Josti Gadeyne, communication & fundraising coordinator, at Ziekenhuis Geel, was one of the 8 fundraisers sharing her story during Santé Généreuse, the member event of FAB and testament.be in June. She shared on how Dimpnafonds responded to the sudden corona crisis and what they have learned from that period.
The Dimpnafonds is the fund for Ziekenhuis Geel. Josti had just set up the fund as a non-profit association at the end of 2019, and they just had a fundraising strategy ready in March 2020, when the Corona crisis broke out. Dimpnafonds intends to give that little bit extra to the patients and the environment of the hospital. They ensure that warm care is possible.
Josti explains: “We had planned a number of campaigns about projects in the hospital, that we had to put on hold for a while. There was a real sense of urgency at that moment. We soon noticed a wave of solidarity; people came to the hospital to bring mouth masks and materials, they sew mouth masks, etc. Our hospital was flooded with expressions of support. We then saw larger hospitals launch campaigns concerning corona and we could not stay behind. We had to switch gears very quickly. We then developed a house style and website, so that we could also direct people to a landing page where they could make a donation. Also our tax certificate was very quickly arranged with Stichting Pelicano. So actually within a month we had a campaign running.”
Awareness about importance of fundraising for local hospital
“The momentum gave us the advantage that we could really get more attention through the communication channels of the hospital. The campaign ran mainly online, but because of the attention that the hospital received due to the corona crisis, we as a communications department could also continuously communicate our donation request. That worked perfect offcourse”, Josti explained.
“The downside was that there was no time to create a support base among the healthcare staff. Some were really surprised that our hospital received donations. They thought people only gave to large hospitals in Brussels or Antwerp. This raised awareness that Ziekenhuis Geel is also a good cause. There are still some people amongst the healthcare staff that find it difficult to accept that we position ourselves as a hospital to raise money, and that is something we have to work during the coming period. That takes time anyway; it's not something that can be done in a month. That is a mindset that has to grow in the hospital.”
The advantage is that the Dimpnafonds was immediately positioned as a brand in the region. “We are a regional hospital, so we are aiming at getting a supporter base in the region. The fund is now really known as a brand, and that is thanks to the crisis. There is also a whole community; with corona we got a number of donors, but there is a much bigger community of sympathisers - potential donors. So that is certainly something we can use for further positioning”, Josti added.
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We want to give just that little bit of extra care and attention to a patient and his or her family: a more pleasant stay, a better quality of life, a smile or comfort in difficult times... The patient's experience is central. We want it to be warm, involved and customised. Thanks to philanthropy, we help Ziekenhuis Geel to give more than what is offered by a traditional hospital. Also read ‘Fundraising is not about begging, it is about using your expertise to do good’ – interview with Josti, august 2021 |
Dimpnafonds is a non-profit organisation that supports patients and their families, friends and environment in Geel and the wider Kempen region.
