Any easy fundraising ideas for Church Youth Group?

[mickaholic4077]

Halloween insurance.

For a set fee the youth group will come and clean up your yard if you get pranked.

With a big smile, and tongue planted firmly in cheek, we also insure that if you don't buy insurance you WILL get tpd.

With a big smile on my face, and NOT tongue-in-cheek, I would say,"I've got 911 on speed dial and I'll be watching. You WON'T do that to me."

 

[ah1126]

Our youth group always did well selling Sub Sandwiches. We would take orders ahead of time, then have a few extras to sell after church on Sunday.

 

[okeydokey]

Gigantic yard sale.

 

[Golf4food]

Ours does breakfasts fairly often - $5 per person, $20 for a family of four or more. The ingredients are fairly cheap when bought in bulk and parents volunteer to cook, the youth act as the servers. Goes over pretty well for us. The mix up the menu each time a little bit, but it is all simple, easy to prepare, normal breakfast items.

 

[happygirl]

Our youth group will do a parents day out this time of year. It's a huge sucess gives parents a chance to Christmas shopping. They also will wrap presnts for people for a donationl.

 

[VAfamily1998]

INteresting ideas and customs here...I'm not a huge fan of these 'insurance' ones. Not quite sure the best idea to teach a church group is to threaten people into giving you money. I mean, I guess if they sign up to be included on the 'fun' that's fine, but to go up to people and just say 'you gotta pay or your house/lawn is going to be messed up' - can't say I would be happy to help out with that cause.

I totally agree. Honestly, if someone intentionally "pranked" my yard/home because I didn't pay their extortion fee, I'd probably call the police.

I LOVE the babysitting idea that was one of the first listed. I'm usually more comfortable bringing my kids to a "parents night out" event, instead of having a sitter in my home...so if an area church did this I'd be bringing my kids there!

 

[Karenj2]

Our church does a "flocking," you can buy insurance for like $40 or take your chances of having a "flock" of flamingos (or any bird) land on your yard and you have to pay to have them removed! They stay a few days and then are moved on no matter if you pay or not! Our youth chior has done it the last few years and it has done well, last year we had flamingos in our yard when it snowed!

Our Youth made well over a thousand last summer with an auction night. Church members and local businesses donated items for a silent auction - nights at their condos, nanny services, mini-golf passes, movie passes, etc. Then, the ladies of the church provided baked goods and we had a big auction of all the cakes, pies and treats. There were like 50 things and some went for as much as $70! I think everything went for at least $10. It was a big success!

Oh another thing the youth group at our old church did was a movie night. They showed a family movie in the church gym (had planned on outside with a projector but it rained) and charged for popcorn and drinks as well as had donation jars at the entrance. When I was in high school our debate team and drama club did a combined fundraiser every year of a dinner theatre. It was always spaghetti and humoruos skits and jokes or a variety show. If you have outgoing kids in your youth group something like that could be fun.

Our youth group will do a parents day out this time of year. It's a huge sucess gives parents a chance to Christmas shopping. They also will wrap presnts for people for a donationl.

We've done all of those things - the best was when the youth group LEADERS flocked the pastor's yard, then took a picture & sent it to him via email... The "mom's night out" works really well around Christmas shopping time.

Sorry I don't have any additional ideas...

 

[VAfamily1998]

With a big smile on my face, and NOT tongue-in-cheek, I would say,"I've got 911 on speed dial and I'll be watching. You WON'T do that to me."

 

[SoonerSarah]

We have done all sorts of things.

Auction-each teen would offer themselves up with a specific task in mind, lawn mowing, laundry, car washing, babysitting, etc, and then members would place their bids. You have to make sure that the kids actually provide their services though.

Food-all sorts of things here, bake sales, dinners, breakfast, you can do gift food jars, put all of the dry ingredients into a glass jar or plastic baggie, decorate it nicely, include the recipe and then sell it. This is especially nice around the holidays.

Local small business owners-find some local people that make things, such as candles, etc. We have a friend that does this and they are sold for very reasonable prices and the groups make 50%. I did this also in high school with our choir, a local goats milk farmer made soap, we sold them, an extremely nice product, and got a 50% profit.

Area resturants-many, many resturants will do a church night, or several days a month. if the church member mentions their congregation, they donate 20% of sales to the church.

Car wash in conjunction with some sort of food sale-in our experience this is a great way to get parents and other members involved as well. Have various foods available for purchase while their car is being washed.

Frozen dinner sale-have a couple of really good and generally liked recipes that can be frozen, main dish and sides would be great. Spend a day assembling them in aluminum trays (try to find the ones that come with an aluminum topper, you can write instructions and names on the top easily). Then you deliver them to those that ordered the meals. They can cook them that day or save it for later.