10 Ways to Make the Holidays More Meaningful in 2020

Pink Bubble family, can you believe it is December? As we come to the end of this “special” year, we are so inspired by the continued impact being made by our 3-Day community. Every dollar raised truly makes a difference. With the help of your fundraising efforts, Susan G. Komen invests in cutting-edge research that will lead to new, more effective treatments, works in communities across the country to ensure all people can access the care they need, and mobilizes passionate supporters to make certain the voice of the breast cancer community is heard by policymakers.

How can you make a difference this December? We consulted some of our experts—our walkers and crew—for ideas on how to make the holidays more meaningful in 2020. Here are our top ten.

1. Instead of presents, ask for donations to your 3-Day fundraising. You can even use the 3-Day mobile app to donate checks directly into your account!

2. Set up a Facebook Fundraiser to make year-end giving easy for friends and family who are looking to capitalize on charitable gift tax deductions! Facebook Fundraisers make it incredibly easy!

3. Receive a gift that doesn’t suit your taste? Consider selling it and donating the proceeds.

4. Run a donation-based, socially-distanced gift wrapping service for friends and family.

5. Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Dayparticipant Karen K. gets creative with a Holiday Drive-Thru! A nearby neighborhood draws crowds of cars driving by to see the holiday lights display. Karen sets up a table in a friend’s driveway and sells holiday crafts to the visitors in exchange for donations.

6. Get organized and start out your year with a clean closet! You can sell your items to thredUP or a local consignment shop and donate those funds to your 3-Day account. Or you can use thredUP’s donation program. When you mail in your items, instead of a payout, Komen will receive a $5 donation on your behalf. It’s easy—they mail you a bag, you fill it with clothes, and drop it off at your local USPS or FedEx office. Click here to learn more about thredUP’s donation program. (Note: the $5 donation will not be reflected in your 3-Day fundraising).

7. Use the 3-Day mobile app to send out New Year’s notes letting people know that you’re walking and why!

8. Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day participant Karen K. also recommends asking restaurants to include carry-out and gift card purchases when they host a fundraising night for you! It’s truly a win-win—you receive an increased donation and the restaurant is able to get people in and out quickly and can make more sales in one day. Plus, this helps ensure that people will come back to use those gift cards another time when they are able to eat out again.

9. Don your pink Santa hat and offer to put up holiday lights in exchange for donations!

10. Include a 3-Day insert card in your holiday cards.

This time of year—filled with hope, giving, and celebration—is a great time to squeeze in one more fundraising ask before the calendar switches to the next year. What other holiday fundraising ideas would you recommend to the 3-Day family? Share in the comments on our Facebook page.

3-Day Fundraising with Facebook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Your Facebook Fundraiser

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to re-commit to your Susan G. Komen 3-Day® objectives for this year or the next. If you still have last-minute training walks to get in, make the most of these fall weeks before winter hits. And if fundraising is a challenge, there’s one simple trick you can try this month, right from your couch! If you haven’t yet tried Fundraising with Facebook, now is the time to give it a go.

Why?

Well, for starters, did you know that almost 55% of 3-Day walkers have already set up their Facebook Fundraisers? And, those people have raised an average of $700 more than people who haven’t given Facebook Fundraising a try. The power of this online fundraiser is reason enough to be active on Facebook!

It’s also very easy, and you can set it up while you watch a scary Halloween movie or relax after a long day at work. With a few quick clicks from your 3-Day Participant Center, you can set up your Facebook Fundraiser and start inviting all your family and friends to support you and be a part of your journey.

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Need help starting your very first Facebook Fundraiser? Coach Gayla is here to help! She has broken down the process (which you can do from your phone or computer), step by step:

  • Go to The3Day.org.
  • At the top right-hand side, click LogIn and enter your username and password.
  • The next screen that opens will be your Participant Center Homepage.

In the middle of the page you’ll see the blue section with the headline, “Reach your goal faster, raise money directly on Facebook.”

