ONE MONTH LEFT: A CALL FOR HELP

As Maya Angelou said, “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”

You and I know the power of travel and how true that statement is. Travel gives us added perspective to see that we are all in the same boat. It broadens our horizons and helps us dream big. No one who has gone traveling comes back the same. We come back with bigger dreams, goals, and desires.

Today, I come to you a final time — asking with all my soul — for your help to give this power to others who couldn’t experience it on their own.

As you know, last year I started a nonprofit called FLYTE (The Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education). The goal of the organization is to help underserved high schools around the United States go on educational trips, and to fund these overseas journeys for communities and students who could least afford it.

I want to bring travel to those who think it’s something they could never do — that it’s just something rich people do. I want FLYTE to help expand the minds of the youth of tomorrow, to show them that there is a big world out there, and that they can dream past their small towns.

Earlier this year, we sent a group of students from Atlanta to Mexico. One of those students is now going to do a study abroad program when he enters college next year. His eyes were open the beauty of travel because of that trip! These students were powerfully impacted by their experience.

We’re currently fundraising for our second trip, to send a group of students from Washington, DC to Cuba next month. We’ve raised $22,000, but that’s only 64% of our goal. We have another $13,000 to go! We’ve had over 400 donations so far but, if everyone who reads this blog donated just $10, we could fund the entire trip – and many more like it – right away. The more we raise, the more we can help these students and others like them.

Please help me in reaching our goal for this trip. By doing so, you can give back and pay forward all the kindness you received on the road. I know we are all budget travelers and short on funds, but for a donation of as little as $10, you really can help make an impact on the world.

Remember, we don’t travel in a bubble. At some point, a kind stranger has helped us. On my travels I’ve had many people help me, giving me meals, rides, information, and places to stay.

Let’s pay it forward. Let’s be that kind stranger for these kids.

One less beer, a cheap meal, a bigger dorm — in the long run this won’t make a difference to us. But a trip to Cuba for these kids will be with them for their entire lives!

I have always deeply believed in the power of this community. One just has to look at the comments on the blogs or in the forums to see how helpful and supportive we are. I think this is one of the nicest, most supportive travel communities on the Internet. We lift each other up!

This organization means the world to me, and I want to see it succeed. We’ve got our 501(c)(3) tax status (so your donation is tax deductible) and are getting ready to apply for grants and big donations from foundations. We’re getting an intern. We’re lining up sponsors for later trips. These will allow us to jump-start the foundation, but right now, I need your support to get this trip funded.

I wish I could fund this myself all myself but I can’t. I need YOU.

I hate asking for money. I don’t want to keep coming hat in hand. Since I don’t want to ask for something and not at least offer you something in return, if you do contribute, I will throw in some added bonuses too:

$25 – For donations at this level, I’m offering my e-books How to Teach English Overseas and The Ultimate Guide to Travel Hacking, and my guides to NYC, Paris, Bangkok, Amsterdam, Stockholm, and Hong Kong.

$50 – For donations at this level, you will get the e-books and city guides PLUS a signed copy of the print book How to Travel the World on $50 a Day, a FLYTE t-shirt, and a t-shirt with the saying “Keep Calm and Travel On” (US shipping only).

$100 – For donations at this level, you will get all of the above PLUS a free membership in our new “How to Improve Your Travel Photography” course and a personal thank-you message from the students of Anacostia International Club after they return from Cuba.

$500 – For donations at this level, you will get all of the above PLUS an hour of travel planning with me, a souvenir from Cuba, and a care package from my new home in Austin!

All of your donation will go to fund this trip. I’m covering all administrative costs. Your donation goes directly to these kids. Simply use the widget below to contribute:

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$29,187AMOUNT RAISED

ANACOSTIA ABROAD: ANACOSTIA HIGH SCHOOL TRAVELS TO CUBA!

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We will go back to regularly scheduled travel content in the next post, but I wanted to make one last plea for support.
Let’s do this together. We have one month to go and I know we can do this and fund this trip! Ten dollars will change these kids lives. Out of little things, big things can happen!

You can also help by sharing this campaign on Facebook and Twitter, and by emailing your friends, family, cousins, penpals, coworkers – anyone – and letting them know about this. Help us spread the word about this cause so we can change as many lives as possible. The more people know about this, the better!