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Lately, I’m noticing that a lot of nursing homes are looking for unique fundraisers. They don’t want to do the usual events like bake sales and golf tournaments that everyone else is doing.
That’s why I’m introducing you to four successful, but rather unusual, fundraisers held annually to support various healthcare facilities. I’m also including a link so you can contact each organization directly for more information.
Dorothy’s Tea Party
Dorothy House in the UK invites community members to create their own tea parties. The parties can be held in private homes, businesses, outdoors, or wherever you wish. Proceeds go to their hospice care program.
First, participants order a party pack from Dorothy House. This includes invitations, recipes, decorations, posters, and fundraising tips.
Next, they invite friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family members to join them for tea and treats. (It doesn’t need to be tea. You can serve whatever you think your guests would enjoy.)
Each guest makes a donation to attend the tea party. Many hosts also include additional money-making activities such as raffles, homemade jam sales, or craft sales.
Shredding For Hospice
Every year on Earth Day, Chautauqua Hospice & Palliative Care in New York teams up with the local Shred Center to raise funds. Rather than charging customers to shred their sensitive documents, they ask participants to make a donation. The money helps support end-of-life care and education.
Document shredding provides important benefits to the participants. These include decreasing the possibility of identity theft, reducing clutter, and it also helps the environment because the paper is recycled.
I like this idea because it’s a win-win situation. The organization raises a significant amount of money with no overhead costs. In addition, the event provides positive advertising for the business.
Intergenerational Art Show
I love to hear about intergenerational programs within senior living facilities, and this is a terrific example. Lutheran Home in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin pairs up children and seniors to create beautiful works of art. Select masterpieces are then sold to the public at an art fair.
The children attend the facility’s childcare program which works with kids through age 4. The children enjoy regular activities with residents of the home whom they call their “grand-friends”.
Ride For Hospice
A group of snowmobilers who call themselves the Naytahwaush Nightriders Snowmobile Club sponsor an annual ride to raise money for Hospice of the Red River Valley. Located in Minnesota, the group has raised more than $117,000 over the past 15 years.
Braving the cold weather while enjoying the beautiful winter landscape, the group rides together to a chosen destination. After staying there overnight, they ride back home the next day. Funds come from pledges raised by each rider.
I love when you let me know about the fundraisers you host at your organizations. Please send me an email, and I’ll be happy to include your suggestions in future fundraising posts: NursingHomeVolunteer@gmail.com
Also, be sure to check out the fundraising archives for many more creative fundraising ideas.
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