You might try checking with one of your local restaurants. Sometimes they are willing to donate part of their proceeds for an evening. The pizza places and burger places are usually very willing to help here.

Our local McDonald's will also allow the teachers to come in for an evening and work the counters/food prep for a matching fundraiser.

Open a bank account in their name. It will allow donors to give at their convienence. This way monies will make interest and will be there when they need it. The family does not have to face any of the donors. This is a hard enough time as it is without feeling like the are groveling for handouts. Any local bank will be more than willing to help. Post the information around town. Send a public service announcement to the local television stations as well as the newspaper requesting donations. Also don't forget the local churches and charitable organizations. VFW's, Moose lodges, amVets, they life for that kind of thing.

Recently one of their school families lost their house to a fire just 6 weeks after they moved to our town. We held a spaghetti dinner fundraiser. We put each class in charge of bringing something, i.e., third grade brought in pasta sauce, second grade salad fixings, etc. The teachers all donated baked goods and PTO officers cooked and served 120 spaghetti dinners that night. We were able to get donations, sell tickets and hold the event in just 10 days. We are a small school - just 89 students but we managed to raise $1700 for the family! It was a wonderful night and it felt like the whole community giving the family a giant hug.

In the past, when someone has passed away, we organized a dinner delivery and each night for two or three weeks a different volunteer would bring the family dinner. The PTO has also paid for the children's school lunches or their afterschool program fees during the family's time of mourning.It's those daily, mundane tasks like cooking dinner or sending in lunch money that seem to be the most stressful for families dealing with the death of a loved one.

We had a teacher at our school who passed away suddenly. She was in her 40's. The school set up a Trust Fund for her children. We gave the information of where to mail their donations to the parents and staff and all of the money went into trust for her 3 young children. They will have access to the money when they are ready to go to college.
It was a very difficult time at our school. Keep your head up.

Great idea...
We did the same thing when we had a parent pass away suddenly.
We talked to the surviving parent to see what we could do immediately and long terms to help them out-- we didn't want to burden but wanted to help.
He was greatful that we came to him first before we did anything.
Sorry for the loss to your school and community. My prayers are with the family

When a student at our school died suddenly, one of our parents took on the job of communicating with the family so they were not overwhelmed with phone calls and visits. She also talked to the family to see what people could do to help. Initially, the family appreciated meals or gift cards to local restaurants. The contact parent delivered all the meals so again the family didn't have to answer a lot of questions from other people. Later, that parent arranged for a local car wash to donate all of their proceeds from one day to that family. The line at the car wash that day was long, but to help this family during this sad time made it worth it!