Sorry for the gimmick-y title.
However, there is nothing gimmicky about what’s going on in the northeastern United States and parts of the Caribbean right now. Thousands of people have lost everything—their homes, their livelihoods, members of their family…
Today’s post is a reminder that there are more important things in life than chocolate.
This time, I’m not joking.
The victims of Hurricane Sandy are currently in desperate need of food, clothing, water, and medical supplies. Many are stuck in shelters, not knowing when they’ll be allowed to return home- or if their homes even still exist. To raise as much money as possible, my first thought was to host a giveaway, where you’d make a donation for an entry. But a lot of you probably already have made a donation, especially since a few other bloggers have already hosted donation giveaways.
How you can help:
EDIT: I really did have the best of intentions with my initial idea. Getting the advertisers to help with the fundraiser was, I thought, a brilliant way to raise the most money possible, since big companies have much more money to give than individual blog readers. I’d initially hoped to raise at least $2000, then match that number myself, and also ask if any companies would match it.
But then I started getting hate mail. A lot of hate mail. And hateful comments on the post. Hateful comments from people who were doing nothing, themselves, to help raise money, yet who had no problem criticizing the efforts of someone who really did want to help. My idea was not meant to be a publicity stunt or to get me more page views, and it’s really disgusting that anyone would think that. Some of my own relatives and friends lost a lot more than their electricity to this storm. (Both my parents grew up in one of the hardest-hit areas of New York, and many of our relatives still live there.)
I’m taking down the entire idea, not to give in to the haters; but because this was supposed to be an idea that would help, and it just seems to be doing more harm (and engendering more hatred) than good. (There are a few other reasons–things I didn’t initially think about–such as the fact that I’d rather send money now than wait until December.)
I’m making a private donation to the Red Cross, and I hope you all will do the same.
Katie,
Let me begin with what an amazing heart you have. Your actual readers, those who follow your blog, know that. No questions asked. I am sad you felt the need to pull your idea. It was heart felt and giving however the options you still have given to those who’d like to still help is brilliant also.
I can honestly say, I know how you feel. I recently did something through my restaurant that I felt was heartfelt and patriotic. I ended up apologizing and learned a good lesson. Haters will be haters. They will turn something good into making us feel like we are trying to self promote to give attention to ourselves through trajedy or something else. I ended up making an offer to all my patrons instead of the ones that earned it. It went against my grain but still worked out in the end. Understand this though, if you are doing something morally right, You will have hundreds upon thousands of people in your corner backing you up so don’t let the “few” change who you are or how you want to change the world. Yes, you are that good, so next time…Go for it and don’t give in. Way to go Katie, keep up the good works!
It’s sad, but miserable people will always try to see the worst in others. They aren’t capable of caring, and so they can’t fathom that anyone else would be :(.
You go girl! None of us were thinking clearly of every possible outcome immediately after Sandy hit. Your heart was in the right place. Don’t give up! I look forward to your email every day!!
I just want to tell you that you are fabulous. I don’t know you personally…only through reading your blog… but I just admire your big heart and how positive you stay. If there were more people like you in this world, it would be a world of rainbows and butterflies:) Keep up the good work!!!
You said: “Hateful comments from people who were doing nothing, themselves, to help raise money, yet who had no problem criticizing the efforts of someone who really did want to help.” How do you know that the commenters weren’t doing anything to help?
…Does it matter? I think the most important thing is that we get as much help to the areas that have been devastated by hurricane Sandy – a value which Katie has been doing a fantastic job at endorsing. Those commenters who were hateful towards her have forced her to modify her original plans of raising funds, thus impeding her attempt to get aid to those that need it most. Quite frankly that is a selfish action that I don’t think anyone actually trying to help would commit (since their words revoke to some degree the ethos behind aid/donating!) and it is unfair and cowardly that they took it out on Katie…
Very well-written, Alethea. Their selfish act has now caused those who were in need to lose potentially thousands of dollars. I hope they’re happy with themselves now.
