Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/homepage.ez?Who=Jalen&Form.sess_id=15069515&Form.sess_key=1090056115

Some of you may know how devastated I have been recently since the death of my mother last month and that I am still having difficultys resulting from other things that seem to have gone wrong in my life since.I am not writing this for myself however,there is another member here in need and I am trying to be her voice as it has saddened me no end to see what she is enduring. Jalen is a beautiful soul who has poured herself into her work and posted so many beautiful images and words that have mean't a lot to many people...but now she is in need as she is fighting for her life,facing possibly losing her child and then being put in a nursing home.She is in financial trouble and I am trying to find ways to help if in no other way than to at least get enough donations so she can stay online here with us which gives her great happiness.I know how much it mean't to me to have you guys there for me and I know it has to mean so much more to her. I hope an admin here might get this and set up a link for credit card and other online donations...but til then she has given me permisiion to seek assistence and I have her mailing address if you would like to send financial aid or gifts:) Please consider this...I am not sure if this was the proper forum in which to ask this but I am nonetheless asking as for me it really strikes home and I do so hope that this plight touches your hearts. For any who wish to check her works here on rosity I am including the link to her home page and after checking her gallery I think you'll know why this lady has touched my heart:)Thank you and God bless....

PS...contact me by IM if you would like her mailing address as I've been under a lot of stress lately and my memory has gotten very bad as a result-I would not want to miss any commentor wishing to help so please just click my name and send an IM:) Again...I thank you

I had this idea earlier when it was mentioned in this forum that another member of Renderosity (Bonestructure) was having a difficult time with health related issues.

Many of us merchants have been brokering our products for such a long time now that we have products that have rotated into the Warehouse and finally right out of the Marketplace. Would it be possible to set up a special place in the Marketplace for donated products that could be sold at a reduced price with the proceeds going to various members as needed?

I personally would be willing to donate several products for this purpose. The thought that we could help out our fellow members in such a way pleases me more than words could express :)

• Rick

"Would it be possible to set up a special place in the Marketplace for donated products that could be sold at a reduced price with the proceeds going to various members as needed?" We no longer do donation type services through Renderosity. As with previous requests of this nature please feel free to donate to their paypal account or whatever means they make available as you see fit. I hope things work out Jalen very quickly. Clint

Oh well I didn't mean to imply that Renderosity would have to lose money on this proposition. I wouldn't have any problem with Rendo taking it's usual split on the sales to cover the cost of hosting and administering the program.

I have to admit that I never worked out all the details and conditions that such an undertaking would entail - it's just an idea that I thought could serve to generate a small fund that could help out members if needed :)

Couldn't you just sign up for an "account", then upload your donated product when logged into that account. The "special" account would have the profit check sent to whoever you want it to be sent to. And anyone wanting to "donate" a product to this person could log into that account and upload their donated product. Sounds like it would work...

Well appears no good deed goes unpunished...very sad to see that rosity doesn't have any policies in place to allow members to help one another in a time of need-I guess it could afford opportunitys for fraud but at the same time I can't help but think that if members are in need there should be a way for us to offer help.Funny thing is that it not only makes rosity look like it has no heart,most millionaires have found giving to charity to be extremely profitable both in their reputation and at tax time.

The reason I brought this matter here was because I know many people do have a heart and this dear lady needs help...but since this idea got shot down I will work within established frameworks here and see what I can do to take it to the members more directly as one of the key reasons I brought the matter here is that this dear woman primarily wants to stay online so she can keep in touch with her friends here on rosity during this painful ordeal-and to think,someone who finds being here such a relief to the agonys of life can't be honored by her friends trying to help her in this time of need-truly is heartbreaking.

There's a lot involved for Renderosity to set up donations. It's not just a matter of cutting a check. It does make more sense to set up a paypal account.
Another way is to upload a product and put her name in for a percentage.
I hope things work out for her but it's not fair to jump on R'osity for something they've tried to do in the past and learned it's not as easy as it seems.

