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Wow, some great ideas here. Hope none of you mind if others borrow some.
Here at Eta (University of Alabama) we've tried alot of different things over the years. Jail & Bail never really took off so we scrapped that. We tried making and selling a Greek Men's calendar, but ended up getting stuck with numerous leftovers. Same thing for a cookbook.
Asking actives to bring supplies hasn't gone over well either. Too many women are working alot of hours to put themselves through school and pay their sorority dues. Then you have the fortunate members whose parents are paying the bills. A few bucks here and there won't make a difference to these members, but it can kill the others.
But we finally hit on a couple of winners. First, pop tops are always easy to do. We keep collection containers in the TV room at all times. We've also asked other sororities and fraternities if we can place them in their houses as well. You just need to remember to send someone around every few weeks to collect them.
Our most successful was a letter writing campaign requesting donations for the Hope on Wheels campaign. To date I believe (2 years?) we've received over $17,000.
We incorporated this into our Recruitment Philanthropy Day. The PNM's used markers, stickers and such to decorate the letters giving them a personalized touch. (Oh yeah, we also served mini Coke cans that day too. We had the PNM's pull off the tabs, place them in a collectin container and explained what they are used for.) Then we had a competition between classes to see which could generate the most donations. Each member was required send out at least 5 letters. They could send them to family, friends or check out the Eta alum listing. Extra letters could be sent as well to earn Positive Points, always a big hit when it gets close to Formal time.
Our other success started this last fall and was called "Chili for Children". We had a chili dinner the Friday evening before the Alabama vs Auburn football game. Tons of alums in town for this massive rivalry game plus family and friends. We were able to get most of the food and supplies donated so our costs were minimal. Then we sold tickets prior to and at the door for around $5 or $10. (I can't remember exactly, but I can check it out if anyone wants.)
I was amazed when our House Director told us how many people we ended up serving that night. Including additional donations that many folks made, we were able to donate $3,000+ to the Foundation for RMH.
Regardless of what project anyone decides to pursue, here's some advice I've learned. The most successful fund raisers come from targeting alumnae and parents. They understand the need for being generous to charities on a personal level. As parents they can appreciate the desperation another parent must feel if their child is sick and requires hospitalization. RMH can provide a haven in that emotional (and financial) storm. Sadly, most college students don't quite get that yet, not to mention most of them are broke. Adults also appreciate the potential tax benefits donating brings.
Hope this helps.
Loyally, Z
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