About Pledges

Yesterday Cheri posted the question “… why do people get pledges and other don’t”. I was rather surprised by this question. I was hoping that my explanation “What is a pledge?” is clear enough and the members will easily get the idea how the pledge system could be used. Apparently, that is not the case, so I will try now to elaborate on the subject.

Perhaps, I should start with the basics – what in fact is Aidpage? Aidpage is a widely popular community place where people meet each other, talk about variety of subjects, express and define themselves, seek help if they are in need, and help each other with advice, things, money or any other way they could figure. In other words – Aidpage could be regarded as a self-helping tool where people aid people as Emil wrote in his “What is Aidpage”.

Yes! We do believe that there are many compassioned people that would extend a helping hand if they know that someone is in trouble. By creating Aidpage and letting everyone to self-express we are trying to accomplish exactly this goal – let the people that can help know, what help is actually needed. That is why we are offering Aidpage free to everybody even though its creation and maintenance costs millions. We are happy to see that Aidpage is developing into a live “bottom up” reflective map of real life social problems.

Keeping in mind all this, we created the pledge system on Aidpage as an additional tool for organized help - to used for tasks that cannot be accomplished by a single person. However, it could be used for variety of endeavors regardless how small or large they are. We have created a multifunctional tool - you will decide how to apply it.

Everybody can start a pledge and try to organize a group of people to accomplish a certain task. That includes pledges started by the beneficiary him/herself. If the members would like to be a part of the solution of the proposed task (cause), they will sign up.

The pledges could be monetary and non-monetary. The monetary type is rather clear – certain amount of money is needed for a cause and the pledge system is used as a fundraising tool. The non-monetary type – simply a tool for organizing groups of people to do something. Do what? Use your imagination… Think about it - the possibilities are virtually unlimited. Just a few examples:

• I will stop smocking only if XXX other people do the same.
• I will not use my car Mondays for 6 months if XXX other people do the same.
• I will donate my old PC to the local school if XXX other people do the same.
• I will write a letter about “this and that” to the President if XXX other people do the same.

Get organized.
Be active.
Help and be helped.

There are no “they” – just us. If we don’t help each other, nobody else will.

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If something about the pledges is still not clear, please, post a comment on this page.