Latika Roy Memorial Foundation is constructing a 50,000 square feet purpose-built Center of Influence and Inclusion on universal design standards and accessibility principles that would demonstrate the true meaning of inclusion. With the specialized equipment, accessible playgrounds, adaptive furniture, lifts and ramps right up to the roof, and more this campus recognises that human needs run across a wide range and that everyone has the right to feel welcome, safe and comfortable.
Since most high-potential retail donors prefer to contribute when they understand a tangible impact, Latika Roy Foundation found their strength in the parents associated with them. They know first-hand the difficulties of buildings which been built for their kids. The testimonials from these parents share details that have proved to be more persuasive to donors over all other program description- bumped elbows because the doors aren’t wide enough for their kid’s wheelchair; headaches from the noise levels in classes with no soundproofing; how tired they get carrying their children up the stairs because buildings don’t have a lift. And these have the power to convince the donors towards the need of their facility.
Their efforts towards individual giving started with the brilliant idea of #1000Dreams campaign - inviting 1,000 leaders (philanthropists) to contribute USD 1,000 or INR 1 lakh each towards their fully inclusive, state-of-the-art campus. They expanded this original idea and decided to be a part of the Joy of Giving experience, where they encouraged everyone to give.
Give’s 100 Heroes event engaged team Latika Roy Foundation in a time-bound period, allowing them to lay strong focus on fundraising. In their experience, they also learned the importance of donor reach-outs, follow-ups and how to make it an art rather than spamming their donors - not everyone likes the pace of a campaign. Some prefer to make decisions slowly, and it’s important to respect that. Inspired by the strength of their campaign, donors also went ahead to donate funds to them offline in this duration. They thus realised the power of many-to-many fundraising and describe the experience to have transformed from a slightly awkward feeling of being beggars, cap in hand, to a liberating one of knowing they were inviting people to be part of something so much bigger than themselves.
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