TEAM CAPTAIN

PACKET

April 29, 2018

Lighthouse Point Park, New Haven

www.CTFoodBank.org/Walk-Against-Hunger

Welcome Team Captains!

Hello Team Captain,

We are so thrilled that you will be joining us on Sunday, April 29 for our Annual Walk Against Hunger

at Lighthouse Point Park, New Haven. We are expecting close to 800 people for the event as we rally

in support of neighbors in need and get on the move toward a hunger free Connecticut. We hope this

packet will give you information to help promote your team and encourage others to join.

Thank you for taking the lead in being a Team Captain. We are here to help, but we need your help

too! Share the event on social media and start posting those pre-event photos of training, team shirts,

or how you are preparing for walk day. Don’t forget to use the hash tag #WalkAgainstHunger.

Prior to event day, all Team Captains and participants will receive periodic detailed emails with

important information, so please keep a look out! We will also be reaching out to you by phone to

ensure you are ready and excited! But if at any point in time you need any assistance, please feel free

to reach out to me by phone or email.

I want to personally thank you for your continued support and dedication. I look forward to seeing your

team on April 29.

Thank you,

Mia Freedenfeld Special Events Manager Connecticut Food Bank O: (203) 741-9758 M: (203) 317-9929 mfreedenfeld@ctfoodbank.org

Please note: The Walk Against Hunger will be held RAIN OR SHINE!

2018 Walk Against Hunger Information Date: Sunday, April 29, 2018

Location: Lighthouse Point Park, New Haven

Address: 2 Lighthouse Point Terrace, New Haven, CT 06512

Time: Registrations opens at 1pm, the Walk kicks off at 2pm

About The Connecticut Food Bank

The Connecticut Food Bank provides food to hungry adults and children in six of Connecticut’s eight

counties: Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London and Windham.

Food is provided through a network of community-based programs, including food pantries, soup

kitchens, emergency shelters, residential programs and day programs that serve adults and children,

as well through our Mobile Pantry, GROW Truck and Kids’ BackPack programs.

Facts:

The Connecticut Food Bank provided enough food last year to prepare more than 21 million meals.

Each month, Connecticut Food Bank member programs serve an average of 148,000 people each

month.

More than 400,000 Connecticut residents are food insecure; they cannot always afford nutritious meals and must sometimes choose between buying food or meeting other basic needs.

In Connecticut, more than 127,000 children are food insecure – one in six children in our state. Hunger affects every community. Half of Connecticut Food Bank distribution to food pantries goes

to suburbs and small towns. 42% of people in Connecticut who are food insecure are not eligible for Federal food assistance

programs, including SNAP (“food stamps”) because they have income above the threshold, yet they must rely on charitably donated food to meet basic nutritional needs.

A dollar donated to Connecticut Food Bank provides enough food for two meals. A little more than

$10 can provide enough food to feed someone for a week.

Our Mission: Provide nutritious food to people in need.

Building Your Team!

Use The Online Tools

Register online at www.ctfoodbank.org/walk and take advantage of all the easy-to-use fundraising tools like the

following:

Create your own personalized walker website!

Send e-mails for online fundraising.

Track online and offline donations.

Setup Your Team Use the steps below to register a team for the Walk Against Hunger:

1. Go to www.ctfoodbank.org/walk on your internet browser. Click on Register To Walk.

2. On the top of the page chose Start a Team.

3. Choose a team name and enter it into the Team Name field (get creative!)

4. Set a fundraising goal for your team. Don’t be afraid to set a high goal! (minimum suggested goal: $500)

5. Select the type of Walker you would like to be.

6. Select whether you are a “New User” or “Returning User.”

6a. IF NEW: Enter registration information. Create a username & password for the Participant Center.

7. Read the waiver and accept the terms and conditions.

8. Registration complete! You can now begin your fundraising efforts by sending e-mails from your website,

inviting people to join your team and encouraging everyone to donate for a good cause!

Customize Your Personal Page Did you know that Walkers who update their personal fundraising page with a story and a photo, raise at least 2x

more than those who leave the pre-written text? Use the following steps to customize your webpage to increase

your team’s fundraising capability!

1. Log in using the username & password you chose when you registered for the Walk Against Hunger.

2. Select View Participant Center, the blue link underneath your name in the top right of the screen.

3. Select the Personal Page tab, update the message and add a photo. Click “Save” at the bottom.

Recruitment Successful Walk teams range from 10 to 20 people. family, friends, coworkers, exercise partners, former

colleagues, college roommates, Facebook friends, and Twitter and Instagram followers… anyone you know!