  • Click the white button, “Connect Fundraiser to Facebook.”
  • If you are not currently logged in to Facebook, you will be asked to log in. If you are already logged in to Facebook, you will automatically be taken there.
  • Your Facebook Fundraiser is now live, connecting your 3-Day fundraising to your Facebook profile.
  • Edit your fundraiser by changing the generic 3-Day picture to your own photo. Click the small camera button on the bottom right to edit.
  • Edit the text to personalize it and tell your story.
  • Click the blue “Invite” button and invite ALL your Facebook friends to your fundraiser. If you do not invite anyone, no one will see it!
  • You can then enter a specific fundraising request as a Facebook post. For example, “I’m walking 60 miles in 3 days and raising $2,300 to end breast cancer. I need 23 friends to donate $100 each to reach my goal. Can I count on you for a donation?”

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Your Facebook Fundraiser is now ready to start helping you reach your fundraising goals!

Once your fundraiser is posted, keep an eye on it and watch your total grow! Be sure to thank your donors within your fundraiser each time you get a donation. You can also tag your donors and publicly thank them on your Facebook page.  You should also post pictures of your training and other fundraising efforts to solidify your commitment to the cause and inspire your donors to continue to give.

If you have any questions about setting up a Facebook Fundraiser, or need other tips and tricks, reach out to your local coaches. They can assist you through the step by step process. They’re here to help you reach, and exceed, your goals for your 3-Day!

 

Hot Take: Fundraising Friday Ideas for Summertime

Summer Fridays are full of sun, fun, and now…3-Day fundraising, too! As our 2019 3-Days get closer and closer, the weekends are perfect to make the most of your time and do some serious 3-Day fundraising. To get you started, we have simple ideas that are perfect for this summer season of fun and will also make a big difference in achieving your fundraising goals!

Facebook Live Your Training Walk

Now that you can connect your fundraising page to a Facebook Fundraiser and raise money through your profile, it’s time to make the most of this social media platform. Once you have set up your Facebook fundraising link on your profile, do a live training walk where you broadcast the start or finish of your walk. Stretch or show your planned route while you talk about why you’re walking and what the 3-Day means to you. Then direct people back to your page to donate!

Do a Summer Fundraising Challenge

Summer just started, so you have plenty of time to start a fundraising challenge. Give yourself a goal for the next week or month of summer, then promote the heck out of it! On social media, in your email signature, with signs in your front yard, at your cubicle at work, with a poster in your car window. No place is a bad place to promote the 3-Day and let people know how they can help you reach your summer fundraising goal.

You can also participate in our fundraising challenge, going on right now! From now to July 8, all dollars raised through the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® will directly fund the national Komen Treatment Assistance Program. Too many women and men don’t get the breast cancer treatment they need because of financial hardship. That’s where the Treatment Assistance Program comes in. It helps those facing financial challenges by providing limited financial assistance, education and support to eligible low-income, under-insured people undergoing treatment for breast cancer. We have already raised over $250,000 for the national Komen Treatment Assistance Program in just a few days of fundraising!

Charity Chores

This one is a no brainer all year long, but especially so in summer. There are so many outdoor chores to be taken advantage of during the warmer months, and all you have to do is volunteer your time. Put the word out in your neighborhood and community that you will do household and yard chores for free, but that you would love and encourage donations to your 3-Day goal instead.

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Football Tournament

Football season is coming up in the Fall! But if you have friends and family who just can’t wait for pre-season to start, take advantage of their fandom! Arrange a weekend football game (or tournament!) and encourage players to donate to the 3-Day. Whoever is the winning team will have their names featured on one of your outfits on the 3-Day so you can keep that team spirit going!

Ice Cream Social or BBQ Contest

The summer is all about eating outside, and that means its barbecue and ice cream season. Let’s make the most of it! Ask a local restaurant or grocery store to donate supplies and host an outdoor party for all your friends and family. Ask for donations, and use this as a team building opportunity to recruit people to join you on the 3-Day.

Dance-Off in the Park

There is so much dancing on the 3-Day, and there should be more dancing in our everyday life! Have all your 3-Day teammates get together, bringing their friends and family to the park for a big pink dance party in the sunshine. Have people send you their favorite dancing tunes, which will make for one great training playlist. Then, encourage all your dancers to donate to your 3-Day cause.

What are your summer fundraising ideas? Tell us in the comments!