ALMA launched in August this year, and what a year it’s been! 🎉 We wanted to end with a thank you to all the people who’ve supported us and the work we’re doing.
Around this time a year ago Michelle and I were reflecting on all the events of 2017. In particular we were thinking about the wildfires that had devastated Sonoma County. People lost lives, our friends lost homes, and the air in San Francisco was thick with black smoke.
Like many of our friends, we wanted to do something to help — but found it hard to find great local organizations to support. And hence, ALMA was born.
A year later, another set of deadly fires broke out in California. This time we’ve been able to help by raising over $400k for local nonprofits that are helping with wildfire relief. In week one we raised $10k, and the next Monday we had $10k in a single day…
Of course, we haven’t just been working on helping with the wildfires. We also knew that people were finding it hard to get involved with causes they cared about in the Bay Area. We launched funds to help people experiencing homelessness, push for gender quality at work, make San Francisco greener and more sustainable, improve early childhood literacy, and more.
It’s been a tremendous year, and we’re still only at the very beginning.
Thank you to our nonprofit partners for coming onboard. You get pitched by a new startup app every week in San Francisco, so thank you for the time and energy you’ve brought to partner with ALMA.
In particular, we want to thank the five organizations in our Seeking Shelter fund: Raphael House, Larkin Street Youth Services, Simply the Basics, Lava Mae and At the Crossroads. You all saw the potential of what we were trying to do, and took the leap with us right at the very beginning.
Thank you to the ALMA community. Over 2,500 of you have now joined the ALMA community.
Your feedback, your encouragement and your support has helped shaped the product and where we’re going. You’ve donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local causes and nonprofits in the Bay Area.
Thank you to our team. Whitney and Simon, it’s been such a pleasure working with you. We’re so grateful you joined the team! Each of you brings such great energy and talent. Thank you also to the people we worked with along the journey: Justin, Eric, Sophia, Franklyn, Cooley, Adler & Colvin.
Thank you to our investors for believing in ALMA. The support, feedback and trust you’ve given us have allowed us to invest in a big idea. It’s been quite a journey this year and we’re lucky to have you with us. Riley, Sara, David, Soleio, Adam, Tim.
Thank you to our friends and family for the support. We’ve had our share of tough moments, and you’ve helped us all through 🙏.
2019 is going to be an exciting year. We’d love to hear from you if you have ideas, feedback, or thoughts on ALMA on charity in general!
Wishing everyone a fantastic year ahead,
Dan, Michelle, Whitney, Simon.
