Everyday Giving Blog

Spread Some Cheer This Holiday and Give Back

The end of the year is approaching and with the cool weather, holiday cheer and festive decorations, it's easy to become influenced do something extra special this year. Volunteering your time and giving back to your community is the best way to spread happiness to everyone around you. So this year, take the time out of your day or in between holiday shopping to donate your time and make those who are less fortunate have a happy holiday season as well.

Donate Blood

Hospitals often bring memories of sickness and sad times, but also new life. One way to give back this holiday is to donate some blood to your local hospital. Some patients are in dire need of blood transfusions and the best gift you can give them this year is the gift of your blood. According to the American Red Cross, someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds and more than 44,000 blood donations are needed every day. So this year take time from your busy schedule to donate life by donating your blood.

Donate Books

Read Across America Day is a day to celebrate reading, but, why wait for one day a year? Donate some new or used books to a variety of local charities and thrift stores so everyone has a chance to empower their mind and read inspiring books. Some inspirational books include "Outrageous, Contagious Joy" by Ed Young, "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho and "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Donate to Help Hurricane Sandy Victims

Hundreds of families were affected by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and many of them are still left with nothing. Celebrities like country singer Darius Rucker is donating $10,000 worth of toys with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, according to The Boot. Rucker has partnered with digital media company Eventful and together they will donate thousands of toys to the children in the Lindenhurst, N.Y. area.

Mutts and Mutts Animal Rescue League, a Michigan rescue shelter, is coming together to collect pet supplies to help New Jersey pet victims. According to Observer & Eccentric, Donna Law, president of Mutts and Mutts, said they are hoping to ship all the donated items to the New Jersey area in February.

If you would like to help out Hurricane Sandy victims, there are a number of sites, like the American Red Cross, where you can donate money to help provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance.

Soup Kitchens

Help keep those who are less fortunate than you fed and happy with warm food during these winter months. Volunteering at your local soup kitchen will keep the homeless or hungry fed, happy and is an experience you will never forget. Most soup kitchens have four or five hour volunteer shifts and you might need training before you can start, so don't be surprised if you have to go through a training course or need to become a certified food handler.

Donate Unwanted Goods

To make way for the new items holiday gifts will bring, go through your home and gather up clothing, home goods, blankets or anything else you have lying around that you no longer want or use. You can donate it to local charities and organizations like the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, The Warm Coats & Warm Hearts Drive, Cell Phones for Soldiers, and Feeding America, stores like Goodwill and The Salvation Army. Local or megachurch's like Pastor Young's are also great community causes. If you're finding it hard to get rid of some of those clothes, just follow this simple rule: If you haven't worn it for over six months, then it's time to let it go.

Authored by: Willa Reese - A teacher, vocal coach and mom, Willa loves teaching kids the joys of being on stage and putting on holiday pageants.

4 Events to Keep up with Your Nonprofit Business

Running a non-profit business is a fulfilling endeavor, but one that brings with it a whole new category of stress given the unique set of problems to be faced and conquered. Luckily, the very nature of non-profit endeavors tends to draw in the most kind-hearted and generous of souls, and that means that connecting with your colleagues in the niche is the best possible method of keeping up with the latest news, technologies, and other developments that will determine your future success.

Give your cause the chance it deserves by checking out these four events to keep up with your nonprofit business:

1. Washington Nonprofit Conference

Focusing on marketing for a nonprofit cause, this conference is your home for learning about how to make the public more receptive to your fundraising efforts. Between a series of informative talks and workshops and the exposure that being in a conference hall with more than 800 of your colleagues provides, you're guaranteed to leave the Washington Nonprofit Conference with a better mind for making your cause a successful one.

When and Where: Pay a visit to the Renaissance Hotel Downtown in Washington, DC on February 7-8, 2013, in order to take in the Washington Nonprofit Conference.

2. Critical Conversations on the Future of Nonprofit Governance

Hosted by the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, 2013 will see the inception of the Critical Conversations on the Future of Nonprofit Governance event in Kansas City, offering a true all-in-one event for those who want to take their nonprofit endeavors to the next level.

With an eye for deep conversation, this conference will help you to better balance your nonprofit goals with your entrepreneurial spirit, helping you to turn ambition into charitable success. If you manage a board of directors, the focus on group decision-making and governance will be especially useful and, even if you're only planning for a successful future, you won't regret the early learning!

