I Need Some Help With FB
By CatsandDogs
@CatsandDogs (13963)
United States
June 16, 2011 2:36pm CST
Yeah, I need some help with FB if anybody knows how. My parents are in a pickle again and in need of some help. They don't know I'm doing any of this and won't until I figure this out. As you know, we've been hit with some bad storms with very high winds. My parents roof is damaged and needs replacing however, they don't have the funds that they need to do so. I know there's a way to start a cause in hopes for donations but I don't know how to start it and continue it till the money is raised or for however long it's allowed to be up.
Do you know how to start a cause for donations on Facebook? Please tell me so I can start one for my parents. Thank you all for your help!!
2 people like this
6 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Jun 11
I'm going to post this on your FB page also, but it's not a "cause" you need to set up but a "chip-in". Pet rescuers especially do this all the time to raise money for their rescued cats and dogs, pet medical expenses etc...It's perfectly legal too. One needs to set up about how much money/funds would be needed then post the chip in on your FB page
Here's the link to the chip-in site
http://www.chipin.com/
2 people like this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
17 Jun 11
Thank you SO much pye!! You've helped me in a HUGE way!! If you don't mind, please repost it for me in hopes that it'll get all the attention it needs. Being on a fixed income and loads of medical bills, they sure as heck can't scrounge up the money nor can they make payments because with help from my husband and I and my brother, my parents are barely scraping by as it is. Again, thank you SO much!!!! ((((((((HUGS)))))))))
@nezavisima (7408)
• Bulgaria
16 Jun 11
Hi friends sorry for what happened to you.
Done within my one page on Facebook is free.
Do so many people to see it so more people will see your cry for help.
I wish you success.
nice day!
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
16 Jun 11
It isn't for me, it's for my parents however, thanks for your concern. Do you know how to start a cause on FB? That's what I'm searching for, is help. Have a good day too!
1 person likes this
@nezavisima (7408)
• Bulgaria
17 Jun 11
I thank you for your time.
I hope you find the right help.
Have a nice day!
Much success and no more problems
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
18 Jun 11
It was a pleasure. I did get some help from a some mylotters who knew of some sites that I didnt' know about. One of them is chipin.com and I can't remember the other one but it's something like fundrzr or something like that and if you'll scroll down on this page, you'll see it. I've posted mine as well since I set it up and put it on FB. Hope you have a nice night!
@kris182_2000 (5444)
• Canada
17 Jun 11
I don't think it's a good idea to use Facebook for this.
In all honestly, trying to raise funds online isn't the easiest or safest thing to do.
However, there are a few programs you could try such as Chipin and Fundrazr.
If your parents have good credit, I'm sure there are roofing companies out there that provide monthly payment plans.
Hopefully you can get the help you need for your parents.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
17 Jun 11
Thanks kris but my parents are on a fixed income with a lot of medical bills. With help between my husband and I and my brother, they're just barely scraping by. They can't afford to take on any more bills and is why I'm searching for help. My mother's niece came down a few months ago and I got to meet her for the first time and she's a real sweetheart. She introduced me to a lot of my family members on FB on my mom's side of the family so hopefully they'll all see that they need help and maybe a few friends too and some how the money will be raised. One can only try and hope, right?
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
16 Jun 11
Hi jillhill, they do but I'm not sure how it works and I want to be legal in doing it IF I can do it at all. So far I'm seeing a bunch of organizations but not personal ones and I'm not sure how or where the donations were to reach my parents once I did get a cause put up. Plus I want to be legal about it too but not sure how to do any of it. Their insurance depreciated the value of the existing roof so that's why they didn't get the full amount that they need. It's going to cost them a little over $9,000 for a new roof. They got $5,000. from the insurance company and they have $1,000. so they need $3,000. I'm thinking about making some pies in hopes to sell them to help raise the money.
@jerzgirl (9234)
• United States
18 Jun 11
The "causes" app on FB doesn't allow for solicitation of money for anything other than a charity or non-profit organization. Now, if a church were collecting money on their behalf, it would be possible, I believe, to start one under the church's non-profit status. Here are the links for their creation page and their TOS page. http://apps.facebook.com/causes/causes/new and http://www.causes.com/pages/tos. If you have PayPal, though, you can create your own "cause" page off of FB and then promote it on FB.
I also found this site that might work for you. http://www.fundable.org/ I don't see any restrictions and they don't charge except for any fees charged to them by credit card companies. They also work with PayPal.
You could also post a note that goes to all your FB friends explaining the need and including your PayPal address. It won't be easy, no matter the method. Try working with your parents' church or their church and yours, if they're different, to see if they'd let you bring them into the picture to obtain assistance.
You might have to open a bank account just for your parents' roof to set the money aside from your own and connect it to a unique PayPal account in order to allay people's concerns that your request might be self-serving. Then they could also have an address to mail donations to for direct deposit into the account, but you'd have to talk to the bank to see how that would work.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
18 Jun 11
Thanks for telling me that jerzgirl, I couldn't find anything that I was looking for on FB so I had to give up with the thought that 'it's just not there'. So I had to look elsewhere by asking questions and found a couple of places that I could go and yet post it on FB.
Now I'm not fimiliar with FB, you'd think I'd be by now but I'm not so how does one post a note to each one of my friends? I'll do it once I'm told how. What ever it takes, I'll do it.... legally.
As for the church idea, that's out. The reason is, the church that my mom goes to is really poor, supposedly. I say supposedly because the church is grand. It's huge and very beautiful and so is their school. Everything inside is beautiful so I cannot see how it could be poor. Maybe I'm wrong in that assumption but that's what I believe and feel. I don't go to church however, there is a church across the street from me and I've asked for help for my parents once about a year ago and thankfully they gave $50. I just might have to ask again for more help.
I've thought about opening a bank account but didn't want to run into IRS problems BUT, that may be the way I'll have to go. I'm sure the bank would know the ins and outs of the IRS and what I'll need to do. I just want to make it as easy as I can but yet, show that it is ligit too. *sigh
Anyway, thanks so much for trying to help jerzgirl!! 
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
16 Jun 11
so sorry about your parents roof and all the other things that keep on going bad for them. i dont know a lot about FB. i usually have a terrible time uploading pics, etc. on there. but if you can get it started, i noticed hardworkinggurl gave a great link. so id say you should be able to maybe get a link to your paypal? for donations? just an idea you could look into. 
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
16 Jun 11
Hi bunnybon, yeah, it seems like when it rains it pours. Always something going on with them. I feel like I'm at the end of my rope because hubby and I have given them so much that we don't have any more to give so I'm hoping someone can figure out how to make a personal cause so money can be raised to help them. Dad has to go to a VA hospital four hours away on the 22nd and the next day he's going to have his pace maker taken out to replace the battery and put back in his chest. I'm driving mom up to get him on the 24th. She wants to be with him before and during the surgery but her health prevents her from being able to do that. Sometimes I don't know if I'm coming or going! Hopefully someone can tell me how to do this FB thing. Thanks sweetie!
