Table of Contents HOPE 4 Youth About HOPE 4 Youth 3 What is? 3 Ways You Can Help & Critical Uses of Funds 4 5 at Home or Work 6 Other Creative Ways You Can Help & Youth 4 Youth 7 How to Create a Facebook Fundraiser 8 Logo 8 Social Media Tips & Sample Social Media Posts 9 Sample Email 10 Sample Poster or Flier 11 2
About HOPE 4 Youth HOPE 4 Youth HOPE 4 Youth, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Minnesota, serves homeless youth by providing hot meals, hot showers, clothing, food and hygiene products, laundry facilities, computer and internet access, and case management; meeting health needs at HOPE Clinic; securing housing through the Housing Navigation program and at HOPE Place; assisting with employment and educational opportunities; offering a spiritually-based program via HOPE TreeHouse; providing basic resources and referrals through outreach on the streets and in schools. HOPE 4 Youth also operates Pathways 4 Youth located in St. Cloud, and hope s closet, a resale boutique in Champlin. Mission Providing pathways to end youth homelessness. Vision All youth will feel safe, valued and supported while reaching their full potential. This begins with meeting their basic needs and leads to giving them the tools to thrive. Goal To end youth homelessness in the north metro suburbs. What is? brings our community together to build awareness about what homeless youth experience on the streets while raising needed funds to keep our doors open and continue changing lives every day. There are two options for participating: 1. Sign-up to spend one-hour out in the cold at Eagle Brook Church Anoka, Andover Fire Station Number 1 or the Anoka County Sheriff s Office. 2. Organize or participate in at Home or Work. Thank you for giving up one hour of your time this holiday season to help give needed hope to the homeless youth in our community! 3
Ways You Can Help & Critical Uses of Out in the Cold 4 Youth Funds Partner with Us Sign-up to spend just one hour out in the cold at one of our two locations or host your own at Home or Work. Keep reading to learn more! Get Social Ask others for their support share about with your social network or post about your experience. Donate Give a one-time gift or, to make your gift have an even greater impact, consider our GEM (Give Every Month) program to give monthly. For more information, visit HOPE4YouthMN.org/Donate. Critical Uses of Funds $25 may provide a youth with safe transportation in an emergency situation. $60 may help a young person find employment or further their education. $85 can allow a youth to meet their needs during a visit to the Drop-In Center. $175 can cover the cost for one youth to visit HOPE Clinic and fill a prescription. $250 may assist the volunteers who support the youth on a monthly basis. $500 could cover the cost for emergency housing assistance for a youth. $1,000 may pay for one month of utilities at HOPE Place, our transitional housing program. $1,350 allows us to keep the Drop-In Center open and meet the needs of the young people who need us every day. 4
HOPE 4 Youth What? is an awareness and fundraising campaign and we need your participation! Between December 4 8, 2018, join hundreds of other community members by going. Participants will sign-up for one hour timeslots December 4 8 between the times of 8 a.m. 8 p.m. Where? There will be three locations this year. These locations will have a small shelter in which participants will stay in during their one hour timeslot. Eagle Brook Church Anoka Anoka County Sheriff s Office 1100 US-10 13301 Hanson Blvd NW Anoka, MN 55303 Andover, MN 55304 Andover Fire Station Number 1 13875 Crosstown Blvd. Andover, MN 55304 How? Participants sign-up online on SignupGenius for one hour long timeslots. The SignupGenius can be found at HOPE4YouthMN.org/C4Y. After signing-up, take a few minutes to create a fundraising email, Facebook video or social media post to share your story with your network and ask them to support. It s best to send out your request BEFORE your timeslot to encourage their support. See pages 8 10 for examples. Materials about HOPE 4 Youth will be provided at both locations as well as donation envelopes for potential drive-by donors. Let your friends and family know they can give online or drop off donations while you are in the small shelter. 5
at Home or Work What? We are excited to introduce Out in the Cold at Home or Work in 2018! You choose how you want to do it. Examples include spending your coffee or lunch time out in the cold, pitching a tent at home or work, having a bonfire, etc. Below are tips for planning your event so it s sure to be a success. Who? Gather your family, friends, neighbors or co-workers for your own Out in the Cold 4 Youth at Home or Work. Think of who you might turn to if you were experiencing homelessness and needed a place to sleep, and invite those people to join you. When? Set a date that works best for you between December 4 8, 2018. How? 1. Pick a location. Consider your work parking lot or your yard. 2. Put together a flier inviting people to be a part of your event (see page 11). 3. Share your intention to raise funds and awareness on social media. You might even want to create a Facebook Fundraiser (see page 8). 4. During your event, collect and keep track of funds raised. Online donations can be made at HOPE4YouthMN.org/C4Y. Cash and checks can be turned into HOPE 4 Youth with the name and phone number of the coordinator on the front of the envelope. We do accept donations through December 31, 2018. To make your donation go even further, check to see if your employer will match your donation. 5. Make the most of the time together to connect - play a game, read or tell stories! 6. Share your experience on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and SnapChat) and tag @HOPE4YouthMN (see pages 8-9) and use #Cold4Youth. 6