When and Where: If you've been waiting for an excuse to visit Kansas City, Missouri, you're in luck; that midwest gem will play host to this conference on April 4-5, 2013.

3. 2013 Nonprofit Technology Conference

Next year's edition of the Nonprofit Technology Conference promises to be the place to be for owners of nonprofit organizations who understand the importance of technology in business, even when profits are not a concern. Spread over three days, this event will teach attendees about the latest advancements in computer hardware and software, among other technological niches, in an effort to be sure that everyone leaves with a better understanding of how technology can help their nonprofit to be more successful.

When and Where: Set to run from April 11-13, 2013, the 2013 Nonprofit Technology Conference will be held in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota. If you need a vehicle to get around that potentially unfamiliar city, book it via Cheapcarrental.net!

4. AICPA Not-For-Profit Industry Conference

Touted as the premiere event for those in the nonprofit sector in 2013, the AICPA Not-For-Profit Industry Conference will bring together all of the top players in nonprofit business from around the world. With an expected full house, an interesting stable of lecturers and workshop leaders will help to guide a conversation centered around the most crucial issues facing nonprofit organizations, including new regulatory issues concerning tax, accounting, compliance and auditing, new financial management tactics, and the latest fundraising techniques.

Whether your goal is to learn, stay up on the latest industry news, or to meet and greet your colleagues in the sector, this is one nonprofit event that will bring a little bit of everything to the table.

When and Where: This year's AICPA nonprofit gathering will take place from June 20-21 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC, giving you the opportunity to take in a few stately sights along the way!

Jessy is the lifestyle and charity blogger tweeting at @jessytroy

Mobile Gadgets Escalate Charitable Donations

What ever happens to mobile phones that are lost, found and unclaimed at theme parks? In Central Florida, home of some of the most popular park destinations in the country, many companies donate abandoned phones so that they aid others. Phones are donated to women's shelters or sold to generate revenue that other charity organizations receive.

Harbor House of Central Florida CEO, Carol Wick, claims that smartphones donated by Universal Studios Orlando and Walt Disney World alone generate nearly $50,000 each year when they are sold on sites such as eBay and Craig's List. This money is used to pay for food, medication, bus fare for relocation and other necessary supplies. Older mobile models are donated directly to women so that they are able to make emergency calls should dangerous situations arise. For what would otherwise become trash, Wick says this is a significant sum of money that impacts Harbor House efforts in an overwhelmingly positive way.

Former-Owner Considerations

But don't worry that you'll be denied a fair chance to reclaim your mobile device. Walt Disney World manager of community relations Betty Lowery says that unclaimed phones stay within the park for a full 90 days before they are donated. Several lost-and-found locations throughout the park allow visitors to collect their mobiles. If you're worried about privacy, rest assured that the phones' memories are wiped before they leave the park.

Lowery says that phone donations are not new for the theme park; however, in 2011 the process changed a bit. Strategic, thoughtful donations became the focus for Disney's unclaimed mobile devices. Many women that Harbor House serves have little more than the clothes they wear. Phone donations offer these ladies and their children a lifeline for emergent situations. Harbor House receives donations of mobiles from Universal Studios Orlando and, starting in December of 2012, Sea World, as well. Disney parks donate phones to Goodwill, Coalition for the Homeless, Salvation Army and other local Florida charities, according to Lowery.

Cameras Contribute to Charity, Too

Mobiles aren't the only electronic devices that are being put to good use, however. Unclaimed point-and-shoot, digital and video cameras from Disney World get sent to HOPE Helps, an organization that operates a food pantry and thrift store to help prevent hunger and homelessness. Joan Faulkner, HOPE Helps' executive director, said she was blown away by how many high-end cameras the theme park had to offer on their first drop-off. Not only would these cameras help countless families in need, but there were so many lost and never reclaimed that Faulkner and fellow workers felt a sense of sadness for the previous camera owners.

HOPE Helps sold the cameras for around $45 each, posting a picture of the Canon, Olympus, Nikon and Sony cameras on Facebook before they were placed on the thrift store shelves. Faulkner reports that sales that week were among the highest of any in the year.

So, if you should lose a mobile phone or camera during an Orlando vacation, consider that it may be working to help a family in need; it may take the sting out of paying for a new device.

by Jaye Ryan, a freelance author who enjoys writing about both mobile technology and good deeds.

