One great idea...one simple email...hundreds raised by Allison

When "Cash for Causes" was presented to us on Sept. 13th, we absolutely
LOVED the idea, and were honored to participate. Our family received a $20
bill. We started by adding $100 to it, but then got stuck...What charity
should we give to? What was our strategy for raising money?

Indecision hampered us for more than a week, and then we finally decided
that a simple, heartfelt message to about 20 close friends and family
members was a good way to get started. So we sent an email out just last
night explaining the "cash for causes" concept and that the charity we had
chosen is Laura's House, a non-profit organization in Orange County whose
mission is to: "Change social beliefs, attitudes and the behaviors that
perpetuate domestic violence while creating a safe space in which to empower
individuals and families affected by abuse."

I shared that when I was reading about Laura's House online, I was impressed
with the wide range of services they offer for women and children --
everything from legal services and shelter, to counseling, education, job
training and more.

I asked our friends/family if they would consider matching the $20 that The
Crossing had given to our family. In less than 24 hours we have received
close to $200 in donations, with more being pledged every time I check my
messages. We are thrilled, and hopeful that within the next few days, we
will have raised close to $400 for this charity.

THANK YOU to The Crossing for challenging our family with this, and for so
many other innovative ideas that have helped us grow and reach out to others
around us.

The Reese Family
Allison, Tim, Hannah and Jordan