bigchris 1 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 I will open this up to those who don't have million dollar budgets...ha,ha. Anyway, Please post your questions and we can address them. If you have any ideas, input or suggestions....let us know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gina 2 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 :hammer: Hi All, I've added a Free Links page to my website if you would like to check it out. I found lots of cool stuff for you to use or for your residents. Go to: http://pages.ivillage.com/ginasalazar2004/id30.html Have fun! gina :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 I will begin with local community groups and then move on to internet, corporations, etc. Has anyone attempted to use thier community? Please post. Gina, thank you for your input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 I have just added an article on a Bingo Prize Fundraiser that we did last year. We received over 500 prizes and the cost was very low. Let me know what you think. bigchris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pat8231 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 Hi Chris - I tried using a ladies' craft group where I live. They made lap robes and I asked them to donate a few to the SNF. The AD didn't make much of an effort to greet them and didn't even send a thank you note. I got a call saying they were thinking of asking for the lap robes back. I asked them please do not do that as the patients really needed them. They decided not to ask for them back. Just check to make sure that when you ask for something from any group you greet them with appreciation and send a thank you note. Hope this helps a wee bit. Pat8231 8-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gina 2 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 :hammer: Hi Chris, You asked if anyone has ever used the community for fundraising/budget help.... I know that I have used Big Lots and Target in my community.They are great at Christmas time for donating items for my residents christmas gifts.Also See's Candy will donate boxes of candies also at Christmas.Salvation Army too at Christmas time.All of these place will require a letterhead from your facility and your business card. Also, a lot of small companies will donate items if you advertise their shop in your newsletter. Hollywood video and some Blockbusters will give you a free membership and free movies(the older releases). Some printing companies will print your calendars and newsletters for free or discounted if you just ask them and tell them who you are and where you work. Just go out and hustle/network :-P with the businesses in your community,you'll be suprised at the results,there are some great people out there!! Have fun!!gina :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2004 Good Feedback!!!! On thank you notes....... It is imperative that you over-do thank you's.....Attempt to get a newspaper article on the donation, especially if it is a Big Lots, Wal-Mart, etc. Take lots of pictures and have the staff verbally say thank you. If you take your folks on shopping trips to those stores, make a call ahead of time to announce that you are coming and tell them that you will be doing your shopping there from now on. Appreciate, Appreciate, Appreciate!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2004 A word of warning when using "FREE" web sites..... These sites sell your information to companies that advertise all over the internet. Please be very careful when using these services, otherwise you will have a ton of spam. My advice on this topic..... Avoid the free sites- and follow some simple steps. 1) Define what you and your department needs. Create a wish list of items. This can be done in order of price, order of need, etc. Make sure that you specify which. 2) Learn simple grant writing techniques. This can be done on the internet or at a local college. It will teach you the right way to "beg". 3) Be creative- companies generally receive 10-15 requests a week (locally) make yours stand out. 4) Be persistent and be appreciative. If a company refuses a request, don't quit or take it personally. If they grant a request, thank them!!!! More later..... Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel 4 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Spencer Gifts can donate up to 25.00 a month from their Clearance rack.. Hit them up!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Grant and Request Writing-Reply at will Greetings-I want to leave you each a new topic for the weekend. Have you ever gone to a local store and they told you they require your request in writing? Did you know that there is a recommended way to write a request for goods and services? Do you feel uneasy wtiting them? Let me know and we can talk it out...... BC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Talk it up folks, we need some chatter!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristas_Mom 0 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 I called our McDonald's Headquarters and asked for coupons for freebies (ice cream, burgers, fries and drinks). They obliged with a stack of 100+ coupons for free food! We gave them as Bingo family night prizes. And, of course we sent a huge THANKYOU! :pint: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Tremendous.....A great source for gift certificates and free meals is local restaurants. If they don't give you enough to make an exciting prize or gift. Combine several into a gift "basket" that have related items. I have combined Mexican food, salsa and music. Italian Food, gifts and cookware. Hot Dogs, Baseball tix and apparel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 I am going to pat myself on the back..... I am currently working on a fundraiser Auction. For those of you who have not done this before take note. It ain't EBAY!!!! There is a ton of work in doing it!! Anyway, I hit the pavement this week and we have landed $2,000 in donated items and many interesting items that should sell well!!! Including memorabilia, autographs and other unique things!! Hooray, off to a banging start!! Let me know your stories.... Anyone else do an auction? