When we started in 2012, many people didn’t know what we did. In other words, when we spoke about a Funds2Orgs Shoe drive fundraiser, we had to do a bit more explaining. Flash forward to now, and we partnered with nearly 20,000 groups and organizations. We issued over $11 million in fundraising checks for good causes in the U.S. Moreover, we rescued more than 32 million shoes and gave them a new lease on life. (Check out our deck from our webinar!)
Our partners and tens of thousands of people in the U.S. helped a good cause in our nation and small business owners in developing countries. In short, they get the shoes collected in the U.S. and then sell them for a living wage. One final point about shoe drive fundraisers. As we all know, climate change and sustainability are existential issues to life on our planet! By repurposing shoes, we help the planet. And as we know, everyone’s got to do their part!
In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of a shoe drive fundraiser and how to do one. (Hint: it’s easy!).
What are the 3 key benefits of a Funds2Orgs shoe drive fundraiser?
- You have a new and unique way to raise money without asking anyone for anything other than gently worn, used and new shoes. Your supporters will love participating in this type of fundraiser. And, you’ll broaden your reach because more people can participate.
- The shoes collected in a fundraiser help micro-entrepreneurs in developing nations find their own path out of poverty. Many families live in poverty, and some in extreme poverty. Extreme poverty is living on as little as $2 a day by international poverty standards. The shoes become inventory for micro-entrepreneurs to sell in their local communities.
- Did you know that in the U.S., over 600 million shoes are disposed of in landfills across our country every year? It’s harmful to the environment and can take more than 80 years to decompose completely. In the process, they emit toxins into the air as the chemical compounds break down. Shoe drive fundraisers are a socially responsible way to dispose of shoes.
Beware of Others Claiming to Do the Right Thing
Nearly 20,000 schools, nonprofits, religious groups, stores, sports teams, etc., partnered with us for a Funds2Orgs shoe drive fundraiser. There’s a reason for it. In short, they know that when they partner with Funds2Orgs, they work with a credible and trusted leader. In fact, we’re the nation’s largest shoe drive fundraising social enterprise because people know they can trust us. But, don’t take our word at face value; check out what others have to say.
Unfortunately, many fly-by-nights and unproven organizations got into the business through the years. And while we love good American competition, some of it isn’t competition. Sure, they’ll say that when you partner with them, the shoes or clothing you collect get shipped to people in need around the world. However, what ends up happening is that the items people give to the fundraiser instead get sold online and in second-hand shops.
Therefore, you need to make sure that you partner with an organization that has the scale to handle the volume of shoes or clothing if you decide to do a shoe drive fundraiser or clothing drive. Because we’ve done this for many years, we have the operation in place. That includes our trucks and drivers to collect the shoes. We partner with more than 4,000 micro-entrepreneurs worldwide and have the logistics in place.
How Can You Raise Funds in a Shoe Drive Fundraiser?
When you do a Funds2Orgs shoe drive fundraiser, you have the chance to raise $1,000, $3,000, $5,000, or more! Moreover, there’s no limit to the number of shoes you could collect in your community. In fact, the fundraising formula’s simple: More Shoes = More Money. So, how can you do a successful shoe drive fundraiser? Well, these are the 5 ways you do it when you partner with us.
1. You Get a Live Fundraising Coaching Team
First and foremost, success doing a shoe drive fundraiser starts with talking with professional coaches. Most people (even fundraisers) don’t know how to do a shoe drive fundraiser. Therefore, it’s essential to rely on a team of coaches that know all the successful ways you didn’t think of to collect shoes in your community. They’ll also make sure you get your shoe drive fundraising materials.
2. Engage Your Network of Supporters
When you do a shoe drive fundraiser, you want to collect as many shoes as possible. And that means raising awareness for your fundraiser. Remember, when you do this kind of fundraiser, since you’re not asking for money or selling merchandise, you have the chance to get a lot of new people connected to your cause. However, you start with the people you know and your champions and then work your way to the general public. Ask your greatest supporters to collect 1, 2, 3, or more bags!
3. Collect the Shoes in Your Fundraiser
Next, you want to collect the shoes (25 pairs per bag). For instance, depending on the amount of shoes people want to give you, you may have to schedule pick-ups. It’s best to do this on the weekend and ask people to leave their bags of shoes on their porches or someplace easy for you to get them. You could also schedule a community drop-off by using a parking lot, for instance, where you wait for people on a scheduled day to drop off shoes. Also, consider drop-off locations in shops or community centers.
4. Pick-up of the Shoes By the Funds2Orgs Logistics Team
Most of our partners collect those in approximately 60 days. And then, once the Funds2Orgs shoe drive fundraiser ends, it’s time for the logistics team to pick up the bags of shoes. You don’t need to worry about too much. First, make sure you coordinate the date and time of the pick-up with Funds2Orgs. Also, you want to make sure you have 2 to 3 volunteers (per 50 bags) to help the driver load the bags into the truck.
5. Celebrate Your Fundraising Success
Finally, once the truck leaves, it’s time to celebrate a job well done! You’ll get a check issued to you by Funds2Orgs within 2 business days of processing the shoes at our warehouse. Make sure to tell your volunteers, donors, supporters, champions, and the broader community how much you raised. And don’t forget that to share your success using email, social media, and perhaps even an event about what you did with the funds to make a difference!
That’s it! That’s how you do a successful Funds2Orgs shoe drive fundraiser. We hope you check it out because it’s an innovative and socially responsible fundraiser. If you want to find out more, set-up a very brief 12-minute call with a team member.
And don’t forget to follow us on social media on YouTube or Facebook.
© 2021 Funds2Orgs. All Rights Reserved.
The post How to do a Funds2Orgs Shoe Drive Fundraiser appeared first on funds2orgs.com.