Social media platforms are a great way to communicate your message. Spread the word by posting fundraising

events and progress on your Facebook/Twitter accounts. Use the hashtags #WalkAgainstHunger and

#CTFoodBank in your posts.

Send emails! Use the email tools in the participant center (and sample emails also included in this packet) to email

your contact list and ask them to support you.

Post a sign-up sheet in your office with information on how to get involved.

ASK! You have to ask or no one will say yes!

Be the Best Leader You Can Be and Give Proper Shout-Outs

Remember that you are the leader of your team. You should be the person to show enthusiasm in your efforts and

keep your team’s spirits high. Organize team meetings to discuss fundraising opportunities and ideas to make the

walk the best experience for you and your team!

Let your team members and donors know how great they are. Send personalized thank you notes expressing your

gratitude for the involvement and hard work they contributed to the walk.

Fundraising Information

Each participant can use his or her own contribution list to track donations. At the end of this handbook, and in the

online Participant Center, there is a form that you and your donors can complete as you collect money. Use any

kind of envelope to collect the donations.

Fundraising online is an easy and efficient way to raise money in support of the Connecticut Food Bank. Friends,

family and co-workers can check back often to see your progress. In addition, the average donation made online is

higher than the average donation made offline.

To Donate Online:

Family/Friends can donate to a specific team or team member online.

1. Go to www.ctfoodbank.org/walk and Select “Donate”

2. Select search for a participant or search for a team - - Enter the Participant OR Team name into search

field, press “Search”

3. Click on the participant’s name OR team name to be taken to their fundraising page. Donations made to a

team go towards a team total. Donations made to a team member count towards both the team total and the

individuals goal.

4. Click “Support” on the right side of page.

To Donate by Check:

Please make checks payable to the Connecticut Food Bank. In the memo section write the Team and/or Participant

you are sponsoring. Mail your check to: Connecticut Food Bank, Attn: Walk Against Hunger 2 Research Parkway,

Wallingford, CT 06492.

Note: Any donations received for the Walk Against Hunger via mail will be linked to your team fundraising web

page. Please allow time for processing.

To Donate in Cash:

Please don’t send cash in the mail! Track your donations on the sheet provided and turn in cash to our office in

Wallingford Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30pm, day of the event at the registration tent or turn that cash into a money

order or check. Just make sure you include the donor’s contact information. Mail all checks and money orders to:

Connecticut Food Bank, Walk Against Hunger; 2 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492.

All Walk Against Hunger donations must be mailed to Connecticut Food Bank before May 18 to count towards

event fundraising. To qualify for the top fundraising awards, your donations must be submitted to the office before

the close of business on the Thursday BEFORE the Walk (April 26).

Gift Matching:

Some companies match employees gifts to certain charities. Matching gifts programs vary from company to

company so be sure to contact your Human Resources department to find out if your company offers a Matching

Gifts program, how the Matching Gifts program in your company works and to obtain the proper forms that you

need to submit in order for your matching gift to be counted towards your final individual fundraising goal.

Fundraising Tips

Take Advantage of Online Fundraising Tools

Once you register as a participant, a personal fundraising page is automatically generated for you. We

encourage everyone to visit the Participant Center as soon as registration is complete and personalize this page.

You can set your fundraising goal, upload pictures and tell your story all on this one page. **Pages that are

personalized are three times more likely to receive a donation! Once your page is complete, send out emails to

all of your contacts inviting them to join or donate to your team.

Create a Personal Fundraising Email

While we have provided you with easy to use email templates inside your Participant Center (along with samples

in this packet), feel free to edit this template or create your own! A personalized appeal to friends and family can

really go a long way. It’s important to share your story about your connection with us. And remember, to fully

maximize your fundraising efforts, reach out to not only friends and family members, but also co-workers,

neighbors, club members and local businesses.

Double Fundraising with Matching Gifts

Many companies have matching gift programs that can double and sometimes triple donations. Check with your

corporation to learn more about their matching gift program and be sure to encourage your donors and team

members to do the same.

Or ask a local business to support your fundraising efforts by matching what you raise. Donors will love knowing

that their contribution will have twice the impact and the business benefits from the publicity associated with you

sharing their donation commitment. It also helps motivate donors that haven't committed yet and renew

enthusiasm for the campaign.

Think Outside the Box – Be Creative!

Think of fun ways to involve your co-workers with a jeans day or early-out day, where for a donation of $5.00 or

more, employees could wear jeans or have an early-out on a designated day. You can also host a Brown Bag

Lunch Day where you ask co-workers to bring in their lunch instead of purchasing it and donate the saved funds

to your team. Finally, place a change collection canister or box near office vending machines or another central

spot and encourage co-workers to spare their change.

