Creative fund-raising in a down economy
Bake sales may work for raising funds for your local school … but imagine selling vegetables from your garden to help support a hospital. That was the case in 1880 for Alexian Brothers Hospital after it opened in Chicago.
In fact, $15.34 was the revenue raised from the Alexian Brothers vegetable garden, along with $70.00 from the Strawberry Festival and $1085.10 from the Fair. That’s a far cry from what nonprofit based hospitals like Alexian Brothers Hospital Network are charged with today in their philanthropic efforts. With healthcare facilities in Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, and Hoffman Estates, Alexian Brothers Hospital Network and its Foundation now have lofty fund raising goals in the millions of dollars. And you can guess it has to be accomplished with much more than vegetable and strawberry sales.
Yet in today’s ailing economy, nonprofits like Alexian Brothers Foundation need to be creative when it comes to fundraising. One fund-raising tactic involved a little bit of “cat herding.” Alexian combined the contributions from three local companies – Teleformix (www.teleformix.com), United Marketing Group (www.unitedmarket.com) and DataCo Solutions (www.datacosolutions.com)- to create one platinum event sponsorship package worth $50,000.
For Alan Portelli, CEO of United Marketing Group, stepping up to help Alexian, even in a down economy, was, in his own words “a no-brainer.”
Portelli and his team toured the Alexian Brothers Center in Arlington Heights and realized they were “truly doing amazing work.”
It’s an inspiring business story that can lend a lesson to companies, big and small, that they can stand behind a cause and make a difference … even in an economy of cutbacks. The Alexian Brothers may have had to “beg” for $626.28 back in 1880, but today they are letting their outstanding work in caring for those in need do the talking.
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