Into the Cold for Main Street Project is a DIY pledge and activities-based fundraising event from March 1- March 31, 2022. Into the Cold is running all month long, and we’ve raised over $10,000 of our $35,000 goal. We running this event all month long, Manitoba! So you have lots of time to participate.
Due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, we made this year’s Into the Cold DIY-based again. We want to keep as many people as safe and protected, but still offering a way to patriciate!
Let’s get outside Manitoba! The weather is FINALLY warming up, and even though it’s still chilly, find that reason to get out and raise money! While walking or running is the main activity for our second-annual Into the Cold event, you can log similar activities. Activities like skating or snowshoeing counts too!
You can start a team, join one, or go about it yourself. Groups like families, classrooms, coworkers, study groups, and even neighbourhood watches can register as a team – remember to keep everything COVID-19 safe and follow traffic rules.
What is Into the Cold fundraising for?
Through Into the Cold for Main Street Project, we’re raising funds to support Main Street Project’s 24-7 low-barrier drop-in and emergency shelter. Did you know that Main Street Project operates Winnipeg’s only low-barrier emergency shelter? It’s true.
Low-barrier means that we do not require abstinence or sobriety as a condition to receive services. Low-barrier access is essential for many folks in our city who use substances. The last Winnipeg Street Census in 2018 identified that about 1,500 people experience homelessness on any given night in our town. Close to 25% of those folks self-identified substance use as impacting their most recent experience of homelessness.
Our shelter at 637 Main Street is a 120-bed facility and drop-in space with a harm reduction focus, open 365 days a year. We’re open during the daytime for drop-in and overnight for safe sleeping space. Our services are free to use and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Our drop-in provides food, beverages, a safe place to use the bathroom and shower, a safe place during extreme weather, the only daytime safe sleeping space for folks who sleep during the day, and access to clothing, harm reduction supplies, and casework. We hope you will join us to raise critically needed funds for MSP’s emergency shelter. Through your fundraising, you will help Main Street Project continue to provide a safe space for unsheltered Winnipeggers.
How do you register?
First, you have to visit our Into the Cold fundraising page. Click the “Register Now” prompt and follow the instructions. Once completed, then congratulations, you’re registered! Once you register and log into your fundraising page, you can do fun things on your dashboard, such as personalizing your page, sending tailored emails, and tracking all your donations from your donors! It’s incredible and easy to use.
Recruit donors!
Getting donors maximizes your fundraising potential – it helps you make the most out of your walk! Donors help you push for more, and that’s how you can make your walk count. Donors are unpredictable – you won’t always know how much they’ll donate – but getting more and more will go a long way! You get five donors; you raise ten times more money.
How do you start??
Update your raisin page with two key things:
– A selfie (make sure you’re smiling) :O)
– Tell people why you’re walking? ‘What’s your why’ to help MSP?
Donors will love seeing a face when donating, and they’ll enjoy your ‘why’ they’re contributing.
Where can you find these donors??
Ask around! There’s not much more to it, but here are some tips to get donors when you’re starting off getting Into the Cold:
- Let’s start simple– make a self-donation! Now you immediately go from registered to the fundraiser. People will see you’re raising money, and more importantly, these people can become donors!
- Call, email, text, and even fax your family for donations. Tell them why you’re walking and why MSP is doing this. They love you already, and they’ll love what you’re doing for our emergency shelter.
- What are friends for? To help you! And while you’re at it, ask them if they want to join your team, and then show them these tips. You’ll multiply your fundraising even more!
- Connect with your boss and coworkers. More and more, especially nowadays, corporations want to get in on fundraising for local not-for-profits. Adding more people to your team from work will raise even more for you AND your team.
How can you ask them??
Write a personal Into the Cold fundraising message using our hand templates and send it to your friends and family members. Make sure it sounds like it’s coming from you and not a plain old work email – they know who you are, so be you! Make sure to include the link to your page and get donors quick! Go to wherever you learn, work, pray or socialize and ask people face-to-face to help support you. It’s proven that in-person communication is much more effective than anything online, so why not try some old fashion in-person asking? It works!
What about social media??
As we said, nothing beats face-to-face, but why not share Into the Cold everywhere? Social media is also fast and widespread. One small piece of advice, though – don’t use Facebook’s fundraising buttons. They muck up things for your donors and MSP.
Do you even need a fundraising goal??
Not necessarily, but donors are your first step in getting there. Milestones are better! Once you get to one milestone, get to the next, then the next, then the next, then to the…
And finally… document your success! Everyone loves a good story, so whenever you get the chance, share whatever you’re doing on social media, and let’s get to that $35,00 goal for our Emergency Shelter!
