Helping Hands

About

Helping Hands is a service-based, group-fundraising activity that allows community members to use their group to perform various outdoor tasks for a small fee. While serving, your group will share American Red Cross information about home safety and preparedness.

Purpose

This activity gives you the opportunity to raise funds for Red Cross services and allows members of your group to give back to the community while sharing important safety information. The money you make from this activity will go towards services, such as sheltering people affected by disaster, preparedness education, and helping people who have lost everything in a house fire to get a new start.

How to Get Started

Step 1: Set Clear Goals and Objectives

Define your desired outcomes for the activity and create measurable goals and objectives to guide the planning process. We encourage you to integrate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations into your activity and be creative with your approaches.

Step 2: Plan the Details

Determine the details of the fundraiser

   • For safety purposes, keep all the projects outside people’s homes and conduct the projects during daylight hours. Tasks such as trimming bushes, washing cars, cleaning windows, or picking weeds are great options.

   • Determine the price of your group’s services. For example, you may charge $10 for a car wash.

How to donate to the Red Cross?

   • When it comes to fundraising, transparency is key.

   • Contact your local Red Cross chapter in advance. You can drop off the cash donation or mail it as a check to your local Red Cross Chapter.

   • Refer to the Team Red Cross Fundraising Toolkit for more information.

Step 3: Coordinate the Logistics

Set a date and time

   • The duration of the activity depends on the projects you have chosen. We suggest conducting these projects over the weekends.

Secure a venue

   • Make sure you communicate with the property owner to secure their approval and awareness.

Assign roles and responsibilities

   • Organize volunteers into groups of 3 to 4 for the service projects.

Gather supplies

   • Create a list of supplies needed and arrange to acquire them in advance.

Spread the Word

   • Advertise the activity through various channels such as social media, email, and school announcements.

   • Send a reminder with important details prior to the activity.

   • Tell your neighbors, relatives, parents’ places of work, and your community about Helping Hands to increase awareness.

Step 4: Facilitate the Activity

   • Run through Step 2 and Step 3 in advance and engage the participants throughout the activity.

   • Since you’ll be working outdoors, be sure that all students have plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

   • Be clear about your arrival and departure time.

Step 5: Debrief and Thank Your Volunteers

   • Invite participants to discuss their experiences and capture lessons learned.

   • Thank everyone who contributed and participated.

   • Remind volunteers to record their hours through Volunteer Connection.

   • Remind everyone that the funds raised will help move the Red Cross mission forward. Refer to the Team Red Cross Fundraising Toolkit for sample thank you messages.