Spice Up Your Fundraising!

We are six weeks away from the Turkey Trot Charity 5K! We hope that your training has been successful and you are motivated by the gains you have experienced. We also hope that your fundraising has been successful and you are motivated by the gains you are seeing there as well! To help you meet and exceed your fundraising goal, we have some ideas for you!

First, a reminder of who you are helping. You are helping children in your community (every donor gets to pick which county benefits from their donation) enjoy Y programs like preschool and camp. Some will also receive scholarships to attend our Before and After School Enrichment Program which provides children a safe, warm place to go before and/or after school. In this program they have time to complete their homework, participate in fun activities, and enjoy a nutritious meal, which may not have happened at home.

Recently, a little boy being served his evening meal in a Y After School program, stuffed a handful of ketchup packets into his pocket and told someone watching, “I hope it is okay that I take this. When we do not have food at home, my Grandmother and I make tomato soup with these.” These are the children and families you are helping throughout Central Maryland and here are some creative ways to do so:

1. Add a signature line to your emails that reads something like "I am running in the Y of Central Maryland's Turkey Trot Charity 5K this Thanksgiving. Will you help motivate me with a donation that will help disadvantaged youth in my community? Link to your fundraising page"
   
2. Take a picture of you, your child, or your pet in a turkey costume and post it on Facebook, email, or Twitter asking people for a donation!
   
3. Make a video on your phone asking for a donation and post it on Facebook or send it in an email to your friends and family. It is more powerful than a picture or just an email. You can use the story of the child above to illustrate the need.
   
4. Offer to do something silly for a donation. "Donate to me and I will change my Facebook profile picture to something embarrassing  or "I will run around the block in my Halloween costume (not on Halloween) if you support me.

If you have any other fun ideas - let us know in the comment section!

Dog photo: baxterboo.com, baby photo: spirithalloween.com.