On Donating

They say money can not buy happiness, but it does create opportunity.  With every donation we receive, sheep have more opportunity. This makes the sheep happier, and we want it to make our donors happier as well.

Your donations help keep the sheep happy

About Donations and How We Fund Our Programs

This is where we are going to try to talk you out of donating. Not really, but it may seem that way to many. We are grateful for all the donations we receive, but the following is very important to us. We want everyone that gives to do so without any feelings of obligation; only for the joy it gives them. We can’t force anyone to follow this, but it is what we believe is best for all concerned. We want the blessings we are receiving, to be a blessing to our donors as well. After all this, if it has been put into your heart to give, please do so.

Some find it odd, but we do not actively solicit donations. This has been our way from the beginning. We are not going to manipulate, or guilt anybody into donating. We believe our purpose is high enough and our mission important enough that our needs will be met. Even though some will think our model is foolish, and some have even called our model “unsustainable”, the fact that we are still fulfilling our mission is proof that it does work.

What we don’t do, and why.

No Sad Sheep Pictures. We have seen what the charities we individually support do, and the ones we can not in good conscience support do. We hate sad puppy pictures as much as anyone else. We will not subject anybody to that type of pain.

No mailed or emailed requests. Our local rescue mission does great work, and I personally donate to them. They were sending me and my wife seven mailed, and one emailed requests or updates a week. Yes, you read that right, seven mailed. That is ridiculous. It is one of the few places I think they could be a bit more efficient. We are not going to fill your mail box.

No charging for our services. There was an internal recommendation that we use Patreon. Sure, it can be a convenient way to make donations, and a reoccurring donation option would make for a predictable stream of donations. However, what seemed to always go along with a Patreon account is creating limits to the public’s access based on their donations. That would seriously hamper our mission to educate the public. We want everybody to have full access to us, and our information, regardless of their donation history.

We see almost daily appeals on GoFundMe for this animal or that. Most of the time it is for the veterinary care of animals they have just acquired. We definitely do not use sick or injured animals to manipulate donations out of the public (see Sad Sheep Pictures above). Besides, if everyday is an emergency, there are no real emergencies.

How We Use Your donations

You may ask, “Where will my donations go?” The simple answer is; to the care of sheep, and all of their daily needs. Our general fund goes to things like: hay, minerals, shade covers , medicines, and veterinary care.

Earmarks

If your desire is that your donations go for a particular need or project, it can be earmarked for a specific use. Importantly, this is where the donation of parts and supplies for projects fall as well. We have had the donation of objects like; tarps, t-posts, fencing panels, grass seed, etc. If you would like to give a donation to a particular project or program, contact us and we will send you the information you will need to make an earmarked donation. Some real examples of earmarked donations:

  • The cost of getting a lamb released from the animal shelter.
  • The cost of veterinary care.
  • Fencing.
  • Parts for repairing portable shelters.
  • Hay, minerals, or other feed stuffs.
  • Administration costs.

Another earmarked donation would be towards a ‘New Flock Kit.’ Think of all the things it takes to field a small flock of sheep. We prepare a New Flock Kit for the next flock we field. There are a lot of things that need to be ready the moment sheep arrive at RescEwe: water buckets, carabiner clips, movable fence, halters, mineral bar, shelter, storage tubs and maybe a hay tarp. Because all new sheep need to be quarantined, all these things must be exclusively used for the new sheep, and not shared by any of our other flocks.

Business Sponsorship

We would be happy to talk to anyone who is considering becoming a sponsor of RescEwe. Please email us at ewecanhelp@rescewe.org

Wool

This is where the Wool of Love brand comes in. We started Wool of Love to market the fleeces our sheep naturally produce. We were then approached by a few shepherds and shearers to inquire if we would like the wool they had to raise additional funds for RescEwe. That was the start of the “Sheep Helping Sheep” program.

Shearers and shepherds can donate their usable wool or fleeces. If you would like to donate wool the best way to do this is to meet us at our pastures, or events we attend. Please contact us if you would like to do this.

Fiber artists can donate their skill and time to prepare rovings, locks, craft fiber, or yarn. If you would like to donate your skill to a complete individual or team project, we have many different fleeces of different breeds that we can set you up with. If that is a bit daunting, you can help out on a project day. Either way, please contact us if you are interested.

Prayer

If you have made it this far, you have reached the simplest, and possibly the most important way you can help us. We ask that everybody who desires to, pray that we are effective in our mission, and continue to expand our influence. A simple heart felt prayer can move mountains. Thank you.

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