Home Run for the Homeless. Team Captain Handbook

Home Run for the Homeless Team Captain Handbook

Welcome Team Captains! Thank you for taking the initiative to become a Team Captain for the Neighborhood Alliance Home Run for the Homeless. By leading a team, you are playing a critical role in providing necessary emergency resources to our area s homeless. Our goal is to raise $50,000 for The Haven Center, Lorain County s largest 24/7 extended-stay shelter. With your help as a Team Captain, we know we can meet our goal and move one step closer to providing The Haven Center with much needed financial support. As a Team Captain, you will be managing your team roster, serving as a liaison between Neighborhood Alliance and your team, and perhaps most importantly, you will be helping generate necessary funds needed to keep the Haven Center running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Forming a team takes us to the starting line. Fundraising gets us to the ultimate finish line, which is a community with fewer homeless. With team prizes and individual fundraising goals and incentives already in place, it has never been easier for you as a Captain to inspire your team to achieve incredible new levels! We hope to make your job as Team Captain as easy as possible and supply you with everything you need to organize your team, from forms and facts to guidelines, instruction and inspiration! Even if you have done this before, please read through the information carefully. If you have any questions or need more details, please email Dawn Meyer at dawnm@myneighborhoodalliance. org or call (440) 233-8768 Ext. 6202. Again, thank you for your time and generous support. We look forward to having you with us. Together, we will take strides to end homelessness. Sincerely, Connie Osborn President & CEO Neighborhood Alliance Neighborhood Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our tax ID is 34-0714471

Getting Started WHAT IS THE HOME RUN FOR THE HOMELESS? It is a group of caring people who join together to participate in a 5K Run or 1 mile walk to have fun and raise funds to support The Haven Center. As Lorain County s largest 24/7 extended stay shelter, The Haven Center provides homeless individuals and families with food, shelter and supportive services necessary to get back on their feet. TIPS FOR BUILDING YOUR TEAM Create a personal webpage to share your stories, recruit team members to fundraise. Utilize your e-mail signature line to provide readers with a link to your personal page. Include a link to your personal page on all of your social media sites. Host an awareness meeting. Host a registration table at your business, hospital, school, church, etc. Post flyers everywhere you go. Ask friends, family, colleagues and neighbors personally. Publicize your team and the race in newsletters. Challenge friends and colleagues to a most-raised competition. Ask each team member to sign up at least one other person. WHERE TO FIND YOUR TEAM Team members are everywhere, and you ll most likely find team recruitment is easy our community is filled with caring people looking for a way to lessen the effects of homelessness within our community. Team members can come from your work, family, friends, neighbors or social networks anyone who is interested in helping the homeless in our community! Consider building a team with school friends or civic groups, your gym or sports team. Aim high for team membership. The more members on your team, the greater your fundraising total will be and the more fun you will have! Registering your team Whenever you have a question about organizing your teams or raising funds, start by visiting our website. The user-friendly and up-to-date content should have most of the information you will need to have a successful team and incredible race experience. Need more information or can t find what you re looking for online? Our success depends on you and we are here to help. Please contact Pat Tarter by phone at (440) 233-8768 Ext. 6200 or by email at GenaS@myneighborhoodalliance.org Need help registering a team? Call (440) 233-8768 x6212 to get help about registering your team. Contact Information Race Inquiries & Team Info: Gena Soeder (440) 233-8768 Ext. 6200 Volunteers: Lori Magyar (440) 233-8768 Ext. 6205 Follow Us: MyallianceNEO Administration Office: (440)-233-8768

Team Captain Responsibilities Recruit a team Invite at least 10 or more fellow employees, family members and/or friends to join you (The more the merrier!) Consider selecting a co-captain to help you recruit and manage your team. Set a goal for the number of people you want to recruit. Use the recruitment letter in Appendix A to help invite people to participate. Use email, Facebook, Twitter, posters, flyers and anything you can think of to spread the word about your team and invite people to join you. Be creative and have fun! Invite team members to register online as part of the team. Give them all the information they need by copying and sharing Appendix B of this brochure. Display event brochures and posters in high traffic areas to recruit team members. Put information out around the office, campus, cafeterias, break rooms, gyms, and other high traffic areas. Include your contact information so people can reach you to get involved. Want more posters or brochures? Contact our Marketing and Public Relations Specialist, Jadera Thomas at jaderat@myneighborhoodalliance.org. Host a kick-off event to get everyone inspired to join, recruit and fundraise. This is a great way to share fundraising tips and techniques that will excite your team about raising money. Send regular reminders and encouragement to team members. Celebrate your team s success and have fun! CREATING YOUR TEAM 1. Go to www.homerunforhomeless.org and click on Register (top header menu). 2. You will need to register yourself first in order to create your team. 3. Select your participation type, (run or walk), and decide on a team name and your team fundraising goal. 4. You need to select a username and password. 5. Enter your contact information and t-shirt size. 6. Continue to follow the registration instructions. 7. Please review your payment information and click Process. * Each participant on the team must register themselves. Registration requires personal information such as age, email, and payment information. They also need to provide their t-shirt size.

