Valley Outreach recently introduced a new online fundraising platform called JustGiving, and it’s already proving to be a powerful tool for community-driven impact. JustGiving makes it easy to create a personalized fundraising page, share it with your network, and raise money to support Valley Outreach.

Since this platform is new to us, we were looking for a group of dedicated supporters to help test it out. That’s where Community Support of Our Students (CSOS) stepped in. Eager to continue their long-standing support of Valley Outreach, CSOS embraced the opportunity to explore this new platform.

Who is Community Support Our Students?

Community Support of Our Students is a is a group of about 50 members in Washington County, Minnesota who came together in early 2021 during the height of the pandemic. The goal? To address the urgent needs facing their community. At the time, they didn’t know their type of group had a name—a “giving group”—but they embodied the spirit from day one.

CSOS initially focused on K-12 students in Washington County who were experiencing family crises or personal challenges. Their mission was clear: to support educational efforts and help create better outcomes for students through support, volunteering, and advocacy. Over time, their mission has expanded to include college age students at Century College.

Online Fundraising Success

After the idea of an online fundraiser was introduced to the CSOS group, they immediately embraced it with enthusiasm. Miriam Simmons, a CSOS member, led the effort in creating the fundraising page. She shared, “It was easy to use—like anything, it took a few minutes to sort things out. But it was great.”

In just two weeks CSOS raised $2,560! By sharing their fundraising page through email, text, and social media, they were able to make a huge impact. We are incredibly grateful for their willingness to try out this new platform and demonstrate how simple and effective it can be!

Start Your Own Fundraiser!

Inspired by CSOS or looking for more creative ways to make an impact? You can start your own online fundraiser to support Valley Outreach!

Getting started is simple—just click here to get started! We’ve also created an Online Fundraising Toolkit packed with tips, tricks, and creative ideas.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Tori Nelson at 651-342-5564 or [email protected]. We’re here to help every step of the way!