Need Ideas?
Kids really do have the power to do incredible things. You can change the lives of other kids who may live down the street from you or across town. Staying in the hospital day after day, week after week, can be difficult, but you can make a difference in patients’ lives in lots of different ways. Get your whole school involved and do a dance marathon, make a joke book with friends or hold a lemonade stand. The only limit you have is how far your imagination can take you.
Read below for fun ideas of how kids just like you can become real-life heroes and have had fun doing it!
All fundraising events must be approved by the Advancement Office in advance.
Tweens and Teens
- Best Seat in the House
Get a used sofa or couch, and position it close to the court or field at your home games. Offer a raffle ticket for $1. The winner and two friends get the "the best seat in the house!" at the next home game. Draw and announce winner at half-time. You could make this a staple at your ticket sale booth, and offer this raffle option at every home game! Keep those sitting in the "best seat" well supplied with snacks and drinks!
- Collect Cans and Bottles
Collect, wash and return cans and bottles for dollars to give to Golisano Children’s Hospital. Make your school or neighborhood a cleaner place and help your peers at the same time.
- Stroll for Strong Kids
Collect pledges and walk or run in Stroll for Strong Kids. Enjoy fun activities and free lunch! Hey, maybe your entire school could form a team.
- Sponsored Running Event
Start a running challenge to benefit Golisano Children’s Hospital. Cross-country and track teams can participate to build up team morale, get some running practice in and raise money for their peers.
- Turn Your Garage into a Movie Theater
Host a movie night "camp" for neighborhood kids charge admission to a “private showing” of your favorite movie and sell cheap theater treats.
- Spare Change
Have your classmates and teachers donate their spare change, snack money etc. Collect it for the Children's Hospital.
- Slumber Party or Gathering with Friends
A group of friends decided to get together to make 36 funky pillows for patients at Golisano Children’s Hospital. Brainstorm some fun projects you and your friends can do to make a difference.
- Pancake Breakfast or Spaghetti Dinner
Hold it at your school or another location; a great service project and bonding opportunity for teams.
- Hoops for Strong Kids
Collect pledges for each basket made by throwing balls from ‘stations,’ each with a designated shooting style (e.g., foul shot, three-pointer, lay-up, etc.)
- Teachers vs. Student Games
Pick your sport! Basketball, Volleyball, etc.! Don't forget to mention that admission to this competition supports the region's only children's hospital.
- Car Wash
Partner with a local mini-mart or gas station to provide the water. You provide the manpower, soap and buckets – wash cars for a donation.
- Flower Sale
Sell carnations to your classmates and teachers, at local stores or on street corners. Great idea for Spirit Weeks! Classes can compete to see who sells more.
- Dance Marathon
Host a 12- or 24-hour event with dancing, games, music, and fun!
Young Children
- Birthday Party for Golisano Children's Hospital
Ask friends and family to bring donations for Golisano Children's Hospital instead of gifts to your next birthday party.
- Spell-a-thon
A twist on the traditional spelling bee—collect pledges for each word you can spell correctly during a specific period of time. This helps to make studying beforehand more fun, too.
- Math Lesson in Caring
Hold a class coin collection in order to practice working with numbers, then donate the change collected.
- Quarter-Mile Miracle
Your entire school can get involved by collecting enough quarters to span a quarter-mile! We dare you to try.
- Penny Carnival
Organize simple carnival games, inviting your classmates to pay a penny to play.
- Fashion Show
Hold your fashion show with friends. Have everyone chip in a little bit, give each other make-overs and take donations for tickets.
- Bike-a-thon
Collect pledges for specific distances or amount of time you ride your bikes at home. Remember, have a parent keep track or come with you and it only counts if you wear a helmet.
- Read-a-thon
Collect pledges for each book you read within a month.
- Teachers vs. Students Basketball Game
Take on your teachers...with a twist: teachers have to play one-handed!
- Bowl for Healthy Kids
Collect pledges for each pin knocked down in three games. For added fun, strikes can count as double.
- Take a Guess!
Fill a container with candy, pencils, small toys, etc. You pay a quarter to take a guess at how many pieces are in the container. Closest guess wins a whole container full of goodies!