Prizes drive pledges

Dollars are great, but that’s not the only way to support an event like our WIBC Radiothon. In-kind donations are the key to helping us add urgency to a listener’s desire to support our programs. Hoosiers are generous, but there’s no harm giving them a reason to give and maybe get a little something in return just in time for Christmas.

If your business has items to donate that would make great pledge prizes, we need you. What kinds of things? Here are some ideas from Radiothon’s past – dining and merchandise gift cards, tickets to cultural and sporting events, gift baskets, overnight stays at hotels, getaways, home furnishings, electronics, gift certificates for services like maid service, memberships, home or auto maintenance. Really anything that would cause someone to think “hey, that’s an awesome prize” and pick up the phone and make that pledge.

Not only will you be helping us raise dollars to support our neighbors in need in the coming year, but we’ll give you plenty of recognition on-air during the hour your prize(s) is/are offered. We’ll be posting our prize packages to WIBCRadiothon.org prior to the event on December 11-13. And that site is linked to WIBC’s site. We’re also putting a ton of social media efforts behind Radiothon this year with a facebook fan page, feeds on Twitter and lots of blogging. So, we’ll make certain you get that receipt for your taxes and a ton of goodwill in the community.

Sound good? Give Kristen a call at 224-1019  or send her an e-mail to donate an item(s).

Sign up now to “Bite Back”

Did you know that we served over 200 women and children at our shelter last month? That’s about 210 women and children who otherwise would have had no where to go to escape abuse or a night on the street. And that’s just a portion of the 1,500 kids who spend their nights on the street in Indy throughout the year! If we ignore homelessness, it doesn’t go away.

You can help us to provide shelter, food, and a fresh start to our neighbors in need by joining us on Thursday, October 1 at our 6th annual Apple Fest. The Salvation Army is inviting those who live and do business downtown to Eat in the Street for homeless kids. And we’d like you to join us.

Booth space is only $100 for businesses ($50 for non-profits) and the funds raised at this event – through sponsorships and lunch – will be used to offer housing assistance, resources and support to moms and children find themselves homeless due to a financial struggles and domestic violence. Read more

$100 to reach hundreds

What if you could set up shop on Monument Circle for an afternoon? How much would that kind of exposure be worth to your business or organization? That’s hundreds of potential customers, clients or referrals. Would it be worth $100 and a couple of hours of your time?

On Thursday, October 1 The Salvation Army will take another bite out of homelessness by inviting those who live and do business downtown to Eat in the Street for homeless kids. And we’d like you to join us.

Booth space is only $100 for businesses ($50 for non-profits) and the funds raised at this event – through sponsorships and lunch – will be used to offer housing assistance, resources and support to moms and children find themselves homeless due to a financial struggles and domestic violence. Your donation will reserve a booth for you to showcase your items or services, and you will keep any profits from the day.

In addition to raising funds to help homeless kids, we hope to use this event to give your business/organization a little extra promotion. The event will be promoted on the Emmis stations and on WTHR channel 13 for the two weeks leading up to the event. Apple Fest will also be featured on Emmis’ websites with a link to our event site, HomelessnessBites.org, which will include logos, contact information and web links for all of our sponsors. We are also working with television, web and print media partners to promote the event.

Apple Fest is a great opportunity to reach potential customers while giving back to the community. Space is available on a first come, first serve basis through September 25. Give Kristen a call at 224-1019.

$27.50 makes a difference

I love my job. That might seem like a strange proclamation given the state of the economy and the stress of raising funds to meet the growing needs. But, it’s our partners’ passion for the mission truly makes it a pleasure to do what I do.

I read Eric Halvorson’s blog today. He’s just a guy doing his job and trying to do his part to make his community a better place. He chooses to support The Salvation Army’s efforts during the Christmas season as our honorary Tree of Lights Chair. And in his blog, he reminds readers that even though it’s a tough time to dig deep to help out our neighbors in need, that’s what we Hoosiers do. 

And here’s his tip: “Consider this: if 100,000 people give just $27.50, the Salvation Army will meet its goal.  Remember, the Census Bureau says more than 865,000 people live in Marion County.  So, it’s possible.”

I love unbridled optimism! And here’s another way to think about it – if just 100,000 of us put $5.50 in a red kettle each week until Christmas, we’d exceed that $2.75 million goal! Basically, if we gave up one fast food lunch a week, we’d not only drop a few pounds in time for the holidays, but we’d be a part of providing shelter to a woman fleeing domestic violence, after-school programs for at-risk kids and a warm meal to a family after a natural disaster. We’d be the change we all want to see.

How are you going to make a difference this Christmas? How about a Radiothon sponsorship?

3 Days. 3 Ways.

Only three days a year will you be able to do so much for others, so easily! Our WIBC Radiothon is a three-day live fundrasising event on WIBC 93.1fm. During these three days, WIBC personalities will donate their on-air programming to share the stories of the men, women and children whose lives have been changed through the generosity of our individual and corporate partners. So, that’s the 3 days; here’s the 3 ways. We’re focusing on a need each day – Friday is homelessness and domestic violence, Saturday is kids’ programs and Sunday is disaster services.

The success of this year’s Radiothon is crucial to our funding of the coming year’s programs. These programs provide refuge to those fleeing domestic violence, shelter to homeless moms and kids, after-school and summer programs for at-risk Indy kids and support for families after natual disasters. And the need is great – we’ve seen a 23% increase in requests for assistance at our Social Service Center in the first half of 2008. And requests will only continue to rise as the cold weather comes.

They say it’s better to give than receive – but what if you could do BOTH? You (as a company, group or individual) can give to help those struggling right here in your community. You’ll recieve on-air mentions during your sponsored hour, publicity on our site and in our newsletter, the opportunity to join us on-air and tell listeners about why you support us (receiving great p.r. and general goodwill), and a sweet tax deduction right at the end of the year! Give AND receive.

Want to know more? Give me (Kristen) a call at 224-1019 or drop me an e-mail at Kristen_Grills@usc.salvationarmy.org. We’re just beginning to fill our sponsor schedule, so there’s plenty of opportunity to help us help those who need it most.

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