Ask A Pro: About Child Safety in Fundraising – Fall 2002
Be Cool. Chill Out. Refrigerate Promptly. – Fall 2001
Make Safety Messages Loud and Clear – Fall 1999
Children and Fundraising: Where do we draw the line? – Spring 1999
Make Safety Messages Loud & Clear – Fall 1998
Danny Glover Appears in Safe Fundraising PSAs – Fall 1998
Making Safety #1 – Spring 1998
| Ask A Pro: About Child Safety in Fundraising | Fall 2002 |
Schools, non-profit groups and companies have worked together for decades to make the safety of children involved in fundraising a number one priority. We asked a couple of professionals in the business of fundraising to tell us how they address the issue when working with young volunteers.
"We stress adult supervision in a letter to parents and again on our brochure. Safety is a primary message at every kick-off assembly. Even if we only have five minutes, we tell the students "no door-to-door sales" and "have your parents sell to family and friends." If the sponsor has asked for a prize program, we take a low-key approach. This is not negotiable. We never want to work kids into a frenzy so that they disregard the rules."
- Russ Rice, Lancaster, CA
"Reward programs are important but tricky. They help motivate kids who wouldn't ordinarily participate in a fundraising sale. It's incumbent upon us to make sure volunteers fully understand the rules. Our company makes these rules clear through presentations, on our prize brochures, and with a full safety program. They know the three rules because they see them every day. 1) Always sell with a parent or guardian; 2) No door to door selling at homes you don't know; and 3) Always sell before dark. Some of our groups will even disqualify a student from prizes if they are discovered going door-to-door without Mom or Dad."
- Cindy Nicholson, Portland, OR
| Be Cool. Chill Out. Refrigerate Promptly. | Fall 2001 |
For decades, product sales have reigned as the fundraising method of choice for most small non-profit organizations.
However, the choice of products available to the fundraising chairperson today has grown exponentially, reading like a What's What in consumer goods. In fundraising drives across the country, the ever-popular candy, magazines and wrapping paper are found alongside everything from non-perishable cheese and sausage to light bulbs, birdseed, fresh fruit, tee shirts and scads of gift items.
Now refrigerated and frozen foods - from pizza and cheesecakes to cookie dough - are gaining popularity in the parade of products sold for fundraising purposes. These products bring with them a whole new set of distribution and handling considerations. As a fundraising decision-maker, your primary goal, of course, is to conduct a smooth, profitable fundraiser. But don't lose sight of the fact that the foods sold through a fundraising drive are still intended for people to eat and enjoy, safely.
"There's a misperception that foods sold for fundraising purposes are indestructible," reports Jim Messina, a New Jersey-based supplier of frozen foods for the fundraising market. According to Messina and others in the business of manufacturing and distributing frozen cookie dough, cheesecakes, pizzas and other frozen food items, the parameters for preserving these increasingly popular fundraising items are no different from products purchased from the grocer. Tom Lundeen, another frozen food supplier based in Iowa agrees, "When you buy ice cream at the corner supermarket, you don't leave it in the trunk for two days."
Products sold through non-profit groups for the purpose of fundraising usually make one or more extra stops before they reach the consumer. Therefore, care should be taken throughout the fundraising distribution chain to see that the final product is safe and delicious. The key is good planning, communication and teamwork.
A professional fundraising company/representative with experience in dealing with frozen foods should be able to guide you and your volunteers through the process.
Product Quality, Packaging and Labeling
Focus some of your early questions on the products themselves. Find out as much as you can about the source.
- Is the product made by a reputable processor following good manufacturing practices? Check the ingredient statement. If the product (e.g. cookie dough) contains eggs, be sure they are pasteurized.
- Are the products properly packaged and clearly labeled? Are the individual containers properly sealed and tamper-evident? Do the labels carry storage and handling instructions?
- What about the outer carton (which holds multiple containers)? There should be easy-to-read handling instructions (such as "Keep frozen or refrigerated") to remind volunteers to store product in cool areas while awaiting pick-up.
- What assurances do the manufacturer and/or fundraising company offer that the product will be properly handled along its route before your group takes possession?
Proper Transportation
A frozen food product made with high quality ingredients, under strict manufacturing guidelines and properly labeled can still suffer if it isn't transported under proper temperature controls. According to USDA, bacteria multiple rapidly between 40° and 140° Fahrenheit. Foods left to sit in this "danger zone" for more than 2 hours (1 hour in temperatures above 90° F) may be at risk. While most cookie dough manufacturers claim that these products (made with pasteurized eggs) may be left unrefrigerated for longer periods, it is still recommended that all refrigerated foods be shipped at or below 40° F and frozen foods shipped at 0° F.
