How to donate...

[Greyswan]

I freely admit to being a little dense in my old age (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!) but I click on the donations tab or the support fop tab and I don't get any links to any donation process? How does one do this? I do have Paypal. do I just go to Paypal and type in FoP name? I do want to make sure it goes to the right account. Is there another procedure that simplifies it?

And thanks to all you guys for keeping this forum going!

Cheers, Chris.

 

[joayne]

You can read about the Donations Here

We've got the funding for this year so the banner was taken down (if it still shows for you click the x in the upper right).

 

[Dicky109]

We've got the funding for this year so the banner was taken down (if it still shows for you click the x in the upper right).

I think it's wonderful that you have created a place where so many folks feel comfortable, myself included, after the demise of POTN, however, IMO, you are making a mistake by shutting down the donations at this time. I just joined a few weeks ago and looked for a way to give and that's how I found this thread.
I know that 2026 seems like a long way away, however, you should try to capitalize on the "beginner enthusiasm", which may not be there to the same extent in 2 years. While it's shiny and new and brings rewards to the early participants, that loyalty gets diluted as time goes on. I know this from personal experience.
Before retiring, I was a Pharmacist and a cofounder of a very successful buying cooperative for Independent Community Pharmacies. We were set up as you are; we were completely transparent and the founders derived no financial benefit. While there were other cooperatives around, ours was unique in that way and we were able to bring aboard a large amount of stores with solidly loyal members that supported it and recruited new members to enjoy the great benefits we were able to provide. It was a person to person relationship and I knew every member. Eventually, we connected with other groups around the country, growing to over 1,400 stores, which at the time, put us in the top tier in numbers of stores and purchase volume of pharmacies in the country....and that's when the group lost it's way.
Not because of, but after I retired, while still providing economic benefits, it became nothing more than another corporate entity and with the growing numbers, that personalization was lost and the loyalty too. The later joining members were pretty much only interested in what have you done for me today, and some were "picked off" by other entities. The original members still practicing remain just as loyal as day one!
Sorry for the long-winded explanation, but I just wanted to bring to your attention that you will never have members as loyal and supportive as those you have today, or at least in the near future. It's human nature and I suggest strongly that you re-think discontinuing donations. Funds could be put in reserve for unforeseen expenses and activities in the future. While the founders are not making money off of this, you still have out of pocket expenses to help manage it, which should be reimbursed.
Best regards,

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

I think it's wonderful that you have created a place where so many folks feel comfortable, myself included, after the demise of POTN, however, IMO, you are making a mistake by shutting down the donations at this time. I just joined a few weeks ago and looked for a way to give and that's how I found this thread.
I know that 2026 seems like a long way away, however, you should try to capitalize on the "beginner enthusiasm", which may not be there to the same extent in 2 years. While it's shiny and new and brings rewards to the early participants, that loyalty gets diluted as time goes on. I know this from personal experience.
Before retiring, I was a Pharmacist and a cofounder of a very successful buying cooperative for Independent Community Pharmacies. We were set up as you are; we were completely transparent and the founders derived no financial benefit. While there were other cooperatives around, ours was unique in that way and we were able to bring aboard a large amount of stores with solidly loyal members that supported it and recruited new members to enjoy the great benefits we were able to provide. It was a person to person relationship and I knew every member. Eventually, we connected with other groups around the country, growing to over 1,400 stores, which at the time, put us in the top tier in numbers of stores and purchase volume of pharmacies in the country....and that's when the group lost it's way.
Not because of, but after I retired, while still providing economic benefits, it became nothing more than another corporate entity and with the growing numbers, that personalization was lost and the loyalty too. The later joining members were pretty much only interested in what have you done for me today, and some were "picked off" by other entities. The original members still practicing remain just as loyal as day one!
Sorry for the long-winded explanation, but I just wanted to bring to your attention that you will never have members as loyal and supportive as those you have today, or at least in the near future. It's human nature and I suggest strongly that you re-think discontinuing donations. Funds could be put in reserve for unforeseen expenses and activities in the future. While the founders are not making money off of this, you still have out of pocket expenses to help manage it, which should be reimbursed.
Best regards,

Hi Rich. Thanks for your input. It's much appreciated.

We are a small forum but with a very active base. Not everybody moved over from POTN: some disappeared, some moved elsewhere, some couldn't get used to the different software. But if the loyal and active members stay active, we have a future and we can slowly grow. If not, we may not have a future. We simply don't know yet so we are not comfortable taking more donations than we need for this year and the next. But rest assure, if we make it through this year, we will bring back the donations tab.