By Rosabella Debty: 

Charity finds itself in every crevice of human nature. We desire to help, though it can be hard to know where to start. Not everyone has the funds for a donation or loads of time that they are able to give for community service. We understand it is difficult to see what you are able to do from a small standpoint, which is why we are here to help. Work, Play, Love is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping orphanages in Guatemala. While a majority of the process go towards a girls orphanage, excess funds go towards its sister orphanage for boys. Under the Hogar Heroes program, $500,000 in total has been raised, though $3,000 is the income our organization needs monthly to continue supporting the orphanages. That is where we need you. With the power of the many, great accomplishments happen every day. Whether it is a bake sale or a good old-fashioned potluck, you’re covered with us. It doesn’t take a hefty bank account or all the time in the world to help children in need, though it does take a bunch of people caring enough about said children to make progress. 

It is a hard life being a ward of the state in America, but it’s nothing you could imagine in Guatemala. The girls barely have a change of clothes a lot of the time, their education is small, and they are exposed to many more situations than is usual in our developed country. The boys are no different, both growing without knowing what is next. Their future is out of their hands, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be in someone’s who can change their life for the better. These kids rely on your donations, your charities, and your willingness to help, though it is only you who can make the decision to take that path or another. If you choose to help, we thank you ahead of time. It’s not easy to spread your time out in the world we live in, and we are grateful for the help you are willing to give. If you are still in the position of not knowing where to start, we hope this article will open your eyes to different ideas or even inspire some of your own. 

Host a bake sale

Hosting a bake sale is probably the first idea that comes to your mind, for it’s usually the one most associated with fundraising. While health regulations differ state to state, it is something that is easy to set up most anywhere you are. Flea and farmers markets are both a popular place to set up shop, though when the community gets a whiff of a bake sale, we are sure they will flock anywhere for some of grandma’s cookies. Not only does it bring everyone together who enjoys carbs and sugar, it also helps raise awareness for Work, Play, Love. Having flyers on the table to mention who we are or holding conversations with the people who come is one of the major ways you can help our organization. Raising the money helps tremendously, but raising awareness helps more. If you talk to three people, and those three people have the call to help, we gain three more supporters, just from your enthusiasm to bring service to Work, Play, Love. 

Host a car wash

The next popular fundraising idea is hosting a car wash. While this takes more physical effort than a bake sale, it brings the community all the same. A $5 wash is already a bargain for most, but knowing it is also for charity, people are more likely to come out and support the cause. Having flyers to hand to the drivers will help more than holding conversation in this scenario, but it will still make the message clear. “The car wash is for an organization named Work, Play, Love, and we thank you for coming to support their cause.” We love this tactic, because even when they go home, a washed car will more likely than not stay that way longer than someone can keep a cupcake; every time the person sees how clean their car is, you will pop back into their mind. Again, raising money is the goal, but creating a domino effect will circle back to that goal in a larger scale. Raising $500 dollars helps in the moment, but raising awareness for five people to go make the same profit is the hand that will continue helping for so much longer. 

Throw a Pot Luck Dinner

Staying on the theme of community, our next fundraiser suggestion is a potluck dinner. While it is not solely raising money, it brings people together under the same roof for the same cause. You may wish to ask for donations, or you may use this as an opportunity to just get the word out there. As we mentioned before, money is not the only way someone can help. Setting an example for your friends as they enjoy a nice, home cooked meal, is going to stick in their minds just the same, maybe even more so, as they put their time and effort into a dish for your potluck. 

While the previous are usually community based with little corporation or business interception, one successful fundraiser idea that racks in revenue is hosting an event at an actual business. Many schools use this tactic for their own fundraising needs. It may not be as simple to set up, but with it being beneficial to both you and the company, you are less likely to be rejected. Most businesses big and small have money set back for fundraising, as it also gets their name out into the world. Even though you won’t get the whole proceeds for the night, you are more likely to reach a wider audience if you choose the right company. Going local is a great way to get the community to come out and spend time together as well as helping a business better promote themselves. Going corporate, such as fast food, might rack in more money, but you lose the potential to have a reoccurring spot to hold an event. Corporate business are less likely to care about what they are supporting, or about keeping contact for the future. Going local is more personal, and therefore they will care more about the organization they helped and about continuing to support us in the future. 

Have a Garage Sale

The one that may not be on everyone’s mind when they think of fundraising is having a garage sale. We all can use a little spring cleaning, even if we don’t admit it. Many people go to garage sales for the bargains, and if you have enough stuff that people want, raking in money isn’t that difficult. Obviously, you would want to do this during the spring or summer, but it can give you an excuse to spend some time in the sun. A good tip for if you don’t want to donate everything, as you might be using that money to buy replacements or things you need, is to set a minimum. If you need $50, set that aside for yourself, and donate the rest of the money you make. To make your garage sale more successful, you can always set up somewhere other than your actual house. A lot of people hold joint garage sales, sharing the same area. Others find public areas where they can sell, or even resort to renting a table at their local flea market. There is a lot of wiggle room with garage sales, as all you need is a bunch of things you want to get rid of and a place to put it all. People are also more willing to buy something, no matter how small, if they know it is to support a charity. Don’t forget the spread the word about Work, Play, Love, and remind them that buying from you today will help buy items for the children we support tomorrow. 

While this only mentions five ways you can get out in the community and help out organization, there are so many other options to explore. We hope that this helped spark interest in your mind about helping Work, Play, Love and gave you inspiration for how you yourself could contribute. It shouldn’t be inconvenient to help, and from experience we know it works out a lot better if you can control when and where you do so. It isn’t as much fun when you feel you’re having to sacrifice something more urgent in your life, and we understand that. Work, Play, Love is thankful for any help we can receive, and we hope to be seeing you support our cause soon.

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