John Tesh discusses in this video the benefits of volunteering. He says volunteering is the "one intelligent thing you can do today to make your life better."
There are many great reasons to volunteer your time. Find a nonprofit organization that shares your passion and start volunteering today.
The Jan/Feb 2008 issue of the Advancing Philanthropy magazine provided a section entitled "Doing Good—If the Price Is Right." It describes a growing trend where volunteers are expecting to be paid for their help. It is based on the New York Times article For Love and a Little Money.
The article claims that these volunteers feel more valued when they are paid at at least a small amount. Charities believe these volunteers are more dependable. All of this may be true and there is nothing wrong with charities providing payment for needed services. However, I call this a job, not volunteering!
What do you think?
Are you familiar with National Make A Blanket Day being celebrated on Saturday? I wasn't either. I was introduced to the nonprofit organization Project Linus, the sponsor of National Make A Blanket Day, through Laura and Angela Stockman from the Twenty Five Days to Make a Difference blog.
I was intrigued by the mission of Project Linus and the ability for almost anyone to get involved. I had the privilege of interviewing Christine Lewandowski, the coordinator for the Erie & Niagara Co. NY Chapter of Project Linus. The following is what she had to say about the organization, her reason for supporting it, and how you can get involved:
Q: What is Project Linus?
A: Project Linus is a 100% volunteer non-profit organization with a two-fold mission: First to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to any children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteers. It is also to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities for the benefit of children.
Q: What is your role?
A: A few of my responsibilities as coordinator for the Erie & Niagara Co. NY Chapter of Project Linus are all administrative duties including being the primary contact person. Also, to find facilities to receive blankets, informing the public how to become involved, and fundraising.
Q: Why did you get involved?
A: I became involved because my granddaughter, Lily, was born with a health problem but with medical care was able to make a full recovery. I was looking for a way to ''pay back' for the blessing we received. I heard about Project Linus and decided that it was exactly what I was looking for and became a volunteer and eventually coordinator.
Q: What is Make a Blanket Day?
A: Every February Project Linus has a National Make A Blanket Day. It is a workshop for volunteers to spend the day making blankets, sharing ideas and meeting fellow "blanketeers". With the help of my assistant Karen Weishaar and our volunteers we were able to bring comfort to 2644 children in our area last year.
Q: Do I have to be great at sewing and quilting to participate?
A: Project Linus is an organization that includes all ages and talents. You don't have to know how to sew, knit or crochet. There are many ways you can help. If you know of a school, office or organization that would be willing to sponsor a dress down day, penny drive, bake sale, car wash or any other form of fundraising have them contact the coordinator of the chapter. Each chapter is responsible for it's own fundraising. Also gift cards from quilt shops, office supply stores, Cosco, BJ's, Sam's Club and Walmart is another way to help.
Q: How can I get more information about Project Linus?
A: To get more information about Project Linus and a chapter near you go to the National Headquarters site at www.projectlinus.org. For anyone living in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls, NY area contact me at buffalo.ny@projectlinus.org.
A new study, "Volunteering in the United States, 2007" published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows that volunteering is declining. According to this study, "In the year ending September 2007, both the number of volunteers and the volunteer rate declined from the previous year."
I am sure this is not a surprise to J. Erik Potter. I learned about him through my participation in the Non-Profit Blog Exchange Virtual Event. I recently read a blog post Erik wrote on this topic at his blog called a blog on giving. His post, Struggling to Find Volunteers, highlights the problem communities are having in recruiting volunteer firefighters.
It is now even more important to find ways to ensure your current volunteers know that they are appreciated. It also might be a good time to evaluate your current volunteer recruitment methods and consider getting more creative.
Go to http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.nr0.htm to read about the results of the Bureau of Labor Statistics volunteering study.
Thursday is Thank Your Mentor Day. It is a day where many people will express their appreciation to those who took the time to encourage and guide them.
Thank Your Mentor Day promotes four ways to honor your mentor:
Take a few minutes and make a list of mentors who have been influential in your life. Show your appreciation in one or more of the ways listed above. You will be glad you did (and so will your mentors).
Go to WhoMentoredYou.org to learn more about Thank Your Mentor Day and National Mentoring Month.
