Fundraising Ideas

Guest Post: Why I’m Dancing for Graduation

Anoushka

My name is Anoushka Parthasarathi and I’m currently a senior at South Brunswick High School in New Jersey. I’m graduating in a month and I couldn’t be more excited. With graduation comes tons of new opportunities and new memories to make and I’m so eager to get out into the world and seize those.

Earlier this year, when I was thinking about what to do to celebrate my graduation, I said to myself, “It’s just high school, everybody graduates. It’s not that big a deal. Maybe I’ll just throw a small party with some close friends.”

The next day, I went to school and saw flyers around for a fundraiser for She’s the First. I had heard the name before, but I didn’t really know what it was about. I went home and looked at the website, and what I saw was absolutely alarming. Only one in every five girls in the developing world finishes primary school!! Yet, less than two cents of every development dollar goes to girls!!

Upon seeing this, I was shocked. I was shocked at how much I take for granted, how much we take for granted, every single day. We get the privilege of going to a good school and learning in a safe environment 5 times a week. We never think twice about it because going to school is the norm here, and we’re lucky that it is. Agreed, it’s difficult getting up at 6 AM every day and catching a bus an hour later (I’ve given up all hope on trying to wake up that early), but we’re so fortunate that we have that problem.

Everyone should be entitled to an education. In fact, education should be a right, not a privilege. Girls like Malala remind me just how hard it is for girls around the world and it should never be like that. Thinking about this, I felt so frustrated and helpless and confused. I felt restless. I felt like I needed to do something. That’s when it clicked. I could use my graduation as a way to help these girls who so desperately need it. I could use it to raise awareness about this issue. I decided to do a fundraiser while doing something I love, aka dance.

I’ve been dancing for as long as I can remember and I love it more than anything in the world. It’s an outlet for me. Whether I’m sad, happy, mad, frustrated, I just dance and I feel incredible. I feel magic. Pure magic. I thought about it and realized that I could put on a show and make that a fundraiser.

Suddenly, everything started to come together. My dance teacher was excited to help organize the show. Phone calls were made, emails were sent, discussions were happening; it was all such a blur. I came home from school one day and my mom said, “You’re doing the show!” I got so excited and couldn’t wait to prepare.

So much has been done in preparation for this performance and I’m so excited for the day to finally come. I have had regular dance rehearsals at 7 am on Sunday mornings, 3.30 pm on some weekdays soon after school, besides my weekly dance classes and the class I teach early Saturday mornings. I practically camp out at my dance school! I prepared for two other programs while preparing for this one and also took 3 AP exams. I skipped opportunities to hang out with my friends who I may never see after graduation. I have worked really hard for this fundraiser and I urge you all to please come out and support this incredible cause.

High school graduation IS a BIG deal and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate it than by helping other girls around the world graduate. If you would like to support my fundraiser, please donate here.

Posted in Fundraising Ideas, Guest Posts | Leave a comment

Why This PR Company Rocks

Kristen Tully, leader of MMC for a Cause, with our favorite: tie-dye cupcakes

Once in a while, an email slips into our info@shesthefirst.org account and it creates an impact on She’s the First like never before. Last March, when Kristen Tully, who runs the “MMC for a Cause” team at Marina Maher Communications, reached out to us, to ask if we were interested in being their partner, our hearts jumped: YES!

For 2012, MMC set a company-wide goal that they wanted to sponsor 12 girls’ educations with us. This past week, Christen Brandt, Director of International Operations, and I guest spoke at their all-staff meeting to reveal the results:

They did not sponsor 12 girls.

They sponsored 14!!!!

How did they do it? Under Kristen’s leadership, the staff applied the same creativity that they pour into their award-winning campaigns for clients into fundraisers, like a bake-off, yoga class, raffles, and a denim day (jeans are not normally in the dress code–but one day last summer, if staffers donated, they could wear them!).

A look back at the yoga, jeans, and baking fundraisers MMC held

We hope more companies realize the power they have to make a difference through fun fundraisers that not only make a huge impact on girls’ lives by funding their education, but also give the staff an unforgettable opportunity to bond.

Is your company interested in creating a cause partnership with She’s the First? Email me! tammy@shesthefirst.org

Posted in Founder's Updates, Fundraising Ideas, Independent Fundraisers | Leave a comment

She’s the First Now on Facebook Causes!