Give me a place to donate and I'm there. I don't have any products put up anywhere that could help on an ongoing basis, but I would like to help. Jalen is good people who is going through some very hard times right now and I'd like to see her be able to continue online because online friends and artwork are very good therapy in those times. Armorbeast, let me know what I can do to help. ShadowWind

'I hope things work out for her but it's not fair to jump on R'osity for something they've tried to do in the past and learned it's not as easy as it seems.' Yes, that did occur to me after I posted my idea and read Clint's response. I know that the PTB at Renderosity would be glad to help out in the way I proposed if they could but there are probably many different issues involved that I didn't think of. I'm going to look into uploading product for Jalen and we'll see how that works out because that just may be a solution after all :)

I will send out word to a prayer network. Tell her that God's love is with her, and so is ours.

Message edited on: 07/18/2004 00:01

Well its not the rosity admin that I was ticked at but moreso the situation and I do understand the issues in regard to setting up some way to help members in need.The thing is that sometimes you meet someone and make a connection...but the connection you make is a straight line so I can't help her on her end nor on mine--we have to meet in the middle somewhere and rosity is that middle ground. Being that I am not a merchant it becomes more so the problem in regard to your suggestion Kendra and I would not slap something together without the skill to do so-lord knows all I need is to upload something that gets through out of kindness and then its discovered I did something wrong and violated the TOS out of being a novice. I may set up a Pay Pal account but how would I keep it visible,if I post in the forums it will get buried within hours and only the members who go through the forums in depth might find it.Of course there are several forums where that won't happen but thats because hardly anyone ventures there-I mean,I left a post in the contest forum that actually was deleted even though the contest isn't up til the end of the month and none of the other threads seem to have drawn any interest there either. Maybe I posted this thread from the heart and am disappointed more than anything that so few people noticed...but Richabri I think really understood where all this was coming from and Melansian I thank you for your kindness as Jaden is a Christian whose faith in God with everything going so wrong in her life pierced through my own encompassing darkness...I am not of any religious faith as my own was destroyed in childhood,but I so admire such a valiant and beautiful soul that even without knowing about rositys past issues with donations and what not,I had to reach out. If making something and selling in the marketplace is the only way I can do this I will try,the people who know me know I am not profit motivated so for me 100% could be given to Jalen but only if I can do something good and worthy of her kind heart:) Thank you and again I am not mad at the rosity admin...just a bad situation where we might as well be worlds apart for all the good I can do her on my own from where I live:(

The MarketPlace is not the place to make this happen. Adding a members name for the sake of donations is not something that we allow. There are many reasons from support of the product to financial paperwork etc. As I stated if she needs help a paypal account is the best route to go that way donations can be made as needed to that account by each member that wishes to donate. Again, I truely hope things work out very quickly for Jalen. Clint

This is totally weird!!! I mean I was thinking about something like, making a new merchant account and directing it to kids in need of help associations. Seriously I have had thought about this since long time. But once I looked at it in the realistic way, I figured out that there are tax issues and a lot more. Plus doing something like this can also open a gate for TRICKY people who might promote them selves as selling products in the name of helping people but actually pocketing the money. I truly feel sorry for the person you guys are trying to help out. I agree with CLINT in this subject. I think the best way is to open a PAYPAL account for this FRIEND and then inform us about it so that we can do what ever which is in with our possibilities.

Armorbeast, I would like to thank you for informing us about your friends situation. Let us hear whats going on.

Best regards,
Umut B. Aydin (umutov)

Message edited on: 07/18/2004 08:45

Message edited on: 07/18/2004 08:48

"I think the best way is to open a PAYPAL account for this FRIEND and then inform us about it so that we can do what ever which is in with our possibilities." Yes, This is the best way to help in these types of situations. I hope someone will set the paypal account up and make the information known so members can donate as they see fit.. Clint

Yes, Renderosity is not set up as an official charity.

