All right, here goes. On Nov. 5th, I am running the NYC Marathon for Legal Services NYC. A spot opened up last minute, and I decided to seize the opportunity to be the change I want to see in the world. That means I’m fundraising at least $3500 to fund legal defenses and advocacy for immigrants, tenants, women, students, workers, veterans, the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses.
Legal Services NYC targets pressing issues for low-income people. They:
- Run the nation’s largest foreclosure-prevention program
- Represent immigrants pro bono in asylum and naturalization cases
- Secure debt relief for students
- Fight against employer discrimination and unpaid wages
- Reintegrate veterans into civilian life
- And SO much more.
In an era of political division, with an administration determined to strip our neediest members of their rights and benefits, the work that Legal Services NYC conducts is more important than ever before. If you are disturbed by the revocation of DACA, concerned about the expanding influence of Big Business, or upset by the crumbling of our social safety net, join the Resistance. Help me support an organization that is actively combating social injustice.
To sweeten the deal, and to show my immense gratitude for your support, I’m offering perks for donations at the following tiers.
Donation Rewards 🎉 🙌 👏
Note: I can only deliver food/physical meetings in the NYC metro area, or if I happen to travel to your city. So if you live outside of NYC and aren’t traveling here any time soon, please choose a reward that can happen over the phone/internet!
$1+ Fifteen Seconds of Internet Fame: I’ll list you on this webpage as a Justice League supporter. (All donations receive this.)
$25+ Thank You (Musical) Notes: I’ll leave a singing message on your voicemail. For a sample, you can call my current voicemail. (All donations $25+ receive this.)
$50 Biscuits & Prose: I’ll bake you cheddar chive biscuits. I will also write a haiku or limerick dedicated to you, and posted on Strava or Facebook. (All donations $50+ receive a dedication post.)
$75 Java Runtime: I’ll go on a run or bike ride with you, at (almost) any pace or distance of your choice. We can talk about running, or CRISPR, or Murakami, or the best Disney princess. I can create the route if you want, and coffee (or Gatorade) is on me at the end.
$75 Errbody Loves Ice Cream…and Justice: I’ll make you a pint of ice cream. Choose 1 of the following flavors:
- When Life Gives You Legal Lemons, Make LemonAid: lemon, graham cracker, mint
- Will Work Dough Bono: cookie dough, chocolate chip, fleur de sel
$100 A Pizza’s Worth a Thousand Words: I’ll make a pizza, with the cheese customized to any picture/word you want. Example: I Choose You, Pizzachu!
$100 Marketing Therapy Session: Let’s have a 60 min chat about marketing or social media strategy for your business. Or, we can talk about your personal branding, like a cover letter/resume review, or an online profile review.
$250 Masterchef in Your Kitchen: I’ll cook dinner for you + friends (2-3 courses), using whatever food/equipment you have at home. Yes really.
$500 Shuckin’ Awesome: Love oysters? Want to stop ordering based on which name sounds the coolest? Become an expert oyster sommelier in this oyster shucking & tasting workshop for 4 people, which includes 1 dozen oysters (6 kinds, 2 each) per person. This is the perfect gift for the ostreaphile in your life. See class description and testimonial here.
$500 Make-a-thon: I’ll create a piece of collateral for you. Examples: Generate a brand name; design a logo, business card, flyer; take/edit a series of photos; copywrite/edit a document/website.
Top Donor – Lifetime Notary Services: Let’s put the Legal Services into this campaign. If you are the top donor, you’ll receive a card redeemable for a lifetime of NYS notary services.
Conclusion: Support Legal Services NYC, fight for social justice, get cool stuff. It’s a no-brainer. Also, your contribution is tax-deductible.
Note: If you live in NYC and prefer to make a donation offline through cash/check, just let me know! We can still enter it and have it count towards my fundraising goal.
There is NO donation too small, but if you absolutely don’t have the means to donate, I completely understand. Please help me spread the word about this campaign! Scientific studies show these steps will help amplify our message, and also make you fun and witty.
Campaign Graphics: 4:3, square
- Text/email 5 friends who might like this project.
- Share it on Facebook
- Post it on Instagram
- Tweet about it
- Like/Comment on my Facebook post to boost it.
It Takes a Village: If you know other groups that might be interested in this (think legal communities, activists, eaters, entrepreneurs, workplaces, sports teams, humans), please send it to those mailing lists! Or let me know if there’s someone I can contact and I’d be happy to reach out.
#RundamentalRights #RiseAndOrganize
A Bit About Me: For those of you who are Future Friends, I am an avid runner, specialize in food marketing for small businesses, and have lived in Brooklyn for almost 7 years. This will be my second marathon, and my first ever charity race. Also, I wouldn’t be here without the support and encouragement of my friends in the Prospect Park Track Club. If you are a runner looking to expand your horizons, come check out our group runs.
Thank you for reading to the end, and hope to see you soon!
The Justice League
Thank you SO MUCH for donating to Marathon for Justice!
Elle Park (First!)
Chester Cun
Murray Rosenblith
Adam Devine
Isaac Josephson
Liz Grammer
Claire Jardin
Omri Abarbanel
Tai Tieu
Robert DeMasco
Shan Haq
Holly Chase
Marianna Klaiman
Marisa and Chiara D’Amore-Klaiman
Jennie Matz
Jimmy Leung
Rosalba Perna
Oren Efrati
Noah Devereaux
Sam Smullen
Nathan Kisin
Desmond Chow
Pat DeYoung
Jennifer Lee
Melissa Lee
Heather Isiminger
Nicholas Cohen
Joanna Motrunecs
Julie Xiao
Albert Wong
Carlos Vazquez
Ana Sofia Joanes
Topher Nguyen
Hilary Pauli
Gordon Mark
Jana Trenk
Donna Newton
Lawrence Balick
Mark Guralnick
Michael Silver
Michele Wiemer
Prakash Prasad
The Vuong Family (Mark, Kim, Carissa & Thomas)
Helen Kim
Theodora Fan
Megan Riddlesperger
Victoria Rehkugler
Adam Iannazzone
Lisa Knauer
Sam Garwin
Matthew Whaley
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker
Katie Dadarria
Ruby Strait
Wendy Stuart
Devon Klein
Rebekah Tonthat
Judy Kotler