We’ve all been faced with the classic birthday present dilemma – what do you give to the person who has everything? We settle for presents like movies we’ve seen 10 times or sweet smelling candles, gift certificates for dinners out, or new books. Let’s make it simpler this year – for everyone!

The author of this post plans to donate her birthday, too!

Birthdays are a cause for celebration, so use yours to support a cause close to your heart. By donating your birthday to She’s the First, you can encourage your social network to give a different kind of gift this year – the gift of education.

 

She’s the First just debuted its Facebook Causes page here! After joining our cause, you’ll see a link that recommends using “Birthday Wishes,” or donating your birthday to make a difference. From there, the process is self-explanatory. Simply enter your birthday and the age you’ll be turning, choose She’s the First as your selected cause, and select your suggested donation amount. You may then post your “Birthday Wish” to your Facebook wall. Invite your friends and family (or your entire social network!) to support your goal of sending a girl in a developing country to school! To learn more about the schools where you can sponsor a girl, follow this link.

“Birthday Wishes” are simple and sweet and education, of course, is the gift that keeps on giving.

Posted in Fundraising Ideas, Gifts That Give Back, Online Fundraising | 5 Comments

Tie-Dye Cupcakes are a Hit on YouTube!

Have your cupcakes and sell them too!

I’m constantly amazed by the creative ways that She’s the First followers show their support for girls’ education.  From poetry writing to party throwing, they always dream up incredible ways to get involved.  For further proof of this, look no further than Katy Bellote, aka hellokatyxo, a teen with a tremendous YouTube following.  Katy’s videos just may take the cake for creativity . . . or cupcake, that is.

Last week, Katy and her friends Grace and Ashley created a how-to video for baking the famous She’s the First tie-dye cupcakes.  Inspired by the sweet success of Notre Dame’s tie-dye cupcake sale in December 2010, Katy created a video so viewers could learn how to create these tasty works of culinary art and host their own cupcake sale to benefit She’s the First.  To date, her two videos have generated more than 7,600 views and last Sunday, they drove 500+ hits to shesthefirst.org!  Fueled by a passion for girls’ education, baking, and a healthy dose of upbeat music, her videos are sure to get you off your computer and into the kitchen.

Want to make your own tie-dye cupcakes to support a girl’s education? Here’s what to do:

1. Check out Katy’s how-to video below, and get baking!

2. Choose a place to sell your cupcakes.

3. Pick a sponsorship program to support in the She’s the First directory with your profits.

4. Then, donate here.

5. Don’t forget to show off your own colorful creations and upload pics to the She’s the First Facebook page!

Posted in Fundraising Ideas | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Live in Atlanta, Like Yoga, and Love She’s the First? This is For You!

the signature card of Lululemon - their inspiring mantras resonate with us!

She’s the First supporters in Atlanta, there’s an upcoming fundraiser, organized by Asha Patel Designs & Lululemon, that has your name written all over it!

On Saturday, Feb.5, visit the Marietta, Georgia Lululemon store, 12pm-2pm, to can learn about She’s the First, enjoy a free yoga class, and meet designer Asha Patel, who made the signature She’s the First bracelets (available for purchase), which donate 20% back to girls’ sponsorships.

Isabelle Casey, manager of the Marietta store, encourages supporters saying, “Giving back to the community is the best gift one can give of self less service. We are all tied together in every way. Everything that we do affects our planet and all beings. If we live with the intention that we are here for each other, we create huge positive everlasting change.”

Asha, who lives near Atlanta, GA, flew to NYC and spoke at our She's the First Soiree on Nov. 1st.

If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by and show your support. If you’re not, you can still order your magenta and teal She’s the First bracelets at ashapateldesigns.com to show your identity as a “first” and give  back in style.

RSVP to marietta-showroom@lululemon.com, because space for the yoga class is limited. If you go, tweet us how it was, or leave a note on our Facebook Wall!

Posted in Events We Attend, Fundraising Ideas | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with She’s the First!

We know you <3 She’s the First—here are five easy ways to show it this month!

1. Sponsor a girl’s education in honor of your loved ones. Those Barbie doll valentines were fun in 5th grade (and, OK, they’re still kind of fun today), but now that you have a little more dough in your pocket, send the ones you love most a card telling them you sponsored (or partially sponsored!) a girl’s education in honor of them this Valentine’s Day.

