The Main Street Business Improvement Association (MSBIA) of Santa Monica has launched a fundraising campaign via local crowdfunding website When You Wish to raise $35,000 to support their 13th annual Supreme Summer SOULstice events. Through donations for sale from local businesses as well as generous monetary donations from strangers and community members alike, the MSBIA hopes to reach its goal and raise enough to expand their popular summer festival to three days this year.
The proposed series of events for the 2013 Summer SOULstice includes “fests” in music, dance, food, fashion, juice and fitness, starting with the first event on June 23 where live bands will provide entertainment at several sites up and down the street. The second event in July will focus on food and fashion while the third event in August will be the Vegan Corridor’s first ever JuiceFest West as Main Street is emerging as the hub of vegan and organic juice and cuisine on LA’s Westside.
“At its core, SOULstice is really just a community event,” says Gary Gordon, Executive Director of the MSBIA, “It has always been a great way to celebrate Main Street and give back to the local community on a beautiful Sunday in Southern California.”
In order to make these events happen, a certain amount of sponsor money needs to be raised, and When You Wish, a local crowdfunding website donated their time and resources to help Main Street gain the funds they need in an innovative new way that is almost a community building exercise.
Unlike other crowdfunding websites, When You Wish users can contribute goods or services in addition to cash. For example, instead of just cash, you can also contribute the value of an old pair of rollerblades in your closet—or even an hour’s worth of rollerblading lessons—by selling those items to another user.
“It’s one of the first features we’re rolling out that will dramatically expand the tools people have to reach their fundraising goals. Some people have called it ‘Crowdfunding meets eBay,'” said Andy Martinez, CTO of When You Wish.
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