Rummage Sale
When you're just one person trying to make an impact on the lives of a lot of other people, you've got to work with what you've got. What’s one thing we all have?
Extra stuff setting around that we don’t wear anymore and that we don’t use -that tacky sweater grandma gave you three Christmases ago that’s only function is to occupy the back of your bottom dresser drawer, that teddy bear that you’ve kept around longer than you kept the boyfriend that gave it to you, those shoes that were definitely cuter in the store than they ever were with anything you own, and that oh-I-have-no-idea-where-this-came-from-or-why-anyone-would-buy-it item that we all seem to have lots of. We could definitely use a reason to lighten our load. And what more noble reason than helping somebody else out?
Start advertising that your group will be
collecting rummage to sell to raise money to feed the homeless
in DC, to pay for aftercare for rescued forced prostitutes in
Thailand, to help with our latest project in Maputo,
Mozambique or whatever
particular human rights issue you choose.
You’ll want to get the word out sometime before Fall break, Christmas break or Spring break so that way people can not only donate what’s been cluttering their dorm rooms but they can bring extra rummage from home as well. You should plan to collect donations for about 3 weeks before the event so you will have enough stuff to make it a success.
Set donation boxes in key locations on campus- the more locations, the better. Be sure to get permission first and to label the boxes. Go around and check them regularly so as not to have stuff piling up.
The actual rummage sale should last for a few days so it has time to become a bit of an ear bug. When scoping out a location for your rummage sale, look for an area that has a lot of foot traffic and arrange to have it set up there during the busiest hours of the day. Keep the prices real cheap, around $1 - $2, to keep things moving. You may want to set out a donation jar for people that maybe can’t find anything they like but still want to support the cause. The last day of the sale, sell things by the bagful just to get rid of it and raise the money. Whatever is leftover can be donated to a local Salvation Army Thrift Store or homeless shelter.
Have a backboard set up at the with information about the human rights issue itself, where the raised money is going and what it will accomplish in the lives of the victims of that particular form of human rights abuse. You may want to print up pamphlets to give to customers to take home and have a signup sheet for people who may be interested in doing missions or service work in the impacted area.
Be sure to announce how much was raised and what was accomplished at the conclusion of the event! People want to know that their support did some good in the world.
Let us know how this idea worked for you!
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