(No, really I don’t hope they’re happy. I hope they’re remorseful and make bigger donations to make up for it. )
Just wanted to chip in and agree with what others are saying – your idea was so amazingly generous, and shame on anyone who criticized you or said that you were doing it for the sake of blog popularity. It’s really awful how nasty people can be over the computer. However, I am happy to say that my family is still giving money to the Red Cross 🙂
Thank you for being the very generous spirit that you are, no matter what the haters say. And thank you for the sweet potato chili recipe that I have used dozens of times in the past year. It’s really amazing!
It’s really too bad that people have to be so critical and free and easy with their negative opinions. I am sorry that happened. I personally thought it was a nice thing for you to do.
In other news, I have had your eggy breakfast bread every morning for breakfast for several weeks now. When the hurricane was supposed to come (it spared us in upstate NY but we weren’t sure that was going to happen) I thought, “OMG I better bake some breakfast bread right now so I have it if the power goes out!” The power didn’t go out but I had my delicious bread and I just want to thank you for offering the gluten free recipes and gluten free options you do because they are really helping me out! Keep up the good work Katie. I think you are great.
The highest nail always gets pounded.
You’re a high achiever, Katie, and some people are just plain threatened by the fact that you want to do something so publicly big and selfless.
I sure hope you don’t let those haters get to you. You are an awesome example for all of us! Remember that!
God bless, and thanks again for the yummy recipes.
will you be donating the extra money earned from the few days of extra clicking even though you had to scrap the idea?
I was wondering the same thing – Katie, what happens with the money raised from the extra clicks by people who read the original post before you decided to cancel the fundraising?
Much more than that, actually.
I’m not trying to make a profit on others’ (and my own, because it’s my family hurting too) misfortune. I belong to a lot of charity organizations, and a lot of my money goes to charity anyway.
Katie… anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis would KNOW that you’re not a selfish person and that your reasons for doing what you did were purely to help those in need. We (your faithful readers who check your blog every day) love you.
My family is on Long Island and thankfully none were severely affected. I live on the other side of the world but through my local family in the impact zone I’m doing all I can to help out. We know too many people who were devasted by Sandy not to help.
Hope your family are all okay.
I am glad that you decided to end the whole clicking thing. If you weren’t going to show us the reciepts from previous months, then there would be no way for us to tell if you were being honest or not since you can never judge how truthful someone is from over the internet.
I think you need to look at the character of the person you’re mistrusting here. Katie is not some scammer that just popped up yesterday to try and make a buck off of peoples’ suffering. She has had this blog for years, lives a compassionate vegan lifestyle, and has raised money for both Japan and Haiti before this. I also think it’s sad you didn’t give her a chance to prove your doubts wrong.
You have got to be joking!?!?!?!? Hate mail???? I can’t quite get over how some idiots (I deleted much stronger words!) can think that is appropriate. For goodness sake, wait until they or their family are in the situation where you lose everything and then see how they feel. Good grief! Kudos to you for trying to figure out a way to increase your donation. What goes around comes around.
What! Hate mail??! Who are these people? You are an amazing person and try not to let those jerks get you down! Who would be upset about someone helping to raise money and give back to those in need? ugh
Very disappointed that you decided to do away with the idea. Was it really necessary? couldnt you do a donation now if you have the means to and another one at the end of the month?
I appreciate your efforts anyways and hope the best for your relatives.
There were other reasons it wasn’t going to work. Trust me, it wasn’t just the hate mail ;). It was a good idea in theory, but unfortunately it didn’t work in the end.
Ah, I see. Well, it doesn’t hurt that I introduced your blog to a handful of friends in the process 😉
Katie – I love your blog and recipes, and I thought your idea for raising money was a wonderful one. I am so sorry to hear that negative, nasty people had to ruin it for you (and for those of us who wanted to help). It seems there is so much nastiness and hatred and bigotry in our country lately. It is really sad that when someone is trying to do good that mean spirited people have to destroy it. Keep up your positive attitude in spite of those who are so negative, and definitely keep the great recipes coming!
Um, it sounds like all the people defending Katie “hate” the haters…then aren’t they haters, too? Everybody just chill. The clicking thing is over.
It’s an assumption to think that all the people defending Katie hate the “haters”. I don’t hate them, but rather dissappointed that their comments greatly influenced Katie to take down the clicking thing.