Kids Help Phone – Fundraiser
In the age of Search Engine Optimization, users are bombarded by links with misleading titles. I was cautious when picking the title above, but I am sure nobody actually thinks a dog reached into his wallet and handed money to charity.
Here is what happened. True story.
I filed my taxes at the last minute this year. Like a lot of Canadians who tried to file online, I had trouble sending in my tax return. Some sort of bug in the system. I decided to give up and go see H&R Block (the branch next to Islington Station).
I was greeted first thing in the morning by a very cheerful tax specialist. We were both in an excellent mood so we joked around a lot. About halfway through the process, she asked if I had made any donations in the previous year. I said no, but I donated $500 dollars in my dog’s name to a charity event to support Kids Help Phone.
She thought it was just another joke… but I was actually serious:
Sakura is the name of my Pomeranian
She was very nice not to say it out loud, but I am sure she thought that was going to be the dumbest thing she was going to hear all day. She said I can’t claim that donation… and I told her I wasn’t planning to get a deduction. She asked if I made a donation, and I did.
Now… let me explain.
I am not wealthy… I bet Paris Hilton’s dog donates money to charity all the time! The thing is… last year I collected money for the fundraiser from a bunch of people who did not want tax receipts (mostly foreign donors) or people that gave $10 dollars or so.
When I made the deposit it just didn’t feel right to put down my name… or even my wife’s name… the money did not come from us, so I put down my dog’s name.
About ten minutes ago I received an E-Mail from H&R Block to give some feedback on my experience with them.
Feedback Form
I normally skip surveys but I took this one. I gave them a very positive feedback… the tax specialist laughed about the dog story, but she made me feel like she was laughing with me – and not at me. Plus… the final charge for her services was less than I expected to pay… maybe she felt good about my donation… don’t know. Good karma? = )
This year my boss asked me to be more hands on with the fundraiser. Yesterday we had a bake sale that brought our total donations over the $1000 dollar mark..
Organizing was a lot of fun. The company gets really involved in social causes… as discussed in the previous post, it goes towards the sustainability equation (People, Planet and Profit). I think every company should have at least one fund raiser per year. It doesn’t matter how much money you raise, it is about raising awareness first and foremost.
If you are in Canada, please look up Kids Help Phone as a fundraiser option:
My dog is beside me… she wants me to add this to encourage you to ACT:
Be the person your dog thinks you are.
Start a fundraiser in your company, for ANY cause that speaks to your heart. If you read my blog, feel free to reach out and ask for a donation. My dog is very generous.
Silvio Kusakawa 
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