Idea 31: Tweet & Retweet

Today our idea is another quick one. Tweet about us! We came up with some ideas and sample tweets to get you started. Of course, the first step is to follow @FirstPlace on Twitter.

Here were our ideas:
Tweet a Success Story from our blog to brighten your day.

Tweet a statistic that you want to change.

Ask people to take our tour, or join our email list.

If you or a friend volunteers or comes to our events, tell your tweeple.

We also LOVE retweets.

Here are some tweets you can cut and paste:

@FirstPlace has the best tour in town. Find out for yourself. http://bit.ly/5wE95V

I agree with @FirstPlace. Children Shouldn’t Be Living in Vans! http://bit.ly/fphope

@FirstPlace is the only agency in WA providing high quality education to children whose families are homeless. http://bit.ly/fphope

@FirstPlace is more than a school for homeless children. They provide support to the whole family. http://bit.ly/fphope

@FirstPlace is where hope begins for families struggling with poverty and homelessness. http://bit.ly/fphope

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Keep In Touch
Be a Mentor
Align Your Business with a Cause and Go For It!
It's About the Academics

Idea 30: Don't Forget About Academics

The holidays are filled with toys, and presents and gift cards. At First Place, we love them all. Every family gets a wonderful holiday, classrooms are adopted, the birthday box fills up, our library gets new books, students get new toys and we all enjoy a holiday party together.

The rest of the year, we know what the teachers really want and it’s about the academics.

Sometimes the things teachers need can not be found at Toys"R"Us or Target. Our teachers need learning games, teacher manuals, text books, science kits for experiments, learning posters and bulletin board accents.

There are two local store which are perfect resources for all of these items:

Math’n’Stuff on Roosevelt in Seattle.

Lakeshore Learning in Bellevue and online.

Next time you are considering giving to First Place, consider a gift card to one of these stores.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Keep In Touch
Be a Mentor
Honor Someone You Admire
Align Your Business with a Cause and Go For It!

Idea 29: Align Your Business with a Cause and Go For It!

In Fall 2008 the Seattle Seahawks partnered with the United Way of King County, took on the theme “Tackle Family Homelessness”, and it was all hands on deck.

They hung two banners inside the stadium and one on the outside, players got involved, and they asked their fans to ‘give, volunteer, and take action.’

We asked the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders FC to continue their support of Family Homelessness last Spring and they contributed a large gift to a Challenge Match for our Annual Fundraising Breakfast helping First Place raise thousands of dollars. This is in addition to their continuing commitment to cause.

What could your company accomplish if you decided to get your employees, vendors, clients and customers all involved in the same cause?

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Keep In Touch
Be a Mentor
Party With a Cause
Honor Someone You Admire

Idea 28: Honor Someone You Admire

We all know that person. The person who gives tirelessly to help others in the community. We all want to be a little more like them but, we all don’t have the time. You can still support that person by donating in their honor.

All of us at First Place know Peggy, a volunteer in our kindergarten classroom. Peggy is an anchor for our students.

Every Friday, without fail, Peggy comes to First Place to help Ms. Molly, our kindergarten teacher, with projects and field trips, lunches and recesses, nap time and story time. It is a very busy day. Many of Peggy’s friends know of the work she does and remembered her this year by making a year-end gift in her honor. You can too!

Go online, or send a contribution, today to honor someone who is doing all they can to support their community.

When you make a gift in honor or in memory of someone, we will send them a card to let them know you made the gift. All we need is their name and address. We then send you a tax-receipt for your gift.

Learn more about giving to First Place.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Keep In Touch
Dine In for First Place
Be a Mentor
Party With a Cause

Idea 27: Party with a Cause

Your party any time of year can use this added twist. Many people (and companies) are turning their events into drives and fundraisers for First Place.

So here’s what you can do: Ask your friends to bring something to help our families in the new year. It could be a gift card for shoes, a small appliance for one of our housing units or new kids socks. Make it simple but make it fun!

Here is what others have already done:

A local anonymous donor invited friends over for dinner and had each write a check for First Place. She raised over $200 in one hour! And her guests had a great time.

Employees at Zymogentics had an auction Holiday celebration and donated $2,000 to First Place.

