A FUNDRAISING
HOUSE PARTY
TOOLKIT
HOW TO HOST A HOUSE PARTY
Are you a passionate member of the #LiveBeyond family and ready
to share that passion with others?
Host a house party to raise funds to support our work,
recruit new supporters and tell friends how the people of
Thomazeau, Haiti have changed your life.
House parties are one of the most common ways that LiveBeyond
supporters introduce our organization to others. They are a great
opportunity to share your personal testimony from your trip with
us, and to get others on board to support our mission.
You know your guests better than anyone else, so shape your house
party to what will best resonate with your co-workers, friends and
family. Some fun, unique house party examples include:
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Haitian-style dinner (beans & rice are a must!)
Intimate gathering at your home (cocktails, afternoon tea, etc.)
A BBQ or pool party on a hot summer day
Potluck at your church or workplace
Whatever type of gathering you choose to host, make it unique to
you and your community. The purpose of house parties are simply
to share your passion for the people of Thomazeau and to connect
others to the work that LiveBeyond is doing.
KEY STEPS TO HOST A PARTY
Invitations
First things first – Spread the word about your house party to your
community! We include a sample invitation in this toolkit;
however, you may choose to send out an Evite (invitations sent via
email), create your own, or purchase standard invitations at a store.
1. Make it clear to your invitees that this will be a fundraising event.
The purpose of house party isn’t to ambush your friends, but to
share get others excited about our work and raise
donations.
2.The presentation about LiveBeyond is the key feature of the
night. Be sure to note what time the actual presentation begin at
to ensure that as many people as possible will be present for this
portion of the party.
3.Guests are the most important part of any type of party. Take
time to consider who would be most interested and touched by
your message. Of course it’s great to invite friends and family, but
think about others that may have special talents or professional
skills that will connect to our mission like doctors, nurses, teachers, ministers, etc.
4.Life is busy, so some people may not be able to attend. Include a
link to LiveBeyond’s website to encourage those who are unable
to attend to donate. Be sure to note that all charitable donations
are 100% tax-deductible.
5.Mail out your invitations. It’s recommended that you invite at
least twice the number of people that you would like to show up.
Three to six weeks before your party, send out your invitations
and ask for an RSVP, so you know how many people to prepare
for.
6.A week or so before your party, call your guests to confirm their
RSVP. A quick reminder call is the best way to make sure your
house party is well-attended.
KEY STEPS TO HOST A PARTY
Sample Invitation
Please join us for a Haitian-themed evening
for a “Beans & Rice” dinner
to help us raise awareness about
and raise support for
their work in Thomazeau, Haiti
April 1, 2015
Dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Presentation begins at 7:00 p.m.
The Smith Home
1234 Belmont Street
RSVP by March 23 // [email protected]
Can’t make it? Donate at livebeyond.org/donate
KEY STEPS TO HOST A PARTY
Your Story
Have you ever noticed that when someone tells you a story about
something that they’re truly passionate about, it gets you
excited too? Consider sharing your personal story on the back of
the invitation to spark interest about your house party.
Here’s an example from a LiveBeyond trip participant:
My Story
I went on my first trip to Thomazeau, Haiti with LiveBeyond in October
‘14. I thought I was “prepared” for my first mission trip. I heard stories,
watched videos and saw countless pictures. Nothing could prepare me
for what I saw until I actually experienced it myself.
Back in the States, we don’t understand the amount of people living
in heartbreaking poverty every day. Thousands of people living in tiny
shacks. Disabled children with no one to care for them. Sick people with
no access to medical care. Children that can’t afford to go to school.
At the LiveBeyond Base, you see the Haitian staff’s joyful smiles, the sick
being cared for, and you almost think they are different – but you drop
them off and realize despite the rough conditions they live in, they are
filled with hope. Even when their lives are unimaginably difficult.
But LiveBeyond has stepped in to intervene – To take a stand against
the Oppressor. To bring hope to a lost people. It gives me chills to think
what it was like before LiveBeyond was established in Thomazeau. It’s
so very evident that they are making a difference – They’re instilling the
hope and love of Jesus Christ in Thomazeau.
Join me in my mission to partner with #LiveBeyond & make a
difference!
KEY STEPS TO HOST A PARTY
Create Buzz About Your House Party
A simple way to get people excited about your party – Posting on
social media!
Use your personal social media profiles such as Facebook, Twitter
and Instagram to share information about your party.
You can even consider creating a Facebook event or sending out
an Evite instead of mailing out invitations. This is a cost-effective
method to get the word out.
To directly connect with a handful of your closest friends and
acquaintances, send a direct message on Facebook with a
personalized message. This shows your potential guests that you
truly want them to attend your party. Share how much their
presence means to you.
