For parents who do fundraisers and other school activities...?

Question

We need a stage curtain and sound equipment for my daughter's school. where is a good source to get these things donated. Also, we are starting a PTA, this is a new catholic school, what is the best ways to get parents involved?????

Answer 1

Your town may have a Yahoo Groups Freecycle. People give away loads of stuff in those groups.

As for getting parents involved, there are several things you can do. Form a recruiting committee where one person is "in charge" and others help-out where needed.

On nights like "Parent Night" at the school, set up a table with a sign and balloons. Get your friendliest people to sit at the table and make conversation with the parents coming into the building. Make sure the people tending the table ask the parent about their children and act interested in helping them help their child. If there are funds for it, do something like buy cookies to hand-out to the parents. If there are sweets or something else to attract attention, you'll get more people to stop by.

Make sure you keep a list of members. Our PTO has cards that we fill out with theparent's name on it that they can carry once they have enrolled for the year and paid their dues. Make sure the parents know what their dues are for (like for sponsoring school events, buying a new stage curtain, etc.). They like to know where their money is going.

That's all I have time to write at the moment, but I am sure that you will think of many more ways to bring in fresh recruits. Parent involvement is so important. Kudos to you for being a leader!

Answer 2

As far as the stage equipment you need I would call around to the local theater companies they will sometimes donate equipment that they can write off as well as not have to store.
When it comes to your PTA I have always found that "if you feed them they will come" is a good way to go. Get some mom's involved baking for your first meeting as well call some local bakeries they are usually good about donating cookies etc...
Given the chance there are many parents that want to help but just don't know how to get involved. Good Luck

Answer 3

develop into lively in the PTO and discover out in the journey that they're going to evaluate an "opt for out" in substitute for a particular donation, without penalty for the children. quite, you should likely donate adequate $$ to conceal the income of one hundred fifteen products and performance adequate left over to get a experience in a limo. one among our maximum effectual fundraisers changed into when we got here upon that an addition changed into being outfitted the position the playground stood. it may take $4000 merely to bypass the kit we already had - and that did not contain getting waiting the hot web site (which had to be bulldozed and leveled). We had 5 weeks to augment the money, so we despatched homestead a packet of microwave popcorn with a request that oldsters stay in a unmarried evening and deliver us the $$ they could have spent on a evening out. We raised $6000. woman Scout cookies have a particular position in my heart - if executed excellent, the lady should be attending to comprehend to set a purpose, make a plan, artwork to achieve her purpose, study about money and relish the outcome of creating her purpose. it really is not meant to be about mom taking the order kind to artwork and promoting the cookies for her. i comprehend what fundraisers are coming - and that i have requested about the percentage that the faculty makes, so i elect carefully. I order magazines as presents for relatives individuals, i purchase the sweet & nuts for token presents (bus drivers, and so on) and that i enable the ladies promote in ordinary words to close associates (highly the only which continually asks about the wrapping paper). i have also helped my dd win a prize or 2 and enable her see that the prizes are merely a similar stuff that we are able to get on the dollar shop. perchance i have made her cynical, yet she realizes now that there is actual extra money for the PTO if she skips the sale and spends $a million or $2 at dollar shop, and donates some thing else.

Answer 4

You'll find that there are many parents who would simply love to do SOMETHING to help at their children's school. Check with the teachers to see if there are tasks a parent volunteer could perform. Make a list of school functions that would benefit by parent help. Call a volunteer meeting and present options and solicit ideas. Get names and numbers of people who do want to participate.

Answer 5

Talk to the principal. Have him or her add a 250 per year addition to the tuition - stay with me here. Any parent that volunteers for six, ten, whatever events per year will have the addendum removed. Those who are too busy to volunteer won't mind the addendum. Then you have money to buy what you need and plenty of volunteers!

Answer 6

~~try freecycle in your area... a lot of times people have stuff laying around in their garrage or basement and would be happy to give it away for a good cause.~~

~~also maybe have the school sponsor a rummage sale and have the students and parents donate things to the rummage sale to raise the funds that you need~~

~~another thing would be to ask local business' to donate items for a raffle in exchange, you post an advertisement on the raffle flyers for their business... it's inexpensive advertisement for them and a good way to get prizes for the raffle, then have a contest amonst the students as to who sells the most raffle tickets gets a prize, it will encourage them to try to sell the tickets~~

Answer 7

You may be able to call some contractors and ask them if they are ever removing the items you need at another school, would they consider donating them to your school. You would be surprised how much usable stuff gets trashed during building renovations that a school like yours would love to have. You may need to hire the contractor to install them at your school.