MXD Championships is a tennis tournament that donates proceeds from a party each July to First Place.

And, of course, KMTT 103.7 FM The Mountain, a great partner to First Place, has donated profits from their Winter Warmth concert for many years.

For help on this or any other ideas call the Development Team at 206 323 6715.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Tour First Place
Keep In Touch
Dine In for First Place
Be a Mentor

Idea 26: Be a Mentor

At face value, mentoring a student at First Place is a one-hour commitment at the same time and place each week September through June. If this is what we were convincing you to do, we wouldn’t be giving you the whole truth.

If we then said that it’s also playing games, making jewelry, hanging out, playing dolls and putting together puzzles—we would still be just scratching the surface.

Mentoring is actually changing lives one hour at a time.

Lisa is a mentor who has been with First Place close to 10 years. She mentored a young student name *Maria who was very shy and barely spoke above a whisper. Lisa asked Maria what she wanted to work on with her during the year and the student said that she wanted to be able to read in front of her class.

Throughout the year, Lisa and Maria read a book together with Lisa reading a couple of pages out loud and Maria reading out loud. During that time they worked on special projects such as making bracelets for each other and other fun things. Maria told her mentor that she wants to be a doctor and Lisa introduced her to a goal chart. Each week they talked about what it takes to be a doctor and the student had certain goals that she wanted to achieve. Every week, if she made one of her goals, she got to place stars on her chart.

By the end of the school year, the chart was done and the student was able to stand up front of her class performing in the class play. This child will always remember the valuable lessons that she learned from her mentor and Maria will always hold a special place in Lisa’s heart.

Every mentor, tutor and classroom volunteer at First Place is offered training in:

• Building positive relationships with students to improve self-esteem
• Using non-punitive ways to encourage students’ development of life skills
• Developing strong boundaries and healthy limits
• Taking time for training with students to clarify expectations
• Using “teachable moments” when students make mistakes while encouraging students to take risks
• Using practical problem-solving methods to show students how to see problems as learning opportunities

If you are interested in learning more, contact our Volunteer Manager Joyce Scoggins at 206 323 6715.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Tour First Place
Keep In Touch
Dine In for First Place
Paint a Classroom

Idea 25: Use Facebook to Support First Place

Facebook has become a great way to keep in touch with friends old and new. But, have you ever thought about Facebook as being a tool to help places like First Place?

Many of our Facebook friends posted our Amazon offer to their page and so far it has raised hundreds of dollars for our families. Is there more you can do with Facebook? You bet! Facebook is a great tool to create a challenge for your friends. Here are some challenge samples you can cut and paste:

Match Game:
(YOUR NAME) will match up to $200 of your friends giving to First Place. The first to reply are the first to get matched. If you give online today, there is an additional match so you could triple your gift! Just do it!

You can even join our Cause on Facebook and it will track your challenge for you!

Dinner Party:
(YOUR NAME) invites the first five people to make a donation to First Place to have dinner at my house on (DATE). Your gift is also matched through the end of the year if you give to First Place online. I’m making my famous Meatloaf! Or whatever you’re famous for!

Drinks on the House:
(Your name) will take the first five people to make a donation to First Place of $25.00 to have a drink at (your favorite watering hole). Your gift is also matched through the end of the year if you give to First Place online. Quick! Do it now! I’m thirsty!

We have 3 pages on Facebook: our Friend Page is the most active. We also have a Fan Page, and a Volunteer Group. We also have a Facebook Cause--End Family Homelessness.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Tour First Place
Keep In Touch
Dine In for First Place
Paint a Classroom

Idea 24: Paint a Classroom

One way to volunteer is to get a group together and come down to First Place to do a one-day project. Projects are often painting a classroom and hallways and also include outside and playground clean-up.

A great example is Vision Quest, a local company who offered their employees to First Place for the day. They came to First Place on September 4th; sleeves rolled up and ready to tackle any job that needed to be done. They painted 2 classrooms and the multi-purpose room. Not only are they hard workers, but have a sense of humor that kept everyone laughing and that made the painting go faster. They did a professional job and came back a few weeks later to finish up one of the classrooms. Vision Quest, you’re welcome back any time!

