As a coach of the school team or the local team, you may need funds to secure your team’s dream entry into a national series. Such funds are generally arranged for through fundraisers where the children sell snacks to their friends and other children of the locality. A part of the sales proceeds pays for the snacks themselves while the rest can fund your endeavor and make it a reality. In the past, chocolates used to be a safe choice for fundraisers as children love chocolates and hence making a generous profit out of chocolate fundraisers was quite simple. However, the situation has changed now.
Recent studies have shown a very concerning rise in the number of juvenile cases of diseases such as Type-2 diabetes. Along with such problems, the number of obese children is also on the rise. Conditions like obesity and diabetes in juveniles can lead to serious health problems. Most of these children will probably suffer from weakened joints and bones, heart conditions and kidney problems as a result of health problems at such a young age. The root cause behind such problems is the lifestyle of these kids. They do not exercise at all but consume food items rich in calories, saturated fats and sugar. Hence, there has been a recent shift towards healthier alternatives when it comes to food, especially for young children.
With health concerns in everybody’s mind, the chocolate fundraiser makes very little sense today. In fact, it will probably end up being more of a detriment than a benefit. Most states in the USA have already banned it through legislation. In fact, the California SB-12 specifies with great detail the type of snacks that are permissible for kids events such as fundraiser. With less than 35% of the calories of permissible food items coming from fats and the specified low sugar content, chocolates definitely do not make the cut.
While chocolate fundraisers were easy to organize and raise money, there are options today which make much more sense while keeping health concerns at bay. California fundraising snacks can be healthy as well as tasty as an alternative to conventional chocolates. Snacks such as fundraising rice krispies treats can be a great choice for any fundraiser today. What’s more, they make great sense from the financial point of view as well. You do not have to pay anything up front. The snacks, arranged in different packets according to prices, will be delivered right to you. On the day of the fundraiser you can ask the children to sell the snacks to their friends. The money they collect can be split in half, one half paying for the snacks themselves and the rest being the funds necessary for your team.
In the present scenario, a healthy fundraiser makes great sense from a legal, financial as well as medical point of view. Thus there is no reason why you should keep a chocolate fundraiser in your mind. Time to bid it goodbye forever and focus on better alternatives!
Posts Tagged ‘healthy snacks’
Time to Give Up Chocolate Fundraising?
Thursday, September 17th, 2009Plan a Successful California High School Fundraiser
Thursday, September 17th, 2009The state of California has been a trendsetter as far as its implementation of the health laws concerning children are concerned. With more and more children and young adults being affected by obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, the government has enforced a law like California SB-12 that clearly sets out the portion of sugar, fats and saturated fats content in an individual snack. Therefore if you are associated with a school in California, you need to keep in mind the clauses of California SB-12 as you plan a successful California High School Fundraiser. Obesity occurs as a result of an imbalance in the amount of calories consumed and the amount spent. Therefore it is necessary to look what you eat. All these point towards one thing: it is time to give up chocolate fundraising.
When it comes to planning a successful California Fundraiser, these are a bit different from the fundraisers organized in other parts of the country. The teacher, club leader or the coach, whoever is assigned the task of organizing the fundraiser has to do so by complying with the guidelines set by the wellness policy of the school which in turn has to adhere by the California SB-12.
The person in charge therefore has to look for healthy fundraising solutions to make the event a success with the children and at the same time keep a tab on the fact their health is not compromised with. Therefore the coach or teacher has to work to find healthy fundraising solutions to this challenge.
A search for providers of healthy snacks can be made on the web, browsing through the lists of what they have on offer and then placing the order. One can place an order online or over the phone. The healthy snacks that are ordered are then delivered through FedEx ground. Once these are delivered, then the person at the helm of the fundraiser passes on these snack boxes to the students who volunteer for the fundraising event. The students are then asked to sell these to their peers and the money from the sales is handed in to the Coach or Teacher in charge. At the end of the event, the part of the money is given to providers of the healthy snacks and the remaining part of the proceeds is kept for the cause for which it had been raised.
The best thing about these fundraisers is the fact that each snack in these events has less than 35% sugar content, less than 10% saturated fats and less than 35% fat. There is a whole range of healthy snacks on offer and the kids can choose their favorites. California fundraising snacks include
Rice Krispies Treats and several delectable items.
Initially, right after the implementation of the California SB 12 in July 2007, fundraiser organizers might have thought that planning for the same would not be as easy as it was before. But the truth is that with the easy availability of healthy fundraising solutions, it is much the same.
Fundraising With Wellness in Mind
Thursday, September 17th, 2009Of all the wisdom that we pass on to our kids, a leaf from the book definitely says “health is wealth”. So as we teach them to take care of their most precious asset, the onus lies with the parents and the teachers to initiate the process. This holds true even when you, as a member of the PTA or as a teacher is working on organizing a fundraiser. The purpose of a fundraiser is clear but it should not be the focus of it all. There are other things that need equal attention and healthy fundraising is something that has caught the attention of one and all in the current times.
The reasons for this are many. Obesity has emerged as a threat to children and young adults of the country. It has attained endemic proportions and you can come across worried parents at every educational institution. The state legislature also recognizes the seriousness of the situation and hence its wellness policies to counter the increasing cases of obesity.
