In 2016, Lake Catholic High School in Mentor took a new approach to reaching annual fundraising goals when it decided to participate in #weGiveCatholic, a one-day, online fundraiser on #Giving Tuesday.
WeGiveCatholic.org is an online crowdfunding platform provided by the Catholic Community Foundation at the Diocese of Cleveland. It offers a targeted, philanthropic approach to ministries, organizations and schools aiming to increase awareness and reach fundraising goals for specific projects.
When Lake Catholic joined the online fundraising movement two years ago, the school was experiencing an increased need to assist families with tuition assistance. #weGiveCatholic was a new way for the school to engage donors, alumni and students. In one day, the school raised $10,000.
Returning to the campaign for 2017 was an easy decision for Lake Catholic. The school participated in early bird registration. By doing so, resources such as marketing toolkits, webinars and strategy sessions provided by the Catholic Community Foundation helped the school put together a cohesive marketing plan for the 24-hour donation day. The goal was to match what had been raised the previous year. Pre-planning and new tactics paid off when the school exceeded its goal, raising $10,936 in one day in the midst of its annual campaign.
The concept of Catholic philanthropy was incorporated into religion classes. Students and staff discussed sharing time, talents and treasures in a way that supported their school and fellow classmates. The classes discussed what it means to leave their legacy and how to commit to the growth of their community.
A $10 dress-down day and a chance to wear school spirit attire was incorporated as a perk for students as the school worked to connect the entire community on the day of giving.
Lake Catholic is back for the 2018 #weGiveCatholic event on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
?The more donors we have, the greater the impact,? said Barb DiTurno, director of advancement.
