Love Hope Strength Lollapalooza: Crowdfinding Bone Marrow Donors

The success of Kickstarter has proven the crowd-funding model for everything from iPod docks to indie music albums. Likewise, charities have long understood the benefit of hitting major events to solicit donations. But is there a crowdfunding model that doesn’t rely on cash? The Love Hope Strength Foundation is the rare cause that shows up at a massive gathering and, rather than simply asking for money, provides a practical way for attendees to pitch in on the spot. When 200,000-plus music fans descend on Chicago for this weekend’s Lollapalooza, LHS hopes they’ll take a moment between acts to join in a life-saving project: By getting their cheek swabbed, they can sign up for the DKMS national bone marrow donor registry, and potentially save a life.