SHREVEPORT, La., March 3, 2015 – The Marlene Yu Museum has received a Matching Grant Challenge from an anonymous donor of up to $25,000. All donations now until March 20 will be leveraged by a 100% dollar for dollar match and go directly towards much needed bricks and mortar construction building expenses at the Museum. Additionally, the Rainforest Art Foundation will work with Pandabit to do the Panda Challenge immediately following the end of the Matching Grant Challenge to honor Earth Day on April 22 with the promotion of recycling electronics.
RAF was selected to be a part of the BETA testing for the Panda Challenge as one of only a few other organizations and causes participating. The participation represents a meaningful partnership for RAF and Pandabit because of shared environmental concerns. The Panda Challenge is the newest evolution of crowdfunding, following the success of sites such as Kickstarter, GoFundMe, and IndieGoGo.
The Panda Challenge is a new fundraising website that allows organizations and causes to promote donations of cell phones, iPods, and tablets to raise money. Organizations and causes can challenge their followers via social media posts that include a link to their custom Panda Challenge page. Once they arrive to the Panda Challenge page the user will find their device and request a free shipping kit. Pandabit will then send out a shipping kit with a prepaid return package at no cost to the donor, making it easier than ever to make environmentally friendly decisions.
To donate to the Marlene Yu Museum Matching Grant Challenge by March 20, please visit www.MarleneYuMuseum.org, mail a check payable to Marlene Yu Museum to 710 Travis St., Shreveport, LA 71101 with ‘match’ as the memo, or call (318) 717-9111. On March 21, visit www.RainforestArtFoundation.org and like the Foundation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rainforestartfoundation to learn more about and donate to the Rainforest Art Foundation Panda Challenge before Earth Day, April 22.
The Marlene Yu Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission to preserve, present, document, and interpret the life and art works of Marlene Tseng Yu. The Rainforest Art Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission to increase appreciation of nature through art.
Both MYM and RAF will also be participating in The Community Foundation of North Louisiana’s Give for Good 2015 on May 5. It is one day of online giving for community members to support local organizations. For more information visit www.giveforgoodnla.com.
Contact:
Iris MacLean
Public Relations
Rainforest Art Foundation and Marlene Yu Museum
(318) 840-5213