What s Next? Start Fundraising! THE POWER OF FUNDRAISING Every dollar you raise for the Home Run for the Homeless will fund Neighborhood Alliance s Haven Center, Lorain County s largest 24-hour/7 days-a-week family homeless shelter. Additional programming and services are provided to address the varied needs of the residents. We cannot meet the need without your help. Your registration gets us to the starting line. Your fundraising will help us finish. FUNDRAISING TIPS AND IDEAS You don t need to be a fundraising expert, you just need the desire to make a difference. Some easy ways to do your part: Register Today. The sooner you get started, the easier it is to raise funds. Set Your Personal Goal. Ask 10 of your friends for a $10 donation. This is a quick way to increase your fundraising total without much effort. And don t stop there once you ve hit your goal, aim even higher! Remember, every extra dollar helps the Haven Center. Compose Your Fundraising Letter/Email. Start with the Sample Fundraising Letter in Appendix A, then personalize it with your goal. Remember to thank them and remind them of the Neighborhood Alliance mission and where the money goes. Tips for a Successful Fundraising Campaign Be the first donor on your list by personally donating $25 or more when you register. Ask everyone you know (your spouse, friends, relatives, neighbor, doctors, vendor, co-workers or employer) to sponsor you. Most people will donate simply because they were asked! Use the power of the internet by e-mailing friends and family for support. Have a bake sale at your cafeteria, place of worship or school. Post a donation form on your office door so supporters can sign up anytime. Encourage all team members to raise donation dollars. Have your team members compete for the most funds raised. Award the winner a small donated prize. How to solicit donations Used sparingly, theses methods can transform your team members into successful fundraisers. Used together they can make everyone fundraising champions. ONLINE: Encourage your team to use the power of the internet to save time and effort. The steps are simple: Register and set up a personal page Direct supporters to the website and click on Donate Now to make a donation to a team member Add a link to your fundraising page to your e-mail signature line and social networking site. IN PERSON Encourage your team members to also solicit donations in person and share their goal in order to motivate givers. For those not able or willing to donate online, have your team members collect cash or checks payable to Neighborhood Alliance. Donations should be accompanied by a pledge form and can be submitted: By mail to Neighborhood Alliance, 457 Griswold Rd, Elyria, OH 44035 In person on race day. Cash and checks are considered offline donations. They will show on a participant s pledge page once they have been received in the office and recorded.

FUNDRAISING TIP #1 Save time in seeing your offline donations credited to your page by entering them yourself so all we have to do is confirm them and post them Frequently Asked Questions Do I need to pick up and distribute all my team member s race packets, shirts, etc? No. Team Members can pick up packets and shirts as they arrive the day of the race. What is the schedule for race day? 8:00 AM Registration Opens 9:00 AM 5K Race Starts 9:45 AM 1 Mile Walk Starts 10:00 AM Awards Ceremony Where and what time should I meet my team? Pick a location familiar to everyone and designate that as a meeting place in advance. As the Team Captain, you will need to communicate this location and a meeting time to your team. The race course and site will be posted on the website prior to the race. Can kids participate in the race? Of course! We love to have all ages participate. Can participants walk their dogs during the race? Unfortunately, no. Lake Erie Crushers do not allow pets in the stadium. What are the registration fees? Early registration: Children 12 and under are $15 and Adults are $25 Late registration: Children 12 and under are $20 and Adults are $30 (if registered after the Sunday before event) Where are the proceeds going? Proceeds are going to The Haven Center, Neighborhood Alliance s 24/7 extended stay homeless shelter here in Lorain County. They supply not only emergency shelter but also food, personal care items, clothing and resources to find affordable housing. Where is All-Pro Freight Stadium? Address: All Pro Freight Stadium 2009 Baseball Boulevard Avon, Ohio 44011 Directions from the East Take Interstate 90/Rt. 2 West towards Toledo. Exit right on Route 611/Exit 151. Take a right onto Route 611/Colorado Avenue and continue straight for 1/2 mile until reaching the ballpark entrance (Miller Road Interchange) on the left. Directions from the South Take I-77 North. Exit towards I-90 West/I-490 East. Merge onto I-90 West via the exit on the left. Exit right on Route 611/Exit 151. Take a right on Route 611/Colorado Avenue and continue straight for 1/2 mile until reaching the ballpark entrance (Miller Road Interchange) on the left. Directions from the West Take I-90 East towards Cleveland. Exit right on Route 611/Exit 151. Take a left onto Route 611/Colorado Avenue and continue straight for 1/2 mile until reaching the ballpark entrance (Miller Road Interchange) on the left. Directions from the Southwest Take I-90 East or I-71 North to the Inner Belt merge. Continue on Inner Belt (I-90) to Route 611/Exit 151. Take a left onto Route 611/Colorado Avenue and continue straight for 1/2 mile until reaching the ballpark entrance (Miller Road Interchange) on the left.