2. Throw a card-making party! Valentines are way more fun to make when you have friends to cut, paint, and draw with. Invite your girlfriends over to make cute cards for your boyfriend, parents, friends—even your dog if you’d like. Buy a big pack of white stock paper at your local arts and crafts store and charge $1 per card (proceeds go to STF)—way less than Hallmark!

3. Create a Valentine’s Day tweet-up! Using the hashtag #STFHearts, get friends, classmates, co-workers and family to tweet about who they love most and why on the 14th. You can give a shout out to your best friend or even get a little creative and include a link to a cute YouTube video you find that day—anything that warms your heart!

4. Put a Valentine’s Day mailbox on your desk…in honor of STF. Maybe your co-workers aren’t going to drop heart-shaped notes on your chair, but they might be inclined to donate a few extra dollars to STF if you stick a well-decorated mailbox on your desk during the week leading up to Valentine’s Day. Put a postcard explaining what She’s the First is next to the box, and ask that your closest pals at work place a dollar or two inside.

5. Host a V-day chocolate extravaganza! No plans for the big day? Have your girlfriends over for a fondue party, where everything is covered in yummy chocolate, from strawberries to marshmallows to graham crackers. Set a price for the entrance fee, and donate the proceeds to STF.

Posted in Fundraising Ideas | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Poker Night Fundraiser Sponsors 6 Girls in Tanzania!

Ale made her own tie-dyed cupcakes, inspired by those Lindsay Brown created at the University of Notre Dame.

Last night, She’s the First Ambassador Ale Foresto hosted a poker night for a small group of friends — and raised enough money to send three girls to school in Tanzania. Since an anonymous donor is matching all She’s the First sponsorships to Village Schools International, that means she really sent six girls to school, with just some poker chips and cupcakes!

Ale baked the same tie-dyed cupcakes used to raise $900 dollars at a University of Notre Dame fundraiser. They’re becoming a huge hit! Plus, Ale was able to score donated gifts for the top four places in the poker game: A Victoria’s Secret bag of goodies worth $150, a stack of books, chocolate-covered Godiva pretzels, and a scented candle kit.

If you want to turn your next get together into a fundraiser for girls’ education, try securing a few prizes and collecting a few dollars from everyone in your group (Ale charged $15 per person to play, plus $10 to rebuy chips). It’s a fun way to turn your average Friday-night hangout into a cool fundraiser for girls’ ed!

Neil Foresto was a great dealer!

Posted in Fundraising Ideas | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Year's Fundraising Ideas to Support She's the First!

cheers!

New Year’s resolutions are fun to think about until, oh, January 2nd. So, here at She’s the First, we’ve come up with five easy ways to work the best incentive we can think of (girls’ education!) into your goals and firsts in 2011.   If your New Year’s resolution is to…

1.) Eat Healthier: Why not invite friends over for a veggie-filled dinner benefiting a good cause? Ask friends to bring healthy side dishes instead of desserts, and a few extra dollars for She’s the First. Create cute flyers about STF and incorporate them into your table setting!

2.) Exercise more: Sponsor a Zumba class at your campus gym or invite friends over to do a workout video to benefit She’s the First. Not only is it easier to keep yourself motivated to workout by having a strong support group of friends, but you’ll also be busting a move for a great cause!

3.) Manage stress: Too much to study, too little time? Sponsor a study break throughout the week by reserving space at your campus library or student center, and sell late-night snacks like hot chocolate or popcorn. It’ll motivate your peers to hit the books, and it will give young girls around the world a chance to do the same!

4.) Spend more time with family and friends: Pick your favorite season of “Sex and the City” or go all out with a Julia Roberts movie marathon (we recommend “Eat Pray Love”), and invite your friends over. In between each show, tell your friends about some of the amazing girls She’s the First sponsors—like Happiness and Grace in Tanzania. If you’d rather stick with one movie at a time, we suggest showing “Reporter,” a documentary featuring “Half the Sky” co-author and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof.

5.) Try something new: What will you be the first to do in 2011? The new year is all about the possibilities ahead, so take advantage—and bring She’s the First along with you.  Going abroad to Florence this spring? Make sure you tell your new friends about the non-profit you’re involved with back at home. Is this the year to start your own blog? Link She’s the First when you’re featured on the site. Head out into the world to achieve your very own firsts, and then come back and tell us about them!

Happy New Year from STF! We’re behind you every step of the way for all that you’re bound to accomplish in 2011!

