HealthNews Salutes: GiveForward

It’s probably safe to say we’ve come a long way from garage sales and car washes when raising funds for worthwhile causes. The internet has been a boon, in may ways, to nonprofits and people I need. In the healthcare industry, GiveForward has aided in that transformation during the last three years by providing the “easiest way to help a loved one in need.”

GiveForward offers free pages on their website that allow people to fundraise for expenses that would normally seem almost impossible to come up with. Although a big chunk of these fundraisers have been created for medical expenses, such as cancer treatments or organ transplants, GiveForward also offers the same solutions for people in need of funds for school, church, sports teams, funeral services, volunteer travel and much more.

The idea started out with two young, ambitious individuals who separately recognized the increasing need for more options to raise money for a bigger variety of purposes online: co-founders Desiree Vargas Wrigley and Ethan Austin. The two were eventually introduced by a mutual friend and along came the development of GiveForward.

The site includes step-by-step guides for fundraising, fundraising tips, fundraising coaches, easy ways to promote fundraisers through email and Facebook, and a secure connection for donations. All you have to do is upload your photos and tell people your story. What more could you ask for? It’s simple, extremely helpful and free.

GiveForward sends the check over, minus a 7 percent processing fee, and someone’s life is affected in more ways than one could imagine.

To date, the company has helped raise well over $5 million dollars for thousands of people in need.

For anyone who is interested, feel free to browse through the many success stories that others have submitted and see how GiveForward could affect your life or the life of a loved one.