Get involved for your chance to win a private Andrew McMahon living room concert for you and 10 friends.

$39,656 / 250,000

Become a fundraiser Donate Now

Whether this is your first challenge or your 6th, we want to thank you for your continued support of the Dear Jack Foundation. Because of you, we are able to bring  joy and guidance into the lives of young adult cancer patients and survivors through our Breathe Now and LifeList programs.

 

About the 250K Challenge

Our annual giving challenge has grown out of an identified need to further close the gap in resources made available to adolescent and young adult cancer patients and survivors. Together, we have raised over $1,000,000 over past challenges! Help us achieve our annual challenge goal of raising $250,000 by 11/11/20.

Prizes: 

  • Grand Prize: Private Living Room Concert by Andrew McMahon 
  • Runner Up Prize: Up to 10 tickets to an AMITW headlining show of your choice in 2021 plus autographed posters for up to 10 people. (one ticket and poster per team member) 
  • Midway Prize: The team who raises the most money by the campaign mid-point, September 15th, will receive a thank you/shout out video from Andrew McMahon for their team (one video for team).

Additional Incentives:

  • DJF sticker to every donor who donates $50 or more*
  • Collectible thank you postcards from founder Andrew McMahon for donors of $100 or more. Collect them all! Three postcards will be released throughout the campaign.*
  • Any team who raises $500+ (at any point in the campaign) will earn a commemorative patch for each member (up to 10 ppl).
  • We will have “surprise” incentives throughout the campaign. These will be communicated via email and/or our social media platforms, so make sure you like, follow, and subscribe!

*While supplies last

Fundraising Guidelines and Requirements: 

  • You may fundraise as a team or as an individual.
  • If you fundraise as a team, you may have up to 10 people on your team.
  • Each individual or team is required to raise a minimum of $2,500 to qualify for the grand and runner up prizes. Each additional $1,000 raised above $2,500 earns you an additional entry into the grand and runner up prize drawing.
  • Fundraising deadline is 11/11/20 at 11:59pm MST.
  • Grand prize and runner up winners will be drawn at random on or before December 1, 2020.

Create Your 250K Challenge Fundraiser Page

What will $250,000 fund?

$250,000 will provide hope to 100 new LifeList participants and offer guidance to young adult survivor couples at 4 Breathe Now wellness retreats in 2021, and help sustain our programs well into the future. Two programs that are thriving because of you.

250k Challenge Rules

Fundraising Resources

We’ve created some materials to help get you started.


250K Challenge Fundraising Manual
250K Customizable Event Poster
Additional Dear Jack Materials

Fundraising Tips

The key to successful fundraising is to START EARLY!

Look through these tips, and start yourself a fundraising plan so that you can launch your campaign on day one of the challenge!

  • Donate to your own project – set an example and make the first donation to your project. You should expect everyone to donate the same amount you’re donating so if you want people to donate $50 don’t donate $15 yourself.
  • Ask BIG – Don’t ask for just a $10 donation, ask for $50. You may get $50, or you may get less, but if you ask for only $10, that is probably all you will get!
  • Keep a good attitude. Be prepared that not everyone is going to donate. The more people you ask, the more donations you will get. If you don’t hear “no” a couple times a week, you are not asking enough people.
  • Don’t feel bad about asking people for money. Remember that you are not asking for money for yourself. It is going to a great cause. The more people you ask, the easier it becomes.
  • Set a goal to ask at least one new person for a donation every day. You have nothing to lose by asking.
  • Talk about it! Tell everyone you know/meet about what you are doing and what the money goes toward. The more you talk about it, the more interest you will generate.
  • Say Thank You and ask them to share your message with their community of influencers.
  • Don’t forget to check if your company matches donations. Matching donations are a great way to increase the amount of funds raised toward your campaign.
  • Most importantly, have fun with it! If you think of fundraising as a chore, it will become one.

Connect with Our Community

Chat with other fundraisers! Join our private Raise Your Voice Challenge fundraising group on Facebook!

Join Now

Dear Jack Merchandise Now Available

In need of some Dear Jack Merch for your campaign? Purchase your DJF gear via Bonfire. 100% of the proceeds will go towards the 250K Challenge!

Purchase Merchandise here

Fundraising Ideas

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Sports and Endurance

From marathons, Tough Mudders, and Ironmans, to walk-a-thons and fishing tournaments and neighborhood challenges, fundraising around sporting events like these are a great way to get involved in your community, stay active, and raise some serious cash towards your fundraiser.

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Creative Ideas

From marathons, Tough Mudders, and Ironmans, to walk-a-thons and fishing tournaments and neighborhood challenges, fundraising around sporting events like these are a great way to get involved in your community, stay active, and raise some serious cash towards your fundraiser.

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Birthdays

Instead of getting gifts for their birthday, they ask loved ones to donate to their fundraiser instead. This way, people can still show the birthday boy or girl how much they care, but instead of giving them something they don’t actually need, they can give some money to your cause.

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Wedding Registries

People are always looking for ways to make their wedding unique, and one aspect that’s been traditionally overlooked is innovation around the wedding registry. And that's why charity wedding registries are so cool.

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Benefit Happy Hour

Happy hours bring together friends and community in a fun atmosphere. Take this positive vibe and turn it into a fundraiser. Host a benefit happy hour at your local pub. Ask management to donate drinks, provide giveaways or donate the cover toward your cause.

AYA Cancer Statistics

Physical, emotional, and financial hardships often persist for years after treatment, especially without the protocols or resources that specifically address the needs of the AYA cancer population.

80K

New cases of Adolescents & Young Adult cancer each year

41%

Of adolescent and young adult survivors report an unmet need for psychosocial support post cancer.

600K+

Adolescent & Young Adult Survivors in the U.S. today

10K

Adolescent & Young Adult patients lose their life to cancer each year.