April 1st was the second time our Bamboo Foundation raised funds for the new COVID-19 on the GoFundMe website. I remember vividly the first time was on January 28, when the pandemic just started to spread in China. We urgently raised $3800 for the shortage of supplies for medical institutions in both Wuhan and Shanghai.
Maybe we were too optimistic, maybe because the local pandemic is too serious, maybe because there were too many scammers raising funds in the media, maybe everyone thinks that our fundraising is too frequent … In short, this second GoFundMe only raised $1,000 within five days – far from our needed budget of $3,000.
As the President of the Bamboo Foundation, I am as anxious as ants on a boiling pot. The purpose of this foundation’s fundraising is to first: help small restaurants during this difficult time; and second, we want to support and fight the virus for the medical staff fighting on the front line. We wanted to deliver food to them in order to send a clear message – we care about you, we support you, and we love you.
For these reasons, there was no other way but to move forward. I mobilized our foundation members to further promote fundraising on both Facebook and WeChat. I contacted Peter Chu Law Firm, explaining the purpose and dilemma of my event to them. I hoped that I would be able to borrow $1,000 and repay it when I work in the summer. The other Co-Founder of my foundation, Michael, also consulted with the coach of his Country Club, hoping to advance $1,000 and later repay it by teaching children to play golf.
Because of this, on April 7th, 50 sandwich packages were delivered to the medical staff of San Diego Scripps Hospital, including beef, chicken, and tuna sandwiches, plus small packets of potato chips and chocolate cookies. In addition, we also carefully attached handwritten cards, which read: “Thank you for the sacrifices you have made and thank you for your courage. We appreciate you very much. Your friend, Bambooclub.us”.
When these delicious lunches were sent to the CPU center of the Scripps Hospital, filling entire carts, my heart warmed up. I know people will appreciate our love and support demonstrated through this event. Either it be 20 or 30 dollars, it represents the support and understanding of our medical staff and also volunteers in our society. This simple lunch represents care and love from everyone.
Unexpectedly, after the photos of the meal delivery were displayed on the GoFundMe fundraising website, a miracle happened! The amount of fundraising exceeded $3,000 in a short period of time, continuing to rise as days went by. We understood now that our charitable behavior was appreciated, positive energy. We learned that we were not working alone. Many people were supporting us, medical staff on the front lines, the essential workers providing services to society. Despite this desolate pandemic situation, people of all different kinds were brought together, never seen before.
As the rare rain of Southern California rained down on us for a week, we completed a week of meal delivery plan with the assistance of the restaurants. With further donations, we were able to continue to plan and support the next VA Clinic Nurse Appreciation Week, our next ambitious project.
This small project has fulfilled us more than we could have expected. Despite being under-appreciated, basic service staff continue to make warmer, silent contribution. This unprecedented pandemic also gave us high school students an opportunity to participate in social activities. These public welfare activities symbolize the oil that turn the gears of positive energy in society.