Remember that you are not asking for money for yourself. You are asking for money to support the thousands of abused and abandoned children in the foster care system. Your sponsorships will enable Child S.H.A.R.E. to find safe, stable and loving homes for these children. Also, all gifts to Child S.H.A.R.E. are tax deductible to the donor!
Step One to Collecting Sponsorships
Start by creating your own personalized FirstGiving sponsorship page by clicking here:
For the Full Marathon, ½, 10K, or 5K: www.firstgiving.com/
For the Bike Tour: http://www.firstgiving.com/
Child S.H.A.R.E. is happy to make your personalized FirstGiving sponsorship page for you. Contact Team Captain, Erin Malone (emalone@childshare.org, 818-649-8017) and she will create your personalized sponsorship page in 15 minutes.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Start with your own $25 pledge to yourself
- Ask your doctor or dentist for $25
- Ask an Aunt, Uncle, Cousin or relative for $25
- Ask a local merchant that you frequent for $25
- Ask a neighbor or roommate for $25
- Ask a member of your church for $25
- Ask your hair stylist for $25
- Ask a club or organization member that you belong to for $25
- Ask 3 close friends for $25
- Ask former classmates/college friends for $25
Three Different Ways to Collect Sponsorships:
1. Website
Work with Erin to create a Personalized FirstGiving Fundraising Page:
For the Full Marathon, ½, 10K, or 5K: www.firstgiving.com/
For the Bike Tour: http://www.firstgiving.com/
2. Email
Send a Sponsorship Request Email to your friends, family and colleagues. In the email, briefly explain the importance of Child S.H.A.R.E.’s work in the community to find safe, stable and loving homes for abused children. Talk about why helping abused children find foster and adoptive homes is important to you. Were you adopted or in foster care? Do you know someone who was adopted or in foster care? Talk about your personal connection to the work of Child S.H.A.R.E.
3. Postal Mail
Mail a Sponsorship Request Letter to your friends, family and colleagues. Follow the same format in your letter as explained above in the Sponsorship Request Email information. In the letter you can include a pre-addressed Sponsorship Return Envelope your sponsors can use to easily return their sponsorships to Child S.H.A.R.E. Contact Team Captain, Erin Malone to have Sponsorship Return Envelopes mailed to you.
4. Fundraiser Ideas
You think fundraising is hard? It’s not! Here are some tips to get you started!
Just Ask! – There is no harm in asking for donations. Email, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, snail mail – all are fabulous ways to communicate what you are doing! Ask your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, practically anyone for pledges! Remember, you aren’t asking for yourself, you are asking for Child S.H.A.R.E.
Give yourself a goal and publish it! – The bigger your goal, the more people will donate to help you reach it
Bake Sale – hold a bake sale at work, your church, or even ask permission at places like Ralphs, Costco, or Target. Be sure to display signs that all proceeds go to charity, and I am more than happy to give you information booklets as well as donation forms.
Mother’s Day Cards – make homemade Mother’s Day cards, even have your kids or friend’s kids help you create them to give a personal touch. Sell them at work or social events, even put it up on your social network and see if people would like you to send them to a loved one for them.
Coin jar – Do you have a coin jar that is just building your spare change? Time to turn those coins in, you never know how much you have until you take it to the bank! Or, you can even put a “tip” jar on your desk at work and put a donation sign on it. You would be amazed how many coins people have at the bottom of their purses and in their pockets!
Yard/Garage Sale – It’s a gorgeous time of year, so why not do a yard sale? Start your Spring cleaning early and maybe even get your neighbors involved. Have a community yard sale where all proceeds to go your fundraising efforts.
Movie night – invite your friends over for a movie night where you supply the movie, popcorn and drinks. Just ask an “admission” fee and there is your donation!
Help around your neighborhood – this is a great one for the kids to get involved! Do you have neighbors that need some odd jobs done around their home or yard? Maybe you have elderly in the area that need some extra help. Reach out to your neighbors and see if they will hire you for a good cause!
Casual Day – talk to your employer and see if they would support you by allowing a casual day for employees who donate to Child S.H.A.R.E., maybe even just $5-10. Who doesn’t like a casual day! You can even make a name tag for them to wear that says “I donated to Child S.H.A.R.E. so I get to wear jeans!”
Do you attend any club meetings or Bible studies? Talk to your friends and acquaintances about what you are doing and see if they are interested in sponsoring you or even their businesses
Contact Erin Malone at emalone@childshare.org for questions.
