How To Get Cake Ingredients Donations For Cancer Fundraiser?

Decorating By teamdesiree Updated 18 Sep 2012 , 9:32pm by bbouyer

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teamdesiree Posted 15 Sep 2012 , 7:55pm
post #1 of 4

Greetings!
I'm Jan and I am the leader of a group called TeamDesiree.

A friend of ours, named Desiree, is a Musician, but also a life-long Cake, Baking, and Pastry Enthusiaist.

In April of this year, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Neuro Endocrine Cancer. We have been told that it's a rare type of cancer, and the exact type that Steve Jobs of Apple died from.

I'm also a pretty good baker, but no where near the level of Desiree. But I still know who makes the products out there.

We are trying to see what companies that sell baking products (like Dawn, BakeMark, Rich's) are more prone to giving product and ingredient for a series of fundraisers that we will be doing for this wonderful young woman.

Donations like a 50lb bag of Cake Base, or a 25lb bag of brownie mix...a bucket of Buttercream...things like that to help make desserts for the dinners, but also allow for some real fundraising to happen.

I would think that a major company like Pillsbury would have a representative that has a few bags of mixes laying around their house that they could easily write-off. But, we neve know.

The events will be done in the Kansas City area. We can pick them up, or pay for shipping.

If any one has any ideas, feel free to respond here, or to the team email at
[email protected].

Y'all are welcomed to forward the conversation to any company reps you may know too.


Thanks!
Jan Cassling

3 replies
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BakingIrene Posted 16 Sep 2012 , 6:26pm
post #2 of 4

How to get donations of any sort?

Use google to find the corporate head office contact info. Make the request through the right channels--some mfrs have charity info on their webpages.

Make sure you can write letters on letterhead that identifies your charity. Write them and create pdf's for emailed letters. Businesses of all sizes will donate to legitimate charities much sooner than to personal fundraisers for total strangers (because of recent scams).

YOU call the head office of mfrs and ask for their charity officer, to discuss the details in person. Get their name email and phone # for your followup letter and to issue the tax receipt.

I guess I would also go after the Steve Jobs Foundation and Apple Inc.

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jason_kraft Posted 16 Sep 2012 , 7:01pm
post #3 of 4

If you haven't done so already, I recommend creating a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization so donors can legally deduct contributions.

http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-501c3-Nonprofit-Organization

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bbouyer Posted 18 Sep 2012 , 9:32pm
post #4 of 4

When we needed donations for our food booth at the school, we took in a request letter with a letterhead and a tax id number that outlined what items we needed, what the event was and what the proceeds were for. Most large chains (WalMart, Brookshires, Albertsons, Home Depot) have a request folder at the front desk. I usually would call back and check in, the store would issue a gift certificate. I seemed to have better luck at the beginning of the month.

Local bakeries or restaraunts are more likely to donate goods or goodies, again after walking in a request letter. The large chains were difficult to get donations from.

Some local delivery chains that carry the larger quantity items (for restaraunts) were great about donating after an initial e-mail and follow up phone call or meeting. They aren't generally asked for donations.

Good luck!

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