Fundraising IdeasCreative and Fun Ways to Support LWRIt takes very little of the abundance that we enjoy to make a difference in the life of people in the poorest regions of the world. How simple it is to raise the $1.30 that will deliver a Baby Care Kit – yet how much it means to the mother who receives those items. And what makes fundraising for LWR so satisfying is knowing that the funds will be used very efficiently and effectively to carry out the life-saving and life-changing work we do around the world. Fundraising activities provide a twofold blessing — they not only unite your group through a common goal but connect you to the larger community of those you are helping. Use these projects ideas to bring together different generations, reach out to groups from nearby churches or involve people from around town for a good cause.
Fair Trade Afternoon Tea or Mother’s Day TeaHost an afternoon tea that features Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate. You can plan the tea on World Fair Trade Day, the second Saturday of May — or on Mother’s Day, that Sunday — making this a great mother-daughter or family activity! Ask volunteers to bring/sponsor the food and beverages, then charge a typical tea room price ($10-$20 per person) and donate the proceeds to LWR. Show the 22-minute video, “From Crop to Cup: the LWR Coffee Project” as part of the event. (You can watch the video online or order a free DVD from LWR by calling 800.597.5972.) Set up an LWR Fair Trade Fair in conjunction with the Tea. Bake Sale/Bake OffHold an International Bake Sale: In addition to traditional favorites, why not incorporate some more adventurously delicious baked goods using recipes from the countries where LWR works? For a Bake Off, ask several people to bake the same item, such as an apple pie. Place a collection container next to each pie entry, and instruct participants to vote by dropping donations into the container of their favorite pie. If the winner is willing to share his/her recipe with the congregation, “sell” copies of it for more donations! “Free” Car WashOrganize this fundraiser in the heat of summer. It operates on the same premise as a walkathon in that participants collect pledges. Pledgers promise to donate a certain amount of money for each car that gets washed during the event, so the more cars washed, the better. This works best of you can hold it on a busy street. If your church’s parking lot isn’t well located, see if you can get a busy local gas station to let you set up there. Advertise that the carwash is free and set to work washing hundreds of cars! Quilt AuctionMake a few extra quilts to sell at a quilt auction and put the proceeds toward a gift for LWR’s Quilt & Kit Shipping Fund. The quilt auction could be part of a pot luck dinner. Pot Luck DinnerSell tickets or encourage free-will donations for a Pot Luck Dinner to support LWR.
“Talent” AuctionYour congregation is probably full of talented people willing to “sell” their talents for a worthy cause. A do-it-yourselfer could paint a room or refinish a piece of furniture and donate their “fee.” A chef could sell one gourmet meal for a family of four. Youth could sell a few hours of yard work. Those selling their talents donate their time, materials and expertise, and what the buyers pay goes to LWR. Spare Change Donation Box at ChurchAsk artistic folks at your church to make different boxes, each representing a particular theme such as hunger, water, peace, education, etc. Include a slot in each box and encourage people to drop in their spare change. Vacation Bible School/Lenten OfferingsDesignate certain VBS and/or Lenten services offerings as donations to LWR. Each offering could have a specific theme such as food, children, medicine, environment, etc. tied into that day’s prayer or devotional. Call 800.597.5972 to order LWR offering envelopes or coin boxes. Mission FairHold a fair to celebrate and support the benevolent groups your congregation supports, including Lutheran World Relief. Various groups from your congregation can be tasked with setting up one table of activities. Offer food samples at a food table, toys at a children table, books/story reading at an education table, etc. Collect free-will admission fees to donate to LWR. Christmas Decorating BanquetExtend the festivities of decorating your church by holding a special Christmas dinner. At the dinner, sing your favorite Christmas hymns and do a secret Santa exchange. Gifts would be contributions toward LWR in honor of a member of your congregation. Choir/Organ ConcertWhether your congregation has one choir or six choirs, gather them all together for a beautiful musical experience. Combine your voices, bells, brass and children and make a joyful noise to support LWR. Add some visual pleasure to the concert by including liturgical dancers. Benefit Rummage SaleGroup rummage sales tend to draw good crowds. Ask other area churches to advertise the sale in their weekly bulletins and have a congregation member volunteer to place an ad online or in your local newspaper. Collect good used clothing and household items to hold a rummage sale and donate the proceeds to LWR. Medical Matching ChallengeWe are very blessed in this country to have so many doctors, nurses, and other medical staff. Ask the medical professionals in your congregation to make a gift to LWR and challenge the other members of the congregation to match the total dollar-for-dollar. When you’re done, honor the work of these individuals by making the donation to LWR in their name. |
