Frequently Asked Questions

Walk Website Solutions Center

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by our current fundraising website. We are working with developers to fix the problems. In the meantime, we have come up with solutions to some of the most common issues below. If you encounter any additonal problems, please let us know by contacting us at 561-279-8606 or send an email to Walk@LupusFL.org.

Sending emails from your fundraising center

Emails getting blocked

When sharing your personal page, Facebook is not pulling your photo

Facebook sharing

 

What is the Virtual Walk to End to Lupus Now™?

Lupus Foundation of America’s Walk to End Lupus Now is America’s largest lupus walk program with thousands of walkers in nearly 60 cities across the nation to raise money for lupus research, increase awareness of lupus, and rally public support for the estimated 1.5 million Americans who suffer from its brutal impact.

While we hope you can walk with us in person, we understand travelling can be difficult or sometimes our scheduled event dates do not work for your schedule.

Therefore, we hope you can join us virtually, from anywhere you are (the comfort of your own home, a local park, the hair salon - anywhere!) to help raise funds and awareness for lupus.

This virtual event allows you to still register yourself or a team and fundraise to help end lupus. By joining us virtuallt, you can still be involved and be the power in the movement to end lupus!

Do I need to register for the Virtual Walk?

Yes, you will need to register in order to create your personal Fundraising Center and earn prizes!

Is there a registration fee?

No, but we consider every Virutal Walker a Fundraiser as the Walk to End Lupus Now events are organized for the primary purpose of raising funds to further our mission. Therefore, we strongly encourage every Virtual Walker to raise at least $100 to support the Foundation’s mission.

You can easily contribute to the mission and make an impact by simply asking 10 people for just $10 each. Your dollars raised will help to make advancements in life saving research to help end lupus in the future as well as help us continue to provide critical programming and services those in need now.

How do I get a t-shirt?

All individual Virtual Walkers who raise $100 or more by the fundraising deadline that will be announced after the event date will receive a t-shirt at registration. T-shirts are given based on individual efforts ONLY. If you are raising money as a team, make sure your team splits the money accordingly. .

How do I pick up other fundraising incentive prizes?

Approximately 4 weeks after the fundraising deadline, certificates for incentive prizes will be emailed from WalkToEndLupusNow@lupus.org (please add to your address book to ensure you receive it). Once you select your incentive item, it will be shipped to you. The Lupus Foundation of America reserves the right to substitute an incentive item of equal or greater value.

How long do I have to collect and turn in donations to qualify for an incentive prize?

We have extended the fundraising timeline and are now allowing donations about one month after the event date to qualify for one of our prizes (we will announce the exact deadline date after the virtual walk date in emails and social media). Incentive items are not cumulative. Fundraisers may select one item at or below the level achieved. Matching gifts are included in fundraising totals and counted toward incentive prize levels if the donation is submitted before the deadline.

I have never fundraised before. Where can I get some ideas?

We understand that fundraising can be intimidating, especially if you have never done it before. To help you succeed, we have provided you an arsenal of fundraising tools and tips here.

Why should I raise money?

By raising funds for Walk to End Lupus Now, you are helping us fulfill our vision of a world free of lupus through lupus research, education, support, and advocacy programs to help improve the lives of all people impacted by lupus.

There are more than 100,000 Floridians and 1.5 million Americans living with lupus who desperately need new treatment options, support, and most importantly: a cure. They are counting on each and every one of us to raise much-needed funds to make all the difference.

Where does the money go?

Funds raised from this year’s Walk will help:

  • Lead special research initiatives, fund innovative studies, and advocate for increased public and private investment in lupus research to advance the science and medicine of lupus;
  • Translate research findings into useful programs, information, and tools for people with lupus, and ensure health professionals know about new means to diagnose and manage the disease;
  • Conduct outreach efforts to increase public understanding of lupus, and share stories of those who suffer from the disease to rally public support to join the fight to end lupus; and,
  • Provide caring support to people with lupus, their families and their caregivers, and help guide them through the complexities of living with lupus.

What should I do with checks & cash donations?

You can mail your check donations to:
Lupus Foundation of America, Florida Chapter
2300 High Ridge Road, Suite 375
Boynton Beach, FL 33426

Be sure to write your walker name and team name on each check. Allow 3 weeks for processing. Please do not mail cash.

Double or triple your fundraising with Matching Gift Programs offered by your and your donors’ employers! Ask your Human Resources department about matching gifts.

