TabsForLife as we know it was formed 7/19/06 with one concept in mind: helping people in need. 20 months, 2 addresses, and thousands (and thousands and thousands) of tabs later we’re still here, doing what we do, with the help of countless friends, strangers, and organizations. Still, I realize that some people new to the site (and even some who have been around for a while) aren’t 100% certain of what it is we do or why, or even who "we" are. So I’ll try to address those issues now. Easiest one first.
Why: TabsForLife was established, as mentioned above, simply to try to help people. There are plenty of people that need help and plenty of people that can give help. TFL was created to try to help those groups connect with each other; Because everyone reading this knows someone who has needed a hand at some time in their life.
How: The main concept was simple (and probably obvious by now), to collect tabs. The tabs are essentially recycled as scrap metal and the money is put towards helping needy cases. However, while we still collect tabs (feverishly) TabsForLife is also trying to help people simply by being a voice for and a participant in as many positive causes as humanly possible. A brief sampling of what’s been done in the name of TFL:
1) Direct representation at charity gatherings and fundraisers. While there money was given in many forms such as direct donation and raffles.
2) Sponsorship tickets: Sponsorship tickets have become very popular in the past five years. It seems that they can be found in all shapes and in all locations. Perhaps some of you don’t know what they are so let me clarify: Sponsorship tickets are often found at the registers of fast food restaurants or grocery stores. They are the little signs that you can buy and sign your name to, after which the money you spend on the ticket goes to the charity/organization selling them. Here is an example of one such sponsorship ticket. Though exact numbers can’t be certain (as I know of at least 5 people who have bought tickets and signed them as "TabsForlife") I would estimate that a hundred tickets have been bought at various dollar ammounts for various charities.
3) Avid participation at www.freerice.com If you haven’t checked out this site, give it a look. It’s a fun and fast way to help out humanity but I warn you, it’s addicting. I’ve no interest in revealing how big of a grammer nerd I am, but TFL has helped in the donating of six figures worth of rice, if you get my drift. :)
4) Toys-For-Tots: My previous blog was about how mycokerewards.com was allowing people to donate points to the Toy-For-Tots program to help needy kids get gifts for Christmas. We successfully raised (and donated) over 200 points. The promotion has since ended but we are still collecting and saving points for when the program resumes next year.
This is just a small portion of the assorted things done by/in the name of TabsForLife in order to try to help people. Hopefully this gives you the reader an idea of the many different and completly random venues TFL has tried to use to help people. While some of the things above may seem trivial, I am proud to say that every dollar spent in the name of TabsForLife has been 100% out of personal pocket and no money donated to TFL (directly or through tabs) has been spent on these random activities. I don’t want people thinking they were donating to, for example, Maggie May Larry only to find out their money was donated to The American Red Cross instead. Again, not one penny of funds gathered has been used for anything other than what it was originally donated for. Also, unlike almost every charity out there, not one penny donated has been pocketed in the name of "Business expenses" or any other nonsense. Do some research on your charity of choice and see that even the best of them tend to pocket about 10% or so of money donated to pay their expenses.
Who: While a name is relatively unimportant to who someone truly is, the facts about who "we" are sometimes catches people off guard. While founded and chielfy operated by myself, I’ve been helped by countless people in many ways. People (both friends and strangers) have donated tabs, cash, time, ideas, wisdom, or sometimes just kind words. This charity runs mainly on the "pay it forward" principal and, as mentioned above, many people have spent money in the name of TFL. So as to who we are I can only tell you this: I myself am a 24 year old male who works for near minimum wage bagging groceries. Many of our biggest supporters (and donators) work in fast food, go to college, are thousands of dollars in debt, and/or are in other varying degrees of financial need themselves. But that is what I enjoy most about running this charity, it’s really given me a chance to meet some of society’s better people. I read the news and am mildly jealous when I see that some celebrity donates more at a charity dinner than we here at TFL may ever raise. Still, I think it says something about the people who support this charity: that they are often times people with very little money or time to spare, yet they still find it in their hearts to give to others. I don’t do this much, but it reminds me of...
"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." ~ Mark 12:41-44
So I hope that gives everyone a little better of an idea of who and what TabsForLife is. If you’re not subscribed to this blog already now might be a good time to do so as I will be writing again soon to let everyone know what we have planned next. Until them, thanks so much to everyone who has been collecting tabs. Keep them coming, they’re very appreciated.