Recovery Miler s Guide

Transcription

1 Recovery Miler s Guide Quick tips to boost fundraising commhealthcenter.org/walk 15CRE003_Walkers Guide.indd 1

2 Dear Recovery Miler, Thank you for joining the first annual Break the Cycle Addiction Recovery Mile! Your participation is an important way of standing up against addiction, a growing problem that affects 21 million Americans nationwide. This guide contains tips and advice to help you with your fundraising efforts. Although raising money to fight addiction is the goal of Break the Cycle, we want you to have fun, too. This free, family-friendly event is open to everyone, so please spread the word to your family, friends and co-workers, and invite them to participate. Don t forget to use #RecoveryMiler on social media! The Recovery Miler s Guide includes: How to fundraise Fundraising plans Sample letter requesting support Social media tips and sample posts FAQ On behalf of everyone at Community Health Center, thank you for participating in this exciting event. We look forward to seeing you in September! If you have any questions please contact Dave Rich at or dave.rich@commhealthcenter.org. 15CRE003_Walkers Guide.indd 2

3 Getting Started Getting started is easy! Following these simple tips will help you organize and maintain an impactful fundraising campaign that really makes a difference. Set a Fundraising Goal Just like anything in life, you need to have a destination in order to reach it. Set a goal that is achievable for you. This will help you stay motivated and focused. Make a List of Your Donors Think about all the people you come into contact with in a week. It s more than you think! Family members, neighbors and friends are a great start. But think about other people you know such as: Teachers Hair stylists Babysitters Accountants Real estate agents Doctors Dentists Pet groomers Fitness instructors Tell these people how important addiction awareness is to you. Chances are your passion will inspire them to make a difference, too. Form a Team Make the most of the Break the Cycle event by forming a team. Teammates encourage each other, and a little friendly competition can motivate participants to raise even more. Community Health Center will be awarding prizes to the teams who raise the most! Ask for Donations There are three main ways to ask for donations. Read the descriptions below and consider how the person you are asking would most like to be approached. In Person Potluck dinners, parties or gatherings at bars or restaurants are great ways to collect donations. Via Community Health Center has provided a sample containing all the necessary information. Feel free to use this sample, and make sure to include the link to our webpage: commhealthcenter.org/walk On Social Media Social media allows you to reach a wide audience of friends and acquaintances instantly. When asking for donations on social media: Post regularly using our pre-written samples Include a link to our webpage Use #RecoveryMiler Tag friends in posts 15CRE003_Walkers Guide.indd 3

4 Sample Fundraising Plans Set a fundraising goal and create a plan to help get you there. Get creative! Here are a few suggestions: $100 Office Dress Down Campaign Host a dress down day at your office. Charge $5 to participate. Total $100 $100 Game Party Campaign Invite 10 friends over to watch the March Madness, NBA Finals, the Summer Games (or whatever sport you all love) and ask for a $10 donation. Provide snacks and drinks and it will be a party everyone will remember for a great cause! Total $100 $250 Donation Campaign Ask 4 relatives for $25 $100 Ask 5 friends for $10 each $50 Ask 3 co-workers or neighbors for $10 each $30 Sponsor yourself $20 Total $250 $300 Vendor Campaign Work with a vendor (i.e. Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, etc.) to set up shop in your office lobby for the day or host aparty at your home. Ask for 20% of the sales to come back to Break the Cycle. Total $300 $500 Campaign Recruit five team members who will commit to sending out 25 s asking for a donation of $25. Even with a return rate of 25%, you will raise more than $100 per team member. Total $500 15CRE003_Walkers Guide.indd 4

5 Sample /Letter Dear : I have some exciting news to share! I will be participating in the first ever Break the Cycle Addiction Recovery Mile on Friday, September 30, in Akron, Ohio. The purpose of the walk is to help the Community Health Center raise awareness about addiction and to support addiction-related services, education and research. Your tax-deductible donation will make a difference in the lives of people right here in our community who are struggling with addiction. Your gift will support services for addictive and compulsive disorders, including health care, life skills development, prevention, housing, wellness and rehabilitation. Addiction doesn t discriminate. It can affect anyone regardless of age, race or economic status. It s a problem we can t afford to ignore. And we can t beat it without your help. Please consider supporting me by making a donation. Any amount is appreciated and will help me achieve my goal. You can donate by visiting commhealthcenter.org/walk. Thank you in advance for your support! Sample Social Media Posts Social media is all about being quick and engaging. Some general tips include: Always include a link to our webpage. Don t be afraid to post frequently. Publicly thank your donors on your page: Thanks to Jane Doe for her donation. Your support is so appreciated! Here are some suggested posts to help you get the message out: Post 1: After registration I just registered for the 1st Annual Break the Cycle Addiction Recovery Mile! I m walking because <insert your reason for walking> and I m asking for your support. Learn more at commhealthcenter.org/walk. #RecoveryMiler Post 2: Throughout campaign Did you know that opiate use and addiction is linked to 50% of major crimes in the U.S.? I m raising funds to do something about it! Visit commhealthcenter.org/walk to support my efforts! #RecoveryMiler Post 3: Throughout campaign I m halfway to my goal, and only need $X more to reach it! Will you help me? Donate today commhealthcenter.org/walk. #RecoveryMiler Post 4: Two weeks before event It s only two weeks before the Break the Cycle Addiction Recovery Mile! I m so excited to make a difference in the lives of those who live with addiction. <Share your personal reason for walking here>. Support my efforts by donating at commhealthcenter.org/walk. #RecoveryMiler 15CRE003_Walkers Guide.indd 5

6 Post 5: After the event Thank you so much to everyone who supported my efforts to raise money for addiction awareness. We had a fabulous time at Break the Cycle! I was able to raise <$> and be a part of <#of walkers> who raised a total of <$total >! Thank you! If you want to learn more about the Community Health Center, visit commhealthcenter.org. #RecoveryMiler FAQ Why haven t I heard of Break the Cycle before? Because it s our first year! The goal of this family-friendly walk is to raise awareness about addictive and compulsive disorders while also raising funds to support those struggling with addiction in our community. When and where is the walk? The walk will be held on September 30, 2016 starting and ending at Lock 3 in downtown Akron. The event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. and the walk starts at 6:00 p.m. Where can I send donations? You can donate online at commhealthcenter.org/walk or mail donations to Community Health Center, 838 Coburn St., Akron, OH Please include the completed donation form found on our website and make checks payable to Community Health Center. How are funds from the walk used? Money raised will be used to fund the medical services and programs provided by Community Health Center. This includes intensive outpatient program, residential treatment, counseling, adult and adolescent treatment, prevention and rehabilitation. Is there a minimum amount donors should pledge? Any amount is welcome, no matter how small or large! Do I have to fundraise if I participate in the Walk? No, but we hope that you will! A WhiteSpace Pro-Bono Creative Marathon 2016 Project 15CRE003_Walkers Guide.indd 6