Other Creative Ways You Can Help & Youth 4 Youth Create a social media post with simple facts about (see pages 3-4 for facts; pages 8-9 for creating a post) and ask your social media network to share your post. Host a family hot chocolate stand at your church, your boy or girl scout meeting, the community center or the mall. Ask for free-will donations for. Make yard signs and ask neighbors to put them in their yards during December 4-8, 2018. Make shoeboxes for you and your family to collect change/dollars in the classroom, dance studio or other sports practice or clubs. If you d like more in-depth information on how to get involved with HOPE 4 Youth, please sign-up to attend A Look Inside HOPE. Visit HOPE4YouthMN.org/Volunteer to learn more! Youth 4 Youth Children, teens, youth groups and sports teams can participate together not only by being out in the cold for one hour, but also by making and selling items. Some suggestions include selling baked goodies, caramel popcorn or popcorn balls, ornaments, bracelets, bath bombs, candles, soap, homemade holiday crafts, etc. 7
How to Create a Facebook Fundraiser Facebook makes it so easy to raise money for a cause you believe in! To create an fundraiser on Facebook: 1. Log into your Facebook account. 2. Click Fundraisers in the left menu of your News Feed. 3. Click Raise Money. Note set your fundraiser deadline as 12/31/18. 4. Select HOPE 4 Youth. 5. Choose a cover photo and fill in your fundraiser details. 6. See pages 9-10 for ideas and sample messages! Note write a few lines of why this is important to you personally to give your friends and family extra inspiration. 7. Click Create. Logo 8
Social Media Tips & Sample Social Media Posts Step 1 Like and Follow. Facebook /HOPE4YouthMN Twitter @HOPE4YouthMN Instagram @HOPE4YouthMN Step 2 Post, Engage, RSVP, Invite. Post about your experience on your own social media channels. Tag HOPE 4 Youth and any friends who are involved. Like, comment and share our posts! Step 3 Include Pictures and Video. Post photos and videos why not Facebook Live your - on your channels. (Tag your friends, tag HOPE 4 Youth, and use #Cold4Youth.) HOPE 4 Youth might even re-post, share your photo or retweet you. Sample Social Media Posts: 1. Tonight, in Minnesota more than 6,000 young people will be sleeping outside. I am sitting in the cold, experiencing many of the same things that they do to help change this. Luckily, in one hour (or less), I ll be able to warm up inside my home. Unfortunately, the homeless youth in our community will not be able to do so. I m asking for your help to bring them out of the cold by donating to HOPE 4 Youth at https://www.hope4youthmn.org/c4y/. 2. Next week, I m taking one hour out of my day to sit outside in the cold to support youth experiencing homelessness in our community as part of Out in the Cold 4 Youth. I need YOUR support so I can get out of the cold hoping that homeless youth will be able to do the same. All you need to do is make a tax-deductible gift of $50 (or any amount will do) to HOPE 4 Youth at https://www.hope4youthmn.org/c4y/ include my name in the in support of box. If just 10 of my friends makes a $50 donation then I ll have raised $500 to help HOPE 4 Youth continue providing youth the tools they need to thrive. Thank you for your support! 9
Sample Email HOPE 4 Youth Dear (Name), (Note best to send one-by-one and not as a group email) HOPE 4 Youth is once again holding to raise funds and awareness of the needs of the struggling youth in our own communities. I will be staying out in the cold on (date) in (location). HOPE 4 Youth provides some of the things we may all take for granted every day to homeless youth: food and personal hygiene items, a hot shower, clothing and/or shoes, laundry facilities, a nutritious meal. They then work with the youth to support and guide them through rebuilding their lives (whether that is for a few days or many years) and help them move forward so they are no longer homeless. I am inspired by the work HOPE 4 Youth does and I believe, together, we can end youth homeless in our community. Will you please help the youth in our community who need us by helping me reach my goal of raising ($$$$)? It s easy to donate online at https://www.hope4youthmn.org/c4y/. Just select Out in the Cold 4 Youth from the drop-down menu and type my name in the Out in the Cold 4 Youth box on that page. Thank you! Sincerely, (Your name) 10
Sample Poster or Flier HOPE 4 Youth s 2nd Annual December 4-8, 2018 raises awareness of the need to provide a hand up, not a hand out, to our homeless youth. Funds raised help meet the needs of local youth struggling with homelessness as well as help find pathways to end their homelessness. Join (me, friends, family, co-workers, neighbors) out in the cold to experience what homeless youth experience and to raise much needed funds. (I/We) have chosen to support and the efforts of HOPE 4 Youth by organizing a (neighborhood, work, or home) on (date and time). If you would like to be a part of our event, please send me an email at (email address) or call me at (phone number) and I will get more detailed information to you! Thank you, (Your name) 11