100 Men Clark County commits men to supporting local charities
VANCOUVER — With the start of a new year, many people create personal resolutions that they want to pursue throughout the months ahead. A recently formed group in Clark County called 100 Men Clark County has resolved to increase charitable giving this year and in the years to come.
100 Men Clark County is a group of men that have pledged to donate $100 every quarter of the year to support a selected charity, according to Eric Sawyer, chair of the board for 100 Men Clark County. Sawyer, who also serves as the chairman of the board of directors for the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, said that the goal is to have 100 men pledge to give $100 each quarter, with over $40,000 being donated at the end of a year.
The model for the group is based on that of another local nonprofit, 100 Women Who Care SW Washington, Sawyer said, and that group helped provide inspiration for the founding of the men’s group.
In November of 2016, Sawyer said that he learned that the 100 Women Who Care had recently held their first meeting, and when he found out that there was not a similar group for men in the county, said “well then I’m starting it.”
By mid 2017, Sawyer said that a board was formed for the men’s group, and all of the members shared the vision of maximizing giving back to the community. Sawyer said that the board consists of members who are “all selfless, all doing it for the right reasons.”
Sawyer explained that while many people may donate to charities throughout the year, they may not always give as much alone as they would if giving together in a group. The model of 100 men pledging to give $100 each helps create a collaborative environment that encourages charitable giving.
Each quarter, 100 Men Clark County will hold a fundraising event where all of the members come together to support the group’s efforts. Each man that registers to give $100 has the option to nominate a local nonprofit to receive the money raised each quarter.
Sawyer said that prior to the fundraising event, three nonprofits are selected from the pool, and at the event, representatives from the nonprofits have the opportunity to present an elevator speech about their goals and purpose. The members of 100 Men Clark County then vote to select which nonprofit of the three will receive the quarter’s donations.
Each fundraising event will feature a keynote speaker that has impacted their community in some way. They will also feature the nonprofit presentations and voting. In the future, Sawyer said that the previous winner of the group’s donation will be invited back to speak and present what they used the donations for.
100 Men Clark County is still a new presence in the county. The group will hold its first fundraising event on Wed., Jan. 17 from 6-8 p.m. at the Heathman Lodge. Sawyer said that the organization is still in the process of receiving a 501(c)3 status from the IRS. All of the paperwork has been filed, and the group now expects the status to be finalized sometime in January.
To ensure that the funds raised by the organization stay in the local community, for a nonprofit to be eligible to receive funding it must either be based in Clark County or have “a presence of some sort or another” in the county, Sawyer said. If a national organization were to receive the funds, Sawyer said that they would be required to commit to spending the donated money to better Clark County.
The online registration for the group has been open for several weeks, Sawyer said, and members have joined from all walks of life and business sectors. About a week ago, Sawyer said that 38 men had joined. Currently, there are about 75 members.
“It’s pretty exciting to see the list of names building,” Sawyer said.
The goal for 2018 is to give a minimum of $40,000 back to the local community over four quarters, Sawyer explained. Going forward, Sawyer hopes to increase that amount.
The group is not limited to 100 men. In 2019, Sawyer hopes to have 250 men committed to donating each quarter.
“In 2019, I want to see us put 100 grand back into the community,” Sawyer said.
He would also hope to see younger men from the “millennial” generation get involved in the project.
Sawyer said that the organization is based on a joint effort not only in fundraising, but in its founding and operation as well. “This goes way beyond any one single person,” Sawyer said, “it’s the power of the group.”
While 100 Men Clark County is not a religious organization, Sawyer said that his involvement in the group’s founding “was a God thing. He dumped it in my lap, and He wouldn’t let me let it go.”
More information about 100 Men Clark County can be found online at https://100mencc.com/.