The schools should have a wellness policy in place so that the fundraisers are organized in accordance to the rules and regulations laid out in the same. The laws should be in tandem with Section 204 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. In fact the concern of the authorities is apparent from the fact that some of the states have a much stricter wellness policy in place that outscores even federal policy. Though the policy may vary slightly from one school to another, from one region to another, the basic guidelines remain the same. The task of formulating a wellness policy is left to the local authorities as they are the ones who are fully aware of the nutritional requirements of their respective communities. California has led the way for other states to follow its implementation of the California SB-12.
California fundraising snacks thereby have to abide by the norms set by the health department of the state. According to the law, each snack should have less than 10% of the calories from the saturated fats, less than 35% sugar by weight and less than 35% sugar by weight. Now the wellness policies of all California schools include this clause. The rules for elementary school fundraisers are different. After the introduction of the law in 2007, it has become compulsory for all California schools to follow these norms while organizing a fundraiser. A chocolate fundraiser is a strict no-no in all schools of the state.
Though it may appear that these wellness policies have hardly left any room for organizing a successful fundraiser, on the contrary, it has opened the gates for healthy fundraising solutions. There are healthy alternatives to all the junk food and the candies that the children gorged on as their parents almost freaked out. Fundraising Rice Krispies Treats and various other low calorie healthy snacks have taken the place of all the fatty and sugary stuff. Without compromising on the taste, these snacks are sure to be a runaway success with kids.
California High School Fundraising
Thursday, September 17th, 2009Thinking about organizing a California High School Fundraising event? It’s always a good idea to plan ahead. How do you plan to organize it? What snacks would be offered? All these areas need to be taken care of in organizing a successful fundraiser. Food is an important component when it comes to planning an event for the young adults.
With the rise in the number of obesity cases among children and young adults, parents and teachers have now become conscious about what and what not to include in their snacks. So when you are organizing a fundraiser, pay attention to what you are offering to the children. Healthy snacks can be a better alternative to all those burgers and fries, chips and candies, and so on.
Wondering how healthy snacks could be popular among kids? It’s true that young adults are more concerned about the taste of the snacks than its nutritional value. Interestingly there is a number of California fundraising snacks that combine health and taste and are perfect as an alternative to the calorie-packed unhealthy snacks that kids of today are accustomed to.
The concept of healthy fundraising is fast gaining popularity among all. Be it a cultural event or a sports competition, you can always opt for the healthier alternative when it comes to choosing the right snacks. And do you have any idea how many lesser calories are consumed? When healthy snacks are opted for, the young children consume less than 250 calories.
The increase in the number of Diabetes Type 2 patients, in the age group of 10-15 years, in recent years have prompted many US states to ban fundraisers that serve chips and burgers, chocolates and candies. Healthy fundraising alternatives on the other hand opt for snacks that have less than 35% sugar content, less than 35% fat content as well as less than 10% saturated fat content.
Be it crispy cereal bars in different flavors or reduced fat crackers, crunch crisps or corn nuts, fundraising snacks are available in a number of varieties. California High School Fundraising can be a sure success if you know what snacks to opt for. It is not necessary that whatever is healthy has to be tasteless. All your misconceptions would be cleared if you take a bite of the fundraising rice krispie treats!
With regard to the financial aspect of the fundraiser, healthy snacks often give the idea that a lot of money would be wasted. However this is not a correct perception. Healthy fundraising alternatives do not always involve huge expenditure. The prices are reasonable and the different packages in which the snacks are available are also designed keeping in mind the affordability factor.
What Snacks Can be Used in a Healthy Fundraiser?
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009A healthy Fundraiser is a great concept. But when you are out planning one for your school or neighborhood, executing it is a lot more difficult. Fundraisers which sell high calorie food items such as chocolates, fries, burgers and the like have increasingly led to serious health problems in children such as obesity or even Type-2 diabetes. As a result, many states in the United States of America have banned such chocolate fundraisers in schools. While there is no all-encompassing federal law banning such fundraisers yet, they still make very little sense from both the legal and the health perspective. Chances are, you have a family too. Would you want your kids to be affected by such long term problems high fat and high calorie foods bring?
Before setting out to plan a healthy fundraiser, you need to know what it is. A healthy fundraiser moves away from the concept of selling high fat and sugar food items to children in favor of healthier alternatives. While we all know that there is no dearth of healthy foods, it is much tougher to get food items that combine great taste with health benefits. Since children will never go in for food that compromises taste for health, a wrongly planned healthy fundraiser could end up being a failure from the financial point of view. Hence, you need to have a fair idea of the type of snacks that can be used in a healthy fundraiser.
With health concerns on the rise throughout the country, healthier snack items have come to the fore now like never before. A good example is the cereal bar. These bars often combine great taste with the extensive health benefits that cereals bring along with them. When planning the items for your healthy fundraiser, the best approach is to go for packs comprising of such types of snacks. Other similar snacks that you can go for include Rice Krispies Treats, Corn Nuts, Reduced fat Cheeze-its which cut out the fat but retain the cheesy taste and different types of flavored corn nuts that are sure to stimulate the taste buds of every child attending the fundraiser.
