Our Crowdfunding Groups
Thank you for supporting our OSU Marion Pay It Forward Project in the past through our Buckeye Funder Campaign!
Let me tell you what your generous donation did over just this past year:
These are just some of the measurable things; however, you also provided students with a unique educational experience, one that again, many said they will never forget. If you want to see more about what some of these students said, watch the video on our new crowdfunding page at https://buckeyefunder.osu.edu/project/8986
Your donation has already positively impacted many lives, and it is an investment that will continue to reap rewards far into the future. I truly appreciate your past gift!
If you would like to continue to support the Pay It Forward Project at The Ohio State University at Marion, please go to our Buckeye Funder website and give whatever you can any time between February 1st and March 2nd. Click here to make a donation.
Thank you for donating to the OSUM Pay It Forward Project in the past, and I hope you will consider supporting us again this year.
Sincerely,
Amy Tibbals
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to share with you that the students in English 2367.01S awarded a total of $10,000 in Pay It Forward grant funds yesterday. They gave The Boys and Girls Club of Marion County $3,500; Marion Matters $3,000; Ohio Heartland Community Action Commission's United Community Rx Program $3,000; and Goodwill of Marion County $500.00. They presented those awards at our annual Pay It Forward Celebration yesterday afternoon. It was a great finale to our Pay It Forward grant process. Please check out this video made following the event: https://youtu.be/5H3u8mpUHEM
Thanks to your generosity, students had a unique educational experience, organizations in the community of Marion will be able to provide more services and the lives of people in need will be touched.
Again, I want to thank you for your donation to our Buckeye Funder Campaign.
The impact of your support for Pay It Forward just keeps rippling outward.
Thank you!
Amy Tibbals
Hello,
I want to personally thank you for supporting our Pay It Forward Project. It is just amazing to see the results of this year's campaign: $7,147 or 357% of our goal. I also want to share with you what this generosity will mean for us moving forward:
Thanks to this campaign and to our own OSU Marion Dean Gregory Rose, we are going to be able to increase our total grant award this spring to an incredible $10,000. Yes, that's right, I said $10,000. My current English 2367.01S students are working with four, instead of three, finalists this semester. The final four organizations are Boys and Girls Club of Marion County, Marion Matters, Goodwill of Marion County, and Heartland Community Action Commission's United Community Rx Program. These four organizations will be considered for funds, part of that $10,000. (See the picture below from our visit to the Boys and Girls Club of Marion County just today.)
More good news: The Marion Community Foundation has offered my English 3304 students the opportunity to experience what it's like to apply for a grant - to fill out an actual grant application. They will be able to earn the Pay It Forward Project $5000.00. Due to this opportunity and the money raised during this campaign, we are going to be able another Pay It Forward course in the fall. Those students will be able to award $7,000. This means that in 2017, Pay It Forward will have the potential to serve 60 students and give $17,000 in grant awards to local non-profits working to help the community of Marion.
It's humbling and amazing to have such awesome support for this project. Please know it means so much to me, and I am truly grateful.
Our giving page is no longer active, but you can still give. If you would like to provide any additional support to our project, please do so here.
Link: https://www.giveto.osu.edu/makeagift/?Source_Code=DEV_AG-0-BuckeyeFunder-ON-S&fund=315312
Thank you so much!
Amy Tibbals
Associated Faculty of English
The Ohio State University at Marion.
Again, we would like to send out a huge thank you to everyone that has donated to the Pay It Forward campaign. With your help we surpassed our goal of $2,000. With 48 donors we were able to reach $7,147 in 28 days. It's been a very successful campaign in just its 2nd-year running!
The money we raised will go towards the grant process that in turn will be awarded to 4 local non-profit organizations. These organizations in Marion County will be able to use the money in various ways to continue helping our community to be a better place. Meanwhile,Ohio State students in English 2367 will also gain experience in overseeing a competitive grant process, while English 3304 students get the chance to learn professional writing skills.
Once again, a huge thanks to all the donors, our professor Amy Tibbals, and The United Way of Marion. Without all of you, we wouldn't have made it.
Thank You,
Ian, Mary, Waryn, Jen and the rest of the Spring 2017 English 2367 class
What amazing news I have to share with all of you!
The United Way of Marion County has donated $5000.00 to support the Pay It Forward Project this year. This is a $3000.00 increase from past years, and it means that students in English 2367.01S will be able to give away even more funds to local non-profit organizations this semester.
Beyond the dollars, however, this increased support shows how much the United Way of Marion values the impact this Pay It Forward project is having on students and the community. Amber Wertman, Executive Director at the United Way said just recently that this project is an amazing opportunity to inform young people about the value of giving, volunteering and becoming engaged in the community. She has seen firsthand how students become very passionate about the local non-profit organizations and their service to the community during the Pay It Forward process. This has been a great way to gain access to this audience, the next generation of engaged citizens, employees, leaders and hopefully, potential volunteers.
