Individual Giving Series-Sep 2012
- Donation Acknowledgement Letter
Dear <FirstName>,
Thank you donating <amount> to [program name]. We are glad you have joined our network of generous donors.
The CASA model works. A child with a CASA volunteer spends substantially less time in foster care and is much more likely to find a safe, permanent, loving home.
Today, CASA volunteers nationwide are making a difference in the lives of 234,000 abused and neglected children. That’s only 35% of the children in the foster care system. We need to do more.
In [local area], we have matched CASA volunteers with [insert number of children served] children in foster care. We know there are [insert number of children waiting] children waiting for a volunteer. To help all of them, we need more resources.
With your support—and that of others like you—we will continue raising awareness, recruiting and training additional volunteers. We will keep working until every waiting child has a CASA volunteer.
Your generous donation of <amount> will help us reach our goal: to match a CASA volunteer with every waiting child. Thank you.
Please help us spread awareness of the vital work CASA volunteers are doing in [local area] and across the country. Find out what you can do—visit [insert program url] today.
Sincerely,
<Name>
<Title>
<Program>
P.S. Add your voice to the national movement by visiting Iamforthechild.org today!
- Gift acknowledgment email and follow up email
Email 1:
Subject line: Thank you!
Thank you for your generous gift of <amount> to [program name]!
Last year, CASA volunteers dedicated thousands of hours advocating for the best interests of nearly 235,000 abused and neglected children nationwide. That’s only 35% of the children in foster care.
Here in [local area], we are proud to provide a compassionate, trained CASA volunteer for [insert local # of children served] children. But we know there are [insert local # of waiting children] children who still need our help.
We need to recruit and train additional volunteer advocates. With your support, we believe we can provide a CASA volunteer for every waiting child.
You’ll be hearing more from us soon. In the meantime, please visit our [link to program url] and learn what else you can do to help.
<Name>
<Title>
<Program>
Email 2: (follow up)
Subject line: We need you
Dear <FirstName>,
Thank you for your recent donation to[program name].
CASA volunteers in [local area] are serving [local number of children served] children. A CASA volunteer is directly empowered by the courts to provide one-to-one advocacy for abused and neglected children. Children such as [name].
Insert short paragraph about a child’s success story in your local area/program.
CASA worked for [child’s name- name changed to protect the identity of the child]. And it works for thousands of others. A child with a CASA volunteer is substantially less likely to spend time in long-term foster care and more likely to find a safe, permanent home. And isn’t that what we want for all children?
CASA volunteers nationwide are already helping more than 234,000 children in the foster care and child welfare systems. We are proud of their work—and proud of that number. But 400,000 children are still waiting for that one trusted, compassionate adult who will stick with them until their case is resolved.
Here in [local area] there are [local # of children waiting] who still need a CASA volunteer. They need our help. And we need you.
Together, we can change that number. Your generous gift of <amount> will help us recruit, train and support additional volunteers.
Join us. Help spread the word about the value and importance of the work CASA volunteers are doing in [local area] and across the country. Find out more—visit our website [insert program url link] today.
Thank you.
<Name>
<Title>
<Program>
- Monthly giving promotion
Version A: Email
Subject:The next step
Dear <FirstName>,
Thank you for your generous gift of <amount>!
Your support of <program name> this year will allow us to match more children in foster care with trained, compassionate CASA volunteers.
Now we’re asking you to take the next step. Join our [Name of Monthly Giving Effort] by making a monthly pledge. (link to monthly giving page)
When you join [Name of Monthly Giving Effort] you become part of a steady, sustainable source of support. You help us recruit, train and support additional CASA volunteers so we can work with even more children in foster care.
It takes just a minute to make your monthly pledge. (link to monthly giving page)
Your gift will change lives.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
<Name>
<Title>
<Program>
Version B:Letter with response device
Dear <FirstName>,
Thank you for your generous gift of <amount>!
Your support of <program name> this year will allow us to match more children in foster care with trained, compassionate CASA volunteers.
Now we’re asking you to take the next step. Join our [Name of Monthly Giving Effort] by making a monthly pledge, either by filling out the enclosed card, or by visiting [link to the appropriate website URL].
When you join [Name of Monthly Giving Effort] you become part of a steady, sustainable source of support. You help us recruit, train and support additional CASA volunteers so we can work with even more children in foster care.
It takes just a minute to make your monthly pledge at [link to appropriate website URL].
Thank you again. Your gift will change lives.
Sincerely,
<Name>
<Title>
<Program>
Response Device
Side One:
Sign me up!
I pledge to support [program name] with a monthly pledge of:
$XX_____$XX_____ $XXX______$XXX_____
Name: ______
Address: ______
City, State ZIP: ______
Phone: ______
Email: ______
Credit Card Info:
MasterCard___Visa___ American Express_____
Card #: ______
Expiration Date __/__ CVS_____
Signature ______
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on other side:
Campaign Photo & accompanying tag line, e.g.
I am for the child who no longer comes.