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennie 26 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 Hi Big Chri and All, Auctions are lots of work, but the rewards are good. Hope your goes well BC. Over the years some of things we have done: we made a quilt, each resident was given a square to decorate any way they wished and then a quilt was made from these. Sold for over $200. The Lions Club is really good about donating items to facilities. I have gotten Snow Cone machines, popcorn machine etc. from them. Also contact Target in December, they set-up Xmas Trees for display in their stores. After Xmas these are given away, tree and ornaments the whole works. But you must contact them early. You will have to go up there and take the tree down yourself, but hey it's worth it. Also Pawn shops will donate items, we got a stereo. About once a year they get rid of items. Schools that have Home Eco. sometimes donate lap robes and things the kids make. Always check with you local Scout groups, they earn badges for lots of things. We got a sidewalk poured in the courtyard from the Boy Scouts. Garden clubs and churches also great resource. Use your newsletter, state certain items your dept/res need. Make a list of small to large price items. Also post this up in the facility in a well traveled public area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Amy Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 Hi We are holding our 17th annual event which includes silent auction, bake sale, book fair, & apple dumplings. For the silent auction, all staff are to hit up businesses they are connected with to get donations, we have a book company come in & sell, we have residents, staff, & family bake items for the sale, & we have our auxillary volunteer with the apple dumplings. we also have 3 groups of college kids come in to help with serving & parking. Every year is a success & it just gets bigger & bigger. & it is great PR. have a great week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Report Share Posted August 17, 2004 We do fundraising all year long as part of a group called the Nursing Home week committee. Our best fundraisers come from working with the Dietary department. They order food supplies and we sell the product and usually make 50 percent profit. For example we have Salad Bars, $2.50 per plate, Potato Bar $2.50 per plate, Ice Cream Sundae, $1.50 per bowl, Breakfast Bar $3.00 per plate. The Dietary manager adds up her costs and we reimburse her department from the proceeds. We usually raise a little over $1,000.00 per year. Staff love the special food programs and we reap the benefits. One year we had a staff chili cookoff. Staff made chili and everyone sampled them for $1.00 and got to take a bowl of their favorite one. The prize was $25.00 gift certificate for the winning chili and we got the profits. Kathi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2004 auction Update- News is in on getting items for the auction. First of all let me say this, without the help of my friends in the field, this would not have been so successful. Ok, with that said, since my last update we have acquired approx. $11,000 worth of goods and services to go on the block. Since I have talked to you, we have expanded the offering to a silent auction, live auction and raffle for a variety of items. Now comes some of the harder work, while I continue to gather items until October, there are other things that I am working on to prepare. 1) Storage space for the items- as you may have experienced, the facility has sticky fingers wandering around. So I have designated a storage space and re-keyed the lock for safety. 2) Who will make the gift baskets from items that we have received- thank god for volunteers!!!! 3) Where will the volunteers work?- Haven't figured that out yet. I am hoping that the storage space can double as a work room. 4) How much is it all "really" worth? Good question. This is just the tip of the iceberg. More later. Remember, feedback is encouraged. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane 0 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 I am also having an Auction but I am having a spaghetti supper before the auction. The supper is a donation. My question is how do you draw the crowd for the fund-raiser auction. We are having it at a church. I am open for suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllucas 0 Report Share Posted September 23, 2004 :-) Hi, Big Chris! Nearly 100% of the time your advice is correct. Sites that offer free stuff usually collect your registration info and sell it to spam marketers (which are as bad as telemarketers) :-x . However, once in a great while you run into a genuine, absolutely free offer Happy AD'ing ;-) Linda Lucas, AD :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy 0 Report Share Posted September 23, 2004 About a month ago, We started getting donations from a local Starbucks. It turns out, Starbucks throws out their bakery items that do not sell from the day before. They are just thrilled to be donating their baked goods to us. We jsut received a HUGE pumpkin cake that they baked and never cut, so they gave it to us. The residents stopped by after a field trip yesterday to tell the manager Thank You. She had tears in her eyes. She had said she never knew how little it take to make some people happy. give it a try if you have one near by Stacy ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tinki Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 I wanted to bump this topic! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Why would you bump this topic? When I meet with others, one of thier biggest concerns is getting items under budget or for free. There were some good responses in this post, granted I talked a lot, but you knew that would happen.... BC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tinki Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Big Chris - Bump meaning moving it back up to the top so everyone can read and add to it! Because it is such a great topic I bumped it back to the top to get the conversation going! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigchris 1 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Sorry Karen, I got a little defensive...... BC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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