Introduction               Fundraising Toolkit               Holiday Cheer Site

Now in its ninth year, Holiday CHEER has grown to become one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for CHEER San Francisco + the CHEER For Life Foundation. It’s an exciting end-of-year giving campaign where everyone in the entire CHEER community – performers, production, board members, alumni – tap into the power of their networks to raise money on behalf of our beneficiaries.

Running from mid November through the end of the year, Holiday CHEER is an incredible way to extend our fundraising efforts through the part of the year where CHEER is otherwise pretty quiet. It’s easy to get involved: simply create a fundraising page and get the word out to friends, family and coworkers. (No stunts or buckets required this time!)

In previous years we’ve raised over $24,000—and there’s no question we can do that and more this year. But a coordinated effort is required to maximize results and ensure success. We want to encourage fundraisers, help spread the word and create a lot of momentum behind the campaign to make 2024 the best year yet.

This guide will help give you an overview of the campaign, introduce you to the work our beneficiary does in the community and provide you with the tools you need for easy and effective fundraising. Let's go!

The most important thing you can do to help us have a successful campaign is spread the word. It's easy: share early, share wide and share often! You'll be surprised how many people are thrilled and excited to contribute to your cause – but they've got to know about it to do it.

View the presentation shared during the kickoff, complete with campaign details and lots of good tips & tricks.

Here are some simple ways you can get started and reel in those donations:

• Send emails to your friends and family. Let them know about the campaign, explain the cause we're supporting and ask them to help out. You'll be surprised who donates that you might not have expected – so be sure out include extended family, old coworkers, etc.

• Post to Facebook / Twitter / Snapchat / Instagram. Let your adoring fans and followers know how they can contribute. Share posts, updates and stories of the impact their donation can make.

• Donate to your own page to get things started. Even a small donation can help encourage others and demonstrate your own commitment to the cause. Donate $10 or $25 to start the ball rolling.

• Keep people updated. While you don't need to overdo it, think about how you can keep up a cadence of posts and emails through the end of the year. It's a busy time for everyone – so often a reminder or new post means your ask is top of mind for your supporters.

• Have fun! This is a simple way for us to raise money for an incredible cause, and it's also a great opportunity to let people know just why charitable cheerleading rocks! Show off that magnetic spirit and watch the donations flood in.

Below you'll find a bunch of example posts, emails, images and facts that you can use when reaching out. Just be sure to include the link to your personal fundraising page whenever you get the word out!

Funds raised for the Holiday Cheer campaign go to the CHEER For Life Fund, which makes grants to organizations doing important work on the ground with at-risk members of our community living with life-challenging conditions. This year our primary beneficiary is the Huckleberry Youth Programs.

Huckleberry Youth Programs works in solidarity with young people and their families to advance their personal growth and social equity. Since 1967, we have accomplished this by providing San Francisco and Marin youth and their families with a network of services and opportunities by caring peers and adults.

For teens and their families everywhere, adolescence can be a difficult time. Many low-income youth face additional barriers, risks and pressures, making these years even more critical. Though challenging, adolescence presents a unique opportunity to change course and make choices that will lead to a more promising future. For over 50 years, Huckleberry has partnered with teens and families to overcome adversity.

We seek to empower young people to develop and maintain healthy relationships as well as promote their talents, ideas, leadership and health; to assist youth and their families in overcoming the obstacles they may encounter, which can include family concerns, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health challenges, teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, violence, social and economic inequities, and physical and sexual abuse; and to assist clients in navigating complex social welfare, educational and juvenile justice systems.

Huckleberry’s Four Service Areas: Huckleberry strengthens families and empowers young people with services that promote safety in times of crisis, physical and emotional health and well-being, social justice in communities facing inequity, and educational success.

Learn more at https://www.huckleberryyouth.org/

Text/FB Message Threads

Friends, Family, Coworkers, Classmates

Group Chat Options

Hey friends! CHEER SF is raising money for Huckleberry Youth Programs this holiday season, and it would mean a lot to me if you could donate $5-$10 to this cause. Consider it a replacement for all of the times you would have come see me perform this pride season! 😉 [LINK]

* * *

Happy Giving Tuesday [or: Happy Friday, Happy Monday, etc]! I’d love to give you all a hug, but instead I’m hoping you can help me give back to LGBTQ+ community. I’m hoping to get 5 donations of $10 each for Huckleberry Youth Programs this week. I know times are tough right now, but anything you could spare would help LGBTQIA+ and QTBIPOC people and their families receive the mental health care they deserve. Who can help me out? [LINK]

* * *

Alright friends, I’ll be blunt and awkwardly ask for money. CHEER SF does just one fundraiser every year, our fund could use more help than ever right now. Can anyone donate $10 to my campaign? [LINK]

Follow-Up Text

In case you forgot, my fundraiser is still live for a few more days. Thank you [name of friend/s] for supporting! If anyone else wants to squeeze a $10 donation in, it would mean a lot to me! You can even Venmo @cheersf if that’s easier. [LINK]

Emails

More Removed Family, Colleagues, Family Friends

#1 – SHORT AND SWEET

Hi Friends + Family,

As you may know, I’m still involved with CHEER SF this year, and despite the pandemic affecting our performing opportunities, we’re still raising spirits in the community! It would mean so much to me if you could support my holiday fundraising efforts this year.

All funds raised go to support Huckleberry Youth Programs. Huckleberry has supported teens and their families in San Francisco and Marin since 1967. They provide a 24-hr crisis shelter, counseling programs, support for those who have been sexually exploited, health care and education, and more.

I've committed to raising $[X] for Pacific Center, which will go to support their services. Please join me in helping support the important work of community organizations like this by making a donation to my page — it's quick, secure and tax-deductible:

[LINK]

Thank you again for your generous support!

— NAME

#2 – WITH MORE BENEFICIARY DETAIL

Hi Friends + Family!

For the past XX years, I've volunteered with CHEER San Francisco raising spirits and funds for charities serving at-risk members in the community. Today I’d like to invite you to join in the effort with a donation to our 2021 Holiday CHEER giving campaign benefiting an incredible organization: Huckleberry Youth Programs.

Huckleberry has been supporting teens and their families in San Francisco and Marin since 1967.

They empower young people to develop and maintain healthy relationships as well as promote their talents, ideas, leadership and health; assist youth and their families in overcoming the obstacles they may encounter, which can include family concerns, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health challenges, teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, violence, social and economic inequities, and physical and sexual abuse; and assist clients in navigating complex social welfare, educational and juvenile justice systems.

Help me support this important work this holiday season. My personal fundraising goal is $XXX. Even a small donation will help and supports a world where *all* people are honored, respected and appreciated. It's quick, secure and tax-deductible:

[LINK]

If you're unable to give, that’s okay! But I strongly encourage everyone to take a moment to learn more about Huckleberry Youth Programs and how you can help support all of our greater community at huckleberryyouth.org

Thank you so much for your support – and here's to a great holiday season for all.

– NAME

Social Media/Work Messenger

Facebook, Instagram, Slack, GChat, Microsoft Teams

Images

Use these in social media posts or emails.

Questions?

Need help setting up your page or asking for donations? Reach out to your team captains and they'll he happy to help you out.