More Activities to Help Pregnancy Centers and Diaper Banks
Coin Drop Boxes
-Make or purchase several small, preferably lockable boxes.
-Cut a hole big enough to drop coins in on the top.
-Decorate the boxes. Consider writing "Support (name of PRC)!" on them.
-Ask local shops (bookstores, local restaurants, and Christian stores are good bets) if you can leave the boxes at the register so shoppers can drop coins into them after they make a purchase.
-Leave slips of paper with information about the PRC next to the coin boxes.
-Check back periodically to collect donations. Thank the store each time!
Drive-Through Donations
-Ask a fast-food restaurant for permission to stand next to the drive-through window to collect donations from customers.
-MAKE SURE YOU CAN STAND NEXT TO THE WINDOW SAFELY AND OUT OF THE WAY!!!
-Ask the restaurant what hours are the busiest (normally lunch/dinner time). Go during those hours.
-Decorate some plastic jars or giant baby bottles. Put a sign on the front of the jars saying something like "Donate Change to Make a Change! Support (name of PRC)."
-As customers drive by, stand clear from vehicles. Most will drop their change into the jar.
-Say thank you with a big smile on your face!
Community Yard Sale (great church activity)
-I strongly recommend going through your church for this activity about a month before the Yard Sale!
-Get as many families as you can begin "spring cleaning" for items they want to get rid of.
-Have them leave all items in a room at your church so you can collect them each week (alternatively, you can offer to drive to people's homes with a friend to pick up items they want to get rid of. Ask the family what time/day you should come pick the items up.)
-Designate a place spacious enough for this giant Yard Sale. The church parking lot may work great!
-Begin advertising the time/date for the Community Yard Sale at local grocery stores, restaurants, other churches, and Craigslist.
-Put price labels on items the night before the Yard Sale. Keep things very cheap- about 5% of what they'd normally cost.
-Arrive at least two hours before the Yard Sale begins to start setting up and arranging all items.
-On the day of the Yard Sale, have volunteers wear something that makes them stand out (like bright orange shirts that say "Yard Sale Volunteer" on them).
-Make sure every volunteer brings a small plastic calculator, plenty of coins and $1 bills for change!! Keep change in a fanny pack or in a coin bag and keep it in your hands at all times.
-At the end of the day, count up the earnings and donate it all to your PRC. Donate any leftover Yard Sale items to charity.
Family Fun Night
-Find a venue that will let you host a "Family Fun Night" for free. Try a local gym, church, or school.
-Figure out a date that works well- a Friday or Saturday, usually. 6:00pm-9:00pm is a good time.
-Once you have a venue, date, and time, come up with ideas for activities. A family-friendly movie (like 'Finding Nemo,' 'Turbo,' 'Ice Age,' etc), face painting, bean-bag toss, hula-hoop contest... Make sure each station has two volunteers working it.
-The price of admission should be either a pack of diapers, a can of formula, a few packs of baby wipes, or anything the PRC needs.
-Start getting the word out via Facebook and email blasts. Have people RSVP to get an estimate on how many you'll have.
-On the night of the event, set out a few boxes for people to place their donations in when they come to Family Fun Night!
-Make or purchase several small, preferably lockable boxes.
-Cut a hole big enough to drop coins in on the top.
-Decorate the boxes. Consider writing "Support (name of PRC)!" on them.
-Ask local shops (bookstores, local restaurants, and Christian stores are good bets) if you can leave the boxes at the register so shoppers can drop coins into them after they make a purchase.
-Leave slips of paper with information about the PRC next to the coin boxes.
-Check back periodically to collect donations. Thank the store each time!
Drive-Through Donations
-Ask a fast-food restaurant for permission to stand next to the drive-through window to collect donations from customers.
-MAKE SURE YOU CAN STAND NEXT TO THE WINDOW SAFELY AND OUT OF THE WAY!!!
-Ask the restaurant what hours are the busiest (normally lunch/dinner time). Go during those hours.
-Decorate some plastic jars or giant baby bottles. Put a sign on the front of the jars saying something like "Donate Change to Make a Change! Support (name of PRC)."
-As customers drive by, stand clear from vehicles. Most will drop their change into the jar.
-Say thank you with a big smile on your face!
Community Yard Sale (great church activity)
-I strongly recommend going through your church for this activity about a month before the Yard Sale!
-Get as many families as you can begin "spring cleaning" for items they want to get rid of.
-Have them leave all items in a room at your church so you can collect them each week (alternatively, you can offer to drive to people's homes with a friend to pick up items they want to get rid of. Ask the family what time/day you should come pick the items up.)
-Designate a place spacious enough for this giant Yard Sale. The church parking lot may work great!
-Begin advertising the time/date for the Community Yard Sale at local grocery stores, restaurants, other churches, and Craigslist.
-Put price labels on items the night before the Yard Sale. Keep things very cheap- about 5% of what they'd normally cost.
-Arrive at least two hours before the Yard Sale begins to start setting up and arranging all items.
-On the day of the Yard Sale, have volunteers wear something that makes them stand out (like bright orange shirts that say "Yard Sale Volunteer" on them).
-Make sure every volunteer brings a small plastic calculator, plenty of coins and $1 bills for change!! Keep change in a fanny pack or in a coin bag and keep it in your hands at all times.
-At the end of the day, count up the earnings and donate it all to your PRC. Donate any leftover Yard Sale items to charity.
Family Fun Night
-Find a venue that will let you host a "Family Fun Night" for free. Try a local gym, church, or school.
-Figure out a date that works well- a Friday or Saturday, usually. 6:00pm-9:00pm is a good time.
-Once you have a venue, date, and time, come up with ideas for activities. A family-friendly movie (like 'Finding Nemo,' 'Turbo,' 'Ice Age,' etc), face painting, bean-bag toss, hula-hoop contest... Make sure each station has two volunteers working it.
-The price of admission should be either a pack of diapers, a can of formula, a few packs of baby wipes, or anything the PRC needs.
-Start getting the word out via Facebook and email blasts. Have people RSVP to get an estimate on how many you'll have.
-On the night of the event, set out a few boxes for people to place their donations in when they come to Family Fun Night!
Giving Trees (great at Christmas time!)
-Ask your church for permission to place a "Giving Tree" in the foyer/narthex during the month of December.
-Create about a bunch of simple construction paper ornaments. They should say what item is needed, who the item is for, and a short note asking "please buy this item and drop it off at the church." (See photo to the right for an example)
-Place ornaments on a Christmas tree in the foyer of your church.
-Make a box to put next to the tree for people to leave donations.
-Make sure that regular announcements are made about the Giving Tree, encouraging churchgoers to pull an ornament from the tree to remind them to donate.
-At the end of the month, take all the donations to the pregnancy center.
-Ask your church for permission to place a "Giving Tree" in the foyer/narthex during the month of December.
-Create about a bunch of simple construction paper ornaments. They should say what item is needed, who the item is for, and a short note asking "please buy this item and drop it off at the church." (See photo to the right for an example)
-Place ornaments on a Christmas tree in the foyer of your church.
-Make a box to put next to the tree for people to leave donations.
-Make sure that regular announcements are made about the Giving Tree, encouraging churchgoers to pull an ornament from the tree to remind them to donate.
-At the end of the month, take all the donations to the pregnancy center.