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Breast Cancer Charity Feedback

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by dallas, Feb 24, 2016.

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  1. dallas

    dallas Co-Founder Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    We're excited to announce that we are partnering with @Shooter Jennings, and his label Black Country Rock, to raise money through our Make a Difference Store using Shooter’s newest album: Countach. 50% of the net purchase price of these Make a Difference items will be donated to a Breast Cancer charity, of which Breast Cancer Research Foundation is the leading candidate. The Countach Breast Cancer Charity items will include:
    • Countach Wax Cylinders: 6 songs from the new album, plus an exclusive bonus track, “The Death of Lord British,” all on exclusive Countach Pink wax cylinders
    • Countach Album Cover Art: The incredible album art as a framed painting that you can place on your walls
    • Countach Pink Dye: This exclusive hot pink dye is sure to catch attention
    • Countach Phonograph: This exclusive version of the ornate metal phonograph has pink and purple highlights
    When selecting a charity, we lean toward those with international or national reach. We use charity evaluation sites such as Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and Charity Watch to see how charities rate on such things as what percentage of their budget is actually allocated toward their programs and services, and their level of accountability & transparency.

    If you look at the top rated charities working to prevent and cure breast cancer on the Charity Navigator website, you see a combination of very large hospitals with $1B+ annual budgets, such as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which provides research and healthcare for a variety of cancers and life-threatening diseases, to much smaller organizations with sub-$10M budgets that provide information and guidance regarding breast cancer.

    We currently favor organizations that focus on international research specifically for breast cancer. To that end, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation appears to be one of the top-rated. It has a 95.89% rating at Charity Navigator, and is the highest rated cancer organization at Charity Watch (A+).

    Before we made that decision final, I wanted to solicit feedback from the community about the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, or other breast cancer organizations you may want to recommend instead.

    There are many, many members of our community whose lives have been touched in some way by breast cancer. If you have an opinion about which foundation we choose to support, please share it.

    dallas
     
  2. HoustonDragon

    HoustonDragon Avatar

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    That's awesome and for a great cause :D
     
  3. Lord Andernut

    Lord Andernut Avatar

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    Is this the same cylinder awarded to avatars yesterday during the event by the way?

    Great charity and I love these types of events - the current pace of introductions to the Make a Difference store and the relative uniqueness of the rewards has worked for me thus far anyways.
     
  4. Solstar

    Solstar Avatar

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    I'm totally refreshing the Make a Difference page to get a look at this stuff...
     
  5. Ice Queen

    Ice Queen Avatar

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    Great choice of charity
     
  6. Sean Silverfoot

    Sean Silverfoot Avatar

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    Great idea, Great choice!!!
     
  7. WrathPhoenix

    WrathPhoenix Avatar

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    @Lace can we get your thoughts here? You just ran the event on this very subject and it was a grand success.

    Also @Stryker Sparhawk do you have any insights to this foundation?
     
  8. Lady Addy

    Lady Addy Avatar

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    This is indeed a very worthy charity.
     
  9. Browncoat Jayson

    Browncoat Jayson Legend of the Hearth

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    I agree with the choice of charity, and will be making the purchase post-haste!
     
  10. Waxillium

    Waxillium Avatar

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    The only way to vet charities is to follow the money.

    What % goes to administration?
    What research do they currently fund?
    What have they funded in the past?
    How have they altered health care for the better based on the findings of the studies they have funded?

    Unfortunately, many obfuscate this information.

    After 12 years working in hospitals I'm pretty jaded by fundraisers.
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2016
  11. Solstar

    Solstar Avatar

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    I sure hope you aren't waiting for our feedback, before you post the items, good sir. Just bank the cash, and wait for the feedback to deliver it. It looks like you've done your homework anyway.
     
  12. Mata

    Mata Avatar

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    Great idea!
     
  13. Roycestein Kaelstrom

    Roycestein Kaelstrom Avatar

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    Do not choose Susan G. Komen for the Cure as most of the money goes to her coffers instead of the actual research for cure.
     
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  14. darkskwerl

    darkskwerl Avatar

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    This is definitely not the first time I've heard that said.
     
  15. By Tor

    By Tor Avatar

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    My girlfriend is a breast cancer survivor so this charity is near and dear to my heart. I'm very glad to see Portalarium and the backers support it.
     
  16. Waxillium

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    On a positive note, I'll still support every one of these you make!
     
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  17. Lace

    Lace Avatar

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    We had some folks make donations on their own after the Bi-athalon event. One donation that was made was to a UK based group. Since we have international players, perhaps rather than defaulting to a US based charity, users could specify which one and some from other countries are added?

    (And any charity except Susan B Komen is probably a worthy choice from what I have seen/heard/and read about their percentages)
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2016
  18. Lace

    Lace Avatar

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    @dallas Awesome idea for the Shooter Jennings combining with Breast Cancer Charity!
     
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  19. Bodhbh Dearg

    Bodhbh Dearg Avatar

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    I'd support the Breast Cancer foundation!... Not many realise that this can affect women *and* men!...

    I have to chose carefully, as my funds are limited, and I also want some stretch goal stuff yet (and those expire soon!!!), but I will make my mind up real soon! ;)
     
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  20. Duke Gréagóir

    Duke Gréagóir Legend of the Hearth

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    Great idea @dallas and @Shooter Jennings !! Thank you. Someone close to me died from breast cancer 16 years ago and our family misses her a lot.
     
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