Cruisin’ into 60 and the Surprise Power of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
We underestimated the power of simply inviting people to care and giving them a way to act on that care.
We didn’t set out to start a movement. We just wanted to throw a birthday party.
This year, I turned 60. My husband, Chris, will turn 60 in October. Rather than plan two separate celebrations, we decided to team up for one big joint party. We kept it simple: barbecue, raffle prizes, some of our favorite people all in one place, and even live music from my band.
As we planned, it became clear that this milestone was about more than marking time.
At City with Dwellings, we walk alongside neighbors who often face housing instability, isolation, and disconnection from community. The contrast was clear: we were going to be surrounded by people who love us in a safe and stable place, while many of our neighbors are struggling to belong and feel safe.
So instead of gifts, we created a simple campaign page on CwD’s fundraising platform (yes, it’s still live, and no judgment if you want to give now). We set a modest goal of $2,500, just enough to make a difference without overthinking it.
And then something beautiful happened.
Before the party even started, we had already raised about $1,450. By the end of the night, after raffle chaos, photo ops, live music, and so much laughter, we had surpassed our goal. So we upped the ante and doubled our goal. As of this writing, we’ve raised $5,370 to support City with Dwellings and our neighbors experiencing homelessness!
Those dollars go right to work: keeping families housed, providing basic supplies for unsheltered neighbors, helping newly housed folks stabilize, and covering essential operational costs like rent, insurance, and staffing.
We knew we’d meet our goal. What surprised us was the overwhelming response. We underestimated the power of simply inviting people to care and giving them a way to act on that care.
If you’ve ever thought about raising money to help your neighbors, this is your moment.
You can host a fundraiser in honor of your birthday, your retirement, your book club, your wedding, your marathon, or just because. We can set up a custom page for you on CwD’s fundraising platform, help you share your story, and walk with you every step of the way.
Prefer to do it your own way? Great. You can collect donations offline and send them in, or simply encourage folks to give in honor or memory of someone meaningful.
That’s the beauty of peer-to-peer fundraising. It’s not about going viral. It’s about relationships. It’s about saying, This matters to me. Will you join me?
This little birthday experiment reminded us that we don’t have to do big things to make a big impact. We just have to start somewhere and bring our people with us.
If you’re interested in starting a fundraising campaign of your own, reach out to us at City with Dwellings. We’ll help you get set up, cheer you on, and celebrate alongside you.
You never know what your people can do until you give them the chance.
Let’s see where the road takes us next.
With gratitude,
Ruth
