~Food Drive : How -To's?~

[Waxman]

I've partnered up with a local radio station for this year's food pantry food drive. It's a local event that I feel good about and there's a chance for me to make an immediate, positive contribution.

My questions are: How should I handle the donations in exchange for car washes? I'd like to promote both IBA and SS and get as many donations as possible. Should I make a can of food worth 1 token? Put a minimum on say 3 cans for 3 tokens? 5 cans for a free $8 IBA wash?

 

[pitzerwm]

In the end you need to figure out how much you are willing to contribute from your pocket, then work backwards to find the formula that will end up with that number. Of course, it will be some guesswork but next year you will know more than you do this year.

 

[Waxman]

I'm sure that's one way to look at it, but it's not the way I ran my Veterans Day Car Wash event. I simply opened up my business to veterans and however many came and utilized my facility directly affected how much I donated.

What if I decide I'm comfortable donating about $500 worth of car wash revenue by trading $1 tokens for cans of food and then I collect 1000 canned food items and thus donate $1000 of tokens or revenue?

 

[pitzerwm]

Well, that is the whole point, to learn things that you don't know today. Now, next year you have an idea how the Veteran's day promotion will go and cost you. So if you set this food drive up and you anticipate donating $500 and it turns out to be $1000, then next year you will adjust your "deal". Reminds me of a deal that I anticipated would involve $12K, turned out to be $50K, in the end I survived, but surprises always don't turn out. It does make you work harder to recover and you are a lot smarter next time)