Frequently Asked Questions
The Average BenjaMen conversation:
Q: I keep hearing about the BenjaMen. Who are these guys clogging up my Facebook news feed?
A: The BenjaMen are a group of men from Jackson, MI. who believe that a better world begins with taking care of our own communities. We believe that our individual charitable donations make a larger impact when we team up and make them to the same organization. We come from every background, every income level, and all ages. We even have children who donate from their piggy banks quarterly!
Q: How does it work?
A: We get together once per quarter (4 times per year if math isn’t your thing) at a local establishment where each “MEN-ber” makes a $100 donation directly to the agreed upon charity. The MEN-ber receives a receipt directly from the charity for tax purposes.
Q: How can I join?
A: Simple…attend a meeting, make your donation, and give us your contact info so we can keep you updated and send you future meeting reminders. From that day on, you can puff up your chest and say “I’m a BenjaMen!”
Q: Why do I write my check directly to the charity?
A: We believe in the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid). We are men…simple is what we do. Plus, boards, banks, etc. cost money. This approach allows us to donate 100% where the donors intended.
Q: Why is it called “The Benja-Men?”
A: Each MEN-ber donates $100 (a Benjamin Franklin) and it is a group for men. Benja + Men = BenjaMen. Get it?
Q: Clever. So what is the goal here?
A: The quarterly goal is 100 men at $100 each. This gives us our targeted base donation of $10,000 per quarter to a worthy Jackson County organization.
Q: Does a donation HAVE to be $100?
A: We will never turn away someone trying to make a difference, and we do understand that sometimes times get tight. That being said, a great way to look at it is that a quarterly donation breaks down to only just over $1 a day!
Q: Good point! I can do that! How much of my donation goes to the charity? Are there administrative costs?
A: Rest easy knowing that EVERY…SINGLE…PENNY donated goes to the agreed upon organization! The founders agreed from day one, to personally cover all administrative costs to ensure the most impact possible was made in Jackson.
Q: Wow. That’s cool! Who are these guys?
A: It started with 4 devilishly handsome guys born and raised in Jackson who decided it was time for the next generation of Jacksonian men to step up and start making a difference. However, now there are over 250 MEN-bers and growing by the quarter.
Q: I’m kind of a big deal and really busy. How long are the meetings?
A: Meetings only take 30-45 minutes every three months, but since there are beer/cocktails, a food spread, live entertainment, and our MEN-bers are such charming and incredible guys, most people stick around for a few laughs and catch up with friends or network.
Q: What if I can’t make a meeting?
A: We hope you’ll make it a priority, but life gets busy. If you can’t make it, you can send it with another MEN-ber, mail it to the address on all emails, or donate via the link provided quarterly to an online giving platform such as Go Fund Me, Gively, etc.
Q: Who can be a recipient of the donations?
A: Any 501c3 organization who will be using the funds in Jackson County ONLY. The organizations that make it into the hopper are pre-approved by the “founding fathers” via interview process. From there, they are narrowed down based on specific and strict criteria.
Q: How do the MEN-bers vote for the charity they want to see receive the donation?
A: All MEN-bers receive an email in advance of the quarterly meeting with a detailed description provided by each of the four organizations up for vote (along with links to their websites and social media sites), as well as a button that will take you to the online survey where you cast your vote. Each MEN-ber gets one vote. Once the voting ends, the organization with the most votes is awarded the funds for the upcoming quarter.
Q: Dang! You guys made this easy! What if the one I voted for doesn’t win?
A: The goal is that each MEN-ber is dedicated to making a difference in the Jackson community, will respect the voting process, and donate to the prevailing organization whether it was their personal choice or not. The two organizations that do not prevail will roll over into the next quarter, so they have 4 full quarters of chances to win. If they do not prevail in 4 quarters, they will be removed to make room for another worthy Jackson-based organization.
If you have more questions regarding The BenjaMen or you are a charity, please email us on our contact page.