FUNdraising

Several of our volunteers have mentioned how they would love to help us fundraise in efforts to keep Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection planted firmly in the
heart of the Cabrini Green neighborhood. While the Housing Project is being demolished brick-by-brick and gentrified daily it does NOT stop our cause to continue empowering our Chicago youth with the help of their one-to-one mentoring and supreme dedication to our clubs, our kids and our mission.

Our fundraisers are very important to us here at Cabrini Connections. They bring in the dollars for so many things and we couldn't continue our vital work without them. So we took their advice and created a CONTEST!

Starting in September 2008 when our volunteers arrive we will begin "FUN-raising for Quarters" and we're calling on each one (approximately 101) of them even though their participation is completely voluntary. Each quarter we will award a PRIZE to the volunteer who raises the most money. And the person who raises the most by the year's end could win a GRAND prize at our Year-End Dinner -- a trip for two to anywhere in the continental U.S.!*

Quarterly prizes may range from event tickets (musical, sports, theater etc.) to gift certificates to fine dining, spas or retail shops. If I can modestly and objectively say so (I cannot) we give GREAT prizes.

And may the most-determined volunteers win!

Soooo, let's say you're NOT a volunteer, yet. But this blog post has intrigued you beyond belief because you like free stuff. Feel free to come to our first event as a kick-off to our annual Volunteer Recruitment Campaign at ING Direct Cafe. (See details below.)

Thursday, August 21
Volunteer Recruitment Coffeehouse Night



At this event Tutor/Mentor Connection brings together different tutor/mentor organization leaders in a relaxed coffeehouse setting to network and discuss challenges and successes of last school year and the year to come. Anyone interested in being a tutor/mentor is also invited. This means you.
ING Direct Cafe
21 E. Chestnut (@ Wabash)
5-8 p.m.

Want to Start Your Own Personal Fundraising Challenge?
Want to help us raise money just for the heck of it, from the sidelines but not sure where to start? Read some of our literature we've saved in our Links Library and see if you can borrow, improve ideas from them. Not sure who gives donations to Cabrini Connections? Here's our list of corporate and foundation donors. (In other words, no need to bother them, I hit them up enough!) The easiest way to help us raise money that doesn't require any work or ugh, reading is to attend and encourage your friends to attend our big fundraisers throughout the year, between Spring Into Action, the Golf Benefit (our largest money maker to date) or Martini Madness (save the date Oct. 17) or even sponsoring the Year-End Dinner (held every June), can raise a few hundred dollars without ever reading anything but maybe an Evite or two. Asking your company to consider a grant proposal could raise a few thousand dollars or more. And then call me, I will do the work of the proposal, you just let me know whose hands to get it into. At the least, you could tell people about the random talkative new marketing, fundraising and pr coordinator who rambles on and on about Cabrini Connections, point them to my blog and I'll point them to the Cabrini Connections site ... which can increase the number of people who use this donation form to send in big and small contributions.

In all seriousness, as more people spend time each week encouraging people to look at what Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection do, as well as your own personal involvement, more people will begin to ask how they can help. That's what will lead to more donations.

We're sure you have your own ideas, so please share them with other volunteers, staff, or feel free to post them here. Hopefully this contest and others we envision for the future adds just a little extra encouragement so more of our current and alumni volunteers will pitch in to help. And jump start brainstorming among our supporters.

Contact me at 312-492-9614, or cassinaz.cabrini@gmail.com with fund raising questions and suggestions. Every little bit helps.

* Competition rules, guidelines and any questions will be addressed by EL D’asheon and I at the Welcome Back Brunch Sept. 6 and at each Volunteer Orientation Sept. 8-9.