You don’t have to be part of an environmental protection group to benefit from recycling – reducing junk heaps and reusing resources should be important to everyone. You can also turn trash into cash by means of a recycling fundraiser!
Here is how it works:
Setting Up a Recycling Fundraiser
There are different fundraising programs specializing on recycling. Do some research online or offline to find one that suits your group best. Afterward,
- Sign up with a program.
- Ask friends, family and neighbors, as well as businesses and schools, to participate in your recycling drive.
- Fill up the boxes provided by your chosen recycling program.
- Take them to the post office for shipping, and wait for the paycheck!
Of course, technically speaking, any jumble sale that re-sells “junk” is a recycling fundraiser: You collect used materials and re-sell them for further use. However, you may not always have the time, manpower or venue to organize a jumble sale. There may also be broken gadgets that you just can’t find a new home for. Even in those cases, you can still help your charity make money through recycling!
Clothing or Shoe Recycling
Clothing and shoes are traditional fundraising items. Some charities have their own second-hand shops or put up collection boxes where people can drop off their old, no-longer-fashionable clothing or shoes.
If that isn’t an option for your charity or group, you can still participate in a fundraising scheme. Everybody tends to have some old clothing that they only keep around to donate it to some charity – now is the time!
Kindergartens and schools are great partners: You reach many people through one single channel. Moreover, kids grow fast, so they tend to produce a lot of clothing that is no longer worn, but still in decent condition. Sports clubs may be able to provide a lot of shoes – while those sneakers may no longer be fit for use in competitions, they may still be good for casual wear.
It may take a while until your efforts truly bear fruit. But on the plus side, these programs tend to do double good: For your cause, and for your program’s charitable purpose!
Recycling Electronic Gadgets
Unlike clothing and shoes, broken consumer electronics (like cell phones, MP3 players or laptops) and empty toner cartridges can hardly be resold by individual groups. However, they can still help you raise funds!
While private households produce a modest amount of electronic trash, your best bet is to work with schools, big companies, law offices and other places that go through a lot of toner and electronics. You collect the empty cartridges and broken gadgets until you can fill up a box and send it to the recycling company you signed up with in return for a check.
Keep in Touch with Donors
Regularly remind potential donors that you’re still collecting. Also let them know about the good they did with their last donations!
Don’t forget to mention particularly generous donors and companies that supported you whenever you talk about your fundraiser. That way, you’ll ensure their cooperation for the future!
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