5 fundraising ideas for the holidays
1. Bake sales
Bake sales are a classic Christmas fundraising idea, but they can be used to fundraise during any holiday. Consider hosting a holiday-themed bake sale and incorporating additional fundraising elements, like a gingerbread house-building contest or cookie decorating class. Participants can make memories and have the opportunity to leave with special holiday treats!
2. Gift-wrapping services
Offering gift-wrapping services for a small donation is a simple and effective way to raise money for St. Jude during the holiday season. Gather a group of volunteers, reach out to local businesses to find an ideal location and spread holiday cheer by wrapping gifts and helping families save some time during the busy season.
3. 'Giving Tuesday' campaigns
Celebrate the national day of giving with “Giving Tuesday”-themed campaigns. You can host a day-long social media fundraising event, encouraging your friends and followers to complete specific challenges. Participants can share on social media and inspire more to join in.
4. Santa Claus meet-and-greets
Host a Santa Claus ‘Meet and Greet’ event, where families can make a small donation to meet Santa, take a photo and share their holiday wishes. Be sure to provide clear communication about what the donations will support, and consider posting a fundraising goal-tracking chart to share progress throughout the event.
5. Toy drives
Toy drives are another popular go-to seasonal charity event. You can host a social media event and encourage participants to choose items from the St. Jude Amazon wish list. It’s also a great opportunity to teach children the importance of giving during the holiday season.
Looking for more information on fundraising?
Our fundraising guide is full of helpful tips and ideas to help get you started!
Fundraising helps patients like Hayden
In 2023, Hayden was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a cancer of the retina. The diagnosis brought his mother, Terrian, to tears. But when her son was referred to St. Jude, she felt hope.
At St. Jude, Hayden underwent surgery to remove his right eye and now wears a prosthetic.
“St. Jude saved my son’s life,” she said. “St. Jude has done a lot for me, and not just for me but for other families as well.”
When you fundraise for St. Jude, you help families like Hayden's.
Why support St. Jude?
Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live.
St. Jude has helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% in 1962 to 80% today. We won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.
Every child deserves a chance to live their best life and celebrate every moment. When you support St. Jude, you can help make cures possible for kids with cancer. Together, we can save more lives.
Help St. Jude give every child with cancer a chance
Because of your support, we can provide children cutting-edge treatments not covered by insurance, at no cost to families. Unlike other hospitals, the majority of funding for St. Jude comes from generous donors. Join us and be part of our mission to save more lives.
St. Jude patient Maelin-Kate
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