Local Attorney Steps Up Through Social Media
On December 9th, local attorney Chris Malloy created an Instagram post with the purpose of raising funds for some of his favorite local organizations. By December 31st, he was wrapping up a campaign that had snowballed to include over 170 contributors, a cameo from celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern, and an incredible amount of collective effort and positivity.
Recently, we sat down (virtually) with Chris to learn more about the project. Here’s how it all went down:
WLP: Hi Chris! It’s great to be able to talk to you today.
CM: Same here, it’s really a pleasure.
WLP: Can you start off by telling us how exactly this project originated?
CM: Well, I try to volunteer as often as I can throughout the year, but throughout COVID it’s been difficult. Normally, for example, I “adopt” a few kids through DCF and YMCA, and go shopping for all these presents––but this year, I had to obtain most of the gifts through Amazon, which took much of the personal connection away.
One night, I had thought of sending an email out to 15-20 friends, saying “here are the organizations I like––you donate, and I’ll match up to $1,000.” And… I never sent the email.
For some reason, I posted on social media instead, and right before I hit the post I changed it to $5,000, thinking that we had no chance of hitting that number.
WLP: Can you explain how the matching donations worked via social media?
CM: Honestly, I was figuring everything out on the fly. I ended up featuring 11 organizations, and the way it worked was that you could donate directly to the group of your choice, send me a message with a copy of the receipt, and I’d match it.
It turned out to be a unique option, in that you could figure out what was most important to you and pick that organization to support.
WLP: You were doing nightly features on each organization. How did that come about?
CM: Again, it was all last minute, but I was able to reach out and have eight or nine Zoom calls with leadership at these places. Honestly, those conversations have been the most fulfilling part of this whole project. It’s been incredibly heartwarming to see the passion that each of you carry into your work.
WLP: What was the initial response to your post?
CM: We had the $5,000 in 36 hours. I couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t huge donations, either––$50 here, $100 there…
WLP: How were you feeling at that point?
CM: It felt like the momentum was too good––like there was more there. I kept upping my match amount––$6,000, $7,500, $10,000––and people kept contributing. Eventually, I reached out to my partners [at Moriarty, Troyer & Malloy, LLC] and they agreed to add $15,000 in matching funds, and I went up to $15,000 personally as well.
WLP: Why did you choose WLP as one of your featured organizations?
CM: The service and the needs that you address are incredibly important to me.
My folks got divorced when I was 8 and my mom was left in Michigan, with no job, no money. We were fortunate to have family bring us in, but if we hadn’t, who knows what would’ve happened. That always stuck with me, and for me, there’s a special need for women in that position––especially without the type of support that we had.
WLP: What would your advice be to someone who wants to launch a similar campaign?
CM: Start with the people that are closest to you.
At the end of the day, you’re donating the same amount that you would’ve anyway, and now you’re just expanding your gift and your circle. The thing that I’ve realized is that the power of many is greater than the power of one. Especially with people who are close to you. When they see that you’re passionate about something, they become passionate about it too. People see that you’re making a personal investment, and they’re willing to go there with you.
Chris Malloy’s campaign raised $68,390 for local charities, including $7,410 for Women’s Lunch Place. To see his posts and learn more about future efforts, click here to follow Chris on Instagram.