Quick ways to raise funds for your team!

Ask two friends or family members to donate $25 each.

Host a car wash.

Donate $25 and have your company match your donation.

Have a bake sale.

Host a fundraising night at a local restaurant.

Ask 5 co-workers to donate $10 each.

Host a game night with friends and neighbors.

Ask your Facebook friends to donate $5 or $10 each.

Change Jars: Keep a change jar at home, at your desk, or in the lobby of your business.

Fundraising Tips

Post and Tweet

Inside your Participant Center you have the ability to easily post your personal fundraising page link to your

Facebook or Twitter. Shout out to your friends and followers, invite them to sign up and/or support your fundraising

efforts. Tag us @CTFoodBank, using the hashtags: #WalkAgainstHunger and #CTFoodBank

Samples Posts:

“I’m participating in the #WalkAgainstHunger on April 29, in New Haven. Please make a donation. With just

$10, @CTFoodBank can supply enough food to feed a person for a week.”

“Be part of the fight against hunger! Join me on Sunday, April 29 at Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven

for @CTFoodBank #WalkAgainstHunger!” (insert URL to personal/team page)

“More than 400,000 people in the state of Connecticut, including 127,000 children, do not know where their

next meal is coming from. Please help by making a donation to my @CTFoodBank #WalkAgainstHunger

team.” (insert URL to personal/team page)

“Lace up your walking shoes and join me on Sunday, April 29, for the @CTFoodBank #WalkAgainstHunger

in New Haven! Join my team:” (insert URL to team page)

“Please consider making a donation to my @CTFoodBank #WalkAgainstHunger fundraising efforts. $1 can

provide enough food for two meals.” (Insert link to personal fundraising page)

Don’t be Afraid to Follow Up

Sending out one email may not be enough to motivate all of your contacts to support your efforts. As we all know,

most people are very busy, and even though they plan to support you, your initial request may have gotten lost in

the shuffle of their lives. Sending out a reminder or update on your efforts is a great way to remind your friends and

family that you still need their support and motivate them to take action. Let them know how much you have already

raised and how far you have to go to hit your goal, and then ask for a donation to help you complete your mission.

TIP: It takes on average 3 solicitation emails to generate 1 donation.

Get Support From Those You Support All Year Long

Hair dressers, dog groomers, accountants, doctors and dentists without a doubt appreciate your business and

would likely be happy to support you.

Keep Your Team Motivated and Excited

The easiest way for a team to fall short of its potential is to become complacent about their fundraising efforts. It is

important that everyone on your team understands that they play an important role in the success of not only your

team, but the entire event! Also, be sure to always send shout outs to team members using your Participant Center

for sharing news about new team members, fundraising goal progress or other event updates.

Thank Yous are VERY Important

Sending out a thank you is extremely important and is an easy way to show your donors how much you appreciate

their support. Thank yous can be in the form of an email, handwritten note or phone call, but no matter the form,

they should be sincere and sent out in a timely manner. Once you have thanked your donors, be sure to keep

sharing your progress and important milestones (50% of your goal achieved, that you have increased your goal,

etc). This will show them that their support truly made a difference in your efforts and may inspire them to make

additional donations or pass along your website to others.

NEW!

We Thank YOU!

VIP Walker Club

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE VIP WALKER CLUB BY RAISING $1,500 OR MORE!

VIP Parking for your vehicle at the Walk

Personal VIP Walker sign along the Walk route celebrating your fundraising success

Special recognition at the podium during the day of event program

VIP Walkers will receive medals of recognition

T-shirts

Walkers who individually raise $30 qualify to receive a Walk Against Hunger t-shirt, which will be distributed on

the day of the event. If you are fundraising as a team - ensure that at least $30 is credited to each team member

to ensure all members receive a t-shirt. We can help with this at any time.

Incentives

Keep an eye out for emails about extra fundraising incentives and prizes throughout March and April.

Prize Bags

Walkers who individually raise $150 qualify to receive a Walk Against Hunger t-shirt and a prize bag, which will

be distributed day of the event. If you are fundraising as a team - ensure that at least $150 is credited to each

team member to ensure all members receive a t-shirt and prize bag. We can help with this at any time.

Awards

There will be four awards given out the day of the event:

Largest Team

Most Spirited Individual

Most Spirited Team

Biggest Fundraiser

Sample Emails

Sample Team Captain Recruitment Email

Did you know that more than 400,000 Connecticut residents are food insecure - nearly one-third of them are

children.

