The Terry Fox Foundation has a new tool to make it easier for donors to send cash.
The Terry Fox Foundation launched its fundraising app for iPhone and Android phones two weeks ago to coincide with this month's annual Terry Fox Run (Sept. 18) and National School Run Day (Sept. 28).
Participants who are registered online for Fox runs can use the app to track their donations, send emails to potential sponsors, receive credit card or PayPal donations, and leave messages. As well, their updates can be shared via social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter.
Roberto Cellere, who works in the charity's Quebec office, helped introduce the program in just a few weeks - and at a low cost - with Artez Interactive, the foundation's online fundraising solutions and e-commerce provider.
"The app was created to give the foundation the ability to leverage the power of mobile technology to the fullest extent possible," Cellere said, adding, "In 2010, the foundation experienced a significant increase in online fundraising revenues and that success provided the impetus to move forward with the next logical step, which is giving our online participants the latest in fundraising technology."
The 30th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run proved to be a financial boon for the organization, collecting $28.7 million in the fiscal year ending March, 31, 2011 - up more than $3.3 million over the previous year. Of every dollar raised, 85 cents is spent directly on cancer research programs.
Since it started, the foundation has brought in more than $500 million to fight the disease that claimed Fox's life in 1981. For more information on the app, visit www.terryfoxrun.org.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
