A Unicorn Walks into a Coffee Shop and ...

I'm going to ask a favor today. (And like, every day until August 9.) And then probably lots of times after that as well. But that's because it's an important one.

I'm going to ask that if you happen to have $5 or $10 or $50 or ... $XX to spare, you considering making a donation to my nonprofit Conejo Community Outreach (CCO).

Fundraising is a fickle job. It ebbs and flows with the mood and environment of the community, yet, regardless of its unpredictable nature, we still work to sustain and provide consistent support for our resources ... and to meet the growing demand for them. Which means, we're always fundraising.

As a 100% volunteer-run nonprofit, whose board is comprised of six local moms, we depend on community support to help us put together and distribute our resources. While we invest our time, we need your help with the funding. It's how we've survived and continue to thrive as a local 501(c)(3) with modest roots.

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You've all seen me do some kooky stuff to raise donations and support.

I mean ... I became a Unicorn and drank the Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino, to raise more than $4,000.

It was absolutely gag-worthy, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.

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And then there was the time I  dressed up as a concerned citizen one year for Halloween and raised a few thousand for our Thanksgiving event.

I even stood outside the district holding up picketing signs to really get into character. It was marvelous. And I got to clutch a set of real pearls!

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And of course, many of you donated after some colorful memes were made about me online from a group of my biggest fans ...

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And so, nearly five years in, I'm hoping that maybe you'll just consider donating to CCO because you believe in the resources we provide to the community and you trust us to be good stewards of your donations.

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What does CCO do?

We have two MAIN resources that we provide each year ...

1) A community diaper bank — this diaper bank, which is in its second full year, allows families in Conejo Valley and the surrounding areas to request monthly diaper and wipes assistance as needed. In its first year, we put together nearly 100 packages. In our second year of operating this resource, if need remains consistent, we'll be close to tripling that. On average, a supplemental package runs at about $25-30 to prepare.

2) An annual (this year will be our 5TH!) Community Thanksgiving event — which provides full meal packages  (with all the ingredients including the turkey, a roasting pan and recipe cards) for local families to cook a Thanksgiving meal ( or pre-cooked meals for families who may not have access to utilities or health-related issues). In our first year, we provided meals to 10 families. In 2018 ... more than 55 families (comprised of more than 300 people) were given Thanksgiving dinners by our organization.

This year we also granted two local graduating seniors with $500 scholarships for their community involvement in Conejo Valley, and we partner with local organizations to provide assistance in their events as well.

It should be noted that because we are a volunteer-run organization, no board members receive any compensation for our work with the nonprofit. That means each and every dollar you donate directly benefits families in our community through resources we are able to provide.

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Our latest fundraising effort is our participation in Conejo Senior Volunteer Program's second annual CHARITY KARAOKE. Last year, with your support, CCO took home the top fundraising prize, which meant we were granted a $1,000 prize (which we were then able to use for the scholarships we provided this year.) In order to be eligible for the prize again, we must raise the most funds, among 20 other participating nonprofits, by August 9. 

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In conclusion, I hope you'll consider supporting my nonprofit with a donation within your means. Thank you <3

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I want to donate to CCO!