Amber has also heard from the community partners/local non-profits that they also see the value in this project. While of course most every non-profit can use another way to access funds, they also see the real value in this project as being able to connect, face-to-face with this next generation. Many of these students knew little to nothing about the local non-profit organizations prior to their Pay It Forward experience, and by the end of the project, they have not only learned about these organizations, they have become advocates, volunteers, and even, program participants.
The United Way of Marion County has seen the vision for this project since we first began it in 2010. They've been an advocate and an amazing partner for Pay It Forward. I am grateful that this support has grown not only in advocacy but now financially as well. It gives students greater responsibility to oversee this larger dollar amount, and it offers more funding to local non-profits.
Thank you, United Way of Marion County! You, along with all of our other donors, are making sure Pay It Forward thrives!
Amy Tibbals
Hello there, warm-hearted helpers! This is a message from Austin H, Daric, Morgan, and Bethanie, Ohio State Marion students who are currently enrolled in the class that is managing the “Pay-it Forward” campaign.
For this little brief update, Austin would like to share his experience promoting the campaign on the local WMRN radio show.
Spending an hour talking about the campaign with the city of Marion was a very pleasant experience. The spot ran on the WMRN station from 10:00am to 11:00am on the “Morning Magazine” segment of the station’s programming. I was very privileged to sit down with our host, Randy Bigley, Amber Wertman, Executive Director at United Way’s Marion chapter, Executive Director Heidi Jones of Marion Matters, our own campaign manager Amy Tibbals and two other students Amanda and Mary.
As we explained the importance of the campaign and why we were doing it, it was nice to be able to provide our own input and voice on how people perceived the project and to describe what skills we, the students, acquire from such an endeavor. To get on a forum like that and announce what a privilege working on such a helpful gathering of local businesses and peoples was very exhilarating for myself and the other voices in the room, especially the three of us who hardly get to be behind the microphone in a radio studio.
A great amount of work behind the “Pay-it Forward” campaign and our classwork, professional occupation etc. comes from the ability to be able to communicate well.Whether it be speaking or writing, all of it has a sort of artistry to it that few people have ever flawlessly mastered, and the experience provided by not just our collaborators on the campaign, but also to our great donors, gets us just closer to achieving that goal.
Again, I just want to say thank you to the people involved with the experience and that I’m glad I was able to share the experience on the campaign page.
Sincerely,
Austin H, Daric, Bethanie, Morgan
As the crowdfunding campaign for the Pay It Forward Project makes its way towards its conclusion, we can gladly state that the target goal of $2000 has been achieved, with further donations encouraged right up until the official end of the campaign on February 28th.
With that being said, however, it seemed appropriate to take some of the time available to us and take a look at the person responsible for the Pay It Forward Project. Professor Amy Tibbals, the creator of and instructor responsible for the program, was willing to take some time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions, about herself and the overall development of the program since its inception.
How did you initially envision the class and the Pay It Forward Project?
I first had an idea after watching an episode of Oprah, that it would be cool to give each student $25 and then have them see how much good they could do in the community with that money. They would write about their experience and show what they did. When the opportunity arose to apply for a federal grant that allowed us to have students oversee a grant process, I felt like this was exactly the same type of goal I was hoping to achieve just in slightly different way. I like this model better, actually, because it means that students have to make very difficult decisions and be good stewards of a larger sum of money all while researching and writing.
What obstacles did you face in making this program a reality? How did you deal with these obstacles?
The only obstacles have been; 1) securing funding after that initial grant went away 2) enlisting more potential non-profit applicants each grant cycle 3) raising awareness of the project itself and the good it is doing for our students and the community
How long has the program been going on for now?
The first ever PIF grant cycles ran in the 2010-2011 school year.
How has program evolved and changed over time?
It has evolved in lots of ways. First, there are now two courses engaged in the PIF project. English 2367.01S oversees the grant cycle itself, while English 3304 (Business and Professional Writing) students oversee a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the PIF grant. Those students will also apply to the Marion Community Foundation for funds that will support an added grant cycle to an autumn 2367.01S course. The United Way and The Marion Community Foundation have increased their partnership roles and finances, and our own Dean Greg Rose has increased our financial partnership. The crowdfunding campaign means that our students also have a higher level of investment in the project as well.
Do you find the Pay It Forward Project especially useful as a source of funds for the local non-profit organizations?
While the PIF project does supply some much needed funding, I think the organizations would argue that having the opportunity to show students what they do and how they help is one of the more priceless aspects of taking part in the process. This also provide a way to attract future volunteers.
