Michigan citizens with a criminal record have a right to vote! VAAC is dedicated to ensuring that all Michiganders understand their rights – even with a felony record, on probation, parole or tether, or awaiting arraignment or trial, even while in Jail – you have the power to vote. Your past doesn’t prevent you from impacting our future.
Your donations help us to:
– educate people who have been misinformed about their right to vote
– motivate those who do not believe their vote matters
– help people overcome the barriers that may prevent them from voting
VAAC found an external match for us (up to $20k and they are working on more) and we have a BJ Angel who offered a $1,000 match! So any donation up to $50 can be multiplied by 4 to see the actual impact of your donation.
Watch this video with real VAAC volunteers describing their mission.
Take a look at their Q & A from last night. They are inspirational!
As many as 300,000 Michiganders who have a criminal record are eligible to vote, but far too many of them believe they’ve lost the right to vote. VACC is working to empower this woefully disenfranchised community, and their goal for registration and voting in November is a whopping 100,000.
Think for a second about what the margin of victory was in Michigan in 2020.
Totally open thread.
Update at 1:30 pm.
Angel Match #1 is now complete! Luckily, we have another Balloon Juice Angel.
Let Angel Match #2 commence!
Voting Access for All Coalition
WaterGirl
The math: when we have a match + a BJ angel donor
If you donate $50 through THIS thermometer: Our Balloon Juice angel adds $50 to that, for a total of $100. Which the VAAC donor matches, adding $100, for a total of $200. So your $50 turns into $200!
If you donate $10 through THIS thermometer: Our Balloon Juice angel adds $10 to that, for a total of $20. Which the VAAC donor matches, adding $20, for a total of $40. So your $10 turns into $40!
If you donate $100 through THIS thermometer: Our Balloon Juice angel adds $50 to that, for a total of $150. Which the VAAC donor matches, adding $150, for a total of $300. So your $100 turns into $300!
Remember to add your donation in the comments in order to be counted for the Angel Match.
With each new angel match, you can be matched up to $50 even if a previous angel has matched you before.
Omnes Omnibus
$25
MisterDancer
$25 as well! I’m sorry I missed it last night, new project and I collapsed by 7PM!
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: That’s $100! And it’s not even Wisconsin, so double thanks.
WaterGirl
@MisterDancer: And that’s $100!
If you have time, check out the 1-minute video and the Q & A from last night. And you should definitely come to the zoom next Wednesday if you can.
The VAAC folks we have met are really great people. Plus, the 4 people from the video will be joining us for the zoom. Should be super interesting!
lowtechcyclist
Just tossed $50 into the kitty.
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl: The Lions still suck though.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: Yes, they do.
WaterGirl
@lowtechcyclist: Thank you, that’s $200 buckeroos for the cause!
Wolvesvalley
Do last night’s contributions count for this angel match?
Haroldo
$50
WaterGirl
@Wolvesvalley: Yes! I had a note to the effect that we are starting this post with $335 in angel matches from last night’s post. But then I inadvertently deleted that as I was clarifying how the matches work. oops
So your $50 last night did indeed turn into $200.
WaterGirl
@Haroldo: That’s $200 for the cause, thank you!
kalakal
In for $25
dkinPa
Thanks, WaterGirl. I just threw in $25.
WaterGirl
@kalakal: Thank you, that’s $100 for voting access.
We are now halfway through the $1,000 angel match!
Jesse
In for $10. I also set up a monthly recurring $5.
Jesse
BTW the post itself seems to have no thermometer. On the site’s sidebar, there’s a thermometer for VAAC. I presume the one you mean = the one on the sidebar (makes sense since VAAC is fresh around here). Just letting you know about how it looks to an outsider.
WaterGirl
@dkinPa: Thank you so much! Where else can $25 turn into $100? :-)
VeniceRiley
Order #AB221977142
$50.00
SiubhanDuinne
$25 from me. Thank you, angel donor!
WaterGirl
@VeniceRiley: @SiubhanDuinne:
Thank you both! Together that’s $300.
Wolvesvalley
@WaterGirl:
Yay!
SkyBluePink
$25
WaterGirl
@Jesse: Oops, missed this one earlier! Got you now, that’s $40!
WaterGirl
@Jesse: Oh, duh, that was a big oversight on my part!
Thank you for calling that to my attention. Added now!
edit: the new style of ActBlue thermometers throws me because the ONLY place I can put it is at the very bottom of a post, or whatever I put after it doesn’t show up. So then I forget to put it at the end.
WaterGirl
@SkyBluePink: Thank you, SkyBluePink! $100 for VAAC.
