The back-to-school season is upon us, and parents and kids in Minnesota are anticipating the start of the 2015-2016 school year. But many families across the state struggle to afford back-to-school supplies. Hosting a back-to-school event can be a fun and engaging way to make a difference in your community.
- Host a Supply Drive at Your Corporate Office
If you’re a larger corporation or organization, a back-to-school supply drive can be a fun way to engage the entire office while doing good in your community. First, partner with a school, classroom, Boys & Girls Club, homeless shelter, or other organization that works with low-income youth. Ask them for a list of needed supplies.
Then, organize donation drop-off points in each department of your company. Host a kick-off party to get people excited to participate. You can even encourage a little friendly competition between departments. During the drive, ask employees to bring in school supplies and drop them off. Organize a team of volunteers to empty the drop-off bins and tally up the donations. Post a leaderboard in a common area to keep track of the department that has donated the most supplies.
Once your drive is over, host a wrap party to announce your winner. You may even provide awards for donating the most supplies. Then, arrange a team to deliver the supplies to your partner organization before the start of the school year.
- Organize a Back-to-School Fundraising Fair
Another back-to-school event that a corporate or non-profit organization to consider hosting is a back-to-school fundraising fair. Invite vendors from all over your area to host booths, including office supply stores, clothing stores, pediatricians, optometrists, and other professionals who work with children. The fair can be a one-stop-shop for school supplies, school clothes, health information, and even a new pair of glasses.
Then, invite your community to come and go shopping. Use the profits to purchase supplies for kids in need. Or, arrange buy-one-get-one-half-off deals to encourage shoppers to purchase supplies for low-income kids. Shoppers without children can also buy supplies for needy students.
Whether you work in a corporate office or a non-profit, back-to-school is a great event theme. For help hosting your back-to-school fundraiser, contact Do Good Events today.