When considering adding frozen foods to your fundraising drive, ask the company how the product will be transported from the manufacturer to the organization.
- Will frozen food trucks be utilized? If not, what measures will be taken to ensure the product remains refrigerated or frozen?
- Will the fundraising company take possession of the product before it reaches your facility? If so, will the product be placed in cold storage at or near the company's warehouse or facility?
Delivery-Day Strategies
Delivery day is a critical point in assuring a successful fundraising drive, particularly when perishable food items are involved.
"Knowing the delivery time and knowing that you can count on that not to change drastically is the single biggest issue," according to Dave Simons, a Maryland-based manufacturer and distributor of frozen food for fundraising. Richard Glass, another manufacturer based in Pennsylvania, agrees. "Groups should carefully choose delivery times and communicate to the parents to be sure the product is picked-up," he says. Here are a few strategies they suggest when working with frozen food products:
- Send reminder letters two to three days in advance of the delivery with specific dates and times for product pick-up. And then again the day before and the day of delivery. Stress the importance of being on time, allowing no more than a four to five hour window for final pick-up.
- Select the coldest location available (out of direct sunlight and heat) as the point of distribution.
- Use space blankets and/or sleeping bags to insulate the product during the unloading process. If dry ice is used in the shipping process, it requires extreme caution and should be handled only by experienced carriers.
- Have a plan in place for short-term freezer storage for products that are not picked-up. (Most school cafeterias will provide temporary freezer space. Local supermarkets may also be willing to provide short-term assistance.)
- To quickly contact no-shows, have on hand the phone numbers of all parents scheduled to pick-up product.
- As orders are picked-up, remind parents to put the products in the freezer as soon as possible. It may be a good idea to include a written reminder with every order.
Executing a successful fundraiser with a frozen food product may require a few special considerations, but it is easily done when working with an experienced fundraising professional working with a reputable supplier. And the rewards are worth it!
| Make Safety Messages Loud and Clear | Fall 1999 |
Schools, non-profit groups and companies have worked together for decades to make the safety of children involved in fundraising a number one priority. Here are some methods they use to get safety points across.
Verbally review the rules at student assemblies, parent and teacher meetings and daily announcements in the classroom.
Include printed reminders on posters and high-traffic bulletin boards and in sales packet inserts such as parent letters and permission slips.
When giving parent and student volunteers suggestions for safe fundraising, keep it simple and constructive:
- All fundraising should be supervised by parents or adults.
- Focus fundraising efforts on family and friends.
- Parents can help by selling at the office and to friends.
- With parent's permission, student volunteers may telephone friends, relatives and neighbors that they know.
| Children and Fundraising: Where do we draw the line? | Spring 1999 |
When 11-year-old Kiernan Fox sold cookies for her girl scout troop a few years ago, she also sold cookies for her older sister Caroline. Now three years later, she's helping little sister Bridget perfect her pitch. “Just be polite,” she encourages. “Don't, like, try to bother people. If they tell you they're on a diet, they really mean ‘no.' ”
With her determination and easy smile, it's hard to imagine anyone saying “no” to Kiernan. For her, fundraising has always come naturally. “Kiernan's one of those industrious kids — always wanting to do her best no matter what,” according to her mom, Susan. “As a child I never liked fundraising, but she seems to really get a charge out of it.”
By the time she was eight, Kiernan had sold magazines, gift wrap, tee shirts and candy for dozens of worthy causes. The money she raised helped pay for camping trips, playground equipment, softball uniforms, library books and scores of “extras” to support her education and busy lifestyle outside of school. For Kiernan, and so many other children her age, fundraising is a fact of life.
Indeed, there are some that would say fundraising is out of control — that children shouldn't be expected to help finance their own activities. They fear that fundraising drives place too much pressure on kids to become “little salespeople.”
Others believe that product fundraising performs a necessary service for underfinanced schools and youth groups. They understand that product fundraising provides an effective avenue for raising a substantial amount of money (nearly $2 billion nationwide annually) in a short amount of time. And, if handled properly, supporters say this grassroots mode of fundraising offers valuable lessons for today's youth.
There will always be a need for money and few argue that fundraising should go away altogether. So the question many organizations are left asking is, “Where do we draw the line?”