There are all sorts of legal/tax issues involved when it comes to charitable giving. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as it should be. And, yes...as has already been mentioned......there are a lot of dishonest people around. They would be more than happy to take your money in the name of a good cause -- themselves.

I am sorry to hear about this situation. I'll keep checking back.

Well I agree in regards to there being a lot of fraud...but to use that as a grounds to say no is in itself an afront to legitimate help organizations.Its kinda like the member contests that rosity is allowing,in Fergusens last one she set it up to where you could only enter using Cimerones products and since Cimerone basically had no freebies (well one),it basically was a mandate to most members that you had to buy her products.I was sent replys from both that they had spoken with attourneys who informed them it was legal when in fact I already knew it wasn't. The trick is that the only reason I said anything about the Fergusen contest is that I live in Alabama and was watching the debates as Tennessee adopted a state lottery,so I already knew the law there in regard to requiring purchase to enter a sweepstakes and that it was no different than most states...so when Cimerone and Fergusen told me they had legal advice that it was ok to run their contest this way,I saw problems because others would follow their example and rosity could have gotten in a lot of trouble as well as making a large number of its members angry that they allowed this to happen.In the contest I organized to honor Kozaburo I actually already knew that "you can" require the usage of products in the contest so long as "no purchase" is required and the product is made accessible to all entrants...maybe thats where Fergusen and Cimerone misinterpreted what their legal advice was,but rosity refuses to regulate these things and its members are totally vulnerable to any number of things that can go wrong as a result.For Fergusen it must have been embarassing to change the rules after saying she wouldn't because there was nothing wrong with the rules and they were legal...rosity knew different or should have and there should have been measures in place to prevent this. There is as much or even more opportunitys to rip people off in allowing member organized contests as there is member organized charity-the only real difference is that with charity you might actually save a little girl needing a kidney transplant and getting ripped off in a contest,well who benefits there??Before anyone jumps in to say nay,I did ask "why can't these member contests be reviewed before posting" and was told that rosity has someone for managing site contests but they have no intention for managing member organized contests in the gallerys.They will of course take action if someone raises a valid complaint like I did about the legality of the Fergusen contest,but they know the law in Tennessee better than I and had already looked at this contest,said nothing and many members felt compelled to buy Cimerones products to enter before I and a few others raised questions. Charity is something that most wealthy people and businesses give to willingly because the more you make the more you take-people see businesses and wealthy people as greedy and charity gives them a means to give back or even to dispell such beliefs.It is also why every state in the US and the US government give back huge tax breaks for pursuing charity whether it is giving to charity or merely hosting charitable events...and Tennessee is known for how generous its wealthy individuals and businesses have been. The last word...I am not raising a fuss because rosity doesn't have charity or allow it.The issue here is that no explanations were given as to why not,as if we are all familiar as to the reason why it can't be done.If this had been done from the start there would have been no complaints or arguments on my part-just regrets I didn't know earlier so I wouldn't have wasted my time and gotten disheartened-but thats just me,nobody elses fault except mine.

Dear Armorbeast, Please take heart, we know that you mean well and are trying to help a friend in need. There is no harm in that, and no harm done. So, please do not get discouraged, as there are things within your reach and your power to accomplish that can help her. If you set up a PayPal account for her and post it here, people will be able to donate directly, and she will get all the proceeds. I wish we could do things like this with products, but we have learned through experience that it unfortunately doesn't work well. There are the tax issues. In addition, there is the need for technical support of the products. And let's not forget the fun of copyright ownership legalities. However, something good has come out of you speaking up and asking for help. You have discovered there is help available, and you can make it happen. It may not have been in the way you originally suggested, but it is a more direct and expedient way. As for the contest you mentioned, that was addressed by Renderosity and the situation was corrected. If have any questions, or need anything else, just let me know. Ill be happy to help. Best wishes, LillianH

Attached Link: http://www.townhall.com/columnists/georgewill/gw20040718.shtml

This 07-18-2004 column by George Will might be of interest.