Tips On How To Volunteer Abroad During A Gap Year

Gap years are a popular idea for many students who are stuck on what they want to do with their future or who just want to explore the world before they get stuck into even more education. Some people take a year out to travel, while others do the same and volunteer abroad to broaden their horizons, get an experience of working and, above all, help out people who need the good will of others. It can be a fantastic experience, but if you go into such an endeavour blind, you could end up regretting it. So here are some top tips on how to go about volunteering abroad during a gap year.

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Fundraise

One of the biggest issues surrounding such a potentially life-changing venture is the financial side. Travelling isn’t free and, if you’re a student, the chances are you have a little amount of money to your name – so looking to your bank isn’t going to work. What do you do? You fundraise! It may take time, but if you plan your trip accordingly, you should have plenty of time to raise funds. Remember, you don’t have to act coy and feel shy about asking for money to fund your travels; after all, you’re going to be helping others out in a foreign country!

Share your ideas, your ambitions, and your beliefs. Make sure they understand why you’re doing it and give them some passion. But don’t just leave fundraising to donations from others; take up a part-time job and save, save, save! You have to be dedicated.

Use the web

Search engines are a wonderful thing, especially when you’re trying to find helpful tips and advice about gap years and volunteering. Thousands of people have done it, so there will be hundreds of success stories and testimonials about how people did it and what the experience was like.

Their stories could inspire you further, inspire ideas, and even potentially get you even more excited than you were before!

Be creative

If fundraising is becoming a struggle, then take up a blog – get yourself out there! Create a Facebook page, a Twitter page, a nice blog and basically get people into your plans! Give them a reason to want to donate money to your cause. By entertaining them with funny stories, articles and content, your pages could be visited hundreds, potentially thousands, of times a day.

It’s all about awareness to get your gap year rolling!

Ask friends

The best way to find out if a gap year abroad could be for you is by hearing your friend’s opinions who have been there and done it. The opinion of a respected friend could make a major difference in your decisions – after all, it is a massive decision for anyone to make!

It’s not all fun and adventures; you will have to work hard and you will definitely feel a culture change no matter where you go!

Do your research

Research, with any big decision in life, is essential, but with a gap year it’s beyond essential. If you don’t research every part of your trip, you could end up either struggling financially or in a situation you don’t want to be in.

Take your time, put the effort in, ask around, build up your funds, and be happy with your final decision. It’s your life, so live it!

Pick a good cause

So, you’ve got enough funds for your trip, but do you know where you’re going to go? Is it Peru, Africa, Asia? Wherever you go, make sure you have everything worked out regarding where you’re going to live and how much it’s going to cost. Oversights are this stage could be costly, so while it may not be exciting it is essential. UNICEF, the International Volunteerism Resource Centre (IVRC) and the International Volunteers Program Association (IVPA) are all out there to help you find the perfect gap year volunteer job, location and cause.

image source

Please, whatever you do, don’t use a resource or company who is not backed by the official sources and organisations. You could end up a seriously sticky situation. Pick a cause which you feel passionate about. Something that you think you can really do well in.

Many thanks to the Cancer Research Jobs team for putting together this informative article.

Fraud Spotter: Tips to Avoid Bogus Charities

As the holiday season nears, both email inboxes and physical mail boxes start to fill up with giving requests from a multitude of charities. Many well-founded charities are legitimately run and purposefully directed. But, much like email scams, Craigslist mishaps and other high-profile misadventures, it's the few charities that traffic in fraud and bogus work that make the headlines.

Charity fraud is a deceitful ruse used by con men and criminals to obtain money from people who are led to believe they're making a charitable donation that will help some individual, cause or group. It involves businesses accepting donations and not using the money for its intended purposes. These non-existent charities are usually given the sheen of a website, pamphlets and other presentation materials to lure contributions from unsuspecting givers.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, several fake charities were caught seeking funds for families of policemen and firefighters killed in the line of duty. One example included a man who took in about $440,000 in donations from businesses and individuals in 2000 and 2001, but only paid out about 5 percent of the funds to the killed officers' families. The man was later arrested and sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in running the bogus Police Survivor's Fund.

