What about all Steemians (s)teaming up together for their own charity (for children).

This will be a very unusual post, because it explains the reasons why I - as the founder and president of the board of trustees of a well known charity in Hungary - am willing to give up my creation and my work for others to continue.

Let me first introduce the foundation. It is the Smiling Hospital Foundation, which I founded in 2004 in Budapest, Hungary. The activities consist of uplifting the soul of sick children in hospitals through programs of art and games. We have about ten artists (most of them musicians, but also magicians, puppeteers, origamists, balloon twisters, story tellers, etc) and about 250 volunteers (mainly for playing games, reading books, telling stories or just talking to the little patients and their parents). These artists go to 23 children hospitals or children departments in general hospitals all over Hungary once a week and in some hospitals even every day; always in the afternoon, because the morning is generally used for the doctors to make their rounds. Our artists and volunteers always create a happy mood among the patients, their parents and the present medical staff. And that is the goal of our activities: to distract the patients from all thoughts relating to their stay in hospital and by uplifting the spirit of the kids to contribute to a faster and better recovery. Very often we hear from doctors in the hospital that our work is equally important as the medical part. In my personal view they are complementary to each other: healing of body and soul; together for the best possible results.
Our website gives all details: www.mosolygokorhaz.hu/en/

The beauty of these activities is a.o. that it works in all countries, whether in West or East, rich or poor. We have demonstrated this by having already started these entertainment programs in ten different countries on three continents. In fact, it has always been easy to implement these activities, because all hospitals would welcome the concept and artistic programs; professional artists with a heart for children could be found in every country; and local sponsors could also quite easily be attracted in major cities around the world for the financing of the first few months.

But for a growing charity foundation it is more difficult to find the yearly increasing amounts needed to cover the expenses of the management, administration and office and the salaries of the coordinators in the main cities of the country. In our case, this is about Euro 60.000 per annum. For Hungary a very big amount and for international standards perhaps not too much. During the last 18 years I spent most of my time to raise funds (organizing galas, golf tournaments, corporate dinners, exhausting walk of 2000 km, biking tour of 6000 km and a lot more) and now it is time for a change. My age of 75 years and a changing world require a new and fresh look for innovative ways of fundraising for a beautiful charity.

I wonder about the possibilities to raise the yearly funding from individuals and corporations among "the Steemians". Also board memberships and therefore the real control could be assumed by Steemians. I have no idea yet how this could be implemented. And therefore bring the thought to you all as our forum. Thoughts how this could be done are much welcome.

The world is changing fast. The overpowering importance of banks may be soon something of the past. Blockchain might become a basis for new administration and control of wealth. Why not converting the support for charities as well? In any case, food for thought for Steemians.

This will be a very unusual post, because it explains the reasons why I - as the founder and president of the board of trustees of a well known charity in Hungary - am willing to give up my creation and my work for others to continue.

Let me first introduce the foundation. It is the Smiling Hospital Foundation, which I founded in 2004 in Budapest, Hungary. The activities consist of uplifting the soul of sick children in hospitals through programs of art and games. We have about ten artists (most of them musicians, but also magicians, puppeteers, origamists, balloon twisters, story tellers, etc) and about 250 volunteers (mainly for playing games, reading books, telling stories or just talking to the little patients and their parents). These artists go to 23 children hospitals or children departments in general hospitals all over Hungary once a week and in some hospitals even every day; always in the afternoon, because the morning is generally used for the doctors to make their rounds. Our artists and volunteers always create a happy mood among the patients, their parents and the present medical staff. And that is the goal of our activities: to distract the patients from all thoughts relating to their stay in hospital and by uplifting the spirit of the kids to contribute to a faster and better recovery. Very often we hear from doctors in the hospital that our work is equally important as the medical part. In my personal view they are complementary to each other: healing of body and soul; together for the best possible results.
Our website gives all details: www.mosolygokorhaz.hu/en/

The beauty of these activities is a.o. that it works in all countries, whether in West or East, rich or poor. We have demonstrated this by having already started these entertainment programs in ten different countries on three continents. In fact, it has always been easy to implement these activities, because all hospitals would welcome the concept and artistic programs; professional artists with a heart for children could be found in every country; and local sponsors could also quite easily be attracted in major cities around the world for the financing of the first few months.

But for a growing charity foundation it is more difficult to find the yearly increasing amounts needed to cover the expenses of the management, administration and office and the salaries of the coordinators in the main cities of the country. In our case, this is about Euro 60.000 per annum. For Hungary a very big amount and for international standards perhaps not too much. During the last 18 years I spent most of my time to raise funds (organizing galas, golf tournaments, corporate dinners, exhausting walk of 2000 km, biking tour of 6000 km and a lot more) and now it is time for a change. My age of 75 years and a changing world require a new and fresh look for innovative ways of fundraising for a beautiful charity.

I wonder about the possibilities to raise the yearly funding from individuals and corporations among "the Steemians". Also board memberships and therefore the real control could be assumed by Steemians. I have no idea yet how this could be implemented. And therefore bring the thought to you all as our forum. Thoughts how this could be done are much welcome.

The world is changing fast. The overpowering importance of banks may be soon something of the past. Blockchain might become a basis for new administration and control of wealth. Why not converting the support for charities as well? In any case, food for thought for Steemians.