Salesmen or Messengers:
Defining the Child's Role
Once a group decides a product fundraising campaign will meet their needs and a fundraising company is selected (see story on page 2), it is important that children play an appropriate role in the fundraiser's success. According to Lorri Campbell-Franckle, a professional fundraiser in central Florida, most children are involved in product fundraising drives primarily as “messengers.”
Every time she makes a fundraising presentation to a group of kids under the age of 16, Campbell-Franckle's message is always the same, “Stay within your circle of friends and extended family and never solicit sales without parent permission and supervision.” Campbell-Franckle believes that safety concerns are the primary reason most people object to having children involved in fundraising.
Like most of her colleagues, Campbell-Franckle repeats safety messages at every opportunity: first in oral presentations (often called fundraising “kick-offs”) and then again in parent letters and on all other company literature, including order forms. Ideally, children will learn more from the experience if parents escort them on fundraising expeditions, says Campbell-Franckle and others. But, the reality is most families are too busy, so working parents help by taking order forms to the office.
For years fundraising sponsors and companies have followed similar procedures, according to Russell Lemieux, executive director of the Association of Fund Raisers and Direct Sellers (AFRDS). The international association of nearly 700 professional fundraising companies has been tracking fundraising trends for over a decade and, according to Lemieux, “the success of these fundraising drives does not rely on children knocking on doors, but rather children asking for support from family members and friends.”
AFRDS supports the position that “Children should never be allowed to sell door-to-door unless directly supervised by a parent or adult. Fundraising companies, school and organization leaders and parents must be diligent in assuring that children participate in fundraisers in a safe manner.”
The challenge, according to Lemieux, is making sure children hear important safety messages from group leaders, school administrators, fundraising companies and parents. Leslie Horne, AFRDS member and former PTA president, agrees: “This is no less important than bicycle safety.”
Horne, like others in the fundraising business, works almost exclusively with youth organizations. She prefers to have a few minutes with every group to talk about the fundraising program and the importance of adult supervision. To avoid interrupting classroom time, however, some schools restrict lengthy group assemblies, opting instead for: brief classroom presentations and video messages; lunchtime presentations or closed circuit TV. Some schools will rely on the parents to get the message to their children.
“First we have to get the kids to take the information home and, at the very least, encourage their parents to read the information,” said Campbell-Franckle.
Recognize Participation with Appropriate Awards
Every other Monday, students at an elementary school in North Kingston, Rhode Island, enjoy outside speakers on a variety of topics as part of their school's cultural arts program. The program is completely funded by the school's PTO with money raised from one product fundraising sale in the fall.
However, fundraising chair Diane Linnane said that the children “don't really understand and, therefore, need extra motivation.” That's why her PTO includes a multi-level incentive program for students who participate in their fall fundraiser, starting with a small award or “thank-you” gift such as a pencil or a ruler just for taking the fundraising information home to mom and dad.
Many groups reward 100 percent participation with school-wide or group parties. Other groups encourage volunteers with the prospect of watching their favorite teacher, coach or principal kiss a pig or catch a pie in the face (see story on page 6).
Fundraising is a voluntary activity and should be promoted as such. The key, say organizers, is to avoid flashy, expensive prizes that award only a few “top-sellers.” These incentives may unintentionally entice kids to ignore warnings against unsupervised door-to-door soliciting. The best incentives add fun and excitement to encourage participation even at a minimum level, says Campbell-Franckle, and are “quality programs that everyone, including parents, can feel good about.”
Responsibility 101
Kiernan Fox admits that, when it comes to fundraising, the prizes are nice. She also likes knowing that she did her part to help her class fund a field trip. But, according to Kiernan, whose father is a successful entrepreneur, it's seeing commerce in action that gets her excited about fundraising.
“I like counting the money and putting it in the envelope and making sure I have enough,” she says. And her parents like seeing Kiernan's enthusiasm and budding business acumen. According to mom, “I wish we could bottle it.”
Indeed, many experienced organizers say there is a lot to learn from participating in fundraising drives. They cite: increased self esteem, confidence, appreciation of value, responsibility, as well as lessons in public speaking and good manners. Fundraising drives are often a child's first introduction to volunteerism allowing them to participate in a community activity while at the same time witnessing their parents own civic-mindedness. Some groups will make charts of their fundraising progress to integrate the fundraising project into the classroom in age-appropriate math lessons.
“If you want something in this world, you have to work for it. I want my kids to learn that before they leave school,” according to one mom, whose PTO raises $10,000 each year to pay for extra programs at her children's elementary school. She, too, likes that her children are actively involved in fundraising because of the valuable lessons they learn in ownership and paving their own way.
