Coin Challenge Kit
Thank you for partnering with Children’s Mercy in the Small Change — Big Difference Coin Collecting
Challenge. Your participation will help us continue to provide the highest level of care to all kids who walk
through our doors. For more than 120 years, kids and families have gone the extra mile to support
Children’s Mercy. Now you have an opportunity to participate by starting a coin collecting competition at
your school, organization or business.
STEPS TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE:
1. Choose the coin challenge you want to conduct.
Coin Challenge at your school
Grade Levels/Classrooms Competition
• Have one coin collection bin represent each grade level/classroom at your school.
• For elementary students, consider collecting pennies on Monday, nickels on Tuesday, dimes on
Wednesday, quarters on Thursday and dollar bills on Friday. The room or grade with the highest
dollar donation wins.
• For older students, make it more competitive with a points system. Pennies are awarded positive
points and other denominations are awarded negative points. Each class has a collection bin and
can cancel out pennies collected by putting in silver coins or dollar bills in another classes' bin.
• The winning grade level can get extended recess, a special activity or another valuable prize.
Faculty Competition
• With the pre-approval from faculty members, have jars represent different faculty members at
your school by placing their name or picture on the jar.
• Whichever faculty member has the most points in their jar by the end of the competition has to
perform an embarrassing task. For example, dye their hair the school colors, get a pie in the face,
wear the school mascot costume for a day, ect.
School Competition Goal
• Decide on a goal amount that you want your students to raise.
• Give the students an incentive to reach the goal with a prize. For example, the principal could
wear a funny costume for the day or a teacher might get a pie in the face.
IDEAS
-Combine the coin challenge with another school activity like Spirit Week, or make it into a booth at the
school carnival.
-Identify five grateful parents or grateful patients and have them deliver a Children’s Mercy quick fact or
quick thank you with each morning’s announcements the week of your coin challenge.
Questions? childrensmercy.org/bigdifference
Coin Challenge Kit | page 1
Coin Challenge at your workplace
Department Competition
• Have one collection bin represent each department or team in your office.
• Pennies are awarded positive points and other denominations are awarded negative points. Each
department has a collection bin and can cancel out pennies collected by putting in silver coins or
dollar bills in another departments' bin.
• The winning department gets a prize and bragging rights.
IDEAS: Foreign Currency: Many people return from a vacation abroad and have currency left over. Why not
create a coin competition using foreign currency? It could be a week-long competition or defined as
"International" coin day during your regular coin competition.
Coin Fountain: Most people can’t resist throwing a coin in a fountain. Contact a local garden center to provide a
water feature for fundraising at your event (either on loan or donated as a major raffle prize). Place a sign on the
feature asking people to throw a coin and make a wish for Children’s Mercy.
2. Fill out the Small Change — Big Difference online form.
The Small Change — Big Difference form is available at: childrensmercy.org/bigdifference. You can use this form
to:
• Indicate where you want to direct your donation within Children's Mercy.
• Have your school or company recognized on our website as a Small Change — Big Difference community
supporter.
• Share your creative ideas with us.
3. Download the materials from the online kit.
Kit materials are available at childrensmercy.org/bigdifference. These templates were created to make your life
easier but you are not required to use them and are definitely encouraged to customize and make them your own.
• Coin Challenge Resources: Signs, sample email and newsletter article
• Graphic Elements: Small Change — Big Difference , Children's Mercy and Piggy Bank
4. Communicate to the school or your employees about the fundraiser.
Provide an overview of the fundraiser to your students or employees. Discuss step-by-step instructions for how the
coin challenge will work.
• Post signs in common student or employee areas such as the lunchroom, restrooms, front door, copy
room and elevators to explain when the fundraiser will be and how they can participate.
(↓Coin Challenge Signage)
page 2 | Coin Challenge Kit
Questions? childrensmercy.org/bigdifference
• Have a coin challenge kick-off meeting or morning announcement. Share an age-appropriate story with
students about Children's Mercy and its mission. If a kick-off meeting or assembly isn't possible, send a
kick-off email or send a flyer home to parents explaining the details. ( ↓Coin Challenge Resources)
• Consider showing a four-minute video, Working Wonders on how donating to Children's Mercy makes a
big difference; or a two-minute video on our amazing therapy dogs. (childrensmercy.org/media-library)
• Consider an article in your company or school newsletter sharing a personal story. This will help connect
everyone with why you are participating in a Small Change — Big Difference fundraiser.
5. Launch your fundraiser.
Great job! Now you are ready to launch your fundraiser. Set out your jars, containers or other coin collection
devices. Make sure the containers are in a high-traffic area and add some pennies or bills in each jar to kick
things off.
6. Celebrate and donate.
Congratulations! Your Small Change — Big Difference fundraiser was a success and it’s going to make a big
difference for our local children’s hospital, Children’s Mercy.
• Celebrate with your students or employees and us! Share the success of the campaign via your school
or company newsletter and/or email. Send photos of your fundraiser to [email protected].
• Count your change.
• Send your donation to Children’s Mercy:
Children’s Mercy
Attn: Philanthropy
2401 Gillham Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
In the memo line, please note: Small Change — Big Difference
IDEA: Don’t want to count all the coins? Take them to your local bank or CoinStar kiosk to get them counted (a
service fee may apply). Integrate counting coins and money into lesson plans at school. Have students roll the
coins and count them. This will help teach the value of each coin and is an opportunity to talk about giving back
to the community.
• Be sure to thank your employees and students for their participation!
7. Take a survey.
We will send you an email after your fundraiser is complete to learn about the specifics of your fundraiser and to
find out how the toolkits can be more helpful. Thank you in advance for taking two minutes to answer a super
short survey. We would love to know how things went and what clever ideas you used with your employees and
customers.
Thank you for considering a Small Change — Big Difference fundraiser!
Questions? childrensmercy.org/bigdifference
Coin Challenge Kit | page 3