100 Faithful Friends

God is Faithful.

100 Faithful Friends is a group of Christian leaders, men, women, couples, and families who have come together to support local charities in southeast Michigan. Guided by our love for Christ, we believe by working collectively, we can make a greater impact in our community. Through combined efforts, we aim to contribute to and uplift local causes, embodying the belief that together, we can achieve more than any one person can alone.

The model is simple and effective.

100 people x 1 hour x $100 = $10,000 to create an impact and help a need.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. -Margaret Meade

How 100 faithful friends works

How It Works

Commit to being a member by completing a Commitment Form.
Each member commits to donating $100 per meeting ($400/year).
All Members who have completed a Commitment Form have 1 vote. If you have become a Member as a couple or family, there is 1 vote for the group.
Members must be in attendance at the meeting to vote. There is no voting by proxy.
Only current Members may submit a charity for consideration. Members who wish to submit a charity for consideration must be ready to make a 5 minute presentation during our meeting. Three charity submissions will be randomly drawn, and the winning members will then have time to make their 5 minute presentation, plus 3 minutes of Q & A.
Only the member that is selected is allowed to present. A member is the person, couple or family listed on the membership form. In the interest of fairness to the other charities selected, different members can not join to present a common cause. All Q&A will be answered by the presenting Member only.
If you make a charity presentation and your nomination is not chosen, you will still be eligible to put your name in the drawing at the next meeting. If a Member’s charity is chosen, that organization is not eligible to win for one year. The Member is still eligible to submit the name of another charity.
All charities/non-profits/worthy causes are eligible to be nominated by Members.
After the three charities have been presented, each Member will vote by ballot – the majority rules. In the case of a two-way tie the Membership will be provided with the names of the two charities and a second vote will be taken. If the second vote results in another tie then we will randomly pick one of the two charities name out of a box. In the case of a three-way tie we will randomly pick one of the three names out of a box.
The winning charity will be announced and all members present will write a check directly to the winning charity. For tax purposes, all checks will be made out to the chosen organization. Even if your choice does not win, all Members are responsible for writing a check to the winning charity.

Our Causes

The Causes we've supported....

Meeting #

Meeting Date

Winning Charity/Worthy Cause

Donation Total

Jun-25

The Open Table Collective

$8,300

Mar-25

Faith Works

$10,100

Dec-24

Gracefilled Giving/Abide Ministries

$ 9,050.00

Sep-24

Rochester Area Youth Assistance (RAYA)

$ 9,300.00

Jun-24

The Power Company Kids Club

$ 9,200.00

Mar-24

The Joseph Project

$ 9,150.00

Dec-23

The Hicks Family

$ 9,350.00

Sep-23

Lord of Lords Church

$ 9,300.00

Jun-23

Gracefilled Giving/Abide Ministries

$ 9,650.00

Mar-23

Incarcerated Youth Ministries

$ 9,650.00

Dec-22

The Power Company Kids Club

$ 9,850.00

Sep-22

Matthew Mitchey & Family

$ 10,500.00

Jun-22

UCARE, Inc.

$ 8,750.00

Mar-22

Hope Against Trafficking

$ 8,800.00

Dec-21

Thaar Care Foundation

$ 9,750.00

Sep-21

Gifts For All God's Children

$ 9,250.00

Jun-21

Know Resolve

$ 9,250.00

Mar-21

The Links, Inc. - Oakland County

$ 9,000.00

Dec-20

Patron/Abide Ministries

$ 10,300.00

Sep-20

St. Patrick Senior Center

$ 9,300.00

Jun-20

Meals on Wheels

$ 9,600.00

Mar-20

Blessings in a Backpack

$ 9,750.00

Dec-19

Purposeful Youth Detroit

$ 9,000.00

Sep-19

Hope Center

$ 9,400.00

Jun-19

YWAM Metro Detroit

$ 10,000.00

Mar-19

Love For A Child

$ 10,000.00

Dec-18

Six Feet Over

$ 10,400.00

Sep-18

Faith Works

$ 10,400.00

Jun-18

Helping Hands Gifts

$ 10,000.00

Mar-18

Great Lakes Burn Camp

$ 10,000.00

Dec-17

Bryant Paul Miller & family

$ 10,000.00

Sep-17

New Day Foundation

$ 10,300.00

Jun-17

Audra Katchorek & family

$ 10,900.00

Mar-17

Manna Community Meals

$ 10,600.00

Dec-16

Amiee O'Neill & family

$ 10,200.00

Sep-16

St. Clair Butterfly Foundation

$ 8,900.00

Jun-16

Faith Works

$ 8,000.00

Mar-16

Pontiac Dream Center

$ 7,800.00

Dec-15

LifeBUILDERS Detroit

$ 10,000.00

Sep-15

Dutton Farm

$ 4,100.00

Total Donated by 100 Faithful Friends

$ 377,350.00

presentation information

Presentations should be simple and not overly formal. Speak from the heart, and all will go well. When you are ready to present your favorite organization, below is a list of topics to consider and ones that you should be prepared to discuss.

