Change for a Child's Dream
A Fundraiser Conducted by Local Schools
This is a fundraiser that is best conducted earlier in the school year before parents, teachers,
administrators are burnt out on giving for school functions and other organizations.
The concept is quite simple. Your chapter will select a school or multiple schools in your community to collect
change to assist with granting dreams. You can collect for the chapter in general or a particular child. The class with the
most change collected will have a pizza party or ice cream party.
1. Determine how your school grants permission to raise funds for local organizations. Call the school(s) and let
them know you are interested in having a competition among the classes to raise change to assist The Dream
Factory with granting dreams to local children. If you are conducting the fundraiser for a child who attends the
school, include this in your request. If the school is not the proper channel for a fundraising request, ask to
whom a letter** may be addressed.. If a letter is required, use Attachment A.*
2. Once permission is granted, write a letter** that the child will take home informing the parents of the
fundraiser. Attachment B. Sufficient copies must be made to give to the school to hand out to all the parents.
Ask the school how many copies will be required.
3. Also ask permission to hang up flyers (Attachment C)*** in the school promoting the fundraiser and ask if the
school will encourage the fundraiser during daily announcements. If your chapter is raising money for a specific
child, add a picture of the child and the text, Benefiting Any School's Jane Smith for her dream - ie: shopping
spree, trip to New York, etc.
4. Contact local pizza places or ice cream stores to see if pizzas or ice cream with toppings can be donated for the
winning class. Make sure you add the sponsor of the party to the flyer.
5. Collect, purchase or have jars donated to collect change for each class. (Large 2-Liter Soda Bottles work well! So
do milk jugs - Have your chapter start collecting clear soda bottles and milk jugs; get some Dream Factory
stickers from national headquarters to put on the bottles.) Instruct each class to put their homeroom number
on their collection bottles. The class can also decorate the bottle with their own touches.
6. At the end of the collection period, each class can count and roll the coins. A volunteer from The Dream Factory
can get coin papers from the bank or purchase more sturdy ones at Wal-mart for a nominal cost.
7. The class with the most change collected wins the party!
*If your chapter is involving an elementary school, consider asking the school if they would like to incorporate a 30
to 40 minute lesson to classes on philanthropy, especially appropriate for grades 3 through 5. A sample lesson can
be found at http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit280/lesson1.html
** Write all letters on Dream Factory letterhead and include chapter contact information.
***If your child is raising money for a specific student at Any School, change the last line of the heading on the Flyer
to Read: Grant a Dream for Any School Student, Jane Smith
ATTACHMENT A
LETTER TO SCHOOL AUTHORITY
Date
Name, Title
Address
Dear Mr. or Ms. Last Name:
The Dream Factory of Dallas, a not-for-profit organization that grants dreams to critically and chronically ill children,
requests permission to conduct a fundraiser at Any School(s) during the month of November for a two week period of
time. Our tentative dates are November 7 through November 18, pending your approval. Any School student and
Dream Factory child, Jane Smith, will be benefiting from the fundraiser. Her dream is to go to New York City in January.
The Dream Factory is the second-largest children's wish-granting organization in the United States and is unique in its'
mission and structure. We grant dreams to children with serious long-term medical conditions in addition to those with
life-threatening illnesses. Our organization, run entirely by volunteers at the chapter level, raises money in our local
communities where over 90% of it stays to grant dreams to local children. Please take a look at the enclosed brochure
for additional information about The Dream Factory.
The project, "Change for a Child's Dream", involves collecting money to donate to The Dream Factory of Dallas. The
children may use money from their own personal banks, earn money by doing extra jobs, or by enlisting help from family
members and friends of the family. This is not meant to be a major donation, but something from the heart and
generosity of the students. One penny is valued at one cent, but when many pennies and change are collected, together
we can make a significant impact providing a dream that can give hope, inspiration and happiness to child who is
seriously ill.
We anticipate the children at Any School(s) will enjoy participating in a fundraiser that benefits other children and
learning a little about philanthropy along the way. If Any School would like to incorporate a 30 to 40 minute lesson on
philanthropy that ties in with "Change for a Child's Dream", a suggested lesson plan for elementary students can be
found at http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit280/lesson1.html (For elementary schools, only)
After all the change has been counted at the end of the project, the winning class will receive a pizza party, tentatively
planned for after the Thanksgiving break on December 2.
Please let me know if you have any questions regarding our "Change for a Child's Dream" proposal. You may contact me
at 555-555-5555.
Thank you for your kind consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
Jane Doe, Area Coordinator
The Dream Factory of Dallas
ATTACHMENT B
LETTER TO FAMILIES
Date
Dear Families:
The Dream Factory of Dallas, in conjunction with Any School will be conducting a fundraiser, "Change for a Child's
Dream" from November 7 through November 18, 2011. This event will be held to benefit Any School student, Jane
Smith. Her dream is to go to New York City. (Delete this if the event is not benefiting a particular child, but the chapter
at large.)
The Dream Factory, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)3, is the second-largest children's wish-granting in the United States. We
differ from other wish-granting organization in three distinct ways:
1. The Dream Factory grants dreams to children with serious life-long diseases such as multiple sclerosis, spina
bifida, type 1 diabetes and cerebral palsy as well as children with life-threatening illnesses. We believe children
with serious chronic conditions also suffer from significant emotional pain and physical limitations.
2. The Dream Factory is an all-volunteer organization on the chapter level . This very low overhead allows The
Dream Factory to dedicate more than 80% of all funds raised to the direct expense of granting dreams.
3. Our dedicated volunteers raise money in their own communities and then use those funds to grant the dreams
of local children. This means that over 90% of funds raised in Dallas are used to grant dreams to children who
reside in Dallas.
The project involves collecting money to donate to The Dream Factory of Dallas. The children may use money from their
own personal banks, earn money by doing extra jobs, or by enlisting help from family members and friends of the family.
This is not meant to be a major donation, but something from the heart and generosity of the students. One penny is
valued at one cent, but when many pennies and change are collected, together we can make a significant impact
providing a dream that can give hope, inspiration and happiness to child who is seriously ill.
Please do not send your child door-to-door. The change that the children gather will be collected in each classroom.
The class that has collected the most change by November 18th will be rewarded with a pizza party on December 2.
We hope you have time to discuss with your child the concept of philanthropy: the giving - at any age - of time, talent
and treasure for the common good.
Thank you for your support!
Jane Doe
Area Coordinator
The Dream Factory of Dallas