Here's the situation:

I, and other local LGBT leaders, have come together to open a Pride Center for San Joaquin County in California. We are the only urban hub in Northern California without one. I've been shocked and saddened to hear about the number of suicides, suicide attemps, harrasment and discremation by police and local authorities. This community center will provide a much needed safe space and resources for our LGBT youth and others.

I am proud to share that we are a finalist for a Pepsi Refresh contest that puts us in competition for a $10,000 grant. This grant would pay for all the of furniture and decor needs so that we have a first class and comfortable area for people to lounge.

My request to the GD crew: Could you all help me by committing to vote twice a day? Once online and once via text message? Visit http://www.refresheverything.com/sjpridecenter to vote online and text* 108427 to Pepsi (73774) to vote from your mobile. *Standard text messaging rates apply. You can also buy select Pepsi products to get a power vote of 100 per day.

The Pepsi Refresh Project is a national program honoring creative, innovative and important community based ideas that refresh the world. The winners of the grants are voted on by the general public.

We could really use the help folks. There's just a handful of dedicated people trying to put this together and there's no way in hell we can compete with the larger groups applying for this contest unless we get support from forum communities such as this. I know I am not a regular visitor to this forum but I hope that the cause is worthy enough for the community to hear my call to action and help us by being part of positive change. Our pride center would provide anti-bullying programs, as well as support groups, medical and psychological referrals, and peer counseling, in addition to serving the spiritual and religious needs of the community.

So what say thee org? Care to adopt my cause for the next month? Heck, if some are interested, I'd be happy if those who buy Pepsi just share their power vote codes with me. Your lil help would make the world of difference. If you all agree to help, I'd be happy to add Prince.org to our supporter poster that will go up thanking all those who made the Center possible. Thanks for your consideration!

Here is the 100 power vote products:

20 oz bottles

2 liter bottles

12-can package

20-can package

24-can package

(specially marked so look for the Refresh)

[Edited 9/2/11 9:00am]

[Edited 9/6/11 15:37pm]

I can agree to vote once a day, online Monday through Friday.

Shorty said:

I can agree to vote once a day, online Monday through Friday.

Thank you!

I just voted!

Please look into the "power vote" of 100, I want as much POWER as possible.

You know I will

<3 you !

voted!

Voted.

So, can I vote tomorrow again via internet?

dJJ said:

Voted.

So, can I vote tomorrow again via internet?

Yup yup!! Up till September 30th. It would mean the world to me and more important, our movement.

i'll vote....

and i posted it on my facebook.

done

Voted and bookmarked. Will vote every day online.

I'll ask my wife to do the same. Same IP address a problem? If so, she can do it over at the apartment.

Thanks Team! It's a new day, a new day to vote! BTW: If we win, I am going to add Pryince.Org to our list of supporters who made our opening possible. We are creating a huge framed poster for the Lounge with everyone's name on it who donated. I will the Org to it if we win!! y

I think the same IP is okay as long as there isn't any obvious abuse.

Leader board's been posted. We are ranked 37. Not bad...but not great.

Didn't seem to count my vote today, after counting my wife's.

I've put a link on my FB. Referred to you as a friend but then realised we're not actually friends on FB.

Edit: Did work, actually, and with my wife's second FB account

[Edited 9/3/11 17:00pm]

Here I am: http://www.facebook.com/nicholas.hatten

And thanks!

I can vote once a day online,and I have put the link on my Facebbok wall.

EmeraldSkies said:

I can vote once a day online,and I have put the link on my Facebbok wall.

Thank you!

Still in the high thirties. Any and all help would be appreciated. It's a new day, vote!

Sounds like a noble cause. Have you considered http://www.kickstarter.com/ as an additional source? (not for votes of course, but for the entreprenurial spirit of making 'something from nothing' or more aptly, 'something bigger from something'.

No affiliation, but I'm intrigued by this concept of project funding. Please take a look. If you set your goals right you could fund your project beyond the Pepsi prize.

sosgemini said:

there's no way in hell we can compete with the larger groups applying for this contest unless we get support from forum communities such as this.

[Edited 9/2/11 9:00am]

P.S. You can count on it that the other larger groups are in forum communities as well...

Don't let 'not winning' stop your efforts (if that's how it plays out) and don't let winning limit your efforts to a 10K grant...

Hey AKA, thanks for the encouragement. Yes, I've looked into kickstart and other sites. Kick doesn't allow non-profits so we have gone with startsomegood and have a campaign running there. We signed the lease over the weekend so Pepsi Refresh or not...our project is happening.

Just voted, will continue to.

Thanks team!

So after a couple days of depression and sweating it out in the low 40's we have (somehow) hit our stride and are the highest we have ever been with a vote count that puts us at #34. We are just 19 positions away from hitting the top 15 and the big 10K.

Thanks everyone who is helping out. It means the world to me.

It looks like I can't do online voting from where I am. I'll try the texting vote.

Lammastide said:

It looks like I can't do online voting from where I am. I'll try the texting vote.

Thank you!