- Pin it
- SubscribeUnsubscribe
- Embed
Gaia House Interfaith Center hasn't added a story.
Gaia House Summer Fundraiser
Gaia House is raising funds for some much-needed upgrades in fall semester. Our goal is $8,000. We invite you to donate today.
What is Gaia House?
Gaia House is a student and community center on the SIU Carbondale campus. People of many faiths, beliefs, backgrounds, orientations, and identities meet at Gaia House. Our mission emphasizes peace, social justice, the environment, spirituality, and interfaith dialog. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you are welcome here.
How is Gaia House funded?
Gaia House receives no funding from SIU or the local, state, or federal government. Our student group, Gaia House RSO, only receives a small amount of funding for welcome events in the fall. This means that 100% of our funding comes from people like you who come to our events, meet at our building, and support our mission.
About 75% of our budget comes from donations and fundraisers. This includes membership dues, contributions from local faith communities, and direct donations from individuals. The other 25% comes from renting out our facility to individuals and groups for meetings and special events. This ongoing financial support from our community makes everything that we do at Gaia House possible.
What will Gaia House do with the money we raise?
We’ve created several specific mini-goals to describe the improvements that we’ll make at Gaia House thanks to your contribution. When we reach a mini-goal, we’ll make that project a reality. Some of the money raised will go toward general expenses like rent, utilities, insurance, and payroll. The rest will go directly toward the projects described in the mini-goals.
Our overall goal for this fundraiser is to raise $8,000. Your support will help us to reach this goal.
Thank you!
Thank you for your support. Please remember to share this message with your friends and family!
Fundraiser Mini-Goals
We’ve created several specific mini-goals to describe the improvements that we’ll make at Gaia House thanks to your contribution. When we reach a mini-goal, we’ll make that project a reality. Some of the money raised will go toward general expenses like rent, utilities, insurance, and payroll. The rest will go directly toward the projects described in the mini-goals.
$1,000: Paint The Bridge
Gaia House is known for its interesting architecture. Visitors who enter through our main entrance pass through our wooden gate and walk across our wooden bridge. As you may have noticed, this bridge could use a new coat of paint! When we reach this goal, we will repaint the bridge.
$2,000: Four Rice & Spice Dinners
Food is a great way for diverse groups of people to meet and learn about each other’s cultures in a relaxed and friendly environment. The Rice & Spice dinner series has been bringing people together around food for years. However, we currently don’t have the funds to make this a weekly program. When we reach this goal, we will have four Rice and Spice dinners.
$3,000: Better Lighting
Many people feel more comfortable and welcome in community spaces that are brightly lit. This is especially true when people are deciding whether or not to come to a new community space at all. When we reach this goal, we will install outdoor solar-powered LED floodlights and fill as many indoor light sockets as possible with bright LED bulbs. This will brighten our space while also eventually reducing our energy use as we gradually phase out our existing fluorescent bulbs.
$5,000: Be The Change Grant
Our ongoing Be The Change series has become one of the most visible expressions of our core values of social justice, environment, and spirit. So far, this series has consisted of simple gatherings that require little or no funding. However, the goal of Be The Change has always been to inspire social action beyond these events. In that spirit of action and service to our community, we want to create a new Be The Change Grant. This grant will be offered once per semester and will be open to high school and college students who live or study in Carbondale. Students will submit proposals for projects related to the Be The Change themes and values. Priority will be given to projects that help those in need, address multiple themes, and in some way involve Gaia House.
$8,000: Central AC Repair/Upgrade
Summer heat can render a building virtually unusable without the benefits of air conditioning. Our building has central air conditioning and heating, but the upstairs unit currently isn't working. This makes it difficult to hold any events upstairs during the hot summer months -- even at night! When we reach this goal, we will repair the upstairs air conditioning.
Perks
- 0 claimed
We will publish a special thank you message for you and other $100+ donors in our weekly newsletter and on our social media accounts (Facebook & Twitter). This includes sharing a link to the business or nonprofit website of your choice. You can also give in honor or in memory of someone special in your life.
- 1 claimed
Christmahanukwanzadan is our annual winter holiday celebration. This party gets its unusual name from several of the many different holidays that people celebrate at Gaia House. It features live music, food, and other special holiday activities and performances that vary from year to year.
- 0 claimed
Our weekly newsletter features a permanent message listing several groups that provide major support for Gaia House. Traditionally, this has only contained the names of faith communities. However, we're also open to adding nonprofits or local businesses with missions in alignment with our own. Donors at this level would receive a year's worth of recognition in our newsletter and website. We are also open to suggestions about other ways that you would like to be recognized for your generous contribution.
Highlights
See all activity7Updates
Activity
- 0 claimed
We will publish a special thank you message for you and other $100+ donors in our weekly newsletter and on our social media accounts (Facebook & Twitter). This includes sharing a link to the business or nonprofit website of your choice. You can also give in honor or in memory of someone special in your life.
- 1 claimed
Christmahanukwanzadan is our annual winter holiday celebration. This party gets its unusual name from several of the many different holidays that people celebrate at Gaia House. It features live music, food, and other special holiday activities and performances that vary from year to year.
- 0 claimed
Our weekly newsletter features a permanent message listing several groups that provide major support for Gaia House. Traditionally, this has only contained the names of faith communities. However, we're also open to adding nonprofits or local businesses with missions in alignment with our own. Donors at this level would receive a year's worth of recognition in our newsletter and website. We are also open to suggestions about other ways that you would like to be recognized for your generous contribution.
Delete media item?
Delete this item from the media gallery? It will also be deleted from any related story update.
Set as ?
The campaign video will appear in social media and email.
The campaign cover picture will appear in social media and email.
The will appear at the top of your campaign page and in social media and email.
Reset ?
It will be removed from the top of your campaign and won't be used as default in social media and email. The will remain in the media gallery.
Embed
Share a link
Delete update
Delete this story update?
Any pictures or videos will remain in the campaign's media gallery.
Report campaign
Report submitted
Thank you. We take reports like yours very seriously. Our goal is to keep the community safe.
Please know that we may contact you for more information, but that we won't notify you personally of our decision. If the campaign remains available within a few days, it's likely that we determined it not to be in violation of our policies.
Thank you. We've already received your previous report. If the campaign remains available within a few days, it's likely that we determined it not to be in violation of our policies.
Tell us about the problem. Please fill in both fields below.
Record a video
Upload a video
Nothing grabs attention for your cause like a personal video. Take a minute or two to record one now. Record a short video message of support. Or upload one from your device. You can preview or redo your video before you post it.
Nothing grabs attention for your cause like a personal video. Upload a short video message of support. Upload a short video message of support. Or record one right now.
- Most effective video length: about a minute.
- Maximum length: 5 min.
- You can preview or redo your video before you post it.
Heads up! The existing video will be replaced.
Email your friends
Join our team
Tell people why our cause matters to you. Your personal message will encourage others to help. Easy, effective, optional.
Say it in video
Short personal videos by supporters like you are incredibly powerful. Record one right now and you'll help us raise more money. Easy, optional, effective.
Add a personal goal
Set a personal fundraising goal. You'll encourage more contributions if you do. And rest easy. There's no obligation to achieve your goal or bad consequences if you don't. Easy, optional, effective.
We have a video!
Video thumbnail
We'd love to show you our campaign video. Want to take a look?
, you're already on the team.