Donate Your Way 2011 - in the making

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· Posted by *D.Y.W. group at
We're starting our initial brainstorming sessions of new ideas for this year's fundraiser in December.

We welcome all ideas and thoughts! Hope to see you all there and check back soon for more updates!

Donate Your Way 2010- taking it to the next level

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· Posted by *D.Y.W. group at
As summer 2010 rolled around, we decided to start getting our thoughts together for the 2010 fundraiser. After the immense outreach for many people wanting to help, we knew we had to do something bigger and better this year. Our good friend and PR genius, Maria Kiagias, joined the team and we began some serious brainstorming for new ideas.

The Donate Your Way concept was born in one of these brainstorming sessions. We wanted to throw more fundraisers, but knew it would be too difficult in getting a large crowd out to more than one event. "Why don't we help out more than one cause?" And "donate your way" was born.

Our fundraiser took place on Dec. 17 at Trader Vic's restaurant in Chicago's Gold Coast. We were able to provide free, delicious appetizers and discounted drink specials, in addition to validated garage parking for our guests. We were able to auction off great prizes for our raffle like Chicago Bulls tickets, car details and spa packages. So many came out and had truly a great time.

We raised over 750 toys for the WPCF and donated over $4,000 to the National Pediatric MS Society! It was an amazing feeling to know there are so many kind people out there!

Donate Your Way 2009 -- where it all began

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· Posted by *D.Y.W. group at
This was our first Donate Your Way toy drive which was before the "donate your way" concept came about.

Eleni, Gia and Gina came up with a last minute idea to throw a toy drive for the holiday season. With less than a month to put it together, we were able to establish a date, venue and entertainment. We also reached out to a local organization to donate the toys to instead of choosing an already successful charity like Toys for Tots.

On Dec. 9, 2009, friends and family gathered at Xippo Lounge in Chicago to help us collect toys for the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation Toy Drive. Our expectations were not high as we had just very minimal time to really get the word out - but people truly surprised us. We collected 240 toys and $750 in monetary donations! Never in our wildest dreams did we expect to collect so many toys and that much money.

The day after our event, we drove over to Toys'R'Us and purchased over 60 toys with the money we raised. The graciousness of our supporters helped over 300 kids that holiday season!

Welcome to D.Y.W.

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· Posted by *D.Y.W. group at
Hello family, friends, and supporters! We are so grateful for all your support and charity you have shown in the last two years of our fundraisers. So many children and their families have been helped because of your big hearts. Our small toy drive in 2009 has now become an annual tradition which we hope will be continued for years to come!
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What it is...


The Donate Your Way fundraiser is an annual fundraising event that offers something different and unique in the aspect of charity.
The charity giving is split into two different parts: toy drive and monetary funds.
New and unwrapped toys are collected and donated to the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation Toy drive, which distributes toys during the holiday season to less fortunate children throughout Illinois.
The monetary funds are collected and donated to a different cause every year. We have donated to the Juveniles Diabetes Fund and the National Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Each year, we choose a different fund which brings awareness to a pediatric disease.
This way, by giving people the option of bringing toys or donating money (or both), we offer them the "donate your way" opportunity in choosing how exactly they get to do something charitable every holiday season.