fundraising for homeschooling

[elus0814]

I've been getting hit up frequently for school fundraisers by neighborhood kids. Most of the fundraisers are catalogs of overpriced stuff that I'm not willing to buy but if they are selling small things like candy bars I will usually buy one. What bugs me about these is that they often seem to be for extras and not necessities. The other day I asked what they were raising money for and it was for new soccer uniforms. The kids selling the stuff were wearing uniforms already but when I pointed this out they said 'yeah, but these are old'. My family is wearing old clothes and it's no big deal.

I should add that my kids are not in any organized activities that have funraisers, with the exception of girl scouts. The only people we sell the cookies to are ones who know the kids are selling them and ask to buy them.

DH and I were talking, jokingly, that we should have a fundraiser for our homeschool.

I know this is iikely a totally bizarre question but has anyone actually done this, had some type of fundraiser to help pay for books, supplies, etc.? At least a fundraiser like this would be going for needs and not wants, kwim?

[AAK]

Interesting idea, but I haven't and wouldn't do it. One of the perks (for me) of homeschooling is that there aren't any fundraisers.

Amy

[mamasaurus]

I've never heard of anyone doing it, but it sounds like an interesting idea!!

[lach]

Well, first of all I'm not sure I'd believe that the fundraising was just for new soccer uniforms. I've never heard of parents not being responsible for buying their own child's uniform, as part of the cost of participating. I would assume that the children were probably confused, and that perhaps uniforms might be part of what they were raising money for, but probably a very small part.

If it was those kids who stand at streetcorners with tin cans (I don't know if they have them where you are), well, that's just a scam. And totally different. I think they usually say they're raising money for uniforms.

As for fundraising for homeschooling, I wouldn't be interested. Public school is a right, and I'm happy to support it through my tax dollars. The constant fundraising gets a little annoying, but I also feel for the schools because they do need money and I wish we would fund our schools better. When my neighbors come by with their little order forms, I buy whatever's cheapest (hey, Cubscouts? Where's my popcorn!?). While I'm more that supportive of homeschooling, I consider it a privilege, and I wouldn't be interested in supporting someone else's individual efforts.

[theretohere]

Originally Posted by lach

Well, first of all I'm not sure I'd believe that the fundraising was just for new soccer uniforms. I've never heard of parents not being responsible for buying their own child's uniform, as part of the cost of participating. I would assume that the children were probably confused, and that perhaps uniforms might be part of what they were raising money for, but probably a very small part.

If it was those kids who stand at streetcorners with tin cans (I don't know if they have them where you are), well, that's just a scam. And totally different. I think they usually say they're raising money for uniforms.

As for fundraising for homeschooling, I wouldn't be interested. Public school is a right, and I'm happy to support it through my tax dollars. The constant fundraising gets a little annoying, but I also feel for the schools because they do need money and I wish we would fund our schools better. When my neighbors come by with their little order forms, I buy whatever's cheapest (hey, Cubscouts? Where's my popcorn!?). While I'm more that supportive of homeschooling, I consider it a privilege, and I wouldn't be interested in supporting someone else's individual efforts.

I see a lot of fundraising here for uniforms- and not the scam kind. All of the schools in my area are Title I though, and most have 80%+ on free lunch, so that may be atypical.

[Shianne]

Our homeschool group has thought about doing fundraising. It would help out parents who really cannot afford to do field trips or it would be used for a rental facility for a hs dance, graduation ceremony, etc.
We never actually got around to doing one yet. I would never do a fundraiser as a family to buy new equipment such as a computer for the kids, books or memberships.

[prairiebird]

The local Co-op (I'm not in but lots of the kids' friends/participants in other HS activities are) just had a candy sale. They invented their own sale with a local candy maker. They sold chocolate-on-a-stick in several shapes for 2$ each and earned about 75 cents for each. They had bigger chocolate packages too, but I only really went after the cheaper ones! I have no idea how they did, but I spent ten bucks, so they made nearly 4$ off of me!

[4evermom]

I can't imagine voluntarily getting involved in fundraisers even if I was the beneficiary. Bad enough getting hit up without also having to hit up others. Not having to participate in fundraisers is a major perk to homeschooling, imo. My ds had 3 in just his first 6 weeks or pre-k! I can see a group or a coop doing it for something particular but not just as a family.

[DaughterOfKali]

I'm very new to homeschooling but I haven't met a hs'er that has done a fundraiser.
However, I do know a bunch who sell handmade items or artwork on etsy, etc. That way, they bring in some extra money for homeschool supplies.

[almama]

Our hs group did craft fairs, but they were selling to a hs population.

I think it would be fine for a group of any kind to organize a fundraiser (not advocating it, but just sayin' . . .), but I always like a fundraiser that doesn't give me extra junk (give me a service, food product (not CANDY), or something else I can use). It wouldn't be so weird for a hs family to have a specific fundraiser (help pay for trip to Mexico etc), but I can't imagine them doing a canned one.

We were overwhelmed in our last neighborhood for fundraisers. I never asked where the money went. I counted as a "kid tax" for being around so many kids. I never gave more than I wanted, bought anything I did not need, and never gave to non-neighborhood kids. My point is, you need to make your own boundaries to keep your sanity.

[vbactivist]

Originally Posted by theretohere

I see a lot of fundraising here for uniforms- and not the scam kind. All of the schools in my area are Title I though, and most have 80%+ on free lunch, so that may be atypical.

right - the kids in the op may have been fundraising for a non-school sports team - our park ditrict and private baseball clubs sell candy to help pay for the uniforms.

[vbactivist]

Originally Posted by 4evermom

I can't imagine voluntarily getting involved in fundraisers even if I was the beneficiary. Bad enough getting hit up without also having to hit up others. Not having to participate in fundraisers is a major perk to homeschooling, imo. My ds had 3 in just his first 6 weeks or pre-k! I can see a group or a coop doing it for something particular but not just as a family.

I agree with this. If possible/necessary, I would rather develop some sort of business we could do as part of our homeschool, ie, raking leaves for neighbors, shoveling snow. Dog walking, etc...

[russsk]

Originally Posted by lach

Well, first of all I'm not sure I'd believe that the fundraising was just for new soccer uniforms. I've never heard of parents not being responsible for buying their own child's uniform, as part of the cost of participating. I would assume that the children were probably confused, and that perhaps uniforms might be part of what they were raising money for, but probably a very small part.

We never had to pay for uniforms, but we didn't get to keep them, either.

[ReadyMom]

I would never fundraise for homeschooling. Choosing to homeschool means taking responsibility for your children's education, and that includes paying for it yourself. I don't see anything wrong with asking for education-related items for holidays your family exchanges presents on, but fundraising? Tacky.