Donate Your Way 2010- taking it to the next level

· 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!

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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.