Crowdfunding and COVID-19
How crowdfunding empowers individuals during these unprecedented times. #PledgeToProtect
In an ideal scenario, institutions and hospitals would have been fully prepared to protect the medical workers fighting COVID-19. A severe national shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) has made it clear that this is not the case.
Some examples:
60 Minutes: Sick Doctors, Nurses and Not Enough Equipment: NYC Health Care Workers on the Fight Against the Coronavirus
NY Times: Nurses Die, Doctors Fall Sick and Panic Rises on Virus Front Lines
VOX: The Mask Shortage is Forcing Health Workers to Disregard Basic Infection Control
The Guardian: Doctors Lacking PPE ‘bullied’ Into Treating COVID-19 Patients
and many more…
Online crowdfunding rose to prominence after the 2008 financial crisis because institutions failed to serve the needs of everyday people. In the midst of today’s crisis , crowdfunding once again can empower ordinary people to step up where institutions fall short:
- Crowdfunding harnesses the collective power of individuals to address community needs
- Crowdfunding can direct funds and PPE to hospitals whose sourcing teams are overwhelmed, underfunded, or simply overlooked by government
- Crowdfunding organizers can deliver PPE directly to hospital store rooms without bureaucracy or politics getting in the way
- Individuals who want to do more than just social-distance and wash their hands can make an impact with only an internet connection
How Pledgecamp Is Crowdfunding to Fight COVID-19
Pledgecamp is a newly-launched crowdfunding platform taking on incumbents like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Because of the pandemic, we have paused all commercial projects to focus on a single, non-profit campaign to supply PPE to hospitals.
By donating to this campaign, any individual can make an impact in the fight against COVID-19. Unlike other relief efforts, Pledgecamp publishes exactly how much PPE will be delivered and their costs, right on the campaign page.
Another differentiating factor, Pledgecamp lets some donors sponsor a specific hospital of their choice. For a minimum contribution of 100 KN95 respirator masks, donors can support any hospital they may have a personal connection to, including local hospitals that could be overlooked by other relief efforts.
Pledgecamp is not be the final solution to COVID-19. But in an imperfect world, crowdfunding lets everyone be individual heroes. Let us all do our part and get through this together.
Interested in Donating?
100% of funds will go to PPE for hospitals. Visit the campaign below:
https://pledgecamp.com/project/supplies-save-lives-donate-for-frontline-healthcare-workers
Connect with us:
Questions/Comments: hello@pledgecamp.com
Media: media@pledgecamp.com
Partnerships: eddie@pledgecamp.com
Wholesale (hospitals, government, NGOs): j@pledgecamp.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/pledgecamp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pledgecamp
Instagram: https://instagram.com/pledgecamp