If you are interested in doing a group volunteer project, contact our Volunteer Manager Joyce Scoggins at 206 323 6715.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Idea 23: Honor the Ones You Love

As we have been telling you on this blog, presents to others don’t always have to be wrapped with a pretty bow. Now is also a good time to give a gift to those who can no longer be with us this holiday season. Many First Place donors make gifts in honor of their friends and relatives to support our programs.

Earlier this year, we had a very special donation from Charles Palmer. Mr. Palmer had just lost his wife of many years, but before she died they decided to dedicate funds to remember her spirit as a teacher and someone to loved and cared for children. After looking at several organizations the Palmers chose First Place. After his wife’s death, Mr. Palmer made a gift to create the Lynn Palmer Scholarship Fund.

Many of the Palmers friends and relations made gifts (both large and small) to celebrate Lynn’s life. Mr. Palmer was surprised to get gifts from all over the country and some from people he never knew but knew his wife.

“I think making those donations helped Mr. Palmer in his grieving process, “ said Chris Cooper, First Place’s Director of Marketing and Development. “Losing someone you love is hard, but celebrating their life by making a gift is easy.”

Funds from the Lynn Palmer Scholarship Fund were used to pay teachers and instructional aides, provide supplies to classrooms and provide field excursion to help our children explore their world.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Idea 22: Dine In for First Place

This one is short but sweet… or savory.

Next time you’re thinking about going out to dinner, consider staying home and donating what you would have spent on dinner for the family to First Place. If you would have gone out for pizza, bake up a frozen pizza instead, whip up a salad and donate what you would have spent eating out.

Or here’s a twist on that concept.

If you really need the convenience of dining out (and let’s face it, some evenings we’re just used up from our day and can’t face cooking for the family or partner), go ahead. Keep track of what you spent, and also donate that amount to First Place. As always, your donation goes directly to support programs and classrooms at First Place for homeless families and children.

How about tonight?

Right now through December 31, all gifts made to First Place online will be matched dollar for dollar up to $5,750. Give online today.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Idea 21: Sponsor a Classroom Field Study

Our idea on how to support First Place today is simple: help pay for a Field Study for our students.

Field Studies are our own version of a field trip. Every field study integrates what the students are learning inside the classroom with what they will see on the field study.

Ms. Molly’s Kindergartners, for example, went on a field study to the Pumpkin Patch in October. Ms. Molly packed a lot of kindergarten-level math and science learning into the day. They counted, compared, and asked lots of questions.

The first, second, and third graders would like to go to the Pacific Science Center in March to reinforce the science skills and concepts they are learning; the fourth, fifth and sixth graders would like to see a play about the Social Studies period they are learning about.

Think again about the field trips you went on as a child—the excitement that comes from changing your daily school routine, the fun you had with your friends and classmates. Our field studies provide those elements, too.

The suggested donation for one class to visit the Pacific Science Center is 5 adult tickets plus 14 student or child tickets. If you would like to super size your gift you could add a gift card to a gas station to help pay for the van ride, plus a gift certificate to Safeway to cover snacks for the day.

If you have questions about donating tickets contact Lisa Foss at 206 323 6715 or lfoss@firstplaceschool.org

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Idea 20: Host a Donation Drive at Work

While you’re at work, why not do some good works?

You can hold a donation drive for First Place at any time throughout the year and for almost any holiday. Here are some examples:

Library: Our school library is constantly in need of multicultural books. Print out this list and ask your coworkers to purchase books from it.

Clothing Drive: Purchase new socks and underwear for children ages 3 through 12.

Spring Break: Make spring break activity kits for the school. You can purchase activity or coloring books (for ages 3 to 12), crayons, pencils, a toy such as a pencil topper. Call us for ideas.

Back to School: Pick a classroom and full-fill their Back to School wish list (July through September).

ABODA, a local corporate housing company, holds a drive for First Place every spring. Employees donate items from our wish list, then they turn in their receipts to the company for a matching gift. First Place receives both the in-kind items, plus the company matches the amount they spent. It’s a double win for the children!

If you have questions about donating to the Birthday Box contact Lisa Foss at 206 323 6715 or lfoss@firstplaceschool.org

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Idea 19: Keep in Touch

Our idea today will take you less than 3 minutes. Sign up for our Email Newsletter. Just type your email in the box below to start the process

Type your email in here:

We send out one short update a month, along with special event invitations and reminders. We also send our annual fund appeals for Back to School and the holidays.

