Fundraising Options

Volunteer activities for groups

Work together as a community to reach your fundraising goals.  These group-organized activities help the Thrift Shop by bringing in donations and providing other needed support.

Here's what volunteer groups can help us with:

• Sorting/Group work day:  PTO or club (organized group) provides volunteers to sort large donations.  4 to 6 sorters (adult or high school).
  Mondays 2 pm - 5 pm; Wednesdays 4 pm - 7 pm; Fridays 11 am - 2 pm.
  For availability & scheduling, contact the volunteer coordinator.

• "Project Runway"-type fashion event:  Put together fashionable outfits from Thrift Store merchandise.  Volunteer group organizes, promotes, and runs in-store fashion show.  Dates and themes by arrangement with volunteer coordinator.

• Window decoration:  Volunteer group (max. 3 volunteers) decorates shop windows at front entrance.  One opportunity per month.

• Show Your Support:  PTOs and clubs that are currently registered with the PTO Thrift Shop, have a Thrift Shop representative, and have given a minimum of 20 volunteer hours, are invited to participate once per school year in the "Show Your Support" fundraising program. Make a poster to showcase your group in the store. Shoppers show their support by dropping a token into your collection jar. Token totals at the end of 2 weeks determine the amount of donation your group receives.
  NOW taking registration for spring!  Contact the volunteer coordinator today!

• Demonstrations/Workshops:  Do members of your group have a hobby or skill they’d like to share with customers in the shop?  We welcome your storytellers, or craft and project demonstrators to do a presentation (or several throughout the day).   Your talents can help you reach your fund raising goals!

• Donation Drive:  Run a donation drive in your school or neighborhood to collect items for the shop.  We will schedule a date for your drive and provide pick-up.  OPENINGS for July 8, July 20, August 10, and August 24.  Schedule with volunteer coordinator. 

• Music & Munchies:  Provide music and/or refreshments in the shop on select dates, usually around holidays.  FULL

• Lost & Found Collection:  Groups needed to collect, clean, and deliver to the Thrift Shop the contents of your school’s Lost & Found at the end of each semester.

• Staff informational booths:  Volunteers from your group help staff our booth at community events events like Art Fairs.  Ann Arbor Art Fairs will be held July 21 - 24, 2010. 

Activities may change according to the needs of the shop.

For individual volunteering, contact the volunteer coordinator.

How to participate

1. A representative of a school PTO, booster club, or organized club (president, PTO officer, fundraising chair, club faculty adviser, etc.) contacts the volunteer coordinator, who will start a records sheet for your school PTO or other group.  The volunteer coordinator will assist you with further information such as guidelines and fundraising amounts.
2. Your school PTO must have a PTO Thrift Shop representative ("rep") to participate in our fundraising and volunteer programs.  See  What's a rep?
3. For group volunteer activities, your group organizes the event by enlisting volunteers, publicizing the event in your school, and following the guidelines.
4. The Thrift Shop keeps track of the support activities and volunteer hours performed by your PTO, clubs, or organizations.  Funds for all participation will be included in the total donation earned by your school PTO for each payout date.
5. Clubs, trips, activities are itemized in the payout report received by your school PTO treasurer to make distribution or crediting to various clubs or organizations simple and easy for you.