Posted in Fundraising Ideas | Tagged | Leave a comment

Deck the Halls with She's the First!

Here are five super easy ways to make She’s the First fundraising part of your holiday season!

1.     Give the gift of a girl’s education. If you’ve graduated from college and have a little extra cash in your pocket this year, pick your 10 best friends or close co-workers and tell them you’d like to sponsor a young girl’s education on their behalf. (Visit our directory for more info!) They’ll be reminded of how special your friendship is and end 2010 on a good note by helping a very worthy cause.

2.     Fundraise (right) after finals. It’s one of the best feelings in the world—walking out of the lecture hall after a final, forgetting the piles of notecards you spent the last 24 hours cramming with, and grandma’s Christmas cookies fresh on your mind. Ask your professor to place a can on the table where exams are turned in, where your classmates can drop in a dollar before they leave. They’ll be in a great mood after their exam is over—and full of that generous holiday spirit!

3.     Inspire your family to donate! This season, bring She’s the First home for the holidays! Invite your family to visit shesthefirst.org, and show them a few videos from the website. While you’re home from school, telling your family about your great adventures in college, keep a jar in the kitchen for cousins, aunts and grandparents who become inspired to help girls’ education around the world!

4.     Include STF in your holiday cards. Moms love to do it—write to everyone from here to California with what each member in the family has been up to in the past year. When she gets to you (the most accomplished of them all!) ask her to include your work for She’s the First, and ask them to visit shesthefirst.org.

5.     Party with a Purpose! If you’re having a holiday get-together, ask friends to pay $1 (or more) at the door—in order to sponsor girls’ education for She’s the First. Our friends at She’s the First*{Syracuse} created a great video for Vivanista’s Party with a Purpose contest to get you inspired.

Happy Holidays from STF!


Posted in Fundraising Ideas | Tagged | 3 Comments

Quotes & Ideas to Inspire Your Creative Fundraising

On www.21forHaiti.org, you can buy 21-year-old University of Tennessee student Katie E. a virtual drink to help her fundraise $21,000 to build an orphanage for the Haiti Outreach Program (a member of the She's the First network!) Now that's creative!

[I wear a few different hats here at She's the First. You may know me as the summer-intern-turned-graphic-designer for STF, but I also act as a liaison to our member organization the Haiti Outreach Program (HOP), and I am the president of the HOP's college campus club Give Haiti Hope at the University of Tennessee.]

A few weeks ago a quote was posted on the She’s the First Facebook page. It has stuck with me since I first read it and has inspired a few fundraising tips, each with an inspirational quote to match. As a college student who loves to plan events, I have gained some experience in what makes a successful fundraiser, so I hope these tips can serve as a guide for our STF*{Campus} chapters that are just getting started!

‎1. Do something different. “When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you’ll command the attention of the world” – George Washington Carver

This quote seems to embody everything we want in a She’s the First fundraiser (that’s why it was posted, no doubt). A great example of this is a fundraiser I’ve been planning at my own school. Give Haiti Hope, a student organization at the University of Tennessee that supports the Haiti Outreach Program, has been working on a very uncommon campaign based around a very common event: your 21st birthday.

Every college girl looks forward to their 21st birthday. It’s the last big birthday for quite a few years and we all know how to make it special. Why not use such an important birthday to make a difference as well? One UT student is doing just that, with Give Haiti Hope’s 21 for Haiti campaign. For junior Katie Erpenbach’s 21st birthday, you can visit www.21forHaiti.org and buy Katie a virtual drink at the bar. Purchases are processed through PayPal and all of the proceeds will be used to build an orphanage in Boucan Carre, Haiti.

Take something that everyone knows about and add a twist. The idea of doing something just a little bit differently catches peoples’ attention and will surely make them want to support!

2. Think big. “Reach for the moon, because if you don’t make it you’ll land among the stars.”

One of the hardest parts about planning a fundraiser is the fear of setting a goal too high and not reaching it. It’s time to throw that fear out the window. If you sell yourself short and think there’s no way you can possibly sponsor one student, then you certainly won’t sponsor five. If you start out with a huge goal there will be a chance that you don’t meet it, but it will push everyone to try even harder than if you begin settling for less. Continue reading →

Posted in Fundraising Ideas | Tagged | 1 Comment

How to Throw a Game Night STF Fundraiser

Go to this site to make cusom Jeopardy boards! http://download.cnet.com/BYOJeopardy/3000-2051_4-10583092.html?tag=rtcol;txt

Ready, Set, Fundraise!

