Family friendly Fundraising – The Great Camp Adventure Walk to benefit The Hospital for Sick Children

My family and I are participating in The Great Camp Adventure Walk to benefit The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) which will take place in Toronto on September 24th. I encourage you to join my family and I on this walk. You can register today HERE! Besides walking and participating in a fun day of camp-related activities, there is a fundraising component too. To help you get started, I’ve included some tips on easy it is to fundraise and what worked well for us.

I remember as a kid walking door to door asking my neighbors to contribute to one cause or another that my school was involved with and hitting up my family for donations whenever possible. As a grown-up, I honestly find it difficult to fundraise, even if it’s for a good cause. However, fundraising is probably the most important part when you participate in any charitable event. As a parent, I know how important it is to teach these skills and lessons to my kids. Partaking in philanthropy matters should start at a young age and continue into adulthood.

These reasons are why I’ve decided to  fundraise for SickKids as we continue to contribute to the charity on a monthly basis. It’s a charity that is near and dear to our heart. I’m happy to say that our team is over 75% of the way to our fundraising goals and for the most part, it’s been easy to fundraise. Here are a few fundraising ideas, some of which we used ourselves.

1. ASK, ASK, & ASK: This can be done in person when you’re visiting with neighbours, friends and family. Let them know why you’re fundraising and why this is an organization that is near and dear to your heart. Let them know that no amount is too small (which is true), and even $2 can go a long way.
2. Send a personalized e-mail: This is how we received the majority of our donations. I sent out personalized e-mails to my closest family and friends. Similar to the above, I explained why this event is important to us and explained where the funds would go. While not everyone donated, it was quick and simple and people could save face and didn’t have to feel bad if they didn’t want to contribute.
3. Share on your social media channels: Include a post with a link for donation on your favourite social media channel whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Share frequently and often as most people won’t see every post anyway. Tip: Tag specific individuals who you think might be more inclined to donate; if nothing more, it’s a good reminder for them.
4. Hold a Yard / Bake Sale: My friend who is part of our team is holding a yard sale and bake sale where all of the money raised will go towards the Walk. It’s a great way to purge your house and get your kids involved in the fundraising whether they are helping you bake or manage the sale.
5. Lemonade / Cafe Stand: Yes it’s been around for ages, but if it works, so why change it?!?! We all know that lemonade stands are fun for kids to run and most people love supporting kids and their entrepreneurial spirit. You can mix it up and offer some bakery goods or coffee / tea too.
6. Birthday Gifts: If one of your children has a birthday around the same time as the fundraiser, encourage attendees to made a donation in lieu of a gift. I did this for all of my kids one time or another. For older kids, you can suggest that people give a $5 gift where half of the money will be donated and the other half will be used for a gift. It’s a win-win for everyone, especially for older kids who might be disappointed if they don’t get any gifts at all.

For more fundraising ideas, I encourage you to check out The Walk for SickKids website HERE.

Of course I wouldn’t be doing a good job at fundraising if I didn’t put in a shameless plug and ask you to donate so we can reach our goal. If you’re so inclined to support this great cause, you can make a donation HERE! We would greatly appreciate it.

Disclosure: I received compensation as part of my participation in the Walk for SickKids campaign. The opinions and stories are my own and I whole wholeheartedly believe in this great organization!