Support education. Bring a smile to a child!

Copyright 2008 Give a Kid a Backpack. All Rights Reserved

All over the country, kids are helping by collecting backpacks , school supplies and fundraising.  The key is to do it together and have fun! You can help by organizing a collection drive and/or raise funds. Here are a few ideas...

CREATIVE WAYS TO RAISE MONEY AND SUPPLIES

BAKE SALE - Everyone's favorite! Include baked foods from around the world.

NEIGHBORHOOD FLEA-MARKET - Kids and their families can get their books, used clothes, or hand-made crafts together to sell. Donate part or all of the profits to a particular cause.
 
COSTUME BALL - Hold this event around Halloween. Give it an international theme. Charge admission.

HAVE A READ-, DANCE-, OR WALK-A-THON - Collect pledges from family, friends, and neighbors for each hour or mile you walk or dance, or for each book read.
STUDENT-FACULTY PLAY-OFF - Compete for the benefit of others. Choose a sport -- volleyball, basketball, etc., -- and invite the rest of your school as well as parents to watch and cheer. Sell tickets or charge admission at the door.
 
TALENT SHOW - Hold a student-faculty talent show at your school. Sell tickets. Advertise the event. Donate the proceeds.

ART SHOW - Hold an art contest where you and your friends enter up to three pieces of their art at $5 per entry. Try to get a local gallery owner to donate space for the event and recruit local celebrities as judges. You could also sell this artwork and donate a portion of the proceeds to your favorite organization.

POETRY READING - Hold a poetry reading in your favorite cafe. Get students or family members to volunteer to read their own or others poems related to hunger, homelessness, discrimination, animal rights, environmental issues, etc. Pass the hat and ask diners to contribute. Explain where the money will go. Try to get local news coverage for your event --- this will also appeal to the restaurant owner whose establishment gets free advertising!

SEASONAL CELEBRATION - Hold a seasonal pot-luck dinner. For instance, in autumn ask participants to bring a seasonal dish. Eat outside under colorful trees. Organize simple games and activities to attract children to the event - leaf rubbings, scavenger hunt, story-telling, autumn poetry readings, etc. Charge admission.

CAR WASH - Hold a weekend car-wash to raise money or make yourself (and friends) available to run errands, do yard work, or walk dogs, etc. Make up fliers to advertise your services and explain where the money will go that is earned.

BIRTHDAY DONATIONS - On birthdays students can ask parents, friends and grand-parents to make a donation to a special organization instead of buying a gift. Students can do the same for other people's birthdays. Make up a card for the birthday person explaining that a donation was made in honor of his/her birthday to a local organization. Explain how the organization works.

COMMUNITY AUCTION - Ask families, friends and community businesses to donate their specialties - including skills - to be auctioned off. Be creative! Some teachers and students have had themselves auctioned for a day of baby-sitting, or a day of museum-gazing with a small child, etc.  Restaurant and theater owners can donate dinners and seats to shows. This takes some organizing but can raise lots of money for your cause and will alert the community and get everyone involved as well. Students can create posters, canvas the neighborhood for donations, etc.

COLLECT LOOSE CHANGE - Collect all the loose change from your friends at school. You will be amaze how much change can be collected.