Eliminate Project

Spring has sprung, and the EliMiNaTe Campaign's Year of Participation is now in full swing! All Kiwanis clubs around the world are asked to devote some of their time and energy to raise funds for this project. Many of the clubs in the New York District have already donated money or are planning an event in the next few months. To those groups, I say "thank you" on behalf of all the mothers and babies you have protected.

Some clubs have been requesting more information on fundraising. The challenge is to raise money for our Worldwide Service Project without neglecting the projects you are already sponsoring in your local communities. A tall order, some say-but I say not so! There are many ways in which our clubs can do this:

1. Use an existing fund raiser and add to it something new for EliMiNaTe. For example, if a club has a luncheon or dinner planned, think of having a 50/50 raffle with the proceeds going to EliMiNaTe. OR have a basket raffle. OR just put a baby bottle (easily obtained at a dollar store) on each table and after describing how a mother and her future babies can be protected for the amazing rate of $1.80, ask folks to put a contribution in the bottle. OR let your imagination soar!
2. Have a new fundraiser dedicated solely to EliMiNaTe. An easy way to raise funds and make people outside of Kiwanis aware of the problem of MNT is to work with a local eatery to give a discount on a certain day. Distribute flyers about EliMiNaTe to the general public, and state the amount of the discount offered to those who bring in this flyer on the designated date. This has already been successfully done in California Pizza, Arby's, and Boston Market. I am sure that other chains have the same policy. If there are nearby stores such as Chico's, The Gap, etc. ask them to participate at the same time.
   
3. Gift card sale programs work well. Members purchase cards for the places where they regularly shop, e.g., ShopRite, Target, Walgreen's, even department stores like Boscov's, Macy's and Bloomingdales to name a few. A percentage of the price of the card is given to the club. To illustrate how this works, one school on Long Island offered these cards each week to families of the students. A family spending $100 for groceries a week would purchase a $100 card to their supermarket, and approximately 7-10 percent of that $100 would go to the school. The family was not actually spending any more money than usual, but using the card to pay their weekly bill. I am aware of the Great Lakes Scrip Program, but I am sure that there are other similar ones. More information can be found at www.glscrip.com or by calling (800) 727-4715.

   For more information, please contact me at kirmse@fordham.edu.

   Let's all swing into spring with some new and creative fundraising ideas. Excelsior!

   
   

   Column Posted on Web Site April 22, 2013

    
   Access More Columns