Just because campus is buzzing again does not mean it has to be all work and no play! For each fundraising idea below, charge a small fee for friends to create a team or participate individually. Game on!

  • Host a community game show. Fill in the blank with your university: Are You Smarter Than a _____ College (or High School!) Student? This is the name of your next STF fundraiser! Get your friends on campus to sign up as players, and ask prominent men and women in the surrounding community to compete against them. Ask professors to “host,” where they each ask questions on topics related to the field they teach—from English literature to engineering. Let’s see who really needs to hit the books!

  • Throw a family (or friends!) game night. Remember the good old days when you used to curl up on the couch with Mom and Dad and play charades? OK, maybe you didn’t really do that, but we promise this version is a total blast! For She’s the First charades, everything has a girl power twist. Movies, think “First Wives Club.” People, think Ellen Degeneres. Invite your friends over for one game only, or pack it all in with games like Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune—just put an STF spin on them!
  • Organize outdoor games. Like being outside better than playing board games? Get student organizations on campus to create a team (or two!) and compete in outdoor sports—from flag football to volleyball. Not only is it tons of fun, but it will also bring STF to the attention of students who haven’t heard about it—yet!

Doesn't this look like fun? A friendly game of volleyball--all in the spirit of STF!

  • Sponsor a 5K race. On your mark, get set, go! With the help of your school’s athletic department, map out a scenic route around campus. Set up an area before the event with a registration table, food, and lots of water. Ask STF volunteers to stand in as cheerleaders along the way, and make sure you honor the first one to cross the finish line!
  • Create a scavenger hunt. This is a good one if you have freshmen in your STF chapter who still need to get to know the campus. (And for the seniors in your group who spent a little too much time in the library!) You can get student organizations to sign up for a team, or bring everyone together and divide the group into two. Make STF badges that count as points, and make clues to find them based on campus history or trends. (Where does everyone have to take his or her picture on graduation day at PSU? Answer: Penn State’s Nittany Lion Shrine!)

If this post inspired you to throw a STF fundraiser, e-mail devin@shesthefirst.org and we’ll blog about your event! Read about last month’s Back-to-School fundraiser, planned by Sarah and Lauren of Northeastern University, here.

Posted in Fundraising Ideas | Tagged | 3 Comments

How to Throw a Back-to-School STF Fundraiser

[Editor's Note: Our Campaign Developer, Devin Tomb, kicks off a monthly series of creative and affordable fundraising ideas this September!]

TOP 5 BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAMPAIGN IDEAS

Kisa Scholar,Tanzania - Photo by AfricAid

1. Host a table at your school’s activity fair. Recruit the eager freshmen who can’t wait to get involved—and what better organization to join than your She’s the First chapter? Talk to students about upcoming STF events and get them excited about joining your amazing team!

2. Organize a bake sale. Sweet treats are irresistible, sold at a table you set up (with permission) in the cafeteria or student center.

3. Donate portions of your school dance ticket sales to STF. Having a homecoming dance this year? Ask your student council to donate a portion of the ticket proceeds to She’s the First! It’s an easy way to make a lot of money—and have fun at the same time!

Liberian girl, who just received new backpack. Photo by Tammy Tibbetts

4. Raffle a “Dream Job Shadow Day.” Ask the faculty and student parents to raffle off a shadow day with local professionals in the area. (For example, a sophomore who wants to be a pediatrician one day could buy a $5 ticket to win a “shadow day” with a local doctor in the neighborhood.)

5. Collect school supplies and used books for your own back-to-school sale. Gather unused pencils, pens, stickers, notebooks (anything!) sitting around your room that another student could use at school—and ask your classmates to do the same. Use these supplies as the starting-off point for a “Back-to-School” sale.

Bonus points! Ask representatives from your school store if they would be willing to donate a percentage of their profits for the week to your She’s the First sale. Ask teachers to donate extra classroom school supplies to the sale, and solicit local businesses to donate items or put together prize baskets to raffle off.

Have more to add to the list? Write them in the comments! And if you use any of these ideas, be sure to write us, let us know if you need help connecting to an organization in our directory to set up the sponsorship, and of course send photos we can post to the blog!


Posted in Fundraising Ideas, She's the First*{Campus} | Tagged | 1 Comment