ABOUT DUDECHARITY.ORG

Dude Charity plans to carve out their niche in the charitable sector through various activities. Directly showing our dudes directly where their money goes is crucial. Every month a different cause or local organization will be vetted and chosen. We don’t plan on dumping the cash for them to use however they want. We plan to combine efforts with each non-profit to ensure the money raised for each abidements is used for specific tangible reasons and that each dollar is maximized to its full potential. Dudes will be recruited to help as much as possible each month. Our main goal is their involvement.

Local non-profits benefit from free fundraising and awareness. Donors, specifically businesses will benefit from positive branding, tax advantages (we have 501(C)(3)status), awareness, and the good feeling of helping in their local community. All those involved can donate both time and money to many organizations while knowing their money is being wisely used in our OWN community.

Most of our funds raised each month will be donated to the organization/cause for a specific tangible thing that we can show our dudes on our social media. As we grow this donation will grow as well and we will be able to do more and more. Getting dudes to do monthly recurring donations will be huge in setting our goals. Then with/on behalf of the charity we choose we will do random acts of kindness

We want our dudes to be involved from the beginning. We want to know what you think about Dude Charity and everything about us. We want to hear about charities you like. We want to hear your views on things like of volunteerism, other non-profits, philanthropy, good beer, or life in general.

The Genesis of Dude Charity

Prior to the formation of Dude Charity the Founding Dudes enjoyed doing many small acts of kindness, volunteerism and poor man’s philanthropy in their community. Inspiration came from many avenues but heavily from the non-profit Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere (www.rake.org) and AmeriCorps. Heavy fandom of The Big Lebowski, some help from www.dudeism.com and years of pondering combined for the idea of Dude Charity to come to fruition. Below are some of the activities that led up to us becoming a real non-profit organization.

the big lebowski brothers and sisters

Some of us dudes were “Littles” as young dudes and one decided to become a “Big” in 2011. Shortly after the dudes got involved with the Bowl For Kids’ Sake event. The bowling/fundraising team The Big Lebowski Brothers & Sisters was formed and quickly became the top fundraising group. Over $2000 was raised in 2013, $5000 in 2014, $6000 in 2015, $13,000 in 2016, $5000 in 2017 and $15,000 in 2018 for a total of over $46,000 over those years. The years of this event made the dudes aware of their fundraising skills. The natural evolution of the Big Lebowski Brothers and Sisters are the reason we called our non-profit Dude Charity.

HOMELESSness OUTREACH

One of the dudes volunteered and eventually worked for a housing coalition for a number of years after college, He worked his way all the way up to Fiscal Director and effected many lives this way. Another dude played in a golf outing for a new homeless shelter in 2010 and began volunteering his time at said shelter once a month. This opened his eyes to volunteerism and what it could do for both he and others.

Caleb’s COLLECTION of care (Now the Dude charity sweater drive)

Annually since 2013 when winter months are approaching the dudes have went around to fellow dudes to collect coats, gloves and hats for those less fortunate. To date 100+ 50 gallon bags full of donations have been dropped off at to local shelters and free stores. We have also collected over 1000 pairs of socks for the #RAKE inspired Socktober which were donated directly to the homeless.

NOVEMBEARD for NATIONWIDE CHILDREN’S palliative care

One of the dudes has been involved with the Novembeard campaign in which men grow out their beards for the month of November and raise money for Nationwide Children’s Hospital Palliative and Hospice Care. Most people get donations to shave their beard at the end of the month but he thought he would flip the script and ask people if they would prefer their donation to go to SAVE or SHAVE the beard as he already had a substantial beard. The save side won the battle for the first couple years but shave was able to get the clippers buzzing after the beard had been growing for over three years! All in all his beard raised over $12,500 for the cause!!

FLINT WATER CRISIS

When the Flint Water Crisis struck one of the founding dudes said he wanted to load his truck up with water and head to That State Up North. After fundraising for a week he quickly knew he had way more money/water than truck. The Make IT Fit Foundation stepped up to provide logistical help. We ended up donating over 27,024 bottles of water!! Our stops included Genessee Health Autism Center, Carriage Town Ministries, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Flint and men’s shelter called My Brother’s Keeper.

GATLINBURG FIRE VICTIM DONATION

When wildfires struck the Gatlinburg, TN area the founding dudes were enlisted by some fellow dudes to help do something about it. A drive for water, Gatorade, food, clothing ended up with three truck and trailers heading to donation sites in TN. On top of that we also made a cash donation to first responders who fought the fires and heard their crazy stories. It was on this trip that the notion of doing much more, possibly officially was born. The basis of Dude Charity was born in a box truck somewhere during a dude-trip from Gatlinburg-Nashville-Ohio.