When you are finalizing the snack list for your fundraiser, do keep in mind the calorific values of all the snacks you plan to include. Fat and sugar content should be quite low, ideally below 35%. Additionally, you should only choose snacks that have very little saturated fats (as little as possible). The number of calories should also be within an acceptable limit, 250 calories or less.
When you organize a healthy fundraiser, organize a collection of snacks into packets and keep the option of different packets for different prices. You may even find pre arranged packets of snacks available in the market. A mixture of different healthy and tasty snacks will surely tickle the taste buds of the youngsters and make your fundraising a success. Most importantly, you will have peace of mind in knowing that the snacks will not do their health any harm.
AYSO Fundraising with Healthy Snacks
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009A sedentary lifestyle coupled with the intake of fast foods can have a damaging effect on the health of a child and can lead to obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. It is very important for a child or a teenager to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is not all about eating the right things but also about engaging in physical activities. According to a survey, 14% of the girls and 35% of the boys in the country get the complete RDA of calcium in their regular diets. Moreover, as more and more children prefer such foods as desserts, chocolates, deep fried snacks, and soft drinks, they remain deprived of the essential nutrients of a balanced diet and at the same time consume 30% more calories then what they should normally consume.
The American Youth Soccer Organization or the AYSO understands the dietary needs of the children and young adults. The AYSO is involved in creating and promoting soccer programs for school children and the efforts of organizing an AYSO Fundraising with healthy snacks can be the best way to work towards what they believe in.
There are several ideas to work on when one is thinking of organizing a fundraiser for an American Youth Soccer team. Sports enthusiasts can be easily made to contribute by putting up soccer jerseys for sale or by simply giving them an opportunity to play for the team on that particular day for a price. This can in fact help in raising funds easily. But again, as an organizer of an AYSO fundraiser, one should attempt to ensure the participation of the entire community. While soccer and its associated memorabilia can score with some, others may not find it to be an adequate reason for fundraising participation.
An AYSO fundraiser can be a success with healthy snacks on offer. These are a great alternative to the junk food that is so popular amongst kids. This does not mean that the food served for the fundraiser won’t satisfy their taste buds. It is tasty and at the same time low on calories. A child can have these alternative snacks and at the same time consume 250 less calories. These snacks have 35% less sugar content and 35% less fats, comply with laws like CA SB-12 and state and school wellness policies. Parents, teachers and members of the PTA will thus find no reason to complain as they know that the health of their kids is a concern for the fundraiser organizers as well.
The best part of an AYSO fundraising with healthy snacks is the fact that not does it look after the nutritional requirements of the kids but also helps to raise maximum funds from the event. Some of these healthy alternatives can be made a part of direct sellers and a profit of as much as 50% can be garnered from these healthy fundraising. Try some of these healthy fundraising solutions and make your fundraiser a success with the kids.
Organize a Healthy Fundraising Policy
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009Organizing a healthy fundraiser is not an overnight business. In fact you need to do meticulous planning and devote substantial time and energy, much more than you do in a organizing a regular fundraiser. The demand for healthy fundraising solutions has increased with obesity reaching endemic proportions amongst kids in the United States of America. It is a cause of concern amongst both parents and teachers and therefore has prompted them to abide by the nutritional regulations imposed by the states. The PTA has an important role to play in this regard as they are the driving force behind elementary school fundraisers. The school fundraisers are a great platform to promote the need for a healthy living as consumption of junk food, high on fats, saturated fats and sugar content, increase the chances of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in kids and young adults. Healthy fundraising alternatives would promote the need for healthy eating and nutrition amongst kids.
Schools play an important role in the development of children. Inculcating the right food habits also forms a part of their all round growth. Therefore the adoption of a health policy that serves as a guideline for organizing fundraisers, school functions, a la carte lines, intramural events, class snacks, school vending machines and extracurricular events is necessary. A school adopted healthy fundraising policy would thus be an official statement of the health policies that the school s going to follow while organizing the event.
A healthy fundraising policy needs to be developed after conducting extensive research of the health laws of the state and child nutrition. There has to be an effort in spreading the word and getting support for the same. This can be done with some help from the Parents Teachers Association, the School Health Advisory Council and the Public Health Partners. A rough draft needs to be prepared that has to be checked repeatedly for any mistakes. After the approval of the school board and the PTA comes the final step of adopting the policy.
With a proper healthy fundraising policy in place, it would become relatively easier to work on fundraisers in the future. People from the school who are responsible for the formulation of the healthy fundraising policy should also keep a tab on sponsorship policy, advertising policy, guidelines for the sale of food and beverage in schools and the recycling policy so that none of the norms are conflicting with each other.
The healthy fundraising policy will give the vendors an idea about the kind of food that you want for the fundraiser. Chips, fries, chocolates and pastries are a strict no-no. You can promote the event as one that follows all nutritional guidelines and there will be no dearth of active participation. With healthy alternatives to fried foods, the fundraiser will be a success with parents, teachers and most importantly the kids.
