Kids and Food: Fundraising ideas
Chocolate drives! Almost nothing infuriates us more.
Why are reasonable parents and citizens lumbered with the task of pushing chocolate to loved ones? You feel bad if you say ‘no’ and worse if you oblige, knowing it will end up in your own pantry.
It’s not that I am not a lover of chocolate (I wish!) it is just that there are plenty of other fundraising options around that don’t support the mass produced, junk food industry. Or increase waistlines! Why put pressure on people on buying things when philosophically they don’t agree with it?
Yet chocolates, pies and cakes have been a corner stone for kid’s fundraisers – we have already been asked to support at least three this year.
We know that day care centres, kindergartens, schools and sports clubs need to be consistent about health messages, with a duty of care to make “healthy choices, easy choices”.
Obesity is a growing, significant problem for the whole community and educational and sporting institutions need to be a safe zone. Fundraising can be a chance to reinforce messages heard on the field and in the classroom.
Money making ventures don’t need to be unhealthy. In fact, there are lots of fun ways to raise cash that promote health:
Physical activity fundraisers
- Hula-hoop competition
- Mini obstacle course
- Back yard cricket
- Sports days
- One hole or mini golf, barefoot bowls, beach volleyball
- Dry regattas
- Family walk-a-thons
- Dance-a-thons, discos, bush dance
- Gym or pool Discount Vouchers
- Car Wash
Healthy living fundraisers
- Compile a healthy recipe books
- Organise cheap/donated vegetable seedlings from a local nursery to sell or grow your own!
- Fresh fruit and vegie boxes, food that families would be buying anyway
- Healthy cooking lessons for parents
- Healthy Food Theme Day
- Sell Masterpieces – Decorate water bottles, plates or jars and fill them with water or healthy snacks to sell
- Quiz nights with questions about healthy eating, physical activity and health
- Toothbrush and/or sunscreen drives alsoprotect the health of your school community
Generic fundraisers
- Non-food related stalls- a bric-a-brac, dunk the teacher/principal, face painting, farmyard animals, plant stalls
- Face painting or Henna tattoos
- Personalised Christmas cards, calendars, T-shirts
- Children’s name labels
- Second hand books
- Raffles with prizes like homemaker items, stationery, vouchers or fruit hampers.
- Silent Auctions, movie nights- social events are also a great way to bring together the school community
- Sun protection kit: Include sunscreen, hat, moisturiser or lip balm
- First aid kits
- Custom-printed tea towels, aprons or shopping bags
- Mother’s or Father’s day events with a pamper session
- Read-a-thons, spell-a-thon
You can also keep it local – buy from local supporters and choose prizes promoting healthy eating or physical activity (like a surf lesson!)
Let’s wave goodbye to the chocolate drives – make everyone feel good about spending money and show kids that fundraising can be fun and keep you healthy.
Helpful websites:
http://www.parentsjury.org.au/blog/entry/top-tips-for-healthy-fundraising
http://healthy-kids.com.au/…/Fundraising-Resources…
http://goodsports.com.au/site/wp-content/uploads/FACTSHEET-Healthy-Fundraising-Ideas.pdf