HELP! I need United Way office fundrasing ideas!

[mjb4]

We do this every year and each year it gets harder and harder to come up with something new and different.....Jeans day, silent auction, bake sale, blah blah blah, ANY THING your group did that was wildy received...Let me know PLEASE!

[TlalocW]

1. What we've done...

Basketball shoot-outs: Pay a dollar or two and take five shots from five marked locations. People getting all five have a shoot-out at the end of the day for the prize.

[mjb4]

3. OK so I can play on that

We can have a sports day: Soccer, Basketball, Golf, baseball, football, etc...

[CO Liberal]

2. Put a Boy Scout In a Dunk Tank

:-)

[markus]

4. How about Publicly Humiliate Gay Co-Workers Day?

eom

[mjb4]

5. I don't get that.....

how would that increase moral/provide an incentive for giving.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

7. If you can get the boss

to agree, one thing that works well is to fill his/her office with baloons that cost a dollar each. The boss agrees to work no matter how many baloons fill the office. It can be fun and make for great phto ops.
Also, try fifty/fifty raffles. Sell 500 tickets at a buck, for example and the winner gets half, the United Way gets the other half.
My local United Way has a booklet that is very useful for this kind of thing. Check with yous, they might too.

[goddess40]

9. It's a slam, and a well deserved one

The United Way is anti-gay, as in they give to the Boy Scouts.

Why not encourage workers to give directly to those they want to receive the funds. Cut out the middle man, that keep a substantial part of their donation, and give right to their cause.

[Misinformed01]

6. I don't donate to United Way

I seriously urge you and your coworkers to take a good look at where the money goes-

There are plenty of charities out there that use their money, time, and talent wisely for the benefit of the recipients that would be thrilled to hear from you.

Local food banks across the country are begging for help right now-

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

8. One of the things

that is misunderstood by many is the function of the United Way. Many of the charities you describe cannot raise money effectively because their staff is too small, for example.
United Way functions as a fundraiser for ANY charity in that they will pass you donation along to any 501 (c) 3. Many charities are not affiliated with Untied Way but they still get the money if a donor wants it to go there.
I served on two fundraising campaigns for my local United Way and can tell you first hand my local office is a great bunch of people who work hard for the bettement of the community.

[Misinformed01]

10. And I can tell you firsthand from my community

about the officials from United Way driving luxury cars, and making 6 figure salaries.

Spare me. I don't mean to sound like a bitch, and I know I do...but, there is no love lost between me and the UW.

Give all you want; but just be aware of what you are paying for...that's all I ask-

[SoCalDem]

17. 501 (c) 3's are sometimes just political fronts

I know that businesses "buy into" United Way, but their ration of collecting vs giving, is not very good..

The charitable giving that we do is direct..person to person :) That way you know exactly who got it and they got the whole gift:)

[thom1102]

11. Another Boss related idea...

Have a contest where the winner gets to be boss for the day, and the boss gets to do your job. This works especially if you are in a larger company where the executives have lots of perks (executive parking spots, executive dining rooms, etc)

[DianeK]

12. i remember our community once

offered to lock up a public official for an hour or so ...people would call the local radio station and give money to see the mayor locked up, for example...or the sheriff..or chief of police..it was very popular and raised lots of money..of course there was alot of community involvement..the radio station donated the time, for example...took a whole day of air time and they had the on air interviews with those locked up..

[dofus]

13. Give directly

to the specific programs or agencies you personally support. Encourage others to do the same.

I stopped giving to United Way many years ago when I learned of the excesses of their upper management. Plus, I prefer to do as I said above, give specifically to those organizations I want to see do more.

What I really HATE is companies that pressure employees to give to UW just so the boss can claim that 100% of the department give to it.

[Kolesar]

14. Dunking chair for executive management?

We had one of those carnival events where you had to hit a target with a ball and the victim would plunge into the water tank. Not quite a dunking chair.

[commander bunnypants]

15. I refuse to give to the UW

I even sacrifise a paid day off. Aint no damn boss gonna get a pat on the back from my sweat..


DDQM

[denverbill]

16. Chili contest.

Everyone has their own special chili recipe, after all.

[SoCalDem]

18. Here's an idea that makes people feel great..

My Newcomer's Club did this:

Call churches and find a needy family..

ADOPT that family...

Instead of a turkey at Thanksgiving and a few presents a Christmas.,

We used our fundraisers to get the kids school supplies, shoes,coats..

Got them birthday cakes for their birthday..

Took the kids shopping for Mother's Day.. (Our family didn't have a Dad)

Delivered a box of staples (tp,laundry soap,canned stuff,etc) once a month...

Members who had special skills (car repair,etc) volunteered when needed..

We did the usual Thanksgiving & Christmas stuff too, but remember, people need stuff all year long..:)