Gifts for M.E.

FAQs

  • Hosted by an ME/CFS patients named Evan, Gifts for M.E. is a charity to provide items like eye masks and noise-cancelling headphones to patients with ME/CFS patients in the United States. These items are intended for patients who may not otherwise be able to afford them.

    Impacting an estimated 5-9 million people in the United States (15-30 million globally), ME/CFS leaves 75% of patients unable to work as they struggle with a wide-ranging list of symptoms like post-exertional malaise, chronic insomnia, the inability to be upright, and countless more. You can learn more about ME/CFS here.

    When launched in 2026, ME/CFS patients or their caretakers in the United States will be able to register to be considered for available gifts. Planned items include Manta Pro Sleep Masks, noise-cancelling headphones, Instacart subscriptions, shower chairs, and more. Selected applicants will receive their items at no cost, with shipping and coordination handled by our fiscal sponsor, the MECFS Clinic of MN.

  • Donations go directly toward:

    • Purchasing and shipping products

    • Website upkeep and startup costs

    • Fiscal sponsor administrative fees (5%)

    Gifts for M.E. is fiscally sponsored by the MECFS Clinic MN, a volunteer-run 501(c)(3)nonprofit treating ME/CFS and Long COVID patients at no cost. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

  • This is Evan’s second nonprofit project. While in college, he founded the Evan Erickson Music Call for Scores, a classical music charity that operated from 2021 to 2025 created to provide professional opportunities for marginalized composers. Evan comes from a low-income background and has built his work around using privilege to uplift underrepresented communities.

    Through his first charity, Evan:

    • Helped 17 emerging composers get their music performed and recorded

    • Managed 500 applications from 55 countries

    • Raised $10,000 in prizes and donations

    • Received sponsorships from companies like Yamaha's Steinberg

    • Earned his university’s “Award of Outstanding Achievement” and “Presser Scholar” awards

    You can learn more about Evan’s past work in the navigation bar at the top right of the screen or by clicking here.

  • Gifts for M.E. is designed to be flexible: no rigid deadlines, no constant upkeep, and no pressure to operate beyond capacity. That flexibility makes it sustainable even through periods of inconsistent health.

    ME/CFS is an unpredictable, fluctuating illness. Some days allow for limited activity, others require total rest. This project is intentionally modeled after Evan’s previous charity structure, which was low-bandwidth and asynchronous, often requiring just a few emails or tasks per week.

  • This landing page is a starting point, not the final product.

    Launching a nonprofit, especially while disabled, requires building in steps. The current plan looks like this:

    Video + Landing Page → Initial Funding → Branding → Sponsorship Outreach → Final Website → Patient Applications → Gift Distribution

    The focus now is building credibility, gaining support, and laying the foundation for a full launch in early 2026. The branding and site presentation of Gifts for M.E. will evolve as the project grows in scope, and will have testimonies and pictures from ME/CFS patients to showcase more stories with the disease than just Evan’s.

  • As a fiscally sponsored organization of the MECFS Clinic of MN, we are able to solicit tax-deductible item donations that will stretch the project’s budget much farther.

    Our goal budget is $10,000+ in order to help as many as 100 patients between 2026 and 2027. This amount covers the startup costs for the business and leaves enough room to spend $50-200 per patient. Every donation helps make a difference!

    Gifts for M.E. will be able to launch and make a notable difference even if the full goal is not met.

    Please consider making a monthly or one-time donation tax-deductible donation.

  • In short:
    Evan runs the project. The fiscal sponsor oversees the project, manages funds, and makes sure everything is accountable.

    A fiscal sponsorship is a way for new or small charitable projects (like Gifts for M.E.) to operate under the legal and tax-exempt status of an established 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

    Instead of creating a brand-new nonprofit from scratch, Evan partnered with a trusted organization that believes in his mission. They handle things like financial oversight, legal compliance, and donation processing. This means your contributions can still be tax-deductible and go toward a verified, mission-aligned cause

  • Please fill out the form right below this FAQ and you will be placed on an initial email contact list for important project updates and how to sign up as a patient.

    Gifts for M.E.’s planned launch is in early 2026.

  • As a thank-you gift for a $35+ donation to Gifts for M.E., Evan will send you a physical CD and a handwritten note.

    After making a donation, fill out the form on the album page in the “Claim your CD here” section with your name, email, shipping info, and uploading a picture of your PayPal donation receipt. Limited to the first 100 supporters.

    *Tax-deductible amount is reduced by the fair market value of the thank-you gift (estimated $12).