Do you think the Pay It Forward Project works well as a student-led grant distribution program?
Yes, I think it works very well, which is why I’m excited to be able to add another course section of PIF next year.
How has this affected you personally?
Every time we offer Pay It Forward it is an amazing experience for me, both personally and professionally. It aligns with everything I believe in as an educator and as an engaged citizen. I look forward to reading students’ papers as they have to argue which organizations should receive funding. The debates at the end of the semester are always very serious, and students become passionate about their decisions. As a teacher, I couldn’t ask for more. As I see students’ emotions and their compassion for these organizations, I feel very hopeful for our communities and the kind of people that will be working in them, giving to them and leading them one day.
What would you like to say to a potential donor or a future grant recipient?
When you support Pay It Forward, you are not only offering monetary support; you are supporting innovative education, civic engagement, and goodwill building. Give to ensure that this Pay It Forward Project continues and to show your support for the students at OSUM and the community of Marion.
Jim and Janet Knab are Upper Arlington natives, both graduated from OSU in 1981. Married in 1982. They have three grown children, three dogs, and still live in Upper Arlington.
Q: Why did you decide to donate?
Janet: “After watching our daughter make and donate last semester we as a family realize how blessed we are and are happy to donate to this useful cause.”
Jim: “I feel that the people of Marion could benefit from my donation. I have been fortunate enough to benefit from the Marion community through my business that I should payback my good fortune.”
Q: How does donating make you feel?
Janet: “It always is great to share our blessings. This indeed was an easy choice; the money is used effectively to benefit others in Marion.”
Jim: “Making a donation makes you feel humble; there but by the grace of God, go I. I could easy have been in the same need as those less fortunate than me. I believe in paying it forward; leave your place a little better than you inherited it.”
Q: How were you able to involve others in the Pay It Forward campaign?
Janet: “ I have a very short list of cherished friends and family. It was so easy to list the families and individuals that I felt certain would understand the Pay It Forward project.”
Jim: “I provided an email list with similar values and beliefs as mine. I hope they would help contribute to this great cause.”
Q: If you could donate to this cause again would you?
Janet: “Absolutely, it is nice to donate and know that the money will be well spent.”
Jim: “I feel that I would, hopefully more next time."
As you all can no doubt tell, we have successfully achieved the target donation amount for our crowd-funding campaign, thanks to our many generous donors. However, that does not mean that it stops here.
As has been mentioned in previous updates, the campaign deadline is February, 28th. As such, we will be accepting any further donations up until the last possible moment of the Pay It Forward crowd-funding campaign.
Each dollar over the target amount will be incorporated into the grant-creation process. Every dollar will go back into the Marion community and its local, non-profit organizations. Help us in this endeavor by continuing to donate, or at the very least encouraging others to donate by spreading the word.
We look forward to seeing what the end result of this campaign will be. Thank you all again for your continued support and contributions!
Here is an interview with one of our many donors, Mary Tobin! https://youtu.be/ynOw7d_xhnI
Greetings all!
The Pay It Forward #Buckeyelove Bake Sale was a huge success, thanks to the generous donations of the faculty, staff, and students of The Ohio State University at Marion. We would like to formally thank everyone who donated to the bake sale. From 12:00pm to 1:30pm we managed to gain $57 in voluntary donations in the Morrill Entrance Hallway!
If you missed the bake sale but would still like to donate, don't worry! You can donate to the Pay It Forward Project by clicking on the link here and going through the buckeyefunder donation process.
Our total donation pool currently stands at an amazing $2,047 from our ever-so-generous donors. We have achieved our goal for the crowdfunding campaign, but donations will still be accepted all the way to the final day of the campaign. Let's do what we can to far exceed our expectations and give back as much as we can to the Marion community!
Remember, the deadline for donations is February 28th, at which point no further donations will be possible through the crowdfunding website.
Thank you again for all your support!
Austin, Amanda, Raman, Chelsey and Mike
Happy Valentine's Day!
On this very special day, you can show your Buckeye Love in many ways. Any donation to the Pay It Forward campaign made today will count toward OSU's first-ever Day of Giving. If you prefer to go to the OSU main gift page, choose fund 315312, and you will support our Pay It Forward Project.
If you happen to be on the OSU Marion campus today, stop by the Morrill Hall lobby between 12:00pm and 1:30pm for our Pay It Forward Bake Sale. All proceeds will be donated to this campaign.
There are lots of ways you can show your Buckeye Love. Whether it's a random act of kindness, a monetary donation, or a bake sale purchase, you can make a difference!
Have a heart and show your #BuckeyeLove today!
