When Jacki Splittorf-Sullins lost her 3-year-old son, Harlan, to a rare form of childhood cancer, she wanted to do everything she could to prevent other parents from losing a child.
So, in 2015, Splittorf-Sullins launched an annual fundraiser in South Carolina that has raised nearly $150,000 for the nonprofit CureSearch for Children’s Cancer. The Baxter Trails CureSearch Hike also spawned several similar hikes across the country that raise money for the charity. On top of that, Splittorf-Sullins founded Harlan’s Heroes, a nonprofit that provides support to parents of children who are battling cancer.
When we think about peer-to-peer fundraising, we often think of the large national charities that stage massive, multi-city events. But peer-to-peer fundraising is also making a huge difference on smaller organizations like CureSearch. And it’s people like Jacki who make these programs successful.
In peer-to-peer fundraising, a nonprofit’s supporters reach out to their friends, family and colleagues for donations often in connection with an activity such as a walk or ride. Collectively, these campaigns raise billions each year for nonprofits across North America.
CureSearch, which raised more than $5 million in 2018, has a small staff and a modest, but growing, peer-to-peer fundraising program. The Baxter Trails CureSearch Hike is almost completely managed by Splittorf-Sullins, meaning that CureSearch’s professional fundraising team can devote its time and resources elsewhere.
“Jacki has been a game changer for our organization,” says Brecka Putnam, senior manager, campaign development for CureSearch. “Any time a parent loses a child and is able to get up and do something about it, it really blows me away. Jacki has taken it a step farther and is making such a tremendous difference. She is phenomenal.”
Splittorf-Sullins serves as a mentor to other CureSearch supporters who host hiking events, but her impact on the organization goes far beyond that. She also works with CureSearch’s fundraising team to help with the charity’s year-end appeal and dedicates countless hours to helping families through her work with Harlan’s Heroes.
Whenever I meet a superstar fundraiser like Splittorf-Sullins, I am blown away by their complete commitment to helping others. It takes an extraordinary amount of passion and perseverance to volunteer to raise money to help those you’ve never met.
But I’m also impressed by the charities they support.
For more than a decade, we’ve been honoring people like Splittorf-Sullins with our Cash, Sweat & Tears Award, which is presented to North America’s most outstanding volunteer fundraiser.
Each of our winners, including Splittorf-Sullins, has overcome massive obstacles and has incredible motivation to give back.
But, in every case, they are doing so in support of a nonprofit that supports and champions their efforts while also giving them the opportunity to inject their own personalities and ideas into their fundraising.
Whether you’re trusting a budding YouTube star to talk frankly about your organization to teens or supporting a cancer survivor on her quest to compete in extreme endurance challenges, it’s not easy to step aside and cede control of your messaging and planning to an outside volunteer.
Those that do — that can provide guidance and support while also giving their volunteers the freedom to try something new and different — are often rewarded with the results.
You can contribute to Splittorf-Sullins’ campaign at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/jacki
