In Case of Emergency Club
I.C.E. Club · Frequently Asked Questions
Immediate relief for urgent financial needs — many open hearts, pooled together, to shine the light of God’s infinite Love.
200 members × $5 = $1,000
On this page
- 1. What is the purpose of the group?
- 2. Why the name “In Case of Emergency Club”?
- 3. How is it done?
- 4. I submitted my Ask more than 24 hours ago — what’s going on?
- 5. What is the maximum that can be asked for?
- 6. How many Asks per week?
- 7. Is every “Ask” accepted?
- 8. How are the “Asks” assessed?
- 9. Where is the Ask Form?
- 10. Why is it a closed group?
- 11. Why should the Receiver not know it is from a group?
- 12. Should I go in search of someone in need?
- 13. Do the people we ask for need any qualifications?
- 14. Is there anyone that does not qualify for an Ask?
- 15. Why Facebook?
- 16. Why through PayPal?
- 17. Where is the how-to-PayPal video?
- 18. Why do we need a PayPal debit card?
1What is the purpose of the group?
To provide immediate relief to an urgent financial need. The intention is not to save any individual or group. The focus is to shine the light of God’s infinite Love by alleviating individual occurrences of situational poverty.
2Why the name “In Case of Emergency Club — 200 × $5 = $1,000”?
At times the need is beyond what we ourselves can, or should, fill. Pooling the resources of 100–1,000 open hearts creates a work that lightens the burdens of not one urgent need, but dozens, hundreds, thousands over time.
3How is it done?
Once the member has gone through the steps of discernment — which we call L.O.V.E. (explained in the Ask Form) — the next step is to fill out the Ask Form as completely as possible.
The Form is submitted to the moderators, and a decision on the Ask is made within 24 hours. If there are questions, a moderator will contact you for clarity, so it is important to try to be available for this. Once the Ask is approved it is posted on the group page, and members are expected to respond within 24 hours. The PayPal funds are then available immediately to the PayPal debit card.
After the funds are given to the Receiver, please come give ICE Club members a “Smile” by sharing a one-time, very simple update using the Smile Form.
- L.O.V.E. — discern the need
- Fill out the Ask Form
- Moderators review the Ask
- If rejected — revise the Ask Form, or accept the moderators’ decision as final
- If accepted — the Ask is posted on the group page
- PayPal funds become available to alleviate the need
- Update members with a Group Smile
4I submitted my Ask more than 24 hours ago — what is going on?
We won’t do more than one Ask a week, in order to keep the resource burden on our members — both time and money — to a minimum. This is all volunteer; no one has to be here, so we need to appreciate everyone’s charity.
That said, you can contact the administrators — currently Bryan Watson, Susie Lovato, and Bill Drennan.
5What is the maximum that can be asked for?
The maximum is $1,000 per Ask. Each situation is different, and it is important that we understand one should not bring an Ask for $1,000 when $400 is what is needed. The moderators are not going to be willing to ask our members to give what is not warranted, and God’s providence allows for others to give as well. Strive for honesty and clarity to ensure the Ask is approved.
6How many Asks per week?
The maximum for the entire group is one. The maximum per person is one.
7Is every “Ask” accepted?
No. The moderators prayerfully discern each Ask, and most are accepted. If there is a red flag, you will be contacted and given the chance to clarify. The most common reasons for rejection are that there are too many Asks already in the queue, or that there is not enough information to discern a specific need with a specific amount.
8How are the “Asks” assessed?
The ICE Club moderators assess the clarity of the Ask Form and prayerfully discern within 24 hours.
9Where is the Ask Form?
10Why is it a closed group?
Privacy and security — for both the member and the receiver of the Ask money.
11Why should the Receiver not know it is from a group?
Again, it is to ensure the privacy and security of others who have received assistance, as well as the ICE Club members. In addition, letting the Receiver know would compromise the purpose of the group, which is to address individual occurrences of situational poverty — not to stipend someone’s monthly bill, or to receive Asks from those who are not members of the ICE Club.
12I’m all in, and it feels like I have $1,000 to help people — should I go in search of someone in need?
No. We assume that everyone here is not only a person of great charity and loving heart, but also of faith and discernment. God will bring those whom He desires to help through this group. It may not ever be through an Ask coming from you — it may be through your willingness to give. If He desires to have you Ask, it will be for someone in need whom He specifically brings to your attention.
13Do the people we are asking for need to have any qualifications?
No — being a human being in need is enough.
14Is there anyone that does not qualify for an Ask?
Yes: animals (endangered or homeless — there are other organizations for them), and businesses and organizations of any kind, whether charitable, not-for-profit, or otherwise.
15Why Facebook?
It is a social media platform able to easily handle a group with lots of traffic and media, without having to build and maintain a separate website.
16Why through PayPal?
There is no fee to transfer funds through friends and family, and it is one of the most secure ways to transfer money.
17Where is the how-to-PayPal video?
18Why do we need a PayPal debit card?
Once a member’s Ask is approved and posted, funds are deposited into the Asker’s PayPal. It can take up to three days for those funds to transfer into a bank account. With the PayPal debit card, PayPal funds are quickly available and can be cashed out to give to the Receiver, or used directly to pay for the item or service the funds were intended for.
To receive a PayPal debit card, you will need to upgrade — for free — to a PayPal business account. There is no fee associated with this upgrade.
Questions? Contact the administrators: Bryan Watson, Susie Lovato, and Bill Drennan.