Your gift can change a child’s life.
- Appeals: 2 email versions and one mail version
Email appeal – version #1
Subject line: You can change a child’s life. Today.
Dear <FirstName>,
Today you can change a child’s life.
<Insert local number> children in <insert town/county state> need a CASA volunteer. You can help. (links to your donate page)
Children like Lauren. When she was just seven, Lauren fled from an abusive stepfather. When Lauren was 10, her mother had her medicated with powerful psychotropic drugs, and then institutionalized. Lauren ran away twice. Eventually she ended up in foster care.
Then Lauren met Stephanie, her CASA volunteer. Stephanie gave Lauren a voice in the community and the courtroom. And Lauren says Stephanie gave her faith in people and in life.
<Insert local number> children like Lauren in <insert town/county/state> still need a CASA volunteer. You can help with a donation today.(links to your donate page)
CASA volunteers provide one-to-one advocacy for abused and neglected children. In 2011, 77,000 CASA volunteers served 234,000 children.
But nationwide 400,000 children are still waiting. <insert local number> are right here in <area>. Waiting for the one trusted adult who will stick with them until their case is resolved. They are waiting because CASA has the resources to serve only 35% of the children in the system, and <insert local percent> in our community.
<insert local number> children are waiting for a CASA volunteer. You can help.
Your donation to <program name> will help us recruit, train and support more CASA volunteers. Today, Lauren is a university student, and she’s still involved with CASA, as a spokesperson for the program that helped turn her life around. “All foster children deserve a CASA volunteer to advocate for them,” she says. We know you’ll agree.
Donate(link to your donate page)to <local program name> and change a child’s life. Please give generously today.
Sincerely,
Name
<Title>
<Program>
Email appeal – version #2
Subject line: You can change a child’s life. Today.
Dear <FirstName>,
Today you can change a child’s life.
You can help <program name> provide more trained, compassionate volunteers to provide one-to-one advocacy for children in the foster care system.
Make a donation (link to your donate page) to <program name> and change a child’s life for the better.
A child like <name1>. <three sentences about this child/their volunteer
Or <name2>. <three sentences about this child/their volunteer
Today, <insert local number served> children like <name1> and <name2> in the foster system have a Court Appointed Special Advocate—a CASA volunteer who gives them a voice in the community and in the courtroom.
But <insert local number waiting> children in the system still do not have a CASA volunteer. That’s because <program name> has the resources to serve only <local number served> of the children in the system.
Those children need us, and we need you. Please give generously(link to your donate page) today.
Your gift can change a child’s life. A child in foster care who is waiting for that one trusted adult who will stick with them until their case is resolved.
Because of their CASA volunteers, <name1> and <name2> have brighter futures. Your gift to <local program name> will help us recruit, train and support more volunteers.
Please donate today. (link to your donate page) Your gift will change a life.
Sincerely,
<name>
<title>
<program>
P.S. Please donate (links to your donate page) to <program name> today. Giving takes just a few moments. Your gift will last a lifetime!
Appeal Letter with response device
Dear <FirstName>,
Children in <your area> need your help. Children like Lauren.
When Lauren was just seven years old, she escaped from her mother’s abusive second husband. By the time Lauren was 10, her mother had convinced doctors to medicate her with psychotropic drugs. Lauren ran away, and eventually was placed in foster care.
At her first hearing in foster care, Lauren met the woman who would help turn her life around: Stephanie, her CASA volunteer.
Stephanie stood up for Lauren in the courtroom. She gave voice to Lauren’s concerns and needs, and fought for a better future.
Today, Lauren is a university student. She wants to dedicate her life to helping others. Here is what Lauren says about the need for more CASA volunteers:
I believe that with a CASA volunteer by their side, all children will be treated with dignity, their rights will be protected, and they will be heard by the people making decisions about their lives. I know there aren’t enough CASA volunteers to go around. I want to make sure that no one has to make a hard choice about who gets a CASA volunteer and who does not.
Every child in foster care deserves the support and advocacy of a CASA volunteer. But right now, we can serve only 35% of the children who need us.
With your financial support, we can recruit, train, and support enough volunteers to care for every child in the foster care system—all 400,000 of them.
Please make a gift to CASA for Children. Simply complete and return the enclosed card, or visit IamForTheChild.org. It takes just a few minutes to donate, and your gift will last a lifetime.
Sincerely,
<Name>
<Title>
<Program Name>
Response device to accompany letter
Yes! I want to help [program name] provide a trained, compassionatevolunteer for every child in the foster care system.
Name______
Address______
City, State, Zip ______
email address: ______
Phone: ______
Donation ____$35 ____$50 ____$100 ____ $250 ____Other
Please choose one:
One-time donation ____Monthly pledge of _____
Credit card information:
MasterCard ___Visa____American Express____
Card #______
Expiration Date: ____/______
Signature ______
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on other side:
Campaign Photo & accompanying tag line, e.g.
I am for the child who no longer comes.
Your gift can change a child’s life.