10 Creative Ways to Help Bridgercare
At the end of the day, Bridgercare couldn’t do what we do without the incredible backing that we have from our community! We depend on our supporters to ensure that reproductive and sexual healthcare and education remain accessible and affordable for anyone who needs these services. Have you been looking to support Bridgercare on your own time, in your own way? There are so many routes to show your local reproductive healthcare clinic some love, and bring your friends in on the action too! We decided to share ten of our favorite creative ways that anyone can help Bridgercare:
Share Your Story: Have you been a patient here? Sharing how access to Bridgercare’s services has supported you is one of the most effective ways you can help. Nothing resonates more than a personal story, and by sharing your firsthand experience, you let people throughout south-central Montana know that Bridgercare is here to provide compassionate, non-judgmental, comprehensive care. This can look a lot of different ways, and you’re never obligated to share more than what you’re comfortable with (check out Janine's story, for example!). Emily would love to talk with you about this option (contact info below!).
Host a House Party: Put out snacks and drinks, invite friends, socialize, and then ask them to learn more about/donate to a cause you feel passionate about (aka Bridgercare). This is one of our favorite activities because we always meet new, fascinating people and they are a ton of fun!
Sign up to be a Give Big Peer to Peer Fundraiser: Give Big is a 24-hour day of giving that happens every year in May. It’s hosted by the Bozeman Area Community Foundation and benefits 200 nonprofits in the Gallatin Valley.
Athletic Endeavors: Ask people (friends, family, coworkers, yoga teachers, whoever) to match your miles for your next big adventure. Run, bike, ski, swim, mountain climb, horseback ride… it is Montana after all! We recommend using Crowd Rise for this kind of fun, active, and often online fundraiser.
Polar Bear Plunge: When it is freezing out… why not make the best of it! Invite your friends over and ask them to “pay” to jump into your freezing cold lake. And then congratulate them with hot cocoa, bonfire, etc to celebrate their bravery and raise money for a good cause in the process.
Lemonade Stand or Bake Sale: An age-old tradition and a great one to do this time of year with the kids. Being philanthropic is actually a learned skill so let’s encourage our future generations to be incredibly generous!
Special Days: Donate your birthday, favorite holiday, wedding, or even a baby shower to your favorite nonprofit! Instead of gifts, ask your loved ones to donate to the organization of your choice. One way you can do this is through a Facebook Fundraiser if you want to try and reach as many people as possible. Most importantly, make sure to tell your peeps who always get you presents because they are the ones most likely to act on this!
Add Bridgercare to your Will: No one likes to talk about dying. I mean, we are specifically in the business of keeping people alive and thriving! But planned gifts (aka money that is left to a nonprofit in someone’s will) are some of the most impactful gifts an organization will ever receive. The average age a person makes their will is 44, so if you haven’t done so yet, it might be something to consider. We are happy to provide our EIN number, tax specific info, or refer you to someone who can help!
Wine Night or Game Night: Invite friends, make merry, and ask people to chip in $5, $10, $20 to support a local nonprofit at the same time! If this is a monthly gathering, consider letting the host choose the nonprofit each time (assuming the host rotates each month). Or if it is less often, vote as a group on the organization you want to support and then everyone can feel good knowing their donation is going to a place they care about.
AmazonSmile: If you’re already doing some of your shopping on Amazon, this is a quick way to have a percentage of your purchase go towards a cause you care about! At no cost to you, when you shop at smile.amazon.com (which is the same Amazon you know- Same products, same prices, same service), you can support Bridgercare with a click of a button.
Who knew there were SO many ways to support your local reproductive healthcare clinic and any other amazing nonprofit that you care about?!
Interested in setting up any of the above or have some ideas of your own? We would love nothing more than to hear from you! Send Emily a message at eallison@bridgercare.org or give her a ring at (406) 587-0681 x 137 to talk more. Thank you for supporting Bridgercare, in any way that you do!