Laura Otten is director of The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University. She has created a new blog that I will be paying attention to called Nonprofit University. She will be sharing her thoughts and questions about the business side of nonprofit organizations.
Laura recently submitted her first post Death Becomes Us. She discusses the topic of what influences people to give their time and money to charity. In it she writes:
"Has this practice of giving us something more than a simple thank you for our gifts of time and dollars created a culture that has lost the meaning of doing good simply to help others; of doing good simply because we know that as long as we are able it is the “right” thing to do?"
Today, the number of nonprofit organizations we have to choose from for our donations is overwhelming. People tend to freeze and not do anything if they are confused. Many also live a frantic, reactive lifestyle. They may have intentions to give but other events in life fill their time and mind so there is nothing left over for charity.
Many charities go out of their way to give us things in an attempt to get us to donate our money and/or time to them. This is a proven marketing practice that has worked for centuries. What does it do?
I don't believe most of society is expecting more than a simple thank you and the knowledge the donation is making a difference. We are already receiving many benefits from giving unselfishly. But I also believe many are not building giving into their goals/plans and being disciplined in their giving of time and money. Until that happens, I expect we will continue to receive gifts from some nonprofit organizations in search of our donations.
Related post: 5 Reasons I Love To Volunteer
My wife and I recently went to Chipotle for dinner. If you're not familiar with this restaurant, it's a fast food place where you can get burritos the size of a small country, packed with rice, beans, chicken, and so on. I added a picture to this post.
While eating, I noticed writing on my cup. It informed me of a person by the name of Wes Jackson, a plant geneticist who transforms agriculture by cross-breeding traditional, annual food crops like wheat, sunflowers and corn with deep-rooted perennials. This can possibly lead to diminishing the need for pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. It can also help save water, reduce erosion, and replenish the soil. He founded www.landinstitute.org. He is quoted as saying "if your life's work can be accomplished in your lifetime, you're not thinking big enough."
"If your life's work can be accomplished in your lifetime, you're not thinking big enough."
What a great quote to use to re-align ourselves at the beginning of a brand new year! How are YOU going to give this year? Does your giving lead to something bigger than you are? Why not let this year be the best ever?
Scott Couchenour, guest blogger, Certified Life Coach - Serving Strong (Scott's blog)
A man was speaking to me recently about his passion for volunteering. He told me some impressive stories about young lives being transformed and saved due to his efforts. He gave me a big smile as he pointed to a pin on the lapel of his jacket. It was the President's Volunteer Service Award pin. He was obviously proud to be the recipient of the President's Volunteer Service Award.
One of my goals for 2008 will be to earn that same award. Will you join me?
Go to www.presidentialserviceawards.gov and learn more about the President's Volunteer Service Award and to start keeping track of your volunteer hours.
Related Post: Is the President’s Volunteer Service Award a Part of Your Volunteer Recognition Program?
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Did you watch the first episode of Tin Man last night on the SCI FI Channel? I took a break to watch it and now I am hooked.
Tin Man is a SCI FI Channel mini-series that takes “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” to a new realm. You will catch surprising similarities to the original movie, but it is not a remake.
Why am I discussing a science fiction mini-series on a blog about giving?
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In the mini-series, an ordinary Kansas girl journeys beyond the yellow brick road to discover the meaning of home. In real life, the SCI FI Channel in partnership with Habitat for Humanity are working together to create homes.
They created an initiative called “Brick by Brick” that will fully fund a home build project in Kansas. To reach that goal, through December you can buy $10 virtual “bricks” towards the build at www.scifi.com/habitat. Through both on-air promotion and this online fundraising campaign, more homes for more families will be built down the road.
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The build is already underway and Tin Man stars, Alan Cumming and Kathleen Robertson, and Dave Howe, SCI FI Channel's EVP/GM, are volunteering to do their part.
Consider buying some "bricks" to help a family have a much needed home. You will feel like skipping down a yellow brick road when you do.
What comes to your mind when you think of Washington DC? You might think of National monuments, Capitol Hill, politics, or even traffic jams. Being the home of one of the most significant natural areas in the entire National Park System Is not something I was aware of.
