Healthy Fundraising Ideas

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I don’t participate in a lot of the fundraisers my children’s school holds. Namely because it seems many are centered around unhealthy ways of life. I would prefer not to visit Wendy’s or McDonald’s on a given night just so that those fast food joints can kick back a small percentage towards the school. My family and I haven’t been to a fast food joint in years, so why start now? I also don’t like choosing junk out of a catalogue that is just going to “junk” up my house or end up in the garbage, and eventually the landfill later. I want fundraisers that help instill healthy habits onto my children. Selling unhealthy foods to children “for a good cause” seems counterintuitive since those foods are not part of a balanced diet. Fast food, cookies, ice cream, candy all contribute to poor eating habits, and part of their education should be about healthy living.

Let’s focus on healthy alternatives that promote healthy behaviors. Here are a few ideas:

Fundraisers that support academics:

1. Spelling Bee (Participants would ask for donations to sponsor them, as well as admission could be charged to enter the bee, contest, fair.)

2. Math Contest

3. Science Fair

4. Workshops/classes on weekend (Sewing, knitting, wood working, cooking, robotics, etc)

5. Read-a-thon (Participants are sponsored for number of books they can read.)

Fundraisers that support the arts:

1. Concerts (Admission to be charged to enter these.)

2. Art shows

3.  Plays/musicals

4. Dances

5. Poetry reading/story telling contest

Fundraisers that support physical activity:

1. Dance-a-thon (Participants ask for donations for how long they might dance, jump, walk, bike, etc)

2. Jump rope-a-thon

3. Walk-a-thon

4. Bike-a-thon

5. Run/walk (Entry fee.)

6. Bowling night (Perhaps the venue would kick back percentage of earnings that night to the school.)

7. Sport tournament (Participants would pay an entry fee to play in a golf/tennis/etc tournament.)

Fundraisers that support the environment:

1. Garden show

2. Flower bulbs/seeds

3. Tree Planting

Fundraisers that support nutrition:

1. Fruit baskets

2. Mixed nuts

3. Healthy cookbook (Have parents donate a healthy recipe whole family loves and make a customized cookbook to sell.)

Other healthy fundraising ideas:

1. Auction (Local retailers donate goods/services or have artists hand make items. Good way for artists to get recognized.)

2. Healthy Kit Fundraiser (SunBuddy Sunscreen Fundraising)

3. Organic Soy Candles (Non toxic and good for the environment.)

4. Holiday wreaths

5. Sporting event (Trenton Thunder or even a college game.)

So, now that I got you thinking, can you think of any more healthy fundraising ideas? I would love to add them to the list.

 

 

 

2 thoughts on “Healthy Fundraising Ideas”

  1. I think you have some great ideas! Along the lines of the restaurant fundraisers, I think they could be extended to another pizza place or two, another no brainer, no expense fundraiser. Or perhaps a local restaurant, like Fernando’s or Mahzu. While they wouldn’t have the same volume, it takes less patrons to make the same amount of money.

    I love the idea of a Trenton Thunder night, I know some other schools do that. Also, one of the other elementary schools sells gift cards before the holidays to almost any store you can imagine, perfect for shopping or gift giving.

    What about family activity nights? Basketball in the gym, music in the cafeteria? Or a movie night at school. A friend’s school has family Olympics which I love the idea of! They have events that all ages can compete in.

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