing, schooling and vocational training for blind children and those mentally impaired, and the Eastern Child Welfare Protection Institute in Huay Pong for orphans and abandoned children. We are supplying the former with furniture, lockers, sun shades, and a new roof for the gymnasium, while for the latter we are renovating a building that houses the boys between the ages of 3 to 5.

All monies provided to the Center and our other beneficiaries are only paid out with official invoices and receipts.

If you are interested in helping us and you are not on board already, please look at our Pledge for Kids program to see if it is better suited for your getting involved to assist the deprived kids in the area.