Let there be lights!
Transparency report for 'Light Up the Night'
I'm thrilled to share the incredible progress and detailed breakdown of our "Light Up the Night" campaign. Thanks to your overwhelming support, we not only reached our $400 goal in just a week but also received a generous bonus donation of lights from Bike Baton Rouge. Your trust in this initiative means the world to me, and I'm committed to ensuring complete transparency about how every dollar is being spent.
Fund Allocation & Purchasing Strategy
Of the $400 raised, we retained $384.80 post-GoFundMe's transaction fees of $15.20. Keeping in line with our goal of efficient and effective use of funds, I've strategized the purchase and distribution of the bike lights.
I ordered 100 lights (50 red and 50 white) from AliExpress, a popular online retail service based in China, known for its affordable products and direct shipping from manufacturers or merchants. Each light cost $0.54. With shipping at $5.91 and tax at $5.36, the total for this initial batch came to $65.08.
Reasons for Small Batch Orders
Shipping Costs: Larger orders significantly increase shipping expenses. For instance, getting 400 lights in one go would have cost a whopping $130 in shipping alone!
Quality Control: Unfortunately, some lights don't survive the journey. In our first batch, we lost 14 red and 3 white lights due to the batteries being drained. Smaller orders help us manage these losses better.
Storage Constraints: My home has limited storage space, making it impractical to hold large quantities of lights at once.
Distribution Efficiency: We've noticed that having a larger stock tends to lead to faster and sometimes wasteful distribution. Smaller batches ensure that the lights are given to those who truly need them.
With this approach, I plan to make four additional purchases of the same size. This strategy should keep our initiative running smoothly until spring.
Why Not Rechargeable?
As an ardent supporter of environmental sustainability, the decision to opt for non-rechargeable lights over rechargeable ones wasn't made lightly. In the past, Bike Baton Rouge attempted to source rechargeable lights, but several practical challenges led me to the current choice. Here's why:
Immediate Availability: A significant portion of our lights is handed out spontaneously to cyclists we encounter riding without lights. This practice is at the heart of our mission – providing instant safety solutions. Rechargeable lights need to be charged before they can be used, which doesn't align with our goal of offering immediate lighting solutions to those in need.
Excess Waste from Charging Cords: While rechargeable lights are eco-friendlier in terms of battery use, each light comes with a charging cord. Our experience showed that these cords often become redundant, as most people already possess multiple charging cables. Thus, these extra cords end up as waste, ironically defeating our eco-friendly intentions.
Complexity and Practicality of Installation: Affordability is key in maximizing the reach of our campaign. However, the more affordable rechargeable lights come with a separate attachment mechanism, making them less user-friendly. The two-piece design – the light and its attachment device – complicates distribution and usability. We observed that this complexity often leads to a higher likelihood of the lights being lost or not used at all.
Given these factors, we opted for single-unit, non-rechargeable lights that are cost-effective, immediately usable, and simple to attach to a bicycle. This decision ensures that we provide a practical and efficient solution for cyclists' safety, despite the trade-offs in terms of rechargeability and long-term environmental impact.
I would love to find a solution that allows us to purchase a more environmentally sustainable product, without compromising on immediate safety and practicality. If you have suggestions, I’d love to hear them.
Looking Ahead
While currently, we can't offer a tax deduction for your donations, I'm exploring ways to structure future campaigns to include this benefit. Your generous contributions are not only lighting up the night but also building a safer and more conscious community.
I can't thank you enough for your support and trust in this initiative. Together, we're making a tangible difference in the lives of many cyclists and contributing to a safer biking environment in our community.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to light up the paths of our fellow riders!