Thank you,
Amy Tibbals
Studies show that people who report to be “very happy” tend to be more generous. Studies also show that those who tend to be “unhappy” tend to be less generous towards others.
“A wealth of research shows that generosity can have benefits for the giver, ranging from a better outlook to more years of life.”
Being stingy, and the shame that may accompany it, is linked with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Being altruistic not only improves well-being at work, but also makes people feel more committed and less likely to quit when the going gets tough.
A simple but profound point: helping others makes us happier.
Being generous leads to cooperation and everyone benefits.This leads to more success at work, for example, rather than stinginess.
Helping others has even been linked to a decreased mortality rate!
Being helpful makes you as well as others want to keep on giving. This will keep the cycle going.
Volunteering (money or time) improves well-being and life satisfaction, allowing stronger social relationships to develop and reducing mortality risk.
By helping others we are given a positive hopeful attitude towards others. The gift that keeps on giving.. is giving. By helping an organization or person, we are given the hope that there are people out there that care on a more personal level. It's a chain reaction and the positive feeling is spread whether you are the giver or the receiver.
-Ian, Waryn, Mary, & Jen
Sources:
https://newrepublic.com/article/119477/science-generosity-why-giving-makes-you-happy
http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199394906.001.0001/acprof-9780199394906
Huffingtonpost.com - “7 Science-Backed Reasons Why Generosity Is Good For Your Health”
We are so thankful for the unwavering support that the Pay It Forward Project has received thus far.
The students from English 3304 are holding a donation-based Bake Sale to show our thanks for said support. Our aim is to make our fellow students, faculty, and even visitors aware of what the Pay It Forward Project is, as well as to encourage further donations to our campaign through the treats which will be available.
Please come to the Bake Sale and help our local Marion community on Valentine’s Day/The Ohio State University's Buckeye Day of Giving by donating when you partake of one of our various sweet treats. The Bake Sale will be held in the lobby of Morrill Hall on February 14th from 12:00pm to 1:30pm.
The current total raised for the Pay It Forward Project so far is a whopping $1,580 from over 30 ever-so-gracious donors. We hope that donations will continue to come in until the very last moment of of the crowdfunding campaign on February 28th.
Thank you, and we hope to see you at the Bake Sale on February 14th!
Austin, Raman, Chelsey, Amanda, and Mike
Subject: Meet a Donor
At the young age of 19, Bailey Skiver is already doing her part for the community. She skipped out on a cappuccino from Starbucks for just one day to contribute. This is a feat that’s not to be overlooked; it’s a struggle for a college student to skip their Starbucks for the day.
(Bailey, age 19, made a difference by donating to the Pay It Forward Campaign)
We were able to ask Bailey a few questions about her experience in donating.
1. Why did you donate to the Pay It Forward campaign?
“I donated to the Crowd funding campaign to help out the students who need it and hopefully make a difference in someone's life.”
2. Was it worth skipping Starbucks one day to donate?
“Absolutely! Putting a smile on someone's face is worth more to me than a $5 cappuccino.”
3. How does it feel to give to the Marion Community and help a college student gain real world experience?
“It's a great feeling knowing I was part of making a difference in someone's life”.
4.What would you tell others that are thinking about donating?
“ I would tell them that's it's so worth it and they won't regret it!”
5. Why do you love the Buckeyes?
“I love the buckeyes because they are always finding ways to help out those in need.”
We want to thank not only Bailey, but everyone that has donated to our Pay It Forward Campaign. We are already over 70% of the way to our $2,000 goal! We are excited to continue working and raising more money with hope of improving the Marion community!
-Morgan, Daric, Bethanie, Austin H.
First off, we would like to thank everyone who has donated to our campaign so far. We have had a great start to our Pay It Forward campaign and have raised over $1,400 in just a few short days. This means that we are over 70% of the way to our goal of $2,000! Wow!
The money that we raise will be going towards the grant process which in turn will be awarded to local non-profit organizations to use at their discretion. These organizations will be able to use this money to continue making a positive impact on the community.
Without people like you, we would not be able to reach our goal and help the people within the Marion community. Now, if you haven't donated yet, don't worry, as there is still time to donate and give back to the community. Don't feel like you are giving too little because any amount given will be used for the better.
Thank you for your support,
Ian, Mary, Jen, & Waryn
A donation at this level would allow an organization to help someone make forward progress.
A donation at this level will help an organization provide someone the opportunity toward independence.
A donation at this level offers more opportunities for good in the community.
A donation at this level will qualify you for Alumni Sustaining Member status if you so choose.
A donation at this level provides multiple organizations the ability to improve programming and services for those in need.
A generous donation at this level provides a 1/5 grant investment to the Pay It Forward Project.