It's entitled "The government should get out of the way of charity"

While the issue which George Will raises is not directly related to the matter under discussion here -- it helps to provide an idea of some of the government-imposed difficulties involved in giving money/things away to others.

Message edited on: 07/18/2004 22:18

Message edited on: 07/18/2004 22:18

To all... If this is in violation of any TOS, feel free to delete it or email me and I'll delete it... but... Armorbeast: 3DCommune does do exactly what you are asking. They will set up a vendor account where the proceeds will go to the person in need. Since 3DCommune supports the products themselves, there really isn't an issue of support. Just contact any store admin and let them know what you are trying to do, and they'll help you set up the store for this person.

3DCommune does do exactly what you are asking. They will set up a vendor account where the proceeds will go to the person in need. Since 3DCommune supports the products themselves, there really isn't an issue of support.

I'd say go for it.

I'm still having difficulty, and may have to go in hospital again. I've come to feel very very sorry for anyone in america facing heralth issues if they don't have some kind of insurance coverage, which most, of course, can't afford. Aside from money, you may want to think that people often need other things too. The forum where many of the OT people went to had me set up a wish list at Amazon for books and videos, and I've mentioned a few household needs as well. I mention that because, when someone gets in trouble with health and stuff, money isn't always the only thing they need. Ya need to feed the spirit too. Were it not for books and movies I wouldn't have made it this far without being horribly depressed. And ya need to keep yout spirits up to heal well. For someone else it might be something else. And sometimes people who don't have the money to help would be glad to help in other ways if they have books or movies they don't want, or like, clothes or other stuff like that. Know what I mean? Just thought it was worth a mention

Somebody please correct me if I am wrong!!! What the hell is going on guys? I am ok for helping people in need of food, hospital, medicine etc but What does this mean? Videos, house holds, books? For me helping people with basics of life, FOOD, MEDICINE, HOSPITAL kinda things are the main issues. Sorry but if someone is asking for books, videos, playsataion 2, nintendo, ferrari etc etc. They can go and duck-tape their mouths. I sponsor kinds in Africa and other places. For me asking for anything else than food and medicine is weird. People do not need more then Food and Medicine to survive. Donating, helping people is giving them the support to survive. I think as long as someone can surivive they can make the money to buy their own LUX. I hope I have misunderstood what bonestructure said. But on my side it looked like exactly like how I got it. Best regards, Umut B. Aydin (umutov) PS: About books, I am ok with buying educational books for students who can not afford it. I was talking about things like HARRY POTTER kind of books.

The mind and spirit have to survive too. One has to stay sane and focused on life. There need to be things that take you outside of and past pain and despair and illness. Letting someone know you care, that can be vital. Not everyone has money. But lots of people have, say, books they could send someone who's ill and has to spend a lot of time in bed. Books and such CAN be a necessity. I take it you've never suffered a devastating illness that affects every aspect of your life and shakes your faith in everything. Small kindnesses become very large in the new sight that gives one. Coming close to death changes one fundamentally in ways I can't even explain yet, because I'm still finding my way through it. Having people help, in ANY way, during that, is invaluable, because that illness can make you feel very very alone and very scared. You didn't misunderstand me, you just failed to understand me completely. And yesterday was a bad day for me so perhaps I didn't express myself as well as I could have. And no, just because someone survives, that doesn't mean they can work.

Umutov, with all due respect, the gifts were an offering by those of us with the means and the desire to give. They weren't a request made out of the blue by the recipient. I think what bone is trying to suggest is there are people who might want to give but don't have money or a way to send it securely, therefore they might consider other ways to help like donating used books, clothing, whatever. Secondly, until you're bedridden and alone with absolutely nothing to live for, you have no idea what that person "needs to survive". Compassion isn't limited to third-world countries.