Meet the Van Squigglebottoms! Couple Plans to Change Last Name if They Raise $1 Million
Jeff and Jessica are asking for your help. The Washington, D.C., couple wants to reduce suffering, save lives ... and then legally change their last name to “Van Squigglebottoms.”
The husband and wife are raising money for Oxfam America, and hoping to hit $1 million by the end of the year. If and when they do, it's out with the old surname, in with the new.
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Jessica told Yahoo! Shine via email that she and her husband simply love the name Van Squigglebottoms, which they made up. “It’s been a nickname we’ve used in jest for so long that it’s difficult to remember how we thought of it,” she said.
The name may be humorous, but the cause behind their campaign is serious. “Children are dying needlessly,” explained Jessica, “and there are enough resources in the world to save them. Oxfam is an effective force to alleviate extreme poverty.” Working with people in over 90 countries, Oxfam America’s says its mission is “to create lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and social injustice."
Jessica insisted that she and Jeff (who won't release their current last name to the public until they raise $500,000) are fully committed to legally changing their names when they raise the million, and hope that money will help the organization develop answers to poverty and hunger. “We look forward to telling our future grandkids how we helped alleviate extreme poverty, one of the most pressing moral issues of our time, and became the Van Squigglebottoms family,” she added. Even their daughter and pet cat will take the Van Squigglebottoms name, but Jessica said the cat “may still be on the fence about the whole thing.”
While their cat may be hesitant, Jessica and Jeff have strong support from family and friends. According to Jessica, a friend donated to their cause because she wanted to see the name on their driver’s licenses, and another pal told them his kids loved the name. Yet another friend told them “It’s brilliant and sophisticated. If it was just Squigglebottomses, that would be one thing, but the Van Squigglebottomses are not to be messed with. They come from a long line of Van Squigglebottomses.” The friend added that Jessica and Jeff should design a family crest. And they've taken his advice. The couple is currently entertaining family crest ideas from donors and followers.
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But first, there’s that $1 million they need to raise by December 31. And they have a long way to to go, having raised just over $1,500 so far through simple word of mouth via friends and family so far. “We are relying on people spreading the word,” said Jessica. To help complete Jeff and Jessica’s mission to reduce poverty and become the Van Squigglebottoms family, you can donate at their Oxfam America page, and follow their quest on Twitter and Facebook.
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