Taking Your Pants Off for Charity
Cupid’s Undie Run is two things:
- The opportunity to raise and/or donate money to charity, the Children’s Tumor Foundation, and fund research to end neurofibromatosis.
- The chance to party with thousands of coeds running in their underwear through the streets of over three dozen cities on Valentine’s weekend.
Sounds like something a lot of charitable cherubs can get into, right? It’s quite simple, actually. Cupid’s Undie Run is a charity event no matter which way you choose to see it. There are MILLIONS of children suffering from a debilitating genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis (NF). neurofibromatosis causes tumors to grow all over the nervous system, the nervous system we need for so many necessary functions. NF can cause blindness, deafness, learning disabilities and severe chronic pain. If these children can be so brave as to deal with the cards they have been dealt, then the least we can do is face our own fears in a manner that raises funds to help find them a cure.
Two things happen when you participate in Cupid’s Undie Run:
- You help the effort to save many adolescent lives or at the very least make their life much more comfortable.
- You have the chance to confront body or self-esteem issues in the most “jump-right-in” “no-turning-back-now” manner.
You’re helping so many others and in turn helping yourself. That has to feel doubly great!
The charity itself: Cupid’s Undie Run is an international charitable dynamo and only after its “brief” 7-year history. FUNdraisers enjoy a well-earned pre-run party, casually jog/walk/strut a 1(ish) mile course in their undies through the downtown of their respective cities, then return back to the party to celebrate everyone’s efforts…all in their undies! What’s even better is that 100% of net proceeds go towards NF research through the Children’s Tumor Foundation, a501(c)(3) non-profit rated 4-stars by Charity Navigator and spending less than 10% on administrative costs.
A lot of people worry where their money goes when they donate to a charity. Rest assured, that when you donate to Children’s Tumor Foundation via Cupid’s Undie Run, only 8% of donations are appropriated to administrative costs. Wait, so that means 92% of all funds raised go directly to the cause? Yes, that’s exactly what it means!
How to donate: Now that you feel better about contributing your hard earned dollars, you can choose to donate to an individual, make a general donation, or register to run!
How to fundraise: Acquiring donations and providing awareness just takes as much effort and heart as you’re willing and able to provide. You’re best ways are humorous and informative social media posts, appreciative e-mail blasts and the good ‘ol just asking for it. Plus if you really have compelling social posts there’s a likelihood you’ll get your content shared by the charities for which you’re campaigning. Exposure for them is exposure for you, which in turn is donations for you that are donations for them. If you really have the time and resources setting up fundraising events or asking your/a company for sponsorship are great reciprocal ways to raise money.
(Props to the dude in the photo, feel free to donate to his extreme efforts: https://my.cupids.org/CaptainCurtis)
The party: Yes, raising money to find a cure for neurofibromatosis is the absolute number one reason to fundraise BUTT there’s a big party in every city that there is a Cupid’s Undie Run. Each party has an awards ceremony, dance party, the chance to meet NF survivors and their families, grab free swag, make new friends and anyone who raises $250 or more gets open bar!
The prizes: Speaking of open bar for fundraising, there’s a scale of the coolest prizes, all donated by amazing companies, for you to earn for your efforts.
The cities:
Note: If anyone ever shames you for raising money while in your underwear, remember that you’re just having fun trying to save lives. Then ask them two things, what are they doing to make a difference in this world and how is what you’re doing any different than a bikini car wash? Those are still a thing, right?
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