"Due to the overwhelming demand for Coach charitable product donations, we have to limit the types of organizations we can support and requests we can satisfy. Therefore we tend
to focus our donations on broader-reaching programs such as organizations that help the homeless and those which research and support certain health care initiatives."
Gwen, what did Coach send you?
Are you with a school or other type of organization?
You also have a donation from TJMaxx and they also say they do not donate to schools.
Thanks, Gwen, for the information. I appreciate it!
We've had to work harder this year at finding donations, since many of our businesses were destroyed in a disaster. We've found that experience items have been easier to offer - our local TV and radio stations have been wonderful in donating weatherman for a day, news reporter for a day, and DJ for a morning opportunities. The kids have really enjoyed those options and they've made quite a bit for us.
We also contacted about 70 authors and received signed books from about 1/3 of them. Some were very generous - donating entire series of books, while others donated just one.
FYI, as per TJ Maxx website they say they do not give donations to schools (??) but since someone else got a yes, maybe worth a try anyway?
Question:
6. Donation Request
Answer:
The primary mission of the T.J. Maxx Donation program is to support organizations that are based on the following criteria:
*Must be non-profit and operate in the communities that T.J. Maxx has a presence. *Must provide direct assistance to under served children and families. *Fundraising efforts must target programs that provide health and or social services that have a positive impact of the lives of children and families.
If your organization's mission meets the criteria, please submit a written request describing the project or program on your organization's letterhead at least 6 weeks prior to your event deadline. Be sure to include your 501c(3) number (if you have one) and a valid mailing address, other than a P.O. Box. Our company policy prohibits us from sending donations to post office boxes. Please send the request (one request per year) to the following address:
T.J. Maxx Donations
P.O. Box 9123
Framingham, MA 01701
508-390-5507
508-390-6655 (fax)
Please note that all approved requests will be granted in the form of a T.J. Maxx gift certificate.
In addition, due to the volume of requests we receive, we are not able to honor requests from schools, individuals, or organizations that we give to on a national basis through the TJX Foundation.
B4Products - "contact us" link on website
Coach - "contact us" link on website
Cuisinart - Ilona underscore Gollinger at conair dot com
Culligan - contact the store nearest you
Firestone - Same with this one
Golden Corral - 5151 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC, 27612
Holiday World - PO box 179, Santa Claus, IN, 47579
Mary Kay - contact local rep
Nylabone - PO Box 427, Neptune, NJ, 07754
OPI - 13034 Saticoy Street, N Hollywood, CA, 91605
Thirty One Bag - Contact local rep
Ticket Liquidator - colin dot crowley at ticketliquidator dot com
TJ Maxx - 770 Cochituate Road, Framingham, Mass., 01701
Toby Keith - fan club email
Trenton Hassell - fan club email
UT - "contact us" on website
Vanderbilt sports - "contact us" on website
WWE - 1241 East Main Street, Stamford, CT, 06902
At the end of the evening of our "gala" (I use that term loosely - it's hardly highbrow) we close the silent auction, hold the live auction and then we have "Raise the Paddle". It highlights a special issue where the "Raise the Paddle" Funds will go. We have fabulous parents who put together pretty comical but at the same time poignant videos about the highlighted issue (SmartBoard, Spark Park, budget cuts). Then we ask for monetary donations and people literally raise their bid paddles to commit to donate. We start high at $10,000 (we had 1 family) and go on down - $5000, $2500, $1000, $500, $250 and $100. It is completely based on the generosity of parents. If possible, it is good to know going in if you have someone willing to bid at the high price. People do feel compelled to join in to give their support with everyone else around them. We have raised anywhere from $20,000-$45,000. The funds don't go into our budget, but to cover this highlighted item. However, if you touted it for your budget needs you could add it there. It just depends how riled up and excited people are to give to it.
The other area where I find we've been lacking in years past, and I'm trying to address it moving forward, is matching gifts on sponsorship and "raise the paddle" donations. It's simply a matter of getting receipts out and reminding people about their employer's generosity and seeking it out.
Hope that helps...
Again, as so many have said, this board has been a great resource. The vast majority of our donations are local and from parents and we've never really tapped the wider corporate community. Thanks everyone for the ideas!