Today is Blog Action Day. I'm joining thousands of other bloggers to discuss different aspects of the environment. I wanted to do something special. I decided to visit one of the areas protected by The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for our future generations.
A quick search on their website revealed something I didn't know. The Nature Conservancy helps manage the Potomac Gorge. They even co-own and manage Bear Island with the National Park Service. This is right in the metropolitan area of Washington DC. This protected area is the home to more than 100 rare species of plants and animals.
When I took my trip to the location, I was surprised it was so close to the busy Beltway. In a handful of minutes, I went from bumper to bumper traffic to a nature retreat full of the sounds of rustling leaves and rushing water.
Most of my time at the Potomac Gorge was spent hiking on the Billy Goat Trail. The trail is broken up into three sections. I walked Section A. Actually, I walked most of that section and rock climbed the rest.
I had a great time at the Potomac Gorge. It's great to know that The Nature Conservancy helps manage these important areas. They protect the land, plants and animals as well as provide people a natural retreat away from their busy lives.
To learn more about The Nature Conservancy and how you can get involved, go to http://www.Nature.org.
If you want to see more of the photos I took during my visit, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/rogercarr/tags/blogactionday.
Rebecca Carpenter mentioned a website that caught my attention in her latest Razoo post entitled It's the Little Things... Really. The website is CoolPeopleCare.com.
Founders Sam Davidson and Stephen Moseley are using the website to encourage others to do good deeds every day to make a difference. It is a site worth checking out.
Corey Pudhorodsky has volunteered as a youth group leader for several years. You may know Corey as the voice of the 501c3Cast. This past summer, Corey and this group of teenagers spent a week in the Hartsville, South Carolina community to do volunteer work in support of Habitat for Humanity.
At the conclusion of the volunteer project, Corey interviewed the youth volunteers regarding their experience. You can listen to the interviews by going to the August 7, 2007 podcast at http://501c3cast.com/shownotesAug07.asp. The interviews were insightful because the information came straight from the teens.
Based on the interviews, I developed the following list of traits that should be a part of any volunteer project that involve youth:
I have been impressed with the youth volunteers I have had the privilege to work with (see Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?). Don't underestimate the impact they can make. We need to encourage them and make each of their volunteer experiences a positive one.
Remember, they are our future leaders.
I recently participated in a local television interview called Comcast Newsmakers. The purpose of the interview was to discuss the impact of arthritis and our local Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk fundraising event. It was my first interview for television.
Are you familiar with Toastmasters International? During a Toastmasters meeting, speeches are evaluated. These evaluations help reinforce those things the presenter does well and gives recommendations on areas that can be improved.
Will you do me a favor? Please watch the interview and then leave me a comment with your evaluation. Just like the speech evaluation in Toastmasters, I would like you to list things you felt I did well and identify areas I can improve for my next interview.
Thanks in advance!
An online conversation started with Seth Godin promoting the idea of a Customer of the Month program for businesses. Searchgive continued the conversation by suggesting a Donor of the Month program might be worth trying for nonprofits. A similar concept could be established for volunteers. The purpose of recognizing a volunteer each month is to express your appreciation.
Doing everything you can to retain good and experienced volunteers is important. Letting them know you value and appreciate them is an important part of meeting this need.
One of the nonprofit organizations I volunteer with has done a great job of letting me know I am appreciated. I have received three thank you notes in the last several weeks. One from the staff person responsible for my area, one from the President of the organization, and one from a child who suffers from the disease I am working hard to fight (this note meant the most to me). They also contact me in other ways on a regular basis and give me opportunities to get involved in many new ways.
Consider announcing your first Volunteer of the Month this week. Determine what motivates each of your volunteers and show every one how much you appreciate their efforts.
Does your charity, church or nonprofit organization need a website or major website makeover? HotPress Web, a web marketing company in Denver Colorado, donates a custom website every three months. The next winner will be announced on September 31, 2007.
The donated website is feature rich and has a value of $5,000. The Cunningham Foundation was selected for the last website. Check out http://www.cunninghamfoundation.org to get an idea of what HotPress Web is giving away.
I asked Steve Thiel, managing partner of HotPress Web, why they are doing this.
