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Featured Fundraiser: Lisa Cochran |
By Ashley Symons, Writer/Editor
Lisa Cochran is a mom who gets stuff done. She felt disenchanted with the annual fundraiser that her children’s schools participated in, and she had a handful of friends who felt same way. Then, while visiting a friend in Brooklyn last year, she found out about the Equal Exchange Fundraising Program.
“I was already familiar with Equal Exchange products and liked them, so I decided to look into the fundraiser,” Lisa said. She pitched the idea to the Exeter Elementary Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) on Earth Day last spring. The fundraiser is really important for the Exeter public schools. The funds raised by the PTO typically pay for bus transportation to and from school field trips, reimbursement for teachers’ out-of-pocket classroom expenses, playground equipment, scholarships, a cultural enrichment program, and new computers. Their traditional fundraiser had been successful in the past, so the PTO decided to try both fundraisers for the 2009 fall fundraiser, and officially kicked off on Sept. 10.
The Kick Off
Lisa’s family has taken fundraising beyond the typical door-to-door efforts. “This has been a family project, and a great learning experience for everybody,” she said. “My husband, son, and daughter have all helped.” Her son is a seventh grader and her daughter is in third grade. While only her daughter’s school is participating in the fundraiser, her son has been extremely involved. “My son has been a driving force behind all of this,” Lisa said.
During two school open houses in September, the Cochran family set up a table with coffee and chocolate samples, and even a special iced rooibos tea. They sold 12-oz. bags of coffee and individual chocolate bars. “It was great because my son helped me set up everything, then he was giving people samples, telling people about Fair Trade and its importance,” she said.
The Cochrans have also started tabling on Saturday mornings at community soccer games, selling coffee, hot chocolate and even baked goods made with Fair Trade and organic ingredients. “Last Saturday [Sept. 26], we made $450,” she said. Her son had so much fun that he wanted to miss his soccer game so that he could continue staffing the table.
Lisa said the kids' involvement in the fundraising makes them feel good about themselves, and they learn important skills. “They learn how to organize a coffee sale; learn how to make change from sales, how to make eye contact, and how to relate to people,” Lisa said. “And, they really start to think outside the box. Their entrepreneurial spirits come out.” For example, one student realized he could increase coffee sales if he offered free delivery to parents sitting on the sidelines.
“I see my kids taking charge, and making this their own, with a sense of pride,” Lisa said. “It’s not just parents doing all the work. The kids are raising money for their PTO, for their school.”
The growing support from other families and community members has made the project less burdensome. “It’s been so much fun, it doesn’t seem like work,” she said.
Raising Awareness
From the beginning, Lisa felt the Equal Exchange fundraiser would be successful, especially as more people are “going green and buying less,” she said. “It’s not a vague PTO fundraiser, where people are asking, ‘where does the money go to?’ It’s clear about why the money is needed.”
Traditional fundraisers often ask kids to sell things like candles, wrapping paper, or magazines. “When my kids are selling [Equal Exchange] products to people, I feel good about it,” Lisa said. “It’s so much more than just raising money for school. It’s raising awareness about buying socially and environmentally responsible products. Plus, [the products are] consumable. Especially in these tough economic times, I feel good asking people to spend their money on something they’ll use. It’s really a win-win.”
The response from the Exeter community has been very positive. “The fundraiser is doing really well,” Lisa said. “Parents are coming forward and saying they’re happy. Before, some parents just sent in a donation without buying any products because it was stuff they didn’t need.”
More families are getting involved in the tabling, too. “They’re signing up for slots,” Lisa said. “It’s something parents can do with their kids, while helping our community.” She said it’s important for kids to see their parents getting involved: “It’s such a great lesson, taking action in something we believe in.”
She also said it’s an opportunity for parents to talk with their kids about being socially and environmentally responsible consumers. “Parents can use this as a learning tool at the dinner table,” Lisa said. “It sheds light on an area that is so important.”
What’s Next?
The Cochrans will be setting up a table to sell coffee at a community road race in October. At that event, they’ll also be participating in the Reverse Trick-or-Treating campaign, handing out the chocolate to help educate people about forced child slave labor in the chocolate industry.
Beyond that, she hopes to take advantage of other school events, like festivals and parades. “There are venues we can utilize throughout the school year where we can sell coffee and hot chocolate,” she said. “With this fundraiser, there’s no end date; we can have an ongoing fundraiser throughout the school year.”
Lisa also hopes to present the Equal Exchange curriculum, Win-Win Solutions: An Introduction to Fair Trade and Cooperative Economics, to the school as a companion to the fundraiser. “There’s so much for the kids to learn – I love that about this program. You can make it as big as you want to, or keep it on a smaller scale,” she said. “I feel like we’re just scratching the surface.”
It’s a pretty big scratch.
To find out more about the Equal Exchange Fundraising Program, visit: www.equalexchange.coop/fundraiser
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