Because of the seasonal re-occurrence of charity giving every holiday season, people are suggested to be wary of unknown charities seeking money. The FTC's guidelines on charity fraud offer assistance to individuals to be alert to fake charity requests. The commission recommends taking time to become familiar with all aspects of the charity before committing yourself. If the charity turns out to be bogus, there isn't only the loss of money, but there's also a chance for theft of your online identity, as well. Below are sensible tips for charity givers.

Avoid Giving Out Personal Information

Bogus charities will often try to pry personal information from you during a soliciting phone call. If you slip and give away a checking account number or social security number, you may want to immediately engage an identity theft monitoring service like Lifelock or a similar service to help you to maintain control of your accounts online, if the bogus charity's actions turns criminal.

Be Proactive in Charity Giving

Committed donation givers usually have a few respected charities with which they work. Scams and frauds involving charities are usually the case of people reacting to a written plea, a video, an email or a phone call seeking funds. If you know what the extent of your contributions can be, set them up during the year and don't overreact to a potential con charity during the holiday season.

Research the Charity

Find out the charity's website, contact info, head of staff and other contact info. Learn how the charity's programs work, how it raises funds and how much of your contribution will go to operational costs or to the intended recipients of the charity. You can also check the history of the charity with state offices that oversee charities.

Confirm Non-Profit Status

Don't feel guilty this holiday season when you don't drop cash into canisters at store checkout counters, or avoid dropping a few dollars into solicitors' buckets outside the supermarket. Scam artists generally take advantage of these situations and rob you of your goodwill. Be a smart donor instead. Smart givers support charities and organizations that have a tax-exempt status known as section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. You can search for tax-exempt charities at the IRS app for search.

Authored by: Timothy Jenkins. Tim is a blogger who writes about money and investing. He is a wealth manager who lives in the Phoenix area.

6 Ways to Fight Poverty at Christmastime or Anytime

Christmastime is the busiest time of the year for many charities. People are getting into the holiday spirit, donating and volunteering more than at any other time. There is a desire among many to share our blessings by helping the less fortunate at this merry time of year. Unfortunately, for the poor, the Christmas season doesn't last long enough. This year, as you make your holiday donations, consider giving a gift that will keep giving all year long, or better yet, make a commitment to keep donating on a weekly or monthly basis throughout the coming year.

Gifts that Keep on Giving

Charities such as Heifer International and Gospel for Asia give you the chance to change the life of a person, a family, or even an entire village by giving gifts that lift the recipients to a higher standard of living. These gifts provide hope for people who have been stuck in poverty. They provide the possibility of a better life. Here are a few examples:

1. Animals: Who wants a goat, a cow, or a pair of chickens for Christmas? Millions of poor people all over the world! Sheep, pigs, rabbits, camels, mules, and water buffalos are among the animals you can choose to gift to an impoverished family. These animals provide meat, milk, eggs, cheese, and wool for the recipients, and whatever the family doesn't need can be sold to buy clothing, blankets, and other items.
2. Clean water: We take water for granted, but in many areas there are two choices: die of dehydration, or drink the water and get sick. A $1,000 donation will dig a well that will provide clean water to an entire village for many, many years. This simple gift that costs less than many families spend on their kids for Christmas completely transforms the lives of those who drink from it.
3. Business starters: There are many gifts you can give that will help a poor person start his or her own business and give them a way to earn money to take care of their family. These gifts include sewing machines, rice threshing machines, and rickshaws.

Gifts You Can Give Year-Round

Here are a few examples of gifts you can keep giving year-round:

1. Volunteer at a soup kitchen: Why not volunteer once per month instead of once or twice per year during the holidays? There are hungry people to feed all year round.
2. Sponsor a child: There are probably dozens, if not hundreds, of charities and missionary groups that allow you to sponsor a child. What the child gets as a result of your sponsorship depends on the organization, but there is no doubt that you will be making a huge difference in the child's life.
3. Work with kids in your community. Be a Big Brother or Big Sister, volunteer to lead a Girl Scout or Boy Scout troop, or become a 4-H leader. Be a good role model for a child who needs one.

Of course, you can donate to any charity year-round. If none of these jump out at you, check with your own favorite charity to see if you can make a monthly pledge, then put it into your budget right away so you don't forget. You may even be able to set up an automatic bank draft.

There are 925 million hungry people in the world. There is enough food to go around, but millions of people simply can't afford to buy what they need to survive. This year, resolve to make a real, lasting difference rather than just a one-time donation.