Each organization must carefully consider what role children — young and old — should play in fundraising efforts. Only by working together can adult volunteers, administrators, parents and fundraising companies ensure the experience is a positive and rewarding one.
| Make Safety Messages Loud & Clear | Fall 1998 |
Schools, non-profit groups and companies have worked together for decades to make the safety of children involved in fundraising a number one priority. Here are some methods they use to get safety points across.
Verbally review the rules at student assemblies, parent and teacher meetings and daily announcements in the classroom.
Include printed reminders on posters and high-traffic bulletin boards and in sales packet inserts such as parent letters and permission slips.
When giving parent and student volunteers suggestions for safe fundraising, keep it simple and constructive:
* All fundraising should be supervised by parents or adults.
* Focus fundraising efforts on family and friends.
* Parents can help by selling at the office and to friends.
* With parent's permission, student volunteers may telephone friends, relatives and neighbors that they know.
| Danny Glover Appears in Safe Fundraising PSAs | Fall 1998 |
When you and your child volunteer to help, focus your efforts on family and friends. Whether fundraising is done inside or outside the home, make sure a responsible adult is present. Fundraising is a time-honored tradition, and an important resource for America's schools. Please support these efforts and help keep them safe for our kids." That's the key message in a series of newly released television and radio public service announcements (PSAs) featuring motion picture star Danny Glover. The 60, 30 and 15 second spots, sponsored by The Association of Fund-Raising Distributors & Suppliers, have already begun to air on radio and television stations across the country. A popular leading man, director and producer, Glover is best-known for his roles in films such as Places in the Heart, The Color Purple, and the popular Lethal Weapon series. Off-screen, he is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations and a powerful advocate for literacy, speaking to students around the nation on the joys of reading and education. "We're delighted that Mr. Glover has joined our campaign to reinforce the safety of product fundraising drives," said AFRDS President Bob Burleson, Houston, TX. "Kids who volunteer to fundraise need our guidance and close supervision. The fundraising industry is committed to helping make sure that message reaches parents." Students of Manhattan's Dwight School take time out for a photo opportunity with "fellow actor" Danny Glover. Glover worked with the children during taping of a recently released public service announcement on child safety in fundraising.
See the Danny Glover and Safe Fundraising Public Service Announcement on the Association of Fund Raisers and Direct Sellers web site: www.afrds.org. Also find past issues of The Fundraising Edge with articles on safe fundraising, choosing appropriate incentives, how to fight fundraising fatigue and more.
| Making Safety #1 | Spring 1998 |
Schools and other non-profit organizations raise nearly $2 billion (net) annually through fundraising sales of giftwrap, candy, magazines and many other products. This money pays for: computers, playground equipment, library books, field trips and many other important cultural and athletic enrichment programs. Indeed, many of these programs would not exist without the schools’ self-help measures through product fundraising. However, concern for the safety of children who might ignore instructions not to fundraise door-to-door is jeopardizing the future of these programs in some school districts.
Schools, non-profit groups and companies have worked together for decades to make the safety of children involved in fundraising a number one priority. Product fundraising involves millions of student volunteers each year. By focusing on family and friends and discouraging door-to-door sales, product fundraising has a long and outstanding record of safety.
The Association of Fund-Raising Distributors & Suppliers (AFRDS) does not endorse door-to-door sales by children, a position it adopted in 1996 to reflect what had been an industry priority for years.
Communicating Safety to Students
Fundraising companies emphasize safety in remarks made during kick-off assemblies and presentations to students, teachers and/or parents. Many companies also incorporate safety messages into videotapes, skits and role-playing opportunities with students. Some companies recruit representatives from the local police department to help emphasize important safety information. School principals often help out with daily reminders on the intercom. Some fundraising companies also provide schools with safety posters for display and flyers for distribution to the children.
Communicating Safety to Parents
The most popular method for communicating fundraising safety procedures to parents is in a simple, straight-forward cover letter sent home with general information about the fundraising project. In some cases, children return these letters with the parent’s signature to verify that the parents have read the letter. It is not unusual to find admonitions against door-to-door sales as packet inserts or printed directly on sales brochures, order forms and take-home envelopes.
As administrators, parent-teacher organizations and fundraising volunteers begin this spring to make decisions about next fall, safety for the children involved should be top priority. By working closely with a professional fundraising company to consider how best to communicate safety to students and parents, next fall’s programs will be safe and effective.
