Are you interested in creating awareness and raising funds for your favorite cause? Looking to host an event that’s easy enough to do on your own but gives people who care about your cause an easy way to support it? If so, a shoe fundraiser may be exactly what you need.
Not only does it require little to no time or expense from you (beyond the shoes themselves), it can help you reach your fundraising goals quickly and efficiently.
Learn more about how anyone can step up with a shoe drive by reading our article below.
What is a Shoe Fundraiser?
Shoes are just like any other item that we use every day.
As time goes by, they wear out and become unusable. When that happens, people usually throw them away without giving much thought to where those old shoes will end up.
The good news is that there are many organizations working to collect old shoes and put them to good use. One such organization is a non-profit group that collects old shoes for distribution to needy people all over the world.
For example, one of their programs distributes free school supplies throughout Africa.
Your shoe drive can help them continue doing great work around the world!
Simply collect used shoes from your friends and neighbors and bring them to your local Shoe Bank to be sent off for reuse with an online company!
Where Can I Get Money from the Shoes that People Donate to My Fundraiser?
Before you start asking people to donate their shoes, you’ll need to prepare your fundraiser.
Depending on what you plan to do with all of those shoes, a shoe drive could be easy or difficult, but we’ll get into that later.
First, know that organizing a shoe drive is just like hosting any other type of fundraiser.
When planning and creating your shoe fundraiser, remember that it’s always better to over-prepare than under-prepare.
Is it Hard to Create Your Own Shoe Fundraiser?
Starting a shoe drive can be difficult, but it’s not as complicated as you might think.
First, select a cause or charity to donate your shoes to and choose how long you want your drive to last.
Popular causes include donating old shoes to children around the world.
Of course, you could achieve your mission by holding an indoor or outdoor charitable event where people bring donations of their old pairs of kicks.
You’ll also need some volunteers to help get things organized.
For example, one person could handle setting up donation boxes at local shops. You may also decide to have another volunteer that will coordinate efforts online with social media updates.
How do I Start a Shoe Drive in My Hometown?
There are many benefits to holding a shoe drive.
It helps people who are less fortunate than others and it can raise awareness about your cause.
But, let’s face it. There’s also a lot of planning involved! Fortunately, with today’s technology, you don’t have to do it alone!
There are many online platforms that make it easy for you to set up a fundraising campaign.
Many of these companies will even take care of all your donation processing.
So basically, all you need is a list of contacts and lots of shoe boxes (not to mention, most online fundraising companies can help with that too)!
How Will I Sell the Shoes I Collect to Raise Funds?
Once you have your supplies, it’s time to put together a plan.
The best way to approach your shoe drive is to think about selling two things: space and opportunity.
Your cause needs both of these things if it wants to raise as much money as possible. So you need to be sure you’ve got both before your shoe fundraiser starts.
Start by figuring out how many pairs of shoes you can reasonably expect people to donate.
You can base this on how much space you’ll have available and how often they’ll see that space.
Once you’ve got that number, make sure it’s clear when donations are going on so people know when they’re able to donate their old shoes.
What’s the Best Option for Selling Donated Shoes?
To make sure you raise as much money as possible, pick a shoe-donation company that offers high-profit margins to help you resell your shoes.
Shop around and compare prices to see what services are available and which ones will offer higher payouts.
Keep in mind that if your sale price is too low, it might affect your ability to sell all of your donated items.
If you have trouble selling everything to yourself, consider partnering with another organization (such as a local Boys & Girls Club).
They may be able to reach new customers who can buy them at any price.
The key is finding someone who will still be willing to buy when they can easily find lower prices online or at other retailers.
Final Word on a Shoe Fundraiser
If you’re having a hard time meeting your goals, consider asking friends and family to support you through an online shoe fundraiser.
Choose an event that is relevant to your cause. For example, if you’re raising money for breast cancer research, host a wear pink campaign. If you’re raising money for domestic violence victims, host a wear red campaign.
No matter what your mission is, or who you stand for, an online fundraising company is where it’s at!