Fundraising Can Be Fun

I hear the moans across the country…. Really?  You think fundraising is fun?  No, I’m not crazy.  I actually do LOVE fundraising and it can be fun for everyone.  For some it is the end of the fundraising season while for others summer fundraising has just started.  What are some of the ways YOU can fundraise for a cause, a team, or even a family struggling?  Is there someone or a group you have always wanted to help but never thought you could?  I’m going to be talking about some fundraising options available through me with Thirty One BUT if you are in direct sales or organizing a fundraiser, you may be able to use these tips.

#1 – Power Product Fundraiser.  

These are the kind most people are used to seeing – like the Girl Scout cookie order sheets. The traditional school sales were a small group of products are sold.  I’m sure I am not alone when those dreaded “forms” came home for candy, wrapping paper, or candles to raise money.  What if you were to pick 5 – 10 of your groups favorite Thirty One products and share them with friends and family?  This is easy because it limits the product line choices and it is all on one page.  The products offered on the front and the order sheet on the back. This type of fundraiser is very effective and popular because of the simplicity of it.  Great for team sports.

#2 – Party with a Purpose

How about a party where everyone brings an item to donate to a charity.  Attendees earn raffle tickets for donating toward a prize you offer PLUS a percentage of the sales from the party is donated to the same charity.  Here are some examples: shoes to donate to Soles4Souls, personal care items for the local domestic violence shelter, or hats and gloves for the homeless shelter.  Guests LOVE this kind of fundraiser and then they stay for the fundraiser party too.  This helps in two ways – a physical need donation and a financial donation to the charity of choice. This is one of my FAVORITE fundraisers and it gets amazing guest attendance too! People LOVE to help.

#3 – Charity of the Month Fundraiser

This is where you choose a charity you are very passionate about and you fundraise for them on your own. For example, if you are passionate about animal welfare, you can host a fundraiser for your local humane society (catalog, party or gift-in-kind) and donate a percentage of your profits to the organization. The great thing about a charity-of-the-month fundraiser is you get to highlight a charity near and dear to you every month.

#4 – Personal Fundraisers 

These fundraisers touch my heart.  They are for individuals who are not 501c3 non-profit organizations like a student raising money for a mission trip, a couple raising money for an adoption, individuals raising money for a surgery or medical bills of a friend. If it is friends helping friends, the cause may be public BUT there are those times when a hostess will want to keep the cause private so it is time to get creative in helping to spread the word.  Fundraising is a great benefit to these individuals to help them reach their financial goals.

#5 – Gift in Kind

I do fundraisers like these 6 times a year – dialysis bags, Fight Hunger, Vets, and seniors.  We offer a product and customers purchase the product to DONATE to a group or organization on their behalf. For example, the Chemo Comfort bags are delivered to a local cancer care center:

The best part about a gift-in-kind fundraiser is it helps in two ways by donating a product to someone in need and raises funds for the organization of choice.

#6 – Let’s PARTY!

Your hostess holds a fundraiser party for the charity or organization of her choice and she invites people to attend. You donate a portion of your commission to the person or group hosting the party. You treat this fundraiser the same way you treat a normal home party where you do a full product presentation, nothing changes except you are donating a percentage of your commissions to the charity. This party can be a Facebook Party event or a live in-home party event, or both!

#7 – A Catalog Fundraiser

This is a full Thirty One catalog party.  Get a  group of say 10 cheerleaders. Each one of them gets their own “hostess packet” and they go out selling as a catalog party!  This is a great way for them to earn funds for their personal account OR as a team.  You can donate a portion of your commission and offer the hostess credits to buy additional products they can use as raffle items, etc. OR you can donate your commission and keep the hostess benefits.

Who is ready to fundraise?  Want more details on doing a Thirty One fundraiser?  Contact me below:

Name(required)

Email(required)

Phone Number

Group Name or Cause(required)

Submit

Δ

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Operation Zipper Pouch

May is Military Appreciate Month.  I want to THANK our Vets for all that they have done and do for us every day. I want to show those who have come home after serving our country and have been forgotten that we appreciate their sacrifices for us.

When was the last time that you thanked a service man or woman?  Bought them a cup of coffee for no reason.  For me despite the fact that I “heard” the stories from my dad and step-dad about their time serving our country, it never really clicked.  I never really thought about how it directly affected me.

Then came “Operation Freedom” some 15 years ago.  This is when the commitment of our military men and women and their families HIT HOME! My best friend’s husband, Bill, was deployed for what they said would be 30 days. There were the 3 boys – Sean, Ryan and Shane as well as Jen who were all in school, active in various activities and not really understanding what would be dad’s first deployment. The days leading up to Bill’s deployment were filled with lots of paperwork – wills, living wills, etc. The weeks after Bill left were full of emotions – tears, anger, frustration – it was just too hard for the kids to understand that dad wouldn’t be home for awhile. A 30 day deployment turned into 6 months. Tough times for everyone – financially and emotionally.

When Bill returned home, there were struggles.  Not just financially but emotionally for everyone.  There would develop a new sense of normal in the house.  It was then that I realized what the battle scars of war were all about –   the toughest was the emotional toll which leaves a permanent mark.  On the outside, all may be well but on the inside they carry memories that will haunt them forever.

Over the last five years, with the help of my family, friends, customers and hostesses, I have been blessed to make donations to various causes near and dear to my heart.  So, I am again asking for your help to make a difference in the lives of the men and women who have protected our freedoms.

For just $25 you can sponsor a personalized Zipper Pouch. I will use 100% of my commission to fill them with candy, trail mix, gum, crossword puzzle book, a thank you card and a small American flag. My goal is 31 zipper pouches sponsored by April 28th.  The bags will be stuffed and delivered to a local program that works with Veterans and their family.   Payments can be sent via Paypal to hopesgiftcloset@comcast.net – you don’t need to have a Paypal account to do this.  If you want, I can invoice you, it that is easier.

So, who is with me? For $25 you can bring a smile to the face of one of our honored Veterans.

If you see someone in the military – stop and thank them, let them know that you appreciate what they are doing for this country.  Remember to STOP and say a prayer asking for the safety of our men and women near and far who serve this country.  Won’t you help to make a difference today?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!