We believe philanthropy is an important part of a successful business model. Investing in people and infrastructure not only helps to improve quality of life, but to also create new resources and opportunities for economic growth. Giving is a virtuous cycle.
I couldn't agree more. I love to hear about companies that incorporate philanthropy into their business activities.
When I asked about how the "lucky" organization was selected, more of HotPress Web's desire to help others make a difference came out.
The process for selecting an applicant will be fairly subjective. We want to get involved with more than the organization's website - we want to work with people who are passionate and really making a difference in society.
Go to http://www.hotpressweb.com/free-website to learn more about this offer and to apply for your chance to receive a free charitable website.
I have described my life as a roller coaster ride many times. Why? My wife, Kim, suffers from chronic illnesses including lupus and osteoarthritis. One day she can be feeling great and the next day she can be in a significant amount of pain and not able to get out of bed.
It was interesting to discover that this year's theme of National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is "Living with invisible illness is a roller coaster. Help a friend hold on!" I guess my family isn't the only one that feels like they are riding the popular amusement park ride.
Many people live with a chronic illness. Nearly 1 in 2 people in the United States have a chronic condition and 96% of it is invisible. You probably know one or more people who are dealing with a chronic illness. However, you may not know they are struggling from a serious illness unless they tell you. That is why some call it invisible.
It is important that you check out the National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week's web site at http://www.invisibleillness.com. You will learn many ways you can help someone who is chronically ill. The website contains articles, resources and will feature twenty online seminars during Sept 10-14, 2007. Guests include Maureen Pratt, author of Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain and Illness. Maureen Pratt is one of Kim and my favorite authors on this important topic.
Do you want to get your heart really pumping on your next adventure to raise funds for charity? Many generous people are doing just that. Welcome to extreme fundraising!
You've watched and maybe participated in extreme makeovers and extreme sports. Extreme fundraising is also finding its place in the nonprofit world.
Just like traditional fundraising events, extreme events raise both money and awareness for the charity and its cause. Due to the uniqueness of these events, they have the potential to get the attention of people who wouldn't get excited about traditional fundraisers such as runs, walks, raffles or auctions.
Skydiving is one way you can put your fears to the test and have fun while supporting your favorite charity. Several individuals and groups have performed an exhilarating parachute jump to collect charitable donations.
What extreme activity have you always wanted to accomplish? If you are still waiting for an incentive to go after that dream, consider doing it for charity. Take the leap and you might be surprised at how many people will donate money to your favorite charity to see you follow through.
Note: Get permission from the charity before you collect donations. There are some that don't want money collected through extreme (dangerous) activities.
My Girlfriend Doing A Skydive For Charity - Good Girl... - The funniest home videos are here
Voluntourism is a great way to create a memorable vacation and make a difference in people's lives at the same time. Voluntourism is a term describing the combination of travel and volunteer service.
Guest blogger Scott Couchenour and his family recently embarked on a mission trip to Jamaica. They did construction work and led Bible studies during their visit to the island. Their trip is an excellent example of voluntourism. Scott described his family's experience in the Everyday Giving Blog post Mission work is doable.
The number of people voluntouring is rising. Travelocity conducted its annual forecast poll and discovered that 11 percent of the respondents plan to volunteer during their vacations in 2007 (up from 6 percent in 2006).
Websites and programs supporting voluntouring are growing as well. Search on the terms "voluntouring" and "voluntourism" and you will be presented with a significant number of websites to learn more about the concept. Here are a couple of organizations to get you started:
Consider helping others when you plan your vacation this year. You will be making a difference, building terrific memories and feeling good about your efforts all at the same time.
In a previous post I discussed my experiences while participating in the 2007 Walkathon for Hope. This special event was organized by the Students Helping Honduras organization.
You can now get a glimpse of what occurred at the event. Enjoy this new video that shows some of the ways the Students Helping Honduras organization was able to raise their goal of $200,000 to build 72 homes in Honduras.
Roger has asked me to post on my family's recent mission trip to Jamaica. "Jamaica!?", you ask, "Isn't that where newlyweds go to sit on the beach and self indulge at one of those all-inclusive resorts?" Well, that's only part of the island.
