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Money for CFS research via Pepsi Refresh project

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
"that's not something I'll be donating to."
Eh, it's voting, not donating. Right?
I was thinking more generally if a fund is set up (as part of Phoenix Rising?) as a non-profit. I have donated to Phoenix Rising before but it would put me off donating if that was what money was going to be used for. I thought the competition might only be for non-profits - if other ways to spend the money can be raised, that's interesting. The US is probably a bit different to other developed countries where governments generally provide pretty good social security safety nets.
 
Messages
60
I was thinking more generally if a fund is set up (as part of Phoenix Rising?) as a non-profit. I have donated to Phoenix Rising before but it would put me off donating if that was what money was going to be used for. I thought the competition might only be for non-profits - if other ways to spend the money can be raised, that's interesting. The US is probably a bit different to other developed countries where governments generally provide pretty good social security safety nets.

Ooooh. Those were just my personal idea for the Pepsi Grant, totally not what PR money would be used for I assume. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

Oh ya, totally agree with the last part :/ One of the ideas I looked at (on the Pepsi site) is a group that puts together food for impoverished kids to eat over the weekend. I wish we had a social safety net.

The competition seems to be open to 3 groups -- indiviuduals, non-profits, & for profit companies making less than $25m US Dollars a year (I think). The top voted ones seem to be all be related to improving communities -- maybe that's all I looked at, though. Volleyball clinics for communities, charity gardens, an online workshop to teach people about relationships, helping young men with Prom expenses, putting more books in a school library...





We are looking for ideas from individuals, non-profits and pro-social businesses that can make a positive impact in the community. Ideas should be feasible and completed 12 months from the date you receive the first funds. Ideas must have impact within one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia.
FAQs
Also:
Each month, up to $1.3 million will be awarded as follows: 2 Grants at the $250,000 level; 10 Grants at the $50,000 level; 10 Grants at the $25,000 level; and 10 Grants at the $5,000 level.

Applications MUST:
* describe a project to be carried out for charitable, community or educational purposes within one of the Categories of the Grant Program;
 

Frank

Senior Member
Messages
850
Location
Europe
Ok lelvina we'll wait it out till next month. I think we can win this. I personally can reach thousands of persons via this forum, via the action mailing list, via facebook and via other forums (international). So it's doable. One question is WPI a non-profit organisation?
 

kurt

Senior Member
Messages
1,186
Location
USA
I am very interested in this Frank!

Great find.

I want to submit something for the forums! -- We do CFS/ME patient education, patient support/networking, we could easily give small grants for CFS/ME related stuff. As far as I know, there really aren't any organizations that do what we do - Koan's laptop is a great example. We have and NEED a network, and support. We could also (just thinking) do something for simple housing for people with severe CFS/ME + MCS. That seems to be a pressing need. Ya, that's where I'd like cash to go. I'm thinking about Lisa in a tent as an example.
So, ideally, I'd love to see these forums submitted :)


Frank: They aren't accepting any more submissions for this month. So any submissions would be for May voting. [EDIT - May, not April. April submissions closed the 15th of March. time deadlines]

Just how many votes COULD we get? An individual can vote for 10 ideas every day, all month long.

I think this is a great idea, the forum really could use some funding to expand its activities, and why not help people who have CFS and are in dire straits? Who else is going to help them? We have people here living out of their cars, on friends' couches, some in tents. Maybe some type of indirect help for those people could go a long way, such as a network of people who look out for the most desperate, a crisis phone line, something like that. There are all types of ways to expand the forum to help the CFS community, and Cort is making the forum a nonprofit so it can qualify for exactly this type of funding. I know of no other organization out there directly supporting CFS patients, everything is focused on research and advocacy. Or treatments few can afford. Maybe eventually helping some patients pay for treatments will also be a useful charity project.

I don't think this type of program by Pepsi is intended to fund already well supported operations like CAA or WPI. Particularly given that WPI has still $3million in funds promised. This is more for a seriously unmet need. CFS patients qualify as a group with major unmet needs. My view anyway.
 

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
I know of no other organization out there directly supporting CFS patients, everything is focused on research and advocacy.
There is/was a group called something like CFIDSers.

ETA: http://cfidsers.com/
Thank you for visiting.
CFIDS Emergency Relief Services, Inc. has temporarily suspended operation. If you would like to donate to a cause benefiting CFIDS/M.E. research efforts, please visit the National CFIDS Foundation website, www.ncf-net.org.