Sample Fundraising Letter Dear Friends and Family, As one of Lorain County s long-standing non-profit organizations, Neighborhood Alliance is committed to serving the needs of the homeless in our community. I will join hundreds of other supporters by being a part of the annual Home Run for the Homeless 5K and 1-mile Walk. By making a donation on my behalf, you are assisting The Haven Center the largest extended-stay 24 hour/7 day homeless family shelter in Lorain County. It s likely you know someone who has experienced tough times in their life perhaps a relative, coworker, neighbor or friend someone in your life s circle. You could do your part by making a contribution to the Home Run for the Homeless. On any given night in the U.S, an average of 2 million people are homeless; families are the largest and fastest growing segment of the homeless population. Many families in this position work very hard each and every day to pull themselves out of the situation. But they cannot do it without the support of others in their community. My goal is to raise (insert amount) this year. Please help me reach my goal with your financial support. You may go to my participant page and make a tax-deductible donation online at www.homerunforhomeless.org If you prefer to mail your donation, note Home Run on the memo line and make your check payable to: Neighborhood Alliance 457 Griswold Road Elyria, Ohio 44035 Thank you in advance for your support. Please contact me if you have any questions about the Home Run for the Homeless. I can be reached at (insert phone number or email address). Sincerely, (insert name) FUNDRAISING TIP#2 Even though you are a member of a team, you can utilize your personal social media to share your fundraising webpage! Social media can include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Sample Team Recruiting Letter JOIN THE (NAME OF YOUR TEAM) TEAM! I am forming a team for this year s Home Run for the Homeless. More than 450 participants from all over northeast Ohio are expected to join in this exciting event to raise money to support The Haven Center, Lorain County s largest 24/7 extended stay homeless family shelter. The Home Run for the Homeless will be held at All-Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, OH and I invite you to join me as part of my team, (NAME OF YOUR TEAM). Don t delay! Although you can join the team anytime, the official deadline is INSERT DATE. The deadline for team fundraising to be considered for team awards is INSERT DATE. Grab your family, friends and colleagues and sign up with our team! For more information or if you have any questions, please contact (name of team captain or co-captains) at (home numbers) or (e-mail address). DO YOUR PART! JOIN OUR TEAM TODAY! HOW TO REGISTER FOR A TEAM 1. Go to: www.homerunforhomeless.org 2. Search under Search Teams. Enter the name of the team you would like to join or use the name of the captain. 3. Select the team. If you are having trouble finding a team, please enter a shortened version of the team name and search again. 4. Now you need to register yourself. Select your participation type, select your username and password, and decide your indi-vidual fundraising goal. You may make an additional donation at this time if you choose. 5. Next you will be asked to log in. 6. Enter your contact information. 7. Please review your registration summary and make any necessary corrections. If you have any additional team members you would like to register with the same credit card, you may do so now by filling in their first and last name and clicking Register Another Person. 8. Congratulations! You have joined a team and registered yourself as a participant. Team members can modify their personal fundraising page and promote it individually or as a team. Sincerely, (Insert Name)

FUNDRAISING TIP#3 BE DIRECT AND SPECIFIC When asking for donations, request a specific amount you d like and don t be afraid to aim high! Also connect a result with the dollar amount you request. For example, I m asking every house in our neighborhood to contribute $10 to the run so we can provide The Haven Center with meals for families. Team Contest, Prizes & Incentives TEAM CHALLENGE AWARDS An award will be given in each of the following team categories: Top 2 Male overall 5K finishers Top 2 Female overall 5K finishers TEAM FUNDRAISING AWARDS Top Fundraising Team/Individual will win the use of a Crushers Loge (on a mutually agreed upon date) ENTRY FEE $25 Adults $15 Children 12 and under prior to APRIL 8 th 2016 Ticket Voucher to May 2015 Lake Erie Crushers Game Guaranteed T-shirt $30 Adults $20 Children 12 and under after APRIL 8 th 2016 Ticket Voucher to May 2015 Lake Erie Crushers Game T-shirt based on availability Where your steps take us! $25 Provides 1 individual shelter and food for 1 night $100 Provides a family of 4 shelter and food for 1 night $175 Provides 1 individual shelter and food for 1 week IMPORTANT DATES/DEADLINES Don t miss out by missing deadlines! Send out friendly reminders as Team Registration Deadlines approach. Registration OPENS February 1st ONLINE Registration ENDS Wednesday before event Race Day 8:00 AM Registration Opens Race Day 9:00 AM 5K Race Starts Race Day 9:45 AM 1 Mile Walk Starts Race Day 10:00 AM Awards Ceremony