Small Donations Quotes

I have been deeply touched by the small contributions which have been sent to me to transmit to the Democratic campaign fund. They represent more sacrifice perhaps than larger sums of money and are often accompanied by letters which make one realize even more keenly the weight of responsibility on a man who has the confidence of so large a part of a nation such as ours.

My goal is to change perception about giving money for charity. A lot of people still think that this is only for the rich. I used to think like this, but this isn't true. Begin by donating the smallest amount you can afford. You'll soon realize how easy it is to support worthy causes.

Throughout the day, Stargirl had been dropping money. She was the Johnny Appleseed of loose change: a penny here, a nickel there. Tossed to the sidewalk, laid on a shelf or bench. Even quarters. "I hate change," she said. "It's so . . . jangly." "Do you realize how much you must throw away in a year?" I said. "Did you ever see a little kid's face when he spots a penny on a sidewalk?"

I think people forget that it doesn't take a big donation to help someone, just a lot of little donations.

In an era when party fundraising is badly tainted, dinners are a really good way of raising cash for campaigning. Lots of people giving very small amounts of money through ticket sales and raffle prizes: yes, it's much harder work than big donations, but I think it's a more democratic and transparent way of fundraising.

If everyone in America agreed that 80 percent of their contributions for House, Senate, and president could only come from people making contributions of $100 or less, we'd have a pretty darn good system. The influence of money would be gone.

Bernie Sanders got $26 million raised, 77% of it from people under $200 or less. Bernie Sanders' money is equal to the combined donations of Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich, and Lindsey Graham. It takes four Republicans, including the establishment's presumed front-runner, Jeb Bush.

Seventy-seven percent of the people that have given money to Bernie Sanders are people that have given less than 200 bucks. That's a lot of people, folks. That's a lot of enthusiasm.

Let me thank the 2 1/2 million Americans who helped fund our campaign with an unprecedented 8 million individual campaign contributions. Anyone know what that average contribution was? That's right, $27.

At DonorsChoose.org, you can give as little as $1 and get the same level of choice, transparency, and feedback that is traditionally reserved for someone who gives millions. We call it citizen philanthropy.

I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you. I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

No matter where you are on politics, I think it is wonderful to see candidates funding campaigns not by talking to a very small number of very rich people, but by reaching out to a very large number of citizens.