We have a friend, Karen, who has discovered God's call on her heart to serve the poverty-stricken and less-than-healthy people on the hillside above Santa Cruz, Jamaica. She has taken the proceeds from the sale of personal property in the states to build a house right on the hill in the midst of the people. She returns to the states periodically to earn what she can to support her mission work.
We went with another family, the Carter's, to help her build a basketball court and swingsets. While there, we also planned and held both a Bible Club and basketball camp for the children. We were able to minister in a little church on Easter Sunday singing and doing puppets for the children.
It was an unbelievable display of how God worked using the talents He gave each one of us. It was especially pleasing to serve alongside my wife, 2 teenage children, and close friends.
There is so much more I could share about the trip (the potholes, one-lane roads, farming by hand in rocky soil, eating all parts of goat, getting drinking water from a pipe coming up out of the ground, cold showers with no water pressure) but the most amazing thing that I learned was that IT WAS POSSIBLE. I always thought overseas mission work was for those who were properly trained and certified and officially sent by an established organization. And I'm sure that's also helpful to maintain a consistency and, in some cases, security. But if the funds are available, it's just a matter of a flight and bus trip and we're back on the hill doing ministry! Like flying to San Antonio and then driving to Dallas.
This means that for anyone reading this post, YOU can make a difference. Even if it isn't overseas. YOU have gifts. YOU have talents. They can be used to make someone else's life a little better.
A word about giving: We were able to go, in large part, because of the generous giving of others. In a way, they went with us. Because of them, we were able to obtain the flights, basketballs, Bible Club balloons & crafts, and even a keyboard for Karen! So, even if you think you couldn't actually make a trip to minister somewhere, consider funding someone who is already on a mission field. We can all be part of making the world a better place!
The 1st pic is of Karen with the Couchenour and Carter kids.
The 2nd pic is Karen with the adults.
I currently serve as VP of Operations in a company that helps churches create the right ministry space (Cogun, Inc.). I am also owner of Serving Strong, a life balance resource and coaching service to people who help people.
Are you aware...
Arthritis affects all of us.
There is a group of people in Fredericksburg, Virginia doing something about it. The 4th annual Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk was held on May 5, 2007. I had the privilege of being the Chair of this event for the 2nd year in a row.
What did the planning committee, team captains, volunteers and participants accomplish? All of our goals were exceeded!
Honor a person you know with arthritis by participating in an Arthritis Walk in your area. Get your friends and coworkers involved as well. You will make new friends and have fun while helping to eliminate the #1 cause of disability. Go to http://www.arthritis.org/events/arthritiswalk to find an Arthritis Walk event near you.
Also, check out the How To Fight Arthritis Squidoo lens at http://www.squidoo.com/arthritiswalk1 to discover additional ways you can help fight arthritis by supporting the Arthritis Foundation.
It doesn't matter what your current situation is. There are ways for you to participate. Consider getting involved and doing your part in making a difference.
Without Borders is a popular name for organizations doing good globally. Volunteers with these organizations typically share a common profession, skill or interest. They all share a passion to make a difference in the world.
You might have heard about Doctors Without Borders or Builders Without Borders. However, there are many organizations that share the Without Borders title. I had fun finding more than 50 describing their worldwide reach in this way.
Click here to vote for your favorites
Consider contributing your time and skills to an organization that shares your profession, skills or interests and discover ways to make a difference around the world.
If you know of other Without Borders nonprofit organizations that do good work throughout the world, leave a comment to let everyone know.
Volunteering has many rewards. It benefits both the recipient and you. If you are curious about how volunteering can benefit you, read the article 18 Reasons to Volunteer Your Time at http://www.everydaygiving.com/volunteer.htm.
This month I was reminded of how easy it is to locate a great volunteering opportunity and how valuable volunteering can be.
I recently set a goal to get more hands-on experience with public relations and working with the local media. Supporting a charity to gain this experience not only meets my need for the experience, but also helps an important cause at the same time.
How easy was my search? I went to the volunteer matching section of my local United Way website, searched on my zip code and the search term “PR.” I selected one of the charities I strongly believe in and contacted them.
