Letter for Donations

This is a sample letter I penned for the Junior Staff at Hugh O'Brain Youth Leadership Seminar in NorthWest Georgia. Staff members could take this letter format, make personal changes, and send it to their families, friends, and local businesses to obtain the $50,000 donations we needed to operate the seminar.

Dear Mrs. Norris,

For the past year, I have been involved with an organization called Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, or HOBY for short. HOBY is a non-profit organization that was started in 1958 by celebrity actor, Hugh O’Brian. The mission of HOBY is to inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation. The vision of HOBY is to motivate and empower individuals to make a positive difference within our global society, through understanding and action, based on effective and compassionate leadership.

My sophomore year of high school, I attended HOBY Georgia as an ambassador, meaning I went through the three-day seminar myself. I was the only sophomore selected for Douglas County High School, in fact, I was the first ambassador ever for my school. The experience was life-changing! HOBY empowered me to speak up and be confident in my ability to influence the world around me. Additionally, my eyes were opened to a world bigger than the town I grew up in. I learned about different kinds of people and how to relate to them. I learned how important it is to consider other’s differences. I discovered how amazing it is when we use our individual strengths to come together and do something greater than ourselves. HOBY showed me how to break down barriers and see people for who they are. Throughout high school, the skills and lessons I learned at HOBY have stayed with me, shaping me over and over again into the person I am becoming. I always try to be a light to others, do what's right, and take time and effort to understand people. I believe in the power of HOBY to shape tomorrow’s leaders and change the world, and I write to you in hopes that you’ll support me as I volunteer at this year’s seminar! Through the skills and strengths I’ve fortified through YLD, I believe I could impact this year’s HOBY seminar for the better. In fact, Abigail and I strengthened our bond as we discovered that we both served as ambassadors for our schools and plan to be a part of Junior Staff this year. 

I have been selected to serve on Junior Staff for GA HOBY NW at Agnes Scott College this Thursday-Monday, meaning I will get to volunteer at the seminar, serving this year’s high school sophomores going through the program. As a member of Junior Staff, I am required to raise $250 for HOBY Georgia, and I would like to request your help in meeting (or exceeding!) that goal! Over the course of the seminar, I will volunteer for 40 total hours. I would love for you to sponsor me since my school last minute told me they won’t be able to pay for my funds. If you wish to sponsor me, please fill out the sponsorship form I’ve included, and send that with your payment option back to me in the pre-stamped envelope I’ve provided. Since HOBY is a non-profit organization, all donations are tax-deductible as a charitable contribution. If you would like to give to HOBY in some other way, we are currently also looking for gifts-in-kind for the seminar. Items needed include: paper, pens, snacks, nametags, lanyards, binders, folders, flash drives, tote bags, postage, notecards, envelopes, and plastic storage bins.

Thank you so much for all the support you’ve given me over the years in everything I do. I appreciate you in my life!

Kind regards,

Natalie Miller