Here is a sample letter for soliciting contributions to United to End Racism:
Dear Friend and Supporter of Ending Racism,
I’m writing to you because I know that you care about ending racism and I want you to have the opportunity to participate in a very important program that has the potential for wide-spread impact.
United to End Racism (UER) is the eliminating racism program of Re-evaluation Counseling, an organization I have been part of for many years. UER was recognized by the United Nations in 2001 as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and participated at the NGO Forum of the UN World Conference Against Racism, held in Durban, South Africa, September 2001, and in dozens of conferences and forums since that time.
UER is currently planning to send a delegation of our leaders to the ____________________. We will be presenting workshops and leading support groups on topics such as _____________, etc. The goal of our participation is to expose people to the work of UER and introduce some of our key concepts. These ideas include things like: the importance of active listening and coming together to share our stories of racism, how internalized racism undermines our work, and tools for healing the internal damage from racism.
I would like to give you an opportunity to participate in our United to End Racism program by contributing to send delegates to this Conference and support the follow-up work after the Conference.
Re-evaluation Counseling (RC) is a form of peer counseling that has been developing for the past 60+ years and is being used by people in more than 90 countries around the world. The premise is very simple. By using the natural gifts of healing with which we were born (crying, laughing, and trembling), while someone is actively listening with kindness and awareness, people are able to heal from past painful experiences (including the damage done internally by racism) and flourish in their present lives. Through this process I have seen people emerge from difficult struggles to thinking well and taking charge of their lives, their families, and the communities around them.
United to End Racism (UER) is committed to ending racism and to supporting the efforts of other groups to accomplish this goal. The main work of UER is to illuminate the damage done to individuals by racism and to undo this damage on an individual basis, using the resources and process of Re-evaluation Counseling. As people do this work, they become better able:
- to interrupt racism in their daily lives;
- to free themselves from all of racism’s effects;
- to take leadership;
- to form deep relationships across racial lines;
- to support the work of other individuals and organizations in ending racism.
Our tools for eliminating racism are taught in small classes and groups, and ongoing emotional work is required. Many members of United To End Racism have taken these tools into schools, police departments, state offices, advocacy organizations, and churches; places where people are eager to get help with the hurts of racism that affect all people and slow our efforts toward common goals.
Since I know you share my commitment to ending racism and making this world a place where all people can thrive, I am asking for your help. This Conference presents yet another opportunity for us to share the work we are doing on a global scale with other organizations striving to eliminate racism. We are planning to lead workshops and support groups, and to play a supportive role to other organizations at the Conference. As always, contact with other people committed to this work will help both of us learn and improve our work.
Please contribute $100, $200, $50 or whatever you can. Your gift will be not only an investment in the spirit of these people, but in all the lives they touch.
UER has conducted many workshops and classes on ending racism for groups in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, India as well as Europe, Australia, and the United States. As a result of this work, we have made many important contacts all over the world. And we now have groups of people using the tools of United to End Racism in these parts of the world as an outgrowth of these workshops.
I hope you will take this opportunity to encourage and support this effort by making a donation. We can make great strides when we believe in and support each other, across all our differences.
If you have family, friends, or colleagues who you think might be interested in supporting our work, please feel free to invite them to contribute.
If you have any questions please feel free to call or email me. I will be calling you in the next week to discuss this program.
Please make checks payable to The Re-evaluation Foundation—marked “United To End Racism”—and mail to:
The Re-evaluation Foundation
19370 Firlands Way North
Shoreline, Washington 98133 USA
These contributions are tax-deductible in the United States.
With thanks and appreciation for your generous consideration,
[sign your name]
United To End Racism, A Program of the International Re-evaluation Counseling Community
For more information about United To End Racism and Re-evaluation Counseling, visit the web site at https://www.unitedtoendracism.org/.
