Hosting a Lemonade Stand for BreatheStrong CF
I’m Abby and I hosted a Lemonade and Bake Sale last summer to raise money for BreatheStrong CF. My goal was to raise enough money to fund one $750 exercise grant. In just under 24 hours, I did it!
If I can do it, so can you!
Make a plan – The fundraising Checklist in the BreatheStrong CF Fundraising Kit was really helpful!
Pick a date and time – I picked a weekday during the evening drive home from work, 4 – 6:30pm.
Pick your location – A good spot is really important. I live in the back of my neighborhood, so I asked a neighbor at the front of our neighborhood if I could set up in front of her house.
Recruit a little help – I got my friend Sophie to help me.
Gather your supplies – Lemonade mix and a large cooler, bags of ice in a cooler, cups, ziplock bags for cookies and cereal bars, ingredients for baked goods, poster board, folding table, and a pop-up tent, if you have one, is great for shade.
Pick a goal – It helps you tell others why you are doing what you are doing.
GET READY
Make your product – I love to bake so I made cookies, cereal bars, and lemonade.
Tell everyone! – I made a video that my step-mom posted on Facebook and included a donation link so friends far and wide could make donations. She also posted in our neighborhood group. I texted my friends, teammates, and coaches and asked them to come by.
Share your goal. I made signs with pricing and also included what my goal was.
Be ready to accept lots of payment options – I had help with creating QR codes for my step-mom’s Venmo, CashApp, PayPal, and Zelle and the Donor Box page I set up. I also had cash to make change.
GAME TIME
Set up – make your display appealing. Put out your price list, your product, and I put out a jar labeled “Extra Donations.”
Put out signs – we put out yard signs letting people know we were there and to look for us.
Smile and Wave – We waved at everyone who walked or drove by. Many waved back and then stopped by.
Tell people why you are doing it. – When people came by, I told everyone I was raising money for BreatheStrong CF and I wanted to raise enough to fund 1 $750 exercise grant. Be prepared to tell people a little bit about cystic fibrosis.
Have fun! – and don’t eat all your profits, but do save some for your family.
After everything was cleaned up, I counted my money. I was a bit short of my goal, so I made another video asking 1 more time for donations.
By the end of the night I had hit my goal and it was fun!
I know it’s important to say thank you, so I made one final video thanking everyone for their support and letting them know that they helped me reach my goal!