Whenever I see your nym I think of all the colors in the photos you have sent in to On the Road, and I wish you would send more photos.
JanieM
$25
WaterGirl
@JanieM: Thank you so much! That’s $100 for VAAC.
RaflW
$25 for re-enfranchisement!
Thanks to WG and everyone for making this happen.
WaterGirl
@RaflW: That’s $100 for a great cause and a great group.
Glidwrith
In for $50
H.E.Wolf
WaterGirl’s imagery sent me down an internet rabbit hole of vintage “cherub playing baseball” cards from the early 1900s, photos of Satchel Paige at bat (his wingspan alone should qualify him for angelic status), and this quotation:
Our fundraising is something that ain’t never been seen by this generation!
CaseyL
In for $25. Thank you, VAAC!
Xentik
Count me in for $50!
WaterGirl
I will likely add this to one of the next Angel match posts:
$25 covers the cost of a returning neighbor for 1 hour of community outreach at a shelter or transitional home, inspiring others to register, vote, and get engaged in our civic system.
Because of the external match + the angel match, if you donate $25 the funds 4 hours of community outreach.
$50 covers the cost a returning neighbor to go into the Wayne County jail for 2 hours meeting with pre-trial detainees, inspiring them that their voice does matter, informing them that you can vote while you are detained, but not convicted, registering them, and getting them set up for an absentee ballot to come to them while they’re in jail.
Because of the external match + the angel match, if you donate $50 the funds 8 hours of community outreach.
WaterGirl
@Glidwrith: Thank you, that’s a big $200!
WaterGirl
@CaseyL: Your $25 turns into $100 = 4 hours of community outreach!
WaterGirl
@Xentik:
Your $50 turns into $200 = 8 hours of community outreach!
WaterGirl
We are at $810 toward the first $1,000 Angel Match. Almost there!
Reboot
Just tossed in $50–big thanks to the angels and to WaterGirl.
WaterGirl
@Reboot: wow, that’s $200, aka 8 hours of community outreach!
Joy in FL
@WaterGirl: I’m glad to know that. I donated last night because I wanted VAAC to see the thermometer go up, even if it wasn’t matched. But it was : )
H.E.Wolf
@WaterGirl: The translations into community-outreach hours are brilliant!
grandmaBear
In for $50.
WaterGirl
@H.E.Wolf: Thank you!
Sfinny
In for $50.
WaterGirl
@Joy in FL: That was really thoughtful of you!
WaterGirl
@grandmaBear: @Sfinny:
Between the two of you, that’s $400 – together that’s 16 hours of community outreach!
Fair Economist
$100 donated.
Subcommandante Yakbreath
In for $50.
Mike E
It’s been a while so, $50.
WaterGirl
@Fair Economist: That’s $300, which translates to 12 hours of community outreach! thank you!
WaterGirl
@Subcommandante Yakbreath: @Mike E:
Your $50 each turns into $400, which is 16 whopping hours of community engagement.
WaterGirl
WaterGirl
We are now $60 into the $1,000 match from Angel Match #2!
Wolvesvalley
Hooray, another angel! Here’s another $50. :-)
WaterGirl
@Wolvesvalley: Thanks to you, and the BJ angel, and the external match from VAAC, you just donated 8 hours of community engagement!
As you know, with a new angel, up to $50 can be matched, even if you donated with an earlier angel match!
StringOnAStick
In for $25.
WaterGirl
@StringOnAStick: Thank you!! A hundred dollars for people who deserve to be able to vote.
la caterina
I’m in for $50.
WaterGirl
@la caterina: Thank you! That’s $200, which funds 8 hours of community engagement.
SkyBluePink
@WaterGirl: Been far too busy workwise-its really cut into my Balloon Juice time! But I do try to check out On the Road- such a wealth of beauty and experiences- and even the stars! to begin the day.
Hoping to have more time soon for photos and fun…
Madeleine
Almost forgot to comment. I put in $100 a bit earlier.
WaterGirl
@Madeleine: Thank you! that’s $300 for community engagement.
WaterGirl
@SkyBluePink: Ha! I think Balloon Juice should count as “other
datesDUTIES as assigned”. :-)Origuy
I’m in for $50 this morning.
WaterGirl
@Origuy: Thank you! That’s $200 for VAAC.
featheredsprite
Wonderful, wonderful project! I just donated 25.00.
WaterGirl
@featheredsprite: Thank you so much! That turns into $100.
PaulB
I just contributed $25. Thank you for finding and following up on these opportunities for us.
WaterGirl
@PaulB: Thank you, Paul! Your donation just funded 4 hours of community outreach!
Ukai
Just chipped in $25.
Leslie
In for $25. Hooray for matching funds!