It's a great way to keep in touch with First Place.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Tour First Place
Donate a Family Outing
Take a Kid to Lunch Without Leaving Your Desk
Be a Table Captain

Idea 18: Be a Table Captain

Each spring, First Place hosts our big annual fundraising breakfast with up to 1,000 guests. Each year, for many of our supporters, this is THE event that introduced them to First Place and caught their heart.

And it is someone just like you who helped us do it.

We ask individuals, just like you, to host a table at the event (you, plus 9 guests). We give you all the tools and resources you need to invite your friends, colleagues, neighbors and old schoolmates.

Here's what we call our first-timer's guide to being a Table Captain for First Place.

1. Our definition. A Table Captain:

* Reaches out into the community to help First Place tell our mission and our story.
* Brings 9 or more of their friends, family, and colleagues to the Fundraising Breakfast.
* Inspires guests to give a meaningful gift to First Place during the Breakfast.

2. Why do we need Table Captains?
Table Captains reach out to individuals in the community and introduce them to First Place and the services we provide to families. When guests come to the Breakfast, they have a chance to interact with other caring community members, gain a more intimate understanding of our work, and have the opportunity to financially support the organization. After the event, First Place follows up with guests and invites them to tour our building and to volunteer with the children.

3. Top fears of Table Captains & our answers:

• What if I can't get 9 people? Try your best to bring as many as you can. We can help you fill the empty seats.
  
• What if my guests can't give much money, or any at all? Invite them anyway! Part of the event is introducing First Place to new people. We have faith that one day they will find a way to support us.
  
• What if people say no? This will happen and we have a secret plan to help you out (it's so secret we're not going to post it on the blog).
  

Sign up today.

Save the Date: April 28, 2010 at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center. The event will showcase alumni students, and promises to warm your heart! Invitations coming in early 2010.

If you are interested in being a Table Captain, sign-up online today and in January we'll send you the details.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Tour First Place
Donate a Family Outing
Use Flex Spending to Donate First Aid Items
Take a Kid to Lunch Without Leaving Your Desk

Idea 17: Take a Kid to Lunch Without Leaving Your Desk

One of the realities of homelessness is that adults and children alike may not know where their next meal is coming from.

The children who attend First Place know that they will get two healthy and tasty meals and a snack every day that they attend school. This may be the only food they get all day—or even all week. But, these meals help kids stay focused and able to learn.
At First Place we can feed a child lunch for one month for less than $50.00. Wanna take a kid to lunch for a whole month? That’s about $3.00 a lunch. (Aren’t you paying more than that for your morning latte?)

Ms. Wube, who runs the our Food Services Program, says the hardest part of her job is trying to give all our children what they want—while following the guidelines for school meals which require that there are fruits and vegetables at every meal, that sugar content is low, and that they are balanced according to the food pyramid. Ms. Wube pays close attention to these guidelines, while paying closer attention to the children and what they like. She strives to give them food they like, and encourages them to try new things, or things they don’t like (yet)—just like mom does. One former student even called Ms. Wube her “second mom.”

You can make the difference for a kid for a whole month. For another $50.00 you can give them breakfast, too.

Right now through December 31, all gifts made to First Place online will be matched dollar for dollar up to $5,750. Give online today.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Tour First Place
Skip the Office Party
Donate a Family Outing
Use Flex Spending to Donate First Aid Items

Idea 16: Use Flex Spending to Donate First Aid Items

How many times do you get to the end of December and realize you haven't spent all of your Flex Plan on medical-related items?

If you have some money left in your flex spending account but don't need a box of band-aids, consider purchasing items you can donate to First Place.

As of January 1, First Place is losing our support from Health Care for the Homeless. Since our earliest days, this partnership has provided First Place with a nurse on-site 3 days a week and has taken care of almost all of the health needs of our children and families.