Start by stating your name and the name of the organization you would like to receive funding.

Where is the organization located?
What is the mission of the organization?
What purpose does the organization serve? (Who? What do they do? How do they do it?)
How would they benefit from receiving the donation? How will the funds be used?
Describe the program that you would like funded. Provide some background information for program. Who will it impact? How many will it impact?
How essential is this program – what will our community be missing if this program does not get funded?
What percentage of funds goes directly to their mission? What percentage goes towards overhead and marketing?
What is the organization’s operating budget? How does the organization sustain their budget (ie., grant support, individual contributions, etc.)
Are they a recognized 501(c)3?
What is your connection to the organization? Do you know someone who’s been helped by them? Personal stories are always helpful.

End with a heartfelt ask and a thank you.

*Presenters are given five minutes to present, followed by a 3 minute Q&A.

Positive Effects - Power & Excitement

There is an amazing sense of power and excitement in the room. And many people feel as if they have personally written a check for $10K.
Many people are, for the first time, entering the world of philanthropy through this model. “Philanthropy breeds philanthropy.”
At each meeting, over 100 people in the community are learning about the needs of their neighbors and the agencies and organizations that serve them.
Each organization presented has the opportunity to showcase its projects. Even if it is not chosen, it has exposure to over 100 people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at nancybenedettini@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What is the mission of 100 Faithful Friends?

The mission of 100 Faithful Friends is to provide aid and support to local charities, non-profits, and families in extreme need, and to help them achieve greater stability and self-sufficiency with our collective donation.

What types of events does 100 Faithful Friends host?

100 Faithful Friends hosts four quarterly 1 hour meetings each year.

How long has 100 Faithful Friends been in Southeast Michigan?

100 Faithful Friends is a new organization, founded by Lana Doneth and Steve & Nancy Benedettini of Rochester Hills, Michigan. The chapter had its first steering meeting in June 2015 and the first voting meeting is anticipated to take place in September 2015. We are excited to see how God will work to make this group grow.

Do I need to be a Christian to become a member?

No, 100 Faithful Friends welcomes all. All that is necessary is a desire to help your community and to be part of a larger group that can make a significant impact.

Which organizations are allowed to be nominated?

Local charities/non-profits/worthy causes, or local chapters of larger charities serving our local communities can be nominated. If the organization nominated is not a 501(c)3, the presenter must advise the Members of that information. Our desire is to have organizations nominated in which $10,000+ can have a significant impact on their mission.

How is the organization that receives the donation chosen?

A Member who has signed the commitment form can put the name of a local organization into the box for a random drawing. The organizers of the meeting will collect names of organizations from the participants as they arrive. At random, three organizations will be selected from the box. The Members who wrote down each name will be asked to provide a short 5 minute presentation as to why their chosen organization should receive the donation. A 3 minute question and answer period follows. After all three nominations are presented; the Members present will cast a vote. The organization with the most votes will receive that meeting’s donation.

Can I vote if I cannot attend the meeting?

No. Only Members in attendance may vote. There is no voting by proxy.

What if I cannot attend the meeting?

1. You can send a blank, signed check with a trusted friend to the meeting. They will write in the name of the charity that is chosen and give it to the organizers on your behalf. They do not vote on your behalf. We can only count the votes of Members who are present.
Or…
2. After the meeting is over, all Members will receive an email from the organizers which will indicate which charity was selected. You can then write your check and mail it to the organizers and we will send it to the charity on your behalf.

Can I just send the donation to the charity myself? Why do you have to send it on my behalf?

The goal of 100 Faithful Friends is to make a large donation on behalf of the whole Membership. We want to give $10,000+ dollars at a time to make a large impact in our community, with each Member’s donation being part of the larger donation.

Is my contribution tax deductible? How do I get my tax forms?

Yes, your contribution is 100% tax deductible if the organization is a 501(c)3. Checks are written directly to the local organization NOT to 100 Faithful Friends. Your tax acknowledgement letter will be sent to you directly from the organization that receives your contribution.

NOTE: Any sponsored non-profit is not allowed to create, sell or distribute a list with your contact information. They are not allowed to solicit you for further contributions. If this were to happen, the organization would no longer be considered at future meetings.

Can my employer match my contribution?

Yes, in many instances your employer may match your contribution dollar for dollar. Contact your employer to see if they have a matching contribution program. You may submit the form along with your check.

Welcome

We are 100 Faithful Friends coming together to make a difference.