About the Author: For James Renault of Schoolfunrun.com.au, fundraising ideas are a passion. The adidas School Fun-Run fills that passion by giving schools a no-risk way to raise money while promoting good health at the same time.

Fundraising Ideas to Raise Money for a Good Cause

When money is needed for a good cause, people often pool their resources and come together to raise money through various types of fundraising. I remember reading about a young girl who fell off the side of the cliff at a family event and was severely injured. Due to the fall, she underwent extensive surgeries and her medical bills were costing more than her family could afford. To help relieve some of the financial stress; friends, family members and local businesses got together and hosted a fundraiser with a silent auction to help raise money for her medical bills. This is just one reason people may decide to fund raise. Other reasons fundraising takes place is to raise money for: various charities, medical research, school events and for humanitarian volunteers and trips. If you are looking to raise money for a good cause and are interested in fundraising, learn about the various options available for doing so.

Spread the Word

When you are really in a jam and need to raise money on the fly, sometimes it is most efficient to just ask or request donations. If specifically looking for monetary donations, it may be beneficial to contact people you know are interested in the cause you are representing. You can spread awareness of your fundraising efforts through word of mouth, email, direct mail or through social media.

Sell Products

The most traditional or at least, the most common method for fundraising is to sell products. Having started with the Girl Scouts and their cookies, products for fundraising have grown into encompassing many aspects of retail including kitchen gadgets, wrapping paper, stationary, edible items (coffee, cookie dough, pizza ,gourmet foods) and magazine subscriptions.

Auctions

This is a popular method for fundraising and may include a live, silent or online auction. Auctions can be hosted as just that, with the auction being the main attraction or, it can be included as part of a larger event  such as a dinner or gala. In addition to charging for dinner tickets, auctions tend to bring in quite a bit of money. In addition to a live or silent auction, you can also integrate an online component so even those that are unable to attend the event, can bid on the items up for auction.

Raffles

Raffle tickets can be sold to raise additional money at various events. They can also be sold for big ticket items such as a motorcycle or car but that is only if proper advertising space is available. If doing this, you would want to set up in an area such as a mall or boardwalk where hundreds of people walk by each day.

Events

Small Events

For smaller scaled fundraising efforts, small events may be perfect. This might include a dinner or get together for up to fifty people with relaxed themes such as Parent/children dance nights, trivia nights, family fun and art walks. A more formal event may be hosted at a well-known establishment and offer a wine tasting or maybe a gourmet dinner.

Large Events

Big, over-the-top events that are designed to rake in the dough may include dinner dances, galas, 5k runs and golf tournaments. For those looking to plan a large fundraising event, it may be a good idea to contact an event coordinator to assist. In hiring an experienced event planner to help host your large fundraising event, you will have assistance with budgeting and meeting all of your needs. In working with someone that has experience and that knows the ins and outs of the business, you will be able to host a more elaborate event and ultimately, raise more money for your charity.

Article is written by author, Sarah Smith and information is brought to you on behalf of Kaleidoscope Solutions in Philadelphia, PA. 

Kids Volunteering: A Special Way to Learn New Things

Volunteering is extremely essential for all whether it is a kid, youngster or older person anyone can enjoy the benefits of it. There are many advantages of involving children in volunteering as it is an ideal way to spread awareness in the community. It teaches compassion empathy, tolerance, gratitude and community responsibility to your children. Children of all ages can be volunteers, and volunteer opportunities can teach those skills they may not otherwise learn and could be necessary later in life. One must talk to the school principal or teachers for child's volunteering opportunities. It helps develop vital skills, including critical thinking, organizing, and collaboration and increases self-confidence.

Explore your teen’s interests

There is a need to look at which fields your kids are interested in. Kid volunteering provides them with useful knowledge of different things. Learning from small age will defiantly give right direction to their career and also prepare them ready for future. There is a need to work on children’s strategy such as if your children like drawing then you must put him in a coaching class, consult with the drawing teacher of his school. Little one will increase his skills, ability and talent by giving volunteering services.

Become kids a role model

All children love to copy their parents they are particularly interested in what their parents are doing. When a parent or guardian can also take part, the child often looks forward to the activity even more, and get to share this memorable time with your child. There are many parents who have gained the benefit of including their children in volunteer work. Kids gain the respects of others which make them feel proud. Volunteer work will prepare kids ready so that they can face any problem.

