Pure Charity

Pure Charity

Question
How do Feathers donors help the less fortunate through direct charity?

 

 Answer
Feathers Project donors provide financial assistance to their beneficiaries through a monthly contribution of $45 for 18 months. The money is deposited in a bank account accessible to the beneficiary in monthly installments. Only one installment can be withdrawn each month.

 

 According to a survey we conducted in January 2016, 81% of our beneficiaries are using a portion of their financial assistance to pay for job application related costs to help them obtain better jobs. Many are using their funds to send their children to school. Some are using the funds for medical or dental care. Others are using funds to expand or start a small business.

 

 The Feathers Project is not long-term financial support but rather a defined period of financial assistance to help families in the greatest need get back on their feet after a health or job-related crisis and overcome it. 100% of the contribution goes directly to the family’s account. None is used for administrative purposes. Administration of the Feathers Project is fully underwritten by Civicom.

 

 Through their donations, Feathers Project donors are helping improve the quality of life for their beneficiary families. Though a donation may appear small to the donor, it is immeasurably significant to the recipient.
Question
How are donors from geographic locations and cultural backgrounds so very different from the culture and environment of their donor families able to effectively and meaningfully form a bond with these beneficiaries?

 

 Answer
Feathers Project donors initially become connected through the use of audio and web conferencing technology. (Think ‘Conference Call’ plus “Adobe Connect” or “Skype” or “FaceTime”).  This creates an immersed and real-time connection of people across continents. The meeting is set up on site near the beneficiary family’s location and simultaneously at the location of the donor.

 

 The web meetings are facilitated by Feathers Project staff and employee volunteers who act as facilitators and interpreters. The translator is present to ensure messages from both parties are conveyed from one language to another accurately and immediately. At the web meetings both families see each other in their personal environment and learn about each other’s lives. The donor typically asks about what circumstances got the beneficially family in the place of needing assistance and how they plan to use the funds to elevate their current situation.

 

 Since the beneficiary family is not in a place to give a ‘gift’ to the donor, the beneficiary family gives a symbolic ‘feather’ to the donor in exchange for a monthly contribution of financial assistance for a limited time. This exchange is called "The Ceremony.”

 

 Before the ceremony the donor family sees Feather Project videos as well as a pre-recorded video showing the beneficiary family’s living situation and circumstances. Videos are captioned and subtitled for easier comprehension.
Defying Language Barriers & Distance

Defying Language Barriers & Distance

Engaging Employees Meaningfully

Engaging Employees Meaningfully

Question
How does the Feathers Project help companies engage their employees meaningfully?

 

 Answer
The Feathers Project has opened the door to a variety of volunteer positions that tie into the skills of employees. The Feathers Project has becoms a vehicle for interested employees to add more meaning to their usual work. Conferencing, webinar, marketing research services and tech support employees facilitate the web meetings that occur between donors and their beneficiary families.

 

 Transcriptionists, editors, Please.Do activity stewards, and account managers also join in with these groups to attend donor and beneficiary family introductions, help act as interpreters, and purchase supplies for family donations.

 

 Volunteers also help run holiday events for the beneficiary families, organize financial stewardship sessions, gather gifts for kids, and generally do whatever they can to help donors get their beneficiary families back on their feet. When asked, almost 100% of the volunteers have said they will volunteer again.