I am now a volunteer supporting Hope House in Fredericksburg, Virginia. They have been serving homeless women and their children in our area since 1987. I am honored to be a part of their team. I already have been assigned responsibilities that will help increase awareness for the organization. You can learn about Hope House at http://www.hopehouseva.org.
Do you avoid volunteering your time because you don’t know how to find a volunteer opportunity? It is easy. I have written a Special Report called How To Discover Your Ideal Volunteer Opportunity to help you out.
Get your free copy at http://www.everydaygiving.com/volunteeropportunities. Be sure to share it with your friends, family and coworkers.
Identify a worthy cause and donate time to it. You will be glad you did.
Kivi Leroux Miller at Nonprofit Communications tagged me to discuss my best productivity secret. I don't consider myself a productivity expert. However, in the past week a couple of people told me they don't know how I accomplish all that I do. I guess I must be doing something right and I would be glad to share with you what has worked for me.
I have read many books that relate to the topic of productivity and try to apply what I've learned. There are several tips I can share with you that have helped me. Some of these are:
Benjamin Yoskovitz at the Instigator Blog initiated this writing project called The Ultimate Guide to Productivity. His challenge was to pick our single, best productivity tip.
When I think about the thing I have done that has made me the most productive, it doesn't have anything to do with how I manage my tasks or how I use the computer. The greatest productivity secret I can give you is to...
Focus on your life purpose
When you focus on your life purpose, you are more productive. You are passionate about what you're doing and less likely to get distracted by other unimportant activities. The ultimate result you are achieving is less about you and more about what you can do for others. You do it whether or not you get paid. You're more motivated to fight through any obstacles that get in your way. You are also more productive because God has given you the talents, skills, experiences and opportunities to excel in accomplishing your purpose in life. You can build on your strengths!
Focusing on your purpose in life also keeps you centered on the right things. Being more productive is only valuable if it is applied to tasks that are moving you in the right direction. Moving faster and more efficiently in the wrong direction is meaningless. Stay focused and you will surprise yourself and those around you by the impact you will have in helping others and making the world a better place.
Discovering my life purpose made a tremendous difference in my life and the things I continue to accomplish. If you have not spent the time to find out what your purpose is, there is no better time than now. Check out the following resources that have been helpful to me:
by Todd Duncan by Jim Steffen by Andy StanleyIf you would like to discover some additional productivity tips, check out these submissions that I traced back to the original request:
This has been a great exercise and I hope you learned something from it that you can apply to be more productive. I am curious about what a couple of others would consider their best tips for being productive. So, I am tagging David Perdew at World Wanting Peace and Scott Couchenour at Serving Strong to share their insights and experiences on this topic.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich
the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Destination Joy presented by LAY’S® is the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s campaign to inspire and empower Americans to share their much-needed time, talents and resources to grant the wishes of the 100,000 children who will be diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions over the next four years.
The Destination Joy campaign launches on June 5th. I am excited to have been asked to support the campaign. Keep checking back to read about my involvement and experiences.
Go to http://www.wish.org/help/destination_joy to discover several ways you can get involved. You can help make a child's dream come true.
The entries are in and the best have been selected. Choosing the final winners of the Kindness in Focus contest is now in your hands.
VolunteerMatch and Squidoo joined together to sponsor this unique photo contest. The contest winner will name the charity that will receive a $1000 donation.
Vote for your favorite photo. Be sure to click on each photo to view the full size image and description. Voting ends on Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007, at midnight EST.
Have fun!
A special fundraising event is a great way to raise money for a cause you are passionate about. It can also help raise the awareness in your community about the issues you want to improve. However, it is important to properly prepare for the event if you want it to be successful. A significant amount of planning and work goes on behind the scenes of any fundraising event.
The events that go smoothly and appear to be easy are usually far from easy. It is due to the hours, days and months of planning and preparation of many committed individuals. I was reminded of this a few days ago as I participated in an event that raised money to build homes in Honduras.
The Walkathon for Hope was made possible by the nonprofit organization Students Helping Honduras. The event had 2,000 participants and raised its goal of $200,000 to build 72 houses in the village of Siete de Abril in Honduras. We walked ten miles on the day of the event. I am proud to have been a part of it.
