Fundraising with Animal Kind Clothing

By Jordan S.

Jordan is a Loop Abroad Alumna and a student at Becker College.

Funding a Dream

The moment I saw Loop Abroad’s facebook ad, I knew I had to go. Working with animals and traveling have always been two of my biggest dreams, and Loop Abroad put both of these dreams into one neat package. Eager to realize this dream, I set my sights on Loop Abroad’s College Veterinary Program for the summer of 2016. The question was not if or when I would go on this trip, but how I would make it happen.

After getting my acceptance letter from Loop Abroad, the next step was funding the adventure. The 5,000 dollar price tag was the biggest obstacle, but I was determined to make it work, one way or another. I started putting aside all of the tips I made as a waitress, and half of my wages on top of that. This meant cutting back on spending money considerably; it meant no more eating out or spending money on things I did not need, but I knew it would all be worth it when I was in Thailand learning new skills, assisting in surgeries and other medical procedures, and, of course, playing with elephants.

When work alone was not enough, I started looking into more ways I could raise money for the trip. Along with the acceptance letter, Loop Abroad had sent out a fundraising guide, which included selling elephant pants through Animal Kind Clothing. I could make at least ten dollars in profit on each pair sold–this sounded like a great fundraiser.

I showed a few friends the pants I received through Loop Abroad, and got only positive feedback in return, so I decided to try the fundraiser. I started with the 5-pack that came with an order form for one hundred dollars, but sold them for twenty-five dollars a pair instead of the recommended twenty, to cover the shipping costs.

The fundraiser went over unbelievably well. I posted about it on Facebook, and friends and family were quick to reply; they were asking questions and ordering one or more. I sold forty pairs of pants in three weeks, which was astonishing coming from such a small community and only advertising through facebook and word-of-mouth. Due to the wonderful feedback, I decided to do another round of fundraising, this time selling ten more pairs in a week’s time and making over six hundred dollars in just a month.

Along with my savings from work and the fundraising funds, many of my family members donated money to my trip as well. The remaining balance I paid with my personal savings, and it was worth every penny. Money is meant to be spent on memories, and Loop Abroad provided me not only with experiences I could later use when applying to Veterinary school, but also with many memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. Loop Abroad helped in making my dream of traveling and working with animals a reality.