A Seamless Approach To Online Fundraising (NAPSA)—A company known for its home-style foods is helping nonprofit groups add to their fundraising menu. Schwan’s HomeService, Inc. has introduced a unique online fundraising solution that eliminates manyof the frustrations that are often associated with more traditional money-raising methods. Helping Customers Help Others The Schwan’s Cares” fundraising program enables community members to support their favorite causes—such as youth sports teams, nonprofit groups, church projects and other community organizations—while they shop. A charitable group starts the process by using the program to create a fundraising Web page and run its own fundraising campaign entirely online. Supporters of the group’s fundraising effort can then visit the page to shop online, selecting from more than 350 of Schwan’s home-style foods. Their purchases can help the group meet its fundraising goals. During the typical campaign period—usually about 45 days— fundraising groups will receive 20 to 40 percent of the proceeds from their campaigns’ online sales, plus earn 5 percent on additional purchases from their supporters for the rest of the year. Supporting Teams And Groups Since the start of the program in late 2013, more than 1,500 community groups have implemented campaigns, including the Shakopee Girls Fast Pitch Softball Association based in Minnesota, which generated more than $2,700 in funds in its six-week campaign and will continue to earn 5 percent of purchases by its supporters for one year. Another example, the Washington Rotary Club, part of the Washington, Ill. Chamber of An online fundraising program lets community members support their favorite causes while they shopfor food. Commerce, is in the middle of raising funds to rebuild local homes and businesses after devastating tornadoes hit the area last fall. Furthermore, Special Olympics Minnesota kicked off a robust Schwan’s Cares” campaign in fall 2013. “Special Olympics Minnesotais excited to be working with [the] Schwan’s Cares™ [program] to raise valuable funds in support of our mission to help people with intellectual disabilities transform themselves, their communities and the world in which they compete and live,” said Dave Dorn, president and CEO of Special Olympics. Along with being promoted in communities nationwide with the purpose of supporting thousands of causes, the Schwan’s Cares” program has launched with several prominent partners, including USA Hockey and its more than 1 million members, the National Sports Center and its signature global youth soccer event, Schwan’s USA Cup, and the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). A subsidiary of The Schwan Food Company, Schwan’s Home Service, Inc. markets and distributes more than 350 top-quality frozen foods through home-delivery and mail-order services. To learn more, visit www. schwans-cares.com.
