September Newsletter
- Posted on September 3, 2015
Hi friend,
Two articles made their way around social media last week that left me feeling pretty good about the mission and timing of FarmRaiser.
First was the Texas PTA fundraiser that went viral on Facebook because it struck a nerve with parents everywhere. Its message: We hate school fundraising, but we want to help our school.
FarmRaiser exists to solve the problems highlighted in that PTA flyer:
- We always offer a cash donation option for supporters that don’t want to try local products.
- We make student participation optional—our email and Facebook campaigns rock!
- We leave 85+% of the proceeds from every sale in the community—FarmRaisers are fundamentally about building healthy, economically vibrant communities.
- We engage students as advocates for eating healthy and supporting their local economy. The farm-to-school movement, the Let’s Move program, and many other education and health initiatives provide classroom tie-ins to our campaigns that make fundraising a learning opportunity instead of a distraction.
The second article was a decidedly less cynical piece from The Pew Charitable Trusts that discussed the virtues of making fundraising a healthy endeavor. I loved the resources (and potential FarmRaiser Partners) they listed to help make annual fundraising traditions more meaningful, healthy activities.
As we’ve built FarmRaiser over the last two years from an idea to a fully operating technology platform and fundraising business, we are more convinced that we have the right match between our theory of change and our business and community engagement model. We believe that schools will engage parents and community members in a fundamentally different way if given a viable (and profitable) alternative, and every new campaign that holds a FarmRaiser has been another proof point for this theory.
At FarmRaiser, reinventing school fundraising starts with great local products from our producer partners, but goes much farther. We help give schools a voice and role in the move towards sustainable agriculture and the creation of strong local food systems—among the most significant social movements of 21st Century.
Schools are in a great position to lead on this issue. By choosing and promoting FarmRaiser’s healthy local fundraising campaigns to the many groups seeking money for educational activities, schools can give added purpose to potentially tens of thousands of students. These young advocates, when armed with the right knowledge (and some great local products), can affect a community’s shopping patterns, supporting local farms and businesses, while raising vital funds for their schools and causes.
For example, when an elementary school in Idaho held a 10-day fundraiser that sold $15,000 worth of locally grown apples and root vegetables, they moved much closer to the elusive sustainable fundraiser, where students raise money in a way that endears the school and the kids to the community. Rather than feeling burnt out from the fundraising efforts of the students, the community was engaged, enthusiastic and inspired. This same school kicks off their next campaign in a few weeks and is promising to beat last fall’s sales; they are well on their way to creating a lasting tradition of healthy local fundraising.
Locally yours,
Mark
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“I know once people get connected to real food, they never change back.” Alice Waters
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Is there a resource or piece of news you’d like to share with FarmRaiser? We want to hear about it! Tweet to @FarmRaiser or email us at info@farmraiser.com.
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We want to take a minute to thank Camp Fire National Headquarters and its state chapters for their If you’d like more information on how we’re connecting Camp Fire students and supporters with healthy, local products or are interested in your local Camp Fire chapter hosting a FarmRaiser, email us at info@farmraiser.com. |
On the FarmRaiser Horizon. We’re excited to announce that we will soon be offering community service opportunities for students! Details are coming your way next week, so keep your eyes peeled!
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Hi friend, Two articles made their way around social media last week that left me feeling pretty good about the mission and timing of FarmRaiser. First was the Texas PTA fundraiser that went viral on Facebook because it struck a nerve with parents everywhere. Its message: We hate school fundraising, but we want to help…