About six weeks ago, I laid down in bed around 1230am. And I couldn’t sleep. First and foremost on my mind was the Provision Project, our new non-profit to help provide financial assistance to women who are in active treatment for breast cancer. (www.provisionproject.org)
As I laid there, I clearly heard something. Over the years, I have come to learn what it was. God’s voice. Two words. “100 Club.” And I instantly knew what God meant.
I got up out of bed and went to my computer. I have helped do some fundraising over the years for the 100 Club of Arizona. They are an amazing organization whose mission is to provide immediate financial assistance to families of public safety officers and firefighters who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, and to provide resources to enhance their safety and welfare.
In the middle of that night, I re-read the history of the 100 Club: “The concept of the ‘100 Club’ was born in Detroit in 1952, following the fatal shooting of a young Detroit officer. Moved by the situation, William M. Packer, who was the largest Pontiac Dealer in the nation and a friend of the police commissioner, wrote to 100 of his friends encouraging them to donate to a fund for the fallen officer. He received a 100 percent response rate. Packer and the commissioner met with the expectant widow, reviewed her finances and arranged to pay off the mortgage on their recently purchased home, pay all the bills, set up an education account for the yet unborn child and deposited $7,000 in the widow’s checking account.”
Through the circumstances of that night, the idea that God made crystal-clear to me was this: We need to find 100 people or companies who are willing to donate at least $25 a month ($300 a year) to the Provision Project. By having commitments for monthly donations, that will allow us to always have funding coming in to help women fighting breast cancer as their needs arise. Each of those donors would be part of the “Provision Project 100,” and they will have the distinction of being one of the donors who helped start the Provision Project.
Here’s my personal challenge to each of you. You may want to be one of the Provision Project 100. We would love that. Whether you are able to do that or not, I want to challenge you to think of who you know who has been touched by breast cancer. Who do you know, in your sphere of influence, who would want to support this important cause? Would you please help us get the word out to them? Would you please ask them to become one of the Provision Project 100?
The Provision Project is an all-volunteer non-profit organization. We have very little overhead and intend to keep it that way. All of our board members have had breast cancer or have had family members with breast cancer. While we will have a few minor operating expenses, the vast majority of all donations will go directly to the women who need it. Our funding team will thoroughly vet and discuss each grant application. We take our mission very seriously.
The Provision Project is in the process of filing for our official non-profit exempt status with the IRS. Here is information about tax-deductible donations while our application is pending.
Thank you so very much for considering this challenge, friends.
Gratefully,
Jan James, Executive Director