The National Multiple Sclerosis Society exists because there are people with MS. Our vision is a world free of MS.
Everything we do is focused so that people affected by MS can live their best lives as we stop MS in its tracks, restore what has been lost and end MS forever. Stream to End MS brings together content creators to do what they love and change the world for people living with MS.
- What are some of your favorite charity stream moments from events the National MS Society ran in 2020?
Our program just launched in May of 2020 but the creativity within our community has been awe-inspiring! One of my favorites was an event called “MS Got Talent” that was put together by two DJs from the west coast who are both living with MS. With a lot of passion and determination, they pulled together a livestream that featured talented members from the MS community doing stand-up comedy, playing original compositions and covers and DJ sets. It was amazing and it raised over $11,000. We also did a really fun Rocket League event with a number of MLB players and top creators. It was featured on the Twitch homepage and increased our followers on both Twitch and Discord.
- Do you have any advice for a nonprofit just starting out with charity streaming?
People are looking for new ways to raise funds and awareness in a way that is meaningful and accessible to THEM. As development professionals, it is not our job to tell people how to fundraise for our causes – we need to meet constituents where they want to be. I think it’s important to start small and build a community organically. Use social listening tools to connect with content creators who already have a passion for your cause. Just because a creator has a massive following online it doesn’t mean they will be a great fit for your organization or will even respond to cold outreach. We are continuously focusing on authenticity, building awareness for the Stream to End MS brand and creating community.
- How has DonorDrive empowered the Stream to End MS program?
DonorDrive is a user-friendly platform that integrates seamlessly with Twitch, making it insanely easy for content creators to get started with the Stream to End MS fundraising. Features like milestones and fundraising incentives help creators meet and exceed fundraising goals and connect with their streaming communities. We have worked with our Discord community to crowdsource streaming and social media assets and then with DonorDrive to feature them on our website, essentially delivering everything needed to create a successful fundraiser. We love working with DonorDrive and can’t wait to see our program continue to grow past year one!