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How To Donate To Hillary's Campaign

by Zoe Ferguson

Hold onto your hats, because it's really happening: Hillary Clinton is finally running for president. We couldn't be more excited about the news, and we're sure many of you feel the same way. If the announcement of her candidacy has you all riled up and ready to go, filled with adrenaline and asking, "How can I help?", we are here to answer your questions and quench your campaign thirst. Although Clinton has yet to designate an official method for taking campaign volunteers or donations, there are several ways you can support Hillary Clinton in 2016 with just the goodness of your heart — and a few dollars out of your PayPal.

In her official campaign video, Clinton included a link to give viewers the opportunity to join Hillary For America. The website, which features a picture of a smiling Clinton, allows everyone to join her official campaign with nothing more than their email address and their zip code. Hillary For America — which is a subsection of her official site — presents voters with a proactive way to support Clinton's campaign, receive updates about her campaign trail, and donate if they so desire. However, that's far from the only way in which you can get involved and show your support for Clinton as a Democratic candidate.

Unless you have been living under a rock — that's all right, no judgment — you have probably read about or heard of Ready for Hillary, the super PAC dedicated to a Hillary Clinton run in 2016. The PAC has over 4 million supporters. They have catchy slogans and fantastic gear and swag to prepare you for campaign season and even election night. If you feel so inclined, you can purchase a set of engraved "Ready for Hillary" champagne glasses to toast her candidacy. But if you would rather donate $50 through a more traditional means, Ready for Hillary has you covered on that, too.

If you follow this link right here, it will take you to a glossy, secure, and easy-to-use donation form where you can give as much as you like to the cause. Ready for Hillary is dedicated to mobilizing early support, so it's never too soon to donate.

And the organization isn't just a wannabe — it really is connected to Clinton's campaign. According to Democratic operatives who are in the know, Clinton is absorbing top staff from Ready for Hillary into her campaign staff. The group's co-founder, Adam Parkhomenko, will be the director of grassroots engagement for Clinton's campaign. And Neisha Blandin, the grassroots fundraising director of the PAC, will be national finance associate for fundraising. Other employees will also join Clinton's official ranks, including Jessica Meija, Hans Goff, Rachel Schneider, and Alex Smith, according to The New York Times.

What makes Ready for Hillary the best way to donate to the campaign? It's simple: Clinton knows that small donors are the way to go if she wants to make serious money and gain real support. The organization has held dozens of small fundraisers, asking supporters to donate only a few dollars at a time — their specialty is the $20.16 contribution (Get it? It took me a minute). Clinton is likely taking cues from the Obama campaign that beat her in 2008, which took a ton of $5 and $10 donations and ended up surpassing her fundraising efforts. As MSNBC puts it:

When the candidates needed more money, many of Clinton’s donors were already tapped out, while Obama had millions of small-dollar contributors he could turn to again and again.

Don't be afraid to make a small donation, or a big donation, but every dollar counts!