You may also easily search our Matching Gifts Database to see if your employer will match your donation to the Lupus Foundation of America, Florida Chapter. Please click here to see if your company has a matching gifts program.

Where can I find more information about the Florida Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America?

Please visit us at www.lupusfl.org to learn more about the LFA, Florida Chapter and all of the programs, services, and events our chapter has to offer.

How can I become a Trailblazer to End Lupus?

There is a special group of fundraisers who participate in the Walk to End Lupus Now™ event who commit to raise $1,000 or more to become a part of the Trailblazers to End Lupus. They are fearlessly dedicated to helping provide a path forward to solve the cruel mystery of lupus and greatly accelerate our fundraising efforts.

When you set a goal to become a Trailblazer, we will do everything we can to help you achieve your goal and provide tips and encouragement on your fundraising journey! We are committed to helping you join the ranks of the Trailblazer Club!

The Impact of Trailblazers to End Lupus

At the Lupus Foundation of America, Florida Chapter we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Thanks to Trailblazers, we are able to support smarter research to generate faster progress, expand public awareness and understanding of lupus, and provide support and services to all people impacted by lupus. You are our partners…leading the way for others and we couldn’t do it without you!

How Can I Become a Trailblazer?

You too can join the esteemed club of walkers we call Trailblazers!

  1. Select your participation type as a Trailblazer when you register
  2. Set your goal at $1,000 or more. Remember, our talented and dedicated fundraising team will work with you to achieve your goal!
  3. Shout it from the rooftops - tell everyone you know you are aspiring to Trailblazer status and that you need their support.
  4. Thank your donors, ask others to support you and watch your fundraising total grow!
  5. Celebrate becoming a Trailblazer to End Lupus by joining our honor roll!

If you have questions about how to become a Trailblazer to End Lupus, please email walk@lupusfl.org for more information.

  

 

 

Sending emails from your fundraising center

The website may freeze in the Fundraising Center when a walker or team captain is attempting to send emails to solicit donations, recruit team members and thank their donors.

  • Solution 1: Clear Your Browsing History
    • Close out of the walk website
    • Go into your browser settings and clear your history, browsing data and cached files and images Click here for instructions
    • Open the walk website
    • Go to the fundraising center and click on the email tab
    • It should spin for a few seconds and then you will hopefully see the templates
  • Solution 2: If clearing the browsing history doesn't work, you can use the following templates and copy them to your email application:
       
  • Email Customization Tips: Enhance your outreach by following the below tips when sending emails from your personal email account.
    • ALWAYS include your personal and/or team page URL
      • To find a link to your fundraising page follow these easy steps:
      • Go to the walk website and log into your Fundraising Center
      • Go to the ‘Personal Page’ and/or ‘Team Page’ tab in your Fundraising Center
      • Copy your URL and share!
        • Did you know you can customize your URL? Just click the ‘URL Settings’ button, enter your desired URL, then click save.
    • Tailor your email to include your personal “why you walk” story.
        • If you’ve been participating in the walk for multiple years consider shaking up your “why you walk” story to include updates on how your past year has been and how lupus has affected you.
        • Update your email signature to inclue one of our Digital Download Cover Images and link it to your personal page.

Emails getting blocked

When sending emails through the Fundraising Center, some emails were getting blocked by external email servers that mistakenly thought the email was spam.  The issue primarily seemed to be occurring with company-based work email addresses, which have higher-levels of email protection.  Our servers have now been updated, which should have resolved most emails that were being mistaken for spam.

Solution 1: Check to see if there are any email addresses in your Fundraising Center that are showing a "0" in the opened column  

    Resend through the Fundraising Center
  • It may not hurt so spot check with some on your list to see if they received it
Solution 2: If contacts are still not receiving the solicitation, follow the steps above for sending the emails from your personal email account.

When sharing your personal page, Facebook is not pulling your photo

  • Solution 1: Use Facebook debug tools to pull information from your page:
  • Solution 2: Make sure that your personal page photo is the correct size
    • Images must be .gif, .jpg or .png files.
    • The maximum dimensions for photos are 300 x 400 pixels.
    • Note: In order for your image to be shared on Facebook, it must be a minimum of 200 x 200 pixels.

Facebook sharing  

There can be some confusion about which set of social media icons to use when sharing your personal fundraising page.

Solution: Use the social media share icons on the right side of your fundraising page, see below.