The two guest posts below were shared by Tori Shine, volunteer leader in Rainier, Washington and Andrea Paton, volunteer WyldLife leader in Gloucester County, NJ.
Clean Fundraising by Tori Shine
For the past couple of years our area has been blessed with an amazing fundraising opportunity that I’d like to share. This fundraiser is by far one of our top fundraising events in our area- and responsible for sending multiple kids to camp each summer.
For a few years I worked at the local Safeway grocery store in our area. Safeway has four months out of the year where they raise money for a specific organization such as breast cancer, prostate cancer and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Rather than asking to sit out front of the doors and ask customers to donate, we decided to try something different.
We asked the Safeway manager if during one of those fundraising months, we could team up! Almost every Safeway has an affiliated gas station right next door, so we used that to our advantage. Safeway raises money for Prostate Cancer during the month of June, which also happens to be a critical YL fundraising month. Each weekend of the month, 4-8 of kids and leaders throw on a bright orange safety vest, grab a squeegee and start washing! We made a deal with Safeway that allow us to wash car windows for donations, and at the end of each day we would split the proceeds; half for Young Life, and half for the Prostate Cancer fund. By the end of each day we would make between $200-$600. I’d say that’s a pretty good deal!
The best part is the kids are working hard and having fun. We usually let different kids work each day so everyone has a chance to raise money, and the students who worked that day simply split the total. Kids and leaders will always remember the one time they raised money for camp by washing windows.
Everyone Drinks Coffee
By Andrea Paton
One of our favorite fundraisers we do here is partnering with Crescent Moon Coffee and Tea. It’s super easy for kids to sell packages of coffee/tea to their families, family friends, and teachers! (As well as leaders). They get 30% back of what they sell! Ask around to your local coffee shops, and see if you could partner with the places you know kids and leaders hang out at. We give a lot of coffee places business between team meetings and one on ones, and most places are happy to accommodate.