There are many features that go into a successful fundraising event. Students Helping Honduras included many of these in their event. This explains their extreme level of success. The following is a list of those things I observed at the 2007 Walkathon for Hope that should be a part of any fundraising event:
Support A Great Cause
The cause you are raising money and awareness for needs to be something people can get enthusiastic about. The actual cause is important, but so is how it is presented.
For the Walkathon, pictures and stories of children in the refuge village they were going to build homes in were used to motivate people to participate. They also let you know the specific amount ($2,800) it would cost to build each permanent home for a family. It was definitely a cause many people could get excited about.
Consider how you are going to present the reasons you are holding a fundraiser and asking for donations.
Hold The Event At A Great Location
The location of your event needs to be convenient and clean. It shows that you care about your cause and the people who support it. I have attended outdoor events that had long, uncut grass and trash all around. I have been to indoor events that were held in buildings and rooms that were not clean. I am sure there were people who left once they saw the poor conditions. For those that stayed, I suspect some of them refused to attend any future events.
The walk I attended was held on the campus of the University of Mary Washington. It is a beautiful campus. The campus is located in the historical city of Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Jeffersonian architecture featured throughout the campus provided a historical backdrop for participants to experience before, during and after the walk. The landscaping was well maintained and parking around the campus on a Saturday afternoon was plentiful.
Make sure the location you select for your event shows how passionate you are about the cause and how important the participants are to you.
Schedule The Event On An Appropriate Date and Time
You can't control the weather. However, you can select a date during a part of the year that is most appropriate for your event. You also need to consider when people are willing and able to attend. For example, many people might not be available due to holidays, going out on Friday nights or going to church on Sunday mornings. There also could be other competing events scheduled for that same date and time. Consider people's schedules and community calendars in your area before you set the date and time.
The weather during the Walkathon for Hope was great for a walk. It was warm with blue skies on the day of the event. Scheduling the walk during the middle of April in Virginia made this possible and even likely to occur.
I was surprised to discover the Walkathon for Hope was scheduled in the afternoon. Most walks I have participated in were held during the morning hours. However, after thinking about it I realized it was a great decision. The participants during the Walkathon were mostly college students. They were more likely to have a terrific turnout in the afternoon from the students. It also allowed adequate time for the teams from other colleges in the state to travel without being on the road in the middle of the night.
Consider all of the factors regarding your event and those you want to attend when setting the schedule.
Provide Entertainment
You are going to ask people to take one or more hours out of their busy schedules to attend your event. Many are going to ask themselves "what's in it for me?" when deciding on whether or not to attend your event. Providing entertainment that they will enjoy gives them something they seek and will encourage them to attend your fundraiser. If you're familiar with the Law of Reciprocity, you will realize the attendee will be more likely to participate generously in your event if you've provided something they want first.
The Walkathon had entertainment galore. Musical groups performed before and during the walk. There was also entertainment on the walk path. Guitarists, drum groups, dance teams and an improvisation club all entertained us as we walked. There was even a station set up to get a massage!
Think about the participants you're targeting for your event then schedule entertainment they will enjoy.
Provide Food or Refreshments
There is a saying "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach." I believe this is true for participants at events as well. Serving refreshments for short events and meals at longer events will add to the enjoyment. You don't have to go expensive with the food (unless it is something like a black tie event). Attendees know the real purpose of the event is to raise funds and going overboard with the food could leave a negative impression.
Students Helping Honduras arranged to have hot dogs and hamburgers grilled onsite and available throughout the event. Water was provided at several points on the walk. I heard walkers throughout the event talking about when and how many times they should stop to get a hamburger or hot dog. Obviously, the grilled food was a hit.
Don't forget food and refreshments for your fundraising event. Consider finding a sponsor that would provide it at no cost to your event except for you to announce their generosity to others in a variety of ways.
Use Enthusiastic Volunteers
The work becomes easiest when there are plenty of volunteers helping out. There are many skills needed to put on a successful event. Don't try to plan and prepare the event by yourself. The event will suffer. Consider all of the things that need to be done and recruit volunteers to make it happen.
