Restaurant Take Over Fundraiser

Youth group contacted a local restaurant and volunteered to serve as dishwashers, bus persons, and buffet servers during the winter season, which is a slow time due to less tourists. We negotiated an amount the restaurant owner would donate for the volunteer services. Each youth had opportunity to work approximately 2 hours. We volunteered for 2 evenings. In exchange for being allowed to work in the restaurant our group promised to bring him additional patrons on the evenings they volunteered so the project was mutually beneficial. The owner also allowed us to inform the general public of our volunteer status and set up a donation box by the cash register for additional contributions. Hard work but a great fundraising idea. Source: Mennonite 1999 Youth Convention (Elkhart, Indiana)

We have included a number of do-it-yourself fundraising ideas in this section that offer a break from traditional product sales. They were developed by groups just like yours in an attempt have a little fun with their fundraiser. Some of them are tried and true while others show a lot of creativity … and even wackiness in some cases. All of them are obviously not appropriate for every group, but sometimes, with only a little modification, your might find some fund raising ideas that are perfect for your group. If you have an idea for a do-it-yourself fund raiser you are willing to share with others, please send it to us via email. Include anything and everything you would want to know if you were hearing the idea for the first time.