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How to ask for donations for a product - help

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I've always been that weird girl/lady that hangs herbs from her trees, wears eccentric clothing, wears gemstones, smudges with sage .... you get the idea. My son-in-law calls me the Supreme Hedgewitch, lol. Recent happenings in my life and the lives of many people I care deeply about has rekindled my gemstone jewelry making hobby. I've recently made gemstone bracelets for a healthy pregnancy, for mental health and anxiety issues, for leukemia, for breast cancer, and for brain cancer. I've had a lot of interest and requests for more.

I've noticed that it's common for many people undergoing treatment to carry gemstones in their pockets and to wear jewelry made from stones. Many facilities are now offering things like Reiki to their patients as a free service. The people that want and need these gemstone bracelets are already tapped from paying for their treatment. My problem is that I don't want to make a profit from these. But some of the stones that are specific to certain things like brain cancer are rare and expensive. I can't continue to buy supplies on my own and give the bracelets/pendants/etc away. I wish that I could, but I have my own bills to pay. How do I request donations in the form of Amazon and Etsy gift cards to help with the cost of supplies? I'm awful about stuff like that. I'm not looking to make this a business. I'm not even looking to cover the entire cost of supplies. I want to help people and help them stay focused and positive. Any advice on how to ask for donations toward supplies from those that can afford to donate, or any other thoughts about this, is much appreciated.

FWIW, I know many people think using gemstones for healing is hooey. Maybe it is. I also know that the power of the mind is great. If wearing a bracelet of specific stones helps someone focus their intentions and gives them a positive outlook then I think that's all that matters. And it goes without saying that if someone can't afford to donate I will still make them something. Because cancer and mental illness really suck.
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
I've always been that weird girl/lady that hangs herbs from her trees, wears eccentric clothing, wears gemstones, smudges with sage .... you get the idea. My son-in-law calls me the Supreme Hedgewitch, lol. Recent happenings in my life and the lives of many people I care deeply about has rekindled my gemstone jewelry making hobby. I've recently made gemstone bracelets for a healthy pregnancy, for mental health and anxiety issues, for leukemia, for breast cancer, and for brain cancer. I've had a lot of interest and requests for more.

I've noticed that it's common for many people undergoing treatment to carry gemstones in their pockets and to wear jewelry made from stones. Many facilities are now offering things like Reiki to their patients as a free service. The people that want and need these gemstone bracelets are already tapped from paying for their treatment. My problem is that I don't want to make a profit from these. But some of the stones that are specific to certain things like brain cancer are rare and expensive. I can't continue to buy supplies on my own and give the bracelets/pendants/etc away. I wish that I could, but I have my own bills to pay. How do I request donations in the form of Amazon and Etsy gift cards to help with the cost of supplies? I'm awful about stuff like that. I'm not looking to make this a business. I'm not even looking to cover the entire cost of supplies. I want to help people and help them stay focused and positive. Any advice on how to ask for donations toward supplies from those that can afford to donate, or any other thoughts about this, is much appreciated.

FWIW, I know many people think using gemstones for healing is hooey. Maybe it is. I also know that the power of the mind is great. If wearing a bracelet of specific stones helps someone focus their intentions and gives them a positive outlook then I think that's all that matters. And it goes without saying that if someone can't afford to donate I will still make them something. Because cancer and mental illness really suck.

You could do like some of the dog rescue sites and have the Amazon wish list. I think people can purchase stuff off the wish list that will go to you. For example if there are certain gemstones you need to resupply that are sold on amazon that would work well. I haven't seen etsy used in this way but it may be possible to do the same there as well. As for how to communicate it to people I'm not really sure. The only way I have seen that sort of donation request communicated is via social media like on Facebook. But if you are talking to people in person you could just let them know and send them the info via email or what not if that is convenient.

Also I don't think that gemstones for healing are hooey. I have typically worn a gemstone of some sort or other for years. Sometimes just in my earrings although with my recent earring infection that is out until after the pregnancy is done I guess.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Those are really good ideas. Thank you! I'm also glad to know that you like gemstones. For reasons. :)
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
I love rocks! I have a collection of different crystals and gem stones. I do think they offer an energy to us - maybe just a reflection of the focus we give it - but even that "placebo effect" is real. Our minds are powerful, and the support of gemstones as a means to focus the mind and body cannot be a bad thing.

I'm not sure on fund raising - but I like Nik's ideas!

GoFundMe takes a cut, and "feels" more desperate than an Amazon wish/gift list. You could have some free biz cards made up with both an advertisement for "if you are in need, let me know" and the address for your Amazon wish list, and give those out at hospitals, care centers, or anywhere you think you'd find needs and/or support for your wearable art. VistaPrint-dot-com has nice free biz cards. They put their logo on the back of them to keep them free. Their rates for non-free ones are pretty good, too.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Thank you, Denna's Mom. When I had my handmade body care business I used to use VistaPrint. They were always very reasonable. I think having cards made up is a great idea. I'm not 100% sure how leaving or handing out cards would go at the local oncology clinic. They have a reiki master there that offers her services to patients for free. She even does reiki while people are getting their chemo infusion. I think it's a wonderful service to offer, and to offer it for free is even better. I know many patients there carry stones and much of the staff (and all of the infusion nurses) wear gemstone bracelets. I wouldn't want to step on any toes.

What I'd really like to do is be able to get a decent amount of supplies and just make bracelets and leave those at the check-in counter or the scheduling counter for anyone that wanted to take one. Kind of like they have a large supply of hand crocheted hats and handmade head scarves for the taking in the infusion area. I guess I have time to brainstorm and collect supplies. Unfortunately cancer isn't going away any time soon and there will always be people that need all the positivity they can get.

And LOL at me. I haven't made a diabetes bracelet. Two kids that are insulin dependent and I never even thought of it until just this minute. That's kind of funny.