How to Have a Charity Dinner
Raising money for a charity is not an easy task. Hosting a charity dinner is often effective in raising money for a good cause and spreading the word about the organization. Ensure you have a reliable committee to help you carry out the event, and begin planning well in advance. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a date. Ensure the date doesn’t conflict with school or community events, holidays or another organization’s event. Try to give yourself at least two to three months to plan the event and spread the word.
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Determine your budget. Although you’ll want the event to be memorable, keep in mind what the dinner is ultimately benefiting. Avoid overspending on the dinner, and instead aim to give the most money possible to the charity. Get donations to supply dinner fare, if at all possible.
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Create a committee. Give each member of the committee a task to head; tasks could include bookkeeping, researching and choosing a venue, planning the meal, procuring the food and public relations. Committee members can also take on tasks on the day of the event; for instance, a member could be in charge of setup and cleanup.
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Choose your menu and determine who will cook the meal. Because charity dinners can draw in large crowds, choose a main dish that is easy to prepare for large numbers. You can choose something simple like spaghetti and you and your committee can cook it yourselves, or you can have the event catered. If you choose to bring in a caterer, ask local caterers if they’d be willing to donate their time and the food, or if they’d be willing to give you their services at a discounted rate.
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Choose a venue. Look for an establishment that will donate the space or will allow you to use the space for a discount. If you plan to cook the meal, ensure that the venue has an easily accessible kitchen for you to use. Schools and churches are often a good option.
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Advertise and sell tickets. Ensure the proceeds of the tickets will cover any costs you incur and will leave you with a good chunk of money to donate to the chosen charity. Offer a discounted rate for event goers who choose to buy the tickets in advance rather than at the door; this will help with your headcount. Ask local newspapers or radio stations to donate an advertisement, and post the information in school and church bulletins. Also ask the event details be posted on school, city or church websites.
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Organize activities at the dinner that can help raise even more money. One such activity could be a silent auction. Ask members of your community to donate services; for instance, you can ask a local tennis coach to donate a one-hour private lesson to the auction. Before the party, write a description of the service being auctioned off, and place a sheet of lined paper next to the descriptions. Explain the rules of the silent auction once your guests have arrived, and be sure to give them plenty of time to bid. Before the night is over, announce the winners and ensure your guests know the money will go to charity.
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References
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