I read a couple of months back of a poster on the ProHealth forum who had already done a lot of the paper work regarding having a non-profit set up in the US to support people pay for supplements and/or other treatments (can't remember the details)
My approach to help people is to ensure they get treated the same as everyone else/get what they are entitled to. In countries with reasonable social support systems, that’s quite a lot/enough to survive. In the US, your safety net isn't so good.
 

jace

Off the fence
Messages
856
Location
England
I just signed up and voted, which can be done wherever in the world you live. Ten votes every day, and the top idea for the $250,000 is for Spinal Muscular Atrophy research..

This is something that is feasible, free and fun.

For me, the priorities would be
1/. Housing for ME/CFS homeless
2/. Medical care for the same
3/. Phoenix Forum
4/. XMRV research

I am going for immediate need here. I'm in England, where my rent is paid, and if I am careful, I can afford my bills and food. Not enough to run a car, but then I haven't got the energy to go anywhere (except virtually) and I don't feel safe to drive anyway. Basic medical care and drugs are free, as is dental care. I hate the fact there are sick people in the US living out of cars and in tents. That really is not civilised.

Go for it, you Americans! Seems like you can pitch for more than one award..
 

beesknees

Senior Member
Messages
117
Well said, Jace. This is absolutely doable. As well as an exciting way to rais BIG bucks for our cause. Although, we are still waiting for someone to submit an application. Isn't Cort trying to set up a nonprofit? He could fill it out to help set up a nonprofit and run it for say a year. I'm sure all of us would vote for that.
 

Frank

Senior Member
Messages
850
Location
Europe
I've send a mail to Marly Silverman to have the NEI center in the Pepsi contest. You guys can add another cause for april if you want too.
 

Frank

Senior Member
Messages
850
Location
Europe
Hi Frank,
I am glad to see that you are spreading the word on this. Kudos to you! I hope that other CFS-ME-FM causes will do the same. We are already there... just waiting for tomorrow to process the application and then the upload on May 1 if our application is successful. From May 2-May 31 we then have 31 days for individuals in our community to vote on it.
We will need your help and the others to ensure everyone votes for NPOs that are helping our overall causes.


Marly
In Good Health and In Beauty,
Marly "Marla" C. Silverman
Founder
P.A.N.D.O.R.A. - Patient Alliance for Neuroendocrineimmune Disorders Organization for Research & Advocacy, Inc.
 

frenchtulip

Senior Member
Messages
760
May 12th Awareness Day

May 12th is CFS Awareness Day. May would be a good month for us to start voting on one designated CFS-related cause. If we all stick together and vote for the one CFS-related cause each month, we could build up some impressive totals.

The NEI sounds like a good cause for May. Regional centers are desperately needed.

Why not contact the CFIDS Association and see if they would include the Pepsi Refresh project in their e-newsletter. Perhaps they would also put it on Facebook. Voting would be a doable activity for many of us.
 

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
Hi Frank,
I am glad to see that you are spreading the word on this. Kudos to you! I hope that other CFS-ME-FM causes will do the same. We are already there... just waiting for tomorrow to process the application and then the upload on May 1 if our application is successful. From May 2-May 31 we then have 31 days for individuals in our community to vote on it.
We will need your help and the others to ensure everyone votes for NPOs that are helping our overall causes.


Marly
In Good Health and In Beauty,
Marly "Marla" C. Silverman
Founder
P.A.N.D.O.R.A. - Patient Alliance for Neuroendocrineimmune Disorders Organization for Research & Advocacy, Inc.
Good news.
Note this is PANDORA it would appear.
 

frenchtulip

Senior Member
Messages
760
Project requirements

I just checked the Pepsi site and saw this in the frequently asked questions:

What kind of ideas qualify?

We are looking for ideas from individuals, non-profits and pro-social businesses that can make a positive impact in the community. Ideas should be feasible and completed 12 months from the date you receive the first funds.
-----------------

I guess we are limited to CFS projects that can be completed within 12 months from the date of receiving the first funds.
 

Frank

Senior Member
Messages
850
Location
Europe
I haven't heard from Marly, and the NEI is not in the list on the pepsi website. So other ideas for ME/CFS projects that we could submit are welcome.
 

HopingSince88

Senior Member
Messages
335
Location
Maine
How about Creekfeet's "Sock It To Me" campaign? Grant money to increase awareness of CFS? Help fund the website creation, help pay for the sock display to be shipped and installed etc...
 

beesknees

Senior Member
Messages
117
I also like KnightofZERO's "adopt a sequence" idea. Or just paying for people's xmrv test. I know I'd love to have the test done and many others. Basically, most of us will have to wait until its covered by insurance which I'm guessing could easily be a year or two before that happens. On the Pepsi form we could ask for it to be used to help pay for a test for a potentially transmissited disease that is not covered by insurance. I would probably vote for that if I never heard of the disease. Just a thought.