Getting Started - Forming a Clipping for a Cause Chapter
1) Set up a meeting with the clergy to discuss your idea (if you want to start a chapter at your church). Show them the website, share the statistics of how little has been spent out of pocket to help so many. Go in with an idea of the food bank (s) or homeless shelter (s) that your particular chapter would directly help. Think of a time and date during the week that would be best for your group to meet and ask if any room in the church is available to have "clipping parties" on a regular basis!
2) Ask for coupon donations. If you are trying to form a church chapter, the first thing you want to do is get the word out in the bulletin that coupon inserts from the Sunday paper are needed on a weekly basis. Church members can drop their unused inserts off in a designated box within the church. If you just want to make this an individual effort, one idea would be to place a box on your front porch and ask for neighbors to drop off their unused Sunday coupon inserts in the box each week! From there you could clip a few items each week to add to your personal grocery list and have a "donation bin" somewhere in your house that could be specifically for others in need.
3) Designate clippers and shoppers. Once word has spread and you are ready to hold your first couple of meetings, you will need volunteers willing to clip and/or shop. Whether you meet every week, or every other week, holding meetings on the same day and time helps to get consistent volunteers. Do not get discouraged if you are the only one at the first few meetings! If you feel called and led to do this..make it your passion, and others will notice and want to get involved within time! Using various websites, including the stores listed on the Clipping for a Cause website, clip and shop for items each week that will be free or nearly free! Keep all receipts so that you can keep track of your chapter's savings, expenditures, and total items donated.
4) Mobile food drives. Get the community involved! Make this a quarterly or bi-monthly event. Ask for neighbors, friends and family members to place one bag of non-perishables outside of their doors to be picked up and delivered for them. Either yourself or a volunteer can do the pick-ups and deliver them to a designated food bank or homeless shelter! This is an easy way for others to donate and get involved!
5) Coins for clippers! It's amazing what the change you can find under your sofa cushions can purchase for others in need! There have been times when the Georgia chapter has purchased hundreds of items for only $0.30 out of pocket! If you have a designated spot for the box collecting inserts each week, create a milk jug to set beside it and label it, "Coins for Clippers." A lot of people love emptying their pocket change..especially for a good cause!
|
|
|