I'm making a difference by being a Team Captain for the Walk Against Hunger - April 29, 2018. (Include a personal

story as to why you are participating) I am asking you today to join my team and help the Connecticut Food Bank.

It’s easy:

Visit www.CTFoodBank.org/Walk, and choose “Join a Team” and select my team: INSERT TEAM NAME will be

in the drop-down menu.

After you've joined the team, we will raise funds and recruit other team members together. Once you’ve registered,

you’ll have your own webpage fromwhich you can send emails asking for donations and inviting other people to

join our team.

As your team captain, I am here to guide you every step of the way. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any

questions.

Please help me reach our team member goal by joining the team today. Also, feel free to forward this email to

anyone you think will want to make a difference!

Thank you, in advance, for your participation.

(INSERT YOUR NAME)

Sample Recruitment/Fundraising Email

Join me for this year’s Connecticut Food Bank Walk Against Hunger! Your participation and fundraising would

mean so much to me and to the thousands of others in our local community who are impacted by food insecurity.

More than 400,000 Connecticut residents are food insecure - nearly one-third of them are children. (Include a

personal story as to why you are participating)

I invite you to walk alongside me, or make a donation to help us get there. By participating in the Walk Against

Hunger, you will help raise much-needed awareness and funds to provide nutritious food to people in need.

Register online today at www.CTFoodBank.org/Walk

If you cannot join me the day of the event, please make a donation. Any amount — big or small — helps make a

difference in the lives of people who face food insecurity everyday. You can donate online by visiting

www.CTFoodBank.org/Walk and clicking the orange "Donate" button. Then enter my name, search and click my

name. On my personal walk page, click “support XX” on the right side of the page.

Or, you can simply send your contribution to the following address (please include my full name and Walk in the

memo line along with your donation):

Connecticut Food Bank

2 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492

I appreciate your support and hope to see you at this year’s Walk Against Hunger!

Sincerely,

(INSERT YOUR NAME)

P.S. If you would like more information about Connecticut Food Bank, or other ways you can get involved in

alleviating hunger in Connecticut, please visit www.CTFoodBank.org

Sample Emails

Sample Fundraising Email

I’m fundraising to support the Connecticut Food Bank Walk Against Hunger! The funds I raise are needed to

help alleviate hunger in Connecticut by providing food to people in need. More than 400,000 Connecticut

residents are food insecure - nearly one-third of them are children.

Please lend your support! The link below will allow you to visit my personal fundraising page and make a tax-

deductible online donation. Once there, click “Give Now.” If you prefer, you can also mail me a donation directly.

<INSERT PERSONAL PAGE LINK>

The Walk Against Hunger is held each year to raise awareness and funds to support the vital work of the

Connecticut Food Bank. We encourage all to participate in a day that celebrates helping our neighbors. Will you

please support us?

Thank you in advance for your donation and support.

(INSERT YOUR NAME)

Sample Thank You Email

On behalf of everyone affected by hunger and food insecurity right here in Connecticut, thank you for your

generous donation in support of my Walk Against Hunger fundraising!

Not only does your donation bring me closer to my fundraising goal, with every dollar donated to the Connecticut

Food Bank, they can provide enough food for two meals.

Your donation puts us closer to ending hunger in Connecticut. Hunger affects every community. Half of

Connecticut Food Bank distribution to food pantries goes to suburbs and small towns. An average of 148,000

Connecticut residents visits the Connecticut Food Bank network of more than 650 programs each month seeking

food assistance. Every dollar counts and helps.

Thank you again for your generous donation!

Sincerely,

(INSERT YOUR NAME)

SUPPORTER’S NAME ADDRESS Donation

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Please send your completed form, along with all contributions to:

Connecticut Food Bank, Walk Against Hunger, 2 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT, 06492 DONATIONS TOTAL $

MY LIST OF SUPPORTERS

Walker’s Name: _______________________________________ Email: __________________________________________________

My Fundraising Goal: ___________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________________

Team Name (if applicable): _______________________________ Address: ________________________________________________

Please have supporters prepay with cash or checks payable to Connecticut Food Bank/Walk Against Hunger. Contributions are tax-deductible. Ask

supporters to write your name and Walk location in the memo portion of the check. Please do not list online credit card donations on this form—

those should be made directly on the website and are tracked through the site. Please print legibly.

Registration Form

Team members not able to register by computer?

Complete the below form and send to:

2 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492

Join the Facebook event for updates and information