Have questions/Need help with rasing money for a friend

[momof2OH]

I'm not sure how to go about this. I'm needing some help/advice on how to start a fund or raise money for someone who's husband passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.

My best friends husband, who also was a very close family friend passed away suddenly. He was a truck driver and was found in his truck from an apparent heart attack. He was 35. The trucking company he worked for is doing NOTHING to help her, not even so much as an "I'm sorry". We are going to be looking into that aspect of it since he was on the job at the time. Also we are looking into how the county personel in the state he was found in handled things (theres alot of questions about that) She has three kids and he was the main source of income.

TIA

 

[CEDmom]

My heart breaks for this family. I'm guessing there wasn't much in the way of life insurance. I don't have any great ideas for raising money. Are you a member of a church where you could get the congregation involved in doing a fund raiser? Perhaps local businesses would be willing to donate things to be raffled off (i.e. dinner vouchers, grocery vouchers, carwash coupon books, lawn service etc).

 

[Melann]

Many people in my area have held beef and beers for situations likes this. You can try asking local businesses for items to use as door prizes (If there is a Sam's club near you, they do donations--just get it in like a month early). Good luck, and I am so sorry for your friend!

 

[monarchsfan16]

Is there any sort of "community" or organization she or he was involved in? Often a group that a person is involved in is a good way to start. We have an interpreter that works for our school that is in critical condition in Boston, with a rare skin disease, and a lot of our school groups have been doing things to raise money for her medical costs. One of our teachers has organized a dinner for this weekend, where all the money will be profit because we were able to get so many donations. These are just examples, but if you or she belong to any organizations start there. Churches, anything. I don't know what the community situation is where you are. Here it's really great, particularly with the school, but getting the community involved through raffles, dinners, silent auctions, etc is the way to go. And businesses often get involved in stuff. Solicit donations. Just make sure their name gets out. They like the publicity it gets them.
And so sorry about this awful tragedy.

 

[momof2OH]

Thanks for the replys. The town she lives in in Oklahoma is very, very small. He was a member of a motorcycle organization (they basicly are a group of people that ride and they raise money for others who have been killed on motocycles). They actually raised the money for her to bring him home. He was found in Washington State. They used to live in the town I live in, so we are trying to think of things to do up here. Our town is bigger.

The ideas everyone has mentioned are great, Thanks!

 

[Stepharoonie!]

The only thing I could think of doing is a town garage sale or maybe doing some hardcore eBay.

 

[Disney Doll]

At my place of employment, we have held bake sales for the person who is having a problem. The last one we did raised $5000!!!!

There's also such a thing as a "Cakeless Bake Sale" where you make up a little ditty poem that basically says "everyone's busy and doesn't have time to bake, so send us the money you'd spend on making a cake". I've done that one for the civic organiztion I belong to, and it works pretty well. There's a lot fo folks who would rather send a donation than have to bake or whatever.