Crowdsourcing: Teamwork makes the dream work

Natalie's 2013 trip
Crowdsourcing: Teamwork makes the dream work
October 18, 2014

Our lecture this week provided us with the following definition for crowdsourcing:
Crowdsourcing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call.

Crowd funding, a type of crowdsourcing, allows individuals the opportunity to finance projects that they put together through websites like Kickstarter and GoFundMe. People use these websites for a wide variety of things like start up costs for a business, surgeries, recording albums and more. It allows users to put their ideas in front of a great deal of people who are eager and willing to help, in many cases.

In the past, I have contributed to different campaigns that people have set up to help pay for funeral expenses for a loved one they had that passed and to help a band get on the road for the summer. In both cases, I was a stranger to these people. So, you never know who will come across your link and want to help you if your project pulls on their heartstrings or they share a common interest.

The above image is my friend Natalie Rosado on her last mission trip to Honduras. Quite recently I actually posted a link to Natalie’s funding campaign for her trip to Peru over the winter holidays this year on my blog. Natalie and her sister Rebekah are going to be delivering toys, tooth brushes, socks and shoes to different orphanages in December and they are short on their goal. Their project is listed on GoFundMe, and I encourage everyone to watch their video and see the passion these two young women have for making a difference.

These ladies are doing everything they can to raise money for their trip including selling their own possessions and holding car washes (If you live near Tampa, FL, their next car wash is November 1st!).

Realizing how important it is to them to help these children, and how important their contributions will be to the children in Peru, I made a few bracelets to help them try to raise money to go. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of my bracelets went to them and I am happy to report that they received a $100 check last week. I still have three bracelets left on Etsy if anyone wants to snag one. The reason they are red and white is because they are representing your donation to the Peru mission trip–that way each time you see it, you can be reminded of the difference you helped to make in a child’s life. I have also fulfilled custom orders through email and Facebook for people who requested different colors. Below are some of those custom bracelets… because I will still make anyone anything they want if they are willing to donate to my friends’ campaign.

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TAGS: crowd funding, crowdsourcing, GoFundMe, Kickstarter, mission trip, Peru, MMC5427

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