We now have to hire our own nurse and provide our own supplies for the first time in our 21 years.
We have a specific list of items that are needed to keep our First Aid Kit full. If you would like a copy of this list, email Chris Cooper, Director of Development and Marketing.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Tour First Place
Give a Birthday Gift
Skip the Office Party
Donate a Family Outing

Idea 15: Donate a Family Outing

Take a moment to think back to when you were a child. Everything was so new, so vivid. Think about trips to the zoo or going to the museum with your family. How about going to a baseball game or the IMAX? These experiences are priceless and can be expensive for families struggling with homelessness.

Now you can be a part of giving these types of unique experiences. Consider donating theatre tickets, zoo tickets, museum tickets, or sporting event tickets you can help impact a child’s life forever plus inspire hobbies or even careers. Many of our families would otherwise not be able to afford the opportunity.

This is the perfect gift to do with a group of your friends -- or check with your employer to see if they have tickets to donate.

The suggested donation for this gift is: 2 adult tickets, 4 kid tickets. The two perfect compliments to your gift would be bus tickets and a gift card for a meal.

If you have questions about donating tickets contact Lisa Foss at 206 323 6715 or lfoss@firstplaceschool.org

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Collect Box Tops for Education
Tour First Place
Give a Birthday Gift
Skip the Office Party

Idea 14: Skip the Office Party

Turning your office party into a benefit for First Place has been on our list. We found a blog posting on Change.org that said it really well.

Today, we're going to let them do the talking for us. This article gives you five reasons to turn any party into activism.

Why You Should Skip the Office Swap and Support the Homeless by Shannon Moriarty.

What are some workplaces that have done something similar for First Place?

Car Toys
Onlineshoes.com
Departments at Nordstrom and Boeing

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Collect Box Tops for Education
Tour First Place
Donate a Gift Card
Give a Birthday Gift

Idea 13: Give a Birthday Gift

For every child at First Place, we want their Birthday to be special. Some teachers have a special hat, button or cape the student can wear for the day. The presents are kept in our Birthday Box.

When it's your birthday, you get choose one big present out of the box and then you are given a small bag and you can put as many things in the bag as you can fit.

We seek donations for our Birthday Box all year round for children ages 3 to 12.

Examples of big presents are sports balls such as basketball and footballs, board games, art kits, puzzles, action figures such as Transformers, Wrestling and Star Wars, moon sand, and dolls such as Bratz and Barbie.

Small items are things like finger puppets, small action figures, miniature cars, plastic jewelry, play-doh, small dolls such as Neopets, pencil toppers, keychains, bouncy balls and anything that would fit in your hand.

If you have questions about donating to the Birthday Box contact Lisa Foss at 206 323 6715 or lfoss@firstplaceschool.org

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Be a Secret Santa for a Child
Collect Box Tops for Education
Tour First Place
Donate a Gift Card

Idea 12: Donate a Gift Card

Gift Cards (especially in increments of $25) are one of the most versatile gifts you can give to First Place. Here are examples of how we use gift cards during the holidays and throughout the year.

• Gift cards to Safeway and Grocery Outlet are handed to families to help them through weeks where they might be struggling with their budget until the next payday.
• The Clothing Bank uses gift cards to Target, Amazon.com or Fred Meyer to buy new underwear and socks, and also purchase clothing for missing sizes.
• Great Clips and Super Cuts are great places for kids and families to get haircuts - especially if mom has a job interview.
• Teachers love gift certificates to Staples, Lakeshore Learning Center and booksellers like Barnes and Noble so they can purchase classroom supplies.
• During the holidays, we sometimes need to fill in the gaps with presents that are donated to students and families with trips to Target or Fred Meyer.
• Bus tickets are used to give to parents to get to their jobs and appointments around town.
• Office supplies can be purchased through gift cards, helping us keep our costs low and put more money into our programs.
• Costco gift cards are great for buying snacks for our After School Program.
• Other ideas for gift cards: Subway, McDonald's, Gas Stations, Visa Gift Cards, and even Baskin Robbins because who doesn't love a treat?
  

What's great about Gift Cards is that now you can buy many different kinds from your local Safeway without having to travel around to different stores.

Gift cards can be sent to First Place through the mail, through email at (lfoss@firstplaceschool.org) or dropped off in person. As always, call us with questions!

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Be a Secret Santa for a Child
Donate Office Supplies
Collect Box Tops for Education
Tour First Place