Evites are another fantastic option to create, send and manage
invitations online. If you have all of your guests’ email addresses,
you can simply create an invitation to email your guests and track
RSVP responses. Learn more at www.evite.com.
Don’t forget to tweet it up! Share information about your party and
also link to LiveBeyond’s donation page to encourage donations
from those who can’t attend. Use #LiveBeyond in all of your tweets!
KEY STEPS TO HOST A PARTY
The Party
The big day is here! If your house party starts at 6:30 p.m., leave the
first 30-45 minutes for socializing, eating and drinking. You also
don’t want any late people to miss the presentation.
1. Set a goal for how much you want to raise at your house party
and determine if there is a specific project that you want to fund.
Share this figure with your guests at the beginning of the
presentation.
1. Help us collect your guests’ information. Ask them to put their
names and email address on a sign-in sheet. This will allow them
to receive email updates to stay connected with us. After this is
done, give them time to mix-and-mingle with food and
refreshments.
2.Start the presentation at a predetermined time. Include a short
introduction about our mission and why you asked them to
attend this event. The host or hostess is a great option to deliver
this. Following the introduction, an invited speaker, a LiveBeyond
staff member (upon availability), or a past team participant will
share more information about LiveBeyond accompanied by their
personal story about their work us. Videos, photos and slideshows highlighting the organization are available for your use.
3.Once the presentation ends, a well-respected member at the party should stand up, and thank the host and the presenter. At this
time, he/she should call on guests to make a donation. It’s
important to be specific about the direct impact their donatio will
make. Additionally, this is a good time to see if others are
interested in learning more or hosting their own LiveBeyond
house party.
4.We will provide you with donation forms and gift envelopes
to pass around the room. Be sure to have someone collecting
the donations or place a bowl somewhere for envelopes to be
dropped in.
SIGN-UP SHEET
Sign up to #LiveBeyond with us! Stay connected with email updates.
Name
Email
Phone
Address
www.livebeyond.org | 1508 Delmar Ave, Suite 122, Nashville, TN 37212 | 614.460.8296
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
About LiveBeyond
LiveBeyond is a faith-based, humanitarian organization bringing
medical and maternal healthcare, clean water, education, orphanage
support and community development to the oppressed in
Thomazeau, Haiti.
When Dr. David and Laurie Vanderpool founded LiveBeyond
(formerly MMDR) in 2005, its foundation was built upon one main
belief: we are called to stand up to oppression in all forms for His
Kingdom – from a town not having access to medical care, clean
water or shelter, to a child feeling unloved and without hope – We
firmly believe we are called to help a community that desperately
needs our care and hope for the future.
Many exciting things are in store for the organization. The LiveBeyond medical clinic opened in the Fall of 2014, and we are raising
funs to expand our hospital at the LiveBeyond base to include a
surgical unit, OB/GYN clinic and an in-patient hospital.
We want people and organizations to join us who are inspired to
make a difference; people who are compassionate and are not
afraid to get their hands dirty at the front line of where we are
called – no matter how big the problems might seem. We follow a
God who makes BIG things happen in His name. LiveBeyond with
us!
Brand Assets
• Download video assets (vimeo.com/ilivebeyond)
• Show YouTube videos (youtube.com/livebeyondme)
• Download handouts, photos and slideshows
(livebeyond.org/houseparty)
• Request other brand assets (email [email protected])
THAT’S A WRAP!
House parties really are that simple! The key is to a successful event
is to be very specific from the start that the purpose of this event is
to raise funds for LiveBeyond – this will help your guests
understand from the beginning that you are offering an opportunity
to give to LiveBeyond. Raising money is the central focus of this
event, but make it clear that there is no pressure to donate.
Remember, all donations made to LiveBeyond go back to funding
projects in Thomazeau to give life to this community. A small
donation can go a long way – For example, $37 a month can
provide a pregnant mother with maternal health education, food,
prenatal vitamins and labor/delivery training from medical
professionals. If guests are unable to donate at this time, ask them
to support us with prayers. The Lord is working in mighty ways in
the hearts of these people, but we need prayer warriors to join us in
our mission to transform Thomazeau for the Kingdom of God.
If you are interested in hosting a fundraising house party, you
should contact Angel Noble at LiveBeyond. Call 615.460.8296 or
email [email protected]. She will be able to offer you guidance
on planning this event and provide you with any materials that you
need for your house party.
Thank you for choosing to #LiveBeyond with us!
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
The Lord uses people like you to help us in various ways in our
ministry. Whether you want to join us for a mission week in Haiti or
support our work, we want you to get involved and #LiveBeyond.
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Serve on a mission trip
Support our programs
Help us raise funds
Host a house party
Donate supplies
Pray for us
For more information on ways you can get involved, visit
livebeyond.org or call 615.460.8296
LiveBeyond | livebeyond.org
PO Box 128137, Nashville, TN 37212 | 615.460.8296