OAKLAND WORKERS FUND NEW

2022 DONATION GUIDELINES

 

We are so grateful for all of your ongoing support! 100% of your direct donations to Venmo and Paypal are redistributed to our applicants! Your direct donations allow us to continue to support those most marginalized and struggling in our community! 

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PLEASE FOLLOW OUR DONATION GUIDELINES CAREFULLY!!!

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FOR VENMO DONATIONS:

 

To make a donation via Venmo:

First, enter the $$ amount and please include emojis or other words like, “with love, thinking of you, have a great day, support, community, etc.” in the caption/description. Please do NOT include the words, “donation, funds, redistribution, etc” or anything similar. These words put the account(s) at a high risk of being flagged. 

 

After filling out the caption/description and clicking “Pay,” Venmo has a “Turn on for purchases” toggle option. Please DO NOT turn this option on! The purpose of this option is exclusively for buyers and sellers of goods/services, which we are not. This option will charge us a fee, which takes funds away from those we are supporting with these funds. Additionally, this puts our account at risk because we do not sell any goods or services. 

 

WITHOUT turning the purchase option on, continue with the payment like normal. Thank you so much!

 

FOR PAYPAL DONATIONS:

 

To make a donation via Paypal:

First, enter the fund amount and write in the note section. Here, include emojis or other words like, “with love, thinking of you, have a great day, support, community, etc.”. Please do NOT include the words, “donation, funds, redistribution, etc” or anything similar. These words put the account(s) at a high risk of being flagged.

 

PayPal has a “Payment Type” step that states, “Buying something? We’ve got your back.” and has two options: Personal (Pay friends and family easily) or Purchase (Get a refund for eligible items). 

 

Here, please choose the “Personal” (paying friends and family) option. DO NOT choose the “Purchase” option. The purpose of this option is exclusively for buyers and sellers of goods/services, which we are not. This charges our account a fee which then takes funds away from those we are supporting with these funds. Additionally, this puts our account at risk because we do not sell any goods or services. After selecting the “Personal” option, continue with the payment like normal. Thank you so much!

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WHY?

 

Recently, Venmo and Paypal updated their policies in ways that affect all users. We have created NEW GUIDELINES to guide you through a smooth donation transaction, making for a safer and more secure donation process, while eliminating the risk of errors that can cause our account to be flagged or frozen! 

 

Please note that the new updates for both apps include payment options that are for those selling/buying goods and services, something which Oakland Workers Fund NEVER DOES. Please DO NOT select the “goods and services” or “purchase” options when donating to either of our accounts. Selecting these options not only charges OWF a seller fee (when we are not a seller), but also puts our account and the accounts of folks in need who receive funds from us at risk of being flagged or frozen. If the app deems a payment suspicious or outside of the Venmo/Paypal guidelines, all accounts involved can be flagged or frozen, even the funds in the current balance being wrongfully revoked as well. Wrongly choosing the purchase option on these apps could greatly affect those in dire need that we support and jeopardize our ability to redistribute funds to them in a timely manner.

 

Please remember that we are a NOT-FOR-PROFIT MUTUAL AID ORGANIZATION, not a for-profit company and even when you are donating to receive a gift from us, like a tote bag, this transaction is still A DONATION to our organization. 

 

Due to the changes in these app’s policies, we must be diligent about following the safety guidelines we have in place to protect our accounts and the accounts of those that we support. 

 

Please be mindful of these guidelines when making a donation to us! These funds are vital to those we redistribute them to and we want these transactions to be done as safely as possible for everyone! We are very appreciative of your support! Thank you! :)