Written March 30th, 2021
Published March 30th, 2021
Written by Marie-Noelle Schuster (Marketing & Communications Volunteer)
As a nonprofit social enterprise, Coins For Change aims to be financially independent and sustainable to reach its goals. One of our main objectives is to empower women with skills and resources to overcome social and economic challenges. However, these resources have a cost, which we can usually cover thanks to Teach For Change’s profits.
Historically, we don’t rely on donations since we are a social enterprise, not a charity. We did appreciate punctual donations throughout our regular activity as they helped us create some projects on a bigger scale, but they were not essential for subsisting.
The global pandemic has led us to reconsider our business model and maintain our support towards disenfranchised women. While our charges have remained the same, our primary income has plummeted since the beginning of 2020. Without volunteers, we had to pause Teach For Change’s activities. We could not finance all the projects set up for this year by ourselves. The main projects requiring funds are the Emergency Fund and the Psychological Support Program. These two projects operate regularly, therefore having a steady income is necessary.
What is the Emergency Fund?
The Emergency Fund is a program set by Coins For Change to support single mothers in need of tangible, one-off assistance. The Emergency Fund is tailored according to each woman’s priorities and needs.
The program covers various needs such as:
basic needs, such as clothes, food for their children
healthcare, from medical costs to hospital fees related to maternity care
domestic violence help by providing temporary shelter and food
small business development, to support their financial independence
There is no amount set per beneficiary; the assistance value is determined according to the single mother’s situation and the urgency of her request.
Who is concerned by the Emergency Fund?
All single mothers belonging to Coins For Change’s community can request help. They can contact the organization directly or post a public announcement on our Facebook group dedicated to the Emergency Support for Single Mothers. Their message will include their personal information, a short text to explain their circumstances and request.
To avoid frauds and abuse of the program, Coins For Change verify each applicant’s profile and personal situation. We are fortunate to have a strong network of over a thousand women spread throughout the country. There is always a volunteer leaving near the applicant who is willing to meet the applicant and check their situation personally.
Where do the donations come from?
We encourage direct donations towards the beneficiary when possible. Inside our community, we have fellow women willing to help their sisters and partners financing us on a larger scale. Most of the time, they directly reach the applicant to support them.
Coins For Change may act as the intermediary responsible for collecting and reallocating the money for fair use for some projects and personal requests. Several sources of income can contribute to our projects, such as:
Coins For Change’s profits which are split between HerAcademy, the Emergency Fund, and the Psychological Support Program
Coins For Change Partners’ donations
Individual donations transferred through Coins For Change’s website
As a donator, where is my money going?
The donation beneficiaries are requested to publish pictures or videos as proof of having received the money or requested goods. They can also write a thank-you letter if they know the benefactor who supported them.
Coins For Change ensures that the funds collected through our website are safely collected on our bank account. By default, all donations are regrouped and will be distributed to each project proportionally to their needs. We register each operation, and donators can request more information on how their contribution has been reallocated. If you decide to donate with a specific project in mind, please specify how you want this fund to be used.
If you want to participate in this project, donate here.
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