Make it a part of family schedule

If an individual wants to perform volunteer work just simply make it part of the family routine and make sure that your children have a say in the activity your family chooses, so that they get even more out of the experience. One must teach his kids importance of community services. As everyone knows kids are the future of the next generation so individual must take care of all their wants. Making it as a part of family schedule can assist your child in learning more easily. This article will surely assist in taking the right decision with regards to your kids future as volunteering for kids is immensely beneficial.

Interngroup provides International volunteering services and Internship opportunities in various fields like Architecture, Fashion, HR etc.

A Race Night - One Of The Best Fundraising Ideas

How To Raise Money For Your Organisation With A Race Night

A race night is a fantastic way to raise funds for your club, charity, school, PTA or whatever your organisation is.  To make your event as successful as it can be, there are a few things that you need to do.  These depend upon your objectives but most are run for fundraising and are set up to raise as much money as possible.  Some are run as fundraisers mainly for entertainment and with the objective of covering the costs of the event plus expenses;  some to raise money for a local good cause or charity in pubs whilst encouraging bar takings and some mainly for entertainment or to raise money  for a chosen charity at corporate events and functions. 

There are several vital tasks to be conducted even before the event begins. You will need to appoint a promotions manager who is responsible for putting up posters and speaking with local companies to arrange prizes and sponsorship for the event;  an event manager who is responsible for booking the venue, an auctioneer (or possibly a Master of Ceremonies -MC)  and a projector.  Should you choose to use an events company where they provide a DVD or video as part of the package, the MC is not really necessary. 

Normally one of the local characters in the organisation will volunteer for this aspect of the race night. The right character will entice the audience to raise their bids and this can make a big difference to the funds raised on the night.  Sometimes more money is raised in the auction race- which is traditionally the last race- than in all of the other races put together.  This is often assisted by the presence of a bar serving alcoholic beverages.  The amount of funds raised in the auction can also be substantially increased by asking the audience to pool resources and bid by table rather than individually- this also increases the social aspect of the event.  

Should you wish to seek external help running your fundraiser, there are a multitude of events companies specialising in charity and fundraising events. Fundeo is a Scotland based company that specialises in fun and fundraising video and DVD products to help run a successful fundraiser.

Their website has tips to describe how to maximise your income and the funds raised.  There is even a step-by-step course demonstrating how to run an event and raise money using either real money for betting, or using fun money for the betting.

Fundeo are leading providers of fun and fundraising supplies

Spotlight your Charity Auction

Auctions hold a great purpose in today's society. They offer items of interest and value that were once precious to someone else available to new buyers for various reasons and purposes. Hosting an auction can be done for a number of occasions, and charity auctions stand a head above the rest. At an auction, it is expected that various treasures will be shown, marked with display stands, for the auction goers to view, value, and bid on. Properly showcasing the items up for auction will convey the personal and sentimental aspect that some items have.

A Charity Auction is held as a means of not only dispersing passed loved items onto their new owners, but also as a means of collecting contributions for the charity in which the host feels strongly to sponsor. This desire for sponsorship may be present for any number of reasons, including a strong personal connection with the charity or a connection with the charity through a loved one’s experience with it. Whatever the case, a charity auction needs to display something that any other auction would be able to overlook - a deep sense of purpose.

Purpose plays such an important role in the charity auction and should be displayed accordingly. Auction items should be easy to view and should be arranged in a sort of chronological order with like items. Those arranging the event should take into consideration the type of item, size and value. Everything should be clean and in working order, with ease of accessibility for pre-auction viewing. Something else to consider is what exactly to do with the displays.

One may want to dress up their display stands with banners, table cloths, ribbons, flowers and various other arrangements that will attract attention. One must also be sure to incorporate the purpose of their auction, which is their designated charity, to re-affirm the importance of the auction and the function that the donations made by purchasing the auction items will serve. Use flyers, pamphlets and collages to inform auction goers of the benefits to charity that will take place if they choose to purchase said auction items.

Another thing to be careful of is positioning of displays. One does not want them to be flimsy or easy to upset as an entire auction can quickly fizzle out if it appears poorly prepared or arranged. Do not spare any time or dedication when it comes to a charity auction. If one follows these guidelines, they can expect to see great results.

Patrick Whalen is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow him @2patwhalen.