* Edited to add: The images above were designed by Mae for this cause and can be printed to fit on a standard stick-on label. Thanks Mae!
We all know by now about the extreme devastation following the earthquake in Haiti. If you want to help, you can make a donation to Red Cross via their website or text the number 90999, which charges $10 and goes toward the Red Cross as well.
These are great, fairly easy ways to give. However, here’s another idea:
1. Talk to your supervisor/office manager to clear this idea by them first.
2. Select a day (or a few days) during the workweek.
3. On the selected day(s), have an office “Dress Down Day”.
4. Have staff members bring a donation in order to participate – if you like, you could select a minimum amount (maybe $1 or $2), and tell your coworkers that they are welcome to contribute more if they want to. Collect the funds and make a donation to the Red Cross – while time is of the essence right now, it will never be too late to have this fundraiser so even if you can’t do this next week, any amount you raise will still be greatly appreciated!
We are doing this at at least one of the schools where I work at, for both the staff and the students. Almost everyone can afford $1, and this is a great way to get a large number of people involved yet it requires very little work on your part! This is also a great way to get people to participate who have already contributed to the cause, yet would not mind giving another dollar or two.
I’d love to start a movement – if even a few of us go to work and organize this tomorrow and plan to implement it next week, we could easily raise hundreds/thousands of dollars.
I’m going to blog about how it goes at my schools next week. It would mean so much to me if you could try this at your office too, and if you like, to leave a comment on here about how much you end up raising. Also, if you are able to mention this movement on your own blog or tweet about it, that would be so helpful in order to spread the word.
Thank you in advance!!
I'm a school social worker who is also a newlywed (and had a Big Fat Greek Wedding, no less!) living in Chicago. I am starting this blog to talk about the training process I will go through to prepare for the Chicago Marathon, while also raising awareness for Ceasefire, a Chicago anti-violence program.
Hi Val! I have been trying to think of a way to raise money at school and this is the PERFECT way to do it! I am going to bring it up with my boss tomorrow! Thanks for the wonderful idea! The thing is for us, our children wear uniforms to school – so I am going to open it up to the children as well that if they want to wear their “normal everyday clothes” to school they need to donate the money to get to participate (and they will join in because they LOVE non-uniform days!). I’ll keep you posted on how it goes!
Yup our students wear uniforms too… so they are always THRILLED to dress down and wear whatever they want…. within reason of course
Hope it goes well at your school!
[...] “Dress Down” to Help Haiti [...]
Love it Val. Will do my best to help spread the word!
TOTALLY running this past my principal!
[...] to quickly pass along two ideas (for which I cannot take credit; the credit goes to my friend Valerie) for ways to help raise money for those in [...]
[...] “Dress Down” to Help Haiti « Chicago Marathon Val [...]
[...] Want to help raise money for Haiti? Check out Dress Down To Help Haiti! [...]
[...] Please click here to read all about Marathon Val’s Dress Down for Haiti. She’s starting a mini-movement [...]
[...] 2010 January 15 by Mae Hey guys, just popping in for a quick lunch post. I read about dress down to help Haiti on several blogs and am going in to school right now to pitch it to my principal, but in the [...]
Hey Val, I just threw together some photoshop “name badges” for dress down days. If you or anyone else is printing tags feel free to use them:
http://ohhmay.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/dress-down-to-help-haiti/
[...] MarathonVal’s Dress Down Day [...]
I found your blog though Tina at Carrots n Cake.
A girl in my office goes on an annual mission trip to Haiti so she’s already organized the fundraising effort here. We aren’t doing a dress down day, but my office did agree to match out donations up to $1,000.
Getting your company to match is a great way to raise more money!
[...] Also check out Val’s Fundraiser Idea to help raise money for Haiti or any other [...]
[...] on raising money for the people of Haiti. Please stop by Val’s to check out her “Dress Down” for Haiti” notes. Another way to help is to donate money right to the Red Cross. You can do [...]
[...] spent to Doctors Without Borders. If you’re finding it difficult to contribute financially Val has a launched a movement on her blog to get co-workers involved; maybe you can organize that if you’d like to help in some other [...]
You are so wonderful. Thank you for taking action and showing us how we can help. I love this idea!
you’re awesome, val! i linked to your movement tonight.
This is a wonderful idea. I linked to your movement this evening.
Val – what a great idea! I’ll see if my office is up for the challenge – thanks!!
[...] ladies such as Val and Katie are doing their part to help people in Haiti. I am sure there are many more of you so [...]
Love your idea – wanted to wish you well, and I will spread the word!
Also, I am a fairly recent IU alum (OK, class of 2004… not SO recent), and it’s always nice to share a little GO BIG RED love — especially since I’ll be running Chicago this year, too. Best wishes!
[...] Reviews « “Dress Down” to Help Haiti [...]
[...] vérifiez le mini-mouvement de Val pour avoir un "Réprimandent pour l’Haïti” le jour à leur lieu de [...]
[...] Also, please don’t forget about the #1 easiest way to raise money for Haiti – check out my post about Dress Down for Haiti! [...]
[...] day that is just a great and happy thought. Also, my principal approved our staff to participate in MarathonVal’s Dress Down for Haiti…so I can wear jeans all week for $1 a day, and raise money for a very worthy cause. So, back [...]
[...] making calls to see if I can find a business to match our donation. Thanks for the inspiration Val & [...]
gorgeous idea from a gorgeous soul- great job, VAL!
Val, you have started a movement. Good job!
We had a Dress Down for Haiti Day on Tuesday.
Jeans for $5.
[...] little bit helps! Thank you Val for raising awareness and proposing fundraising ideas. In fact, you guys are all awesome for being [...]
[...] wanted to thank everyone who participated in Dress Down for Haiti! I got so much great feedback and I want to send a shout out to Heather, May, and Mara – just [...]