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I think bingo is the perfect nursing home fundraiser. Why? Because if the residents at your facility play bingo, then you already own the supplies and equipment you need. Simply invite your staff and their families and friends to come in for an evening of food and fun while supporting a great cause.
Before we continue, I have one important word of warning. Some localities consider a bingo fundraiser to be charitable gaming. Be sure to check local and state laws before you commit to this activity.
Pick the right date
We’ve made the mistake of scheduling a fundraiser on the same day as another big community event, so hardly anyone showed up for ours. Check with staff and review community calendars to assure there are no major conflicts.
Recruit Volunteers
- You’ll need an enthusiastic bingo caller to create a fun event. Find someone who understands the basic rules of the game. They also need to keep the game moving along at a good pace.
- It’s also a good idea to have an emcee to make announcements and tell a few jokes throughout the evening. If possible, find a local celebrity to fill this role.
- You’ll want additional volunteers to set up, take money, serve food, check cards, distribute prizes, and clean up.
Spread the word
People are a lot more likely to attend your event if they believe in the purpose of your fundraiser. Be clear about how you’ll spend the money raised and how this will benefit your residents.
Choose your food
You’ll want to offer food for sale as an extra money maker. We find pizza works best. If you have leftover pizza at the end of the event, people will often buy a whole pizza to take home. Sub sandwiches or sloppy joes are other good options.
Decide how to charge for the event
You can set this up a few different ways:
- Participants pay a flat fee for the evening. For example, they receive 2 bingo cards, 2 slices of pizza, and a beverage for a specified amount.
- Charge a separate fee for each card as well as each food & beverage.
- For easier planning, you can also sell tickets in advance.
Request donations
I think prizes are crucial in motivating people to take part in a bingo fundraiser. You’ll get a lot more people to attend your event if you offer them something in return. That being said, to raise as much money as possible for your residents, be sure the prizes are donated. Next month I’ll feature an article with lots of helpful hints on how to ask for donations. It’s easier than you think! (Update: Here’s the article.)
There are several ways you can distribute prizes:
- Winners of each game select from an assortment of smaller prizes.
- Each winner receives a ticket that goes into a drawing for bigger prizes at the end of the night.
- Play “Basket Bingo”. Each larger prize is a basket of prizes donated by area businesses in return for advertising.
Keep the event running smoothly
Announce the rules at the beginning of each game. The rules of bingo can be complex, but I encourage you to keep it simple for your event.
I’ve found that the typical event lasts about 2½ hours. This allows one hour for the first set of about 3 games, followed by 30 minutes to eat, followed by another hour for 3-4 more games. However, you can easily adjust this according to your needs.
Evaluate the event
I always encourage volunteers to meet shortly after the event for a debriefing. Talk about what went well and what you could have done differently. Ask someone to take notes. You just might decide to make the bingo fundraiser a regular event!
Be sure to let participants know how much money the event raised. They’re more likely to participate next time when they feel their donations made a difference in the lives of the residents. This is also the time to thank everyone who helped with the event and write follow-up notes to people who donated prizes.
Have you ever hosted a bingo fundraiser? Please share your tips in the comment section.
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