New York: Fundraising and Chi Em NYC Benefit Party

In November 2007, EDM held a fundraiser party in Soho, NYC with the support of GOOD Magazine and the Pure Project, enabling us to throw a free-drinks high energy fundraiser for less than $200. More than 100 people attended and we raised $1,500 in cash proceeds and more than $1,500 in checks. We also held a microfinance cocktail party at NGO Unitus' headquarters in New York where we discussed our new pilot and rationale for fundraising: debt relief initiatives for families that can not access microfinance given their cyclical indebtedness.

Since our first fundraising events in Washington DC and New York City the fall of 2006, we have raised over $42,000 from private individuals in the U.S. More importantly, we have been able to generate ongoing interest, establishing a group of invested donors following our progress over time. We also secured approximately $36,000 in funding for our Vietnam operations from two international non-governmental organizations, Boudoux (France) and Trickle Down (U.S).