Many months of work by a motivated team of volunteers went into the Walkathon for Hope. This volunteer team covered areas including administration, copywriting, public relations, logistics, finances, setup and cleanup.
Invest adequate time and effort in recruiting volunteers early. Having a great team of volunteers will not only make each person's responsibilities easier, but it will also keep the team motivated right up to the day of the event.
Get Teams Involved
Finding ways to have teams participate will encourage participation. Some people may not readily join by themselves but they wouldn't think twice about participating if they were doing it as a team with friends and coworkers. When people are part of a team, they motivate each other to do their best. Where do you look for teams? You can recruit teams from places including schools, religious organizations, companies, and clubs.
Fundraising for the Walkathon was centered around teams. People were encouraged to build teams to raise the needed funds. These teams were recognized at the beginning of the event. I am aware of several teams that participated from religious organizations and schools. Some of the college teams traveled several hours just to participate in the event.
Find ways that teams can participate in your fundraising event.
Generate Publicity
One of the main reasons many people will not be attending your event is that they won't know about it. When you are doing your planning, don't leave out publicity. There are many ways to get the word out to others. Some of those include:
Students Helping Honduras used many of these methods to let people know about their fundraising event. I personally watched a television interview, read articles in the local newspaper and saw fliers posted in the community advertising the Walkathon for Hope. However, the first time I heard about the event was not through any of these methods. I learned about the event online. Students Helping Honduras also used Web 2.0 techniques to alert others about their event. I initially found out about the walk on myspace.com. A quick search on the Internet showed they initiated a significant promotion across many websites and blogs.
Build a plan for promoting your event early. Be creative in the ways you get the message out to your potential participants.
Provide Incentives
The more incentives you can give people, the more likely they will pull money from their wallets and make a contribution. Certainly the great feeling the donor will receive by donating to a worthy cause is one tremendous incentive. There are others to consider. Why not offer door prizes, auctions and raffles? Another incentive I have found that works well is finding sponsors that will match funds being donated by others.
The Walkathon for Hope covered many of these incentives. They auctioned off items prior to the event and sold t-shirts and other items at the event. They held a raffle for items including a video game system. Most importantly, they had a sponsor, Doris Buffett from The Sunshine Lady Foundation, who agreed to match funds so that if they could raise at least $100,000 they would receive the total $200,000 goal to build all 72 houses.
Identify several ways you can provide an incentive for people to promote, attend, participate and raise money for your event.
Have Fun
When all of the above elements come together, participants can't help but have fun and feel great about making a difference. Don't forget to have fun with the volunteers and participants when you are doing the planning and work to make the event a reality.
Yes, putting on a successful fundraising event is hard work. It is also worth doing the work when you realize you have the ability to make a difference.
© 2007 Roger B. Carr
Roger Carr is the founder and owner of Everyday Giving. Sign up at http://www.EverydayGiving.com to receive our special report "9 Questions to Consider Before Volunteering" for free.
VolunteerMatch and Squidoo have joined together to sponsor a new photo contest. The contest winner will be able to name the charity that will receive a $1000 donation.
The photos you submit need to capture the fun
and impact of giving back. Acts of kindness occur all around us and they occur frequently. Capture
those kind acts in photos and enter the contest.
Don't worry if you are not a professional photographer. I'm certainly not and I entered my first submission today.
If you work for a nonprofit organization, you need to:
If you are a volunteer, you need to:
Have fun and feel good about supporting a great cause. Even if your entries don't win, you will raise the awareness about your favorite cause just by doing this simple act.
Don't wait any longer. Pick up your camera and start taking pictures of people making a difference. Submit your favorites to the contest. You will be glad you did.
Volunteers make a positive difference in our lives and communities. They make our world a better place to live. If you are a volunteer, I want to thank you for your unselfish service to others.
National Volunteer Week started today. It is a service of the Points of Light Foundation and sponsored by Target.
Be sure you find a special way to thank and recognize the volunteers you know during this week of 15-21 April, 2007. Consider recognizing volunteers:
If you need some ideas on ways to recognize volunteers, check out the National Volunteer Week toolkit for 2007 at http://www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/nvw/tools.cfm.
Cheerful Givers is a nonprofit organization that has