Would you like to …

• Get to know your neighbors better?
• Get rid of unwanted items cluttering up your home? Give money to charities you believe in without tapping into your household budget?
• Get that garage cleaned?

Organize and host a neighborhood Garage Sale with the proceeds benefiting a charity that the people in your neighborhood feel is important. This is a great opportunity to get to know those new neighbors you have been intending to meet, but haven’t quite gotten around to it yet. Get the kids involved! It’s never too early to teach children about the values of giving and volunteer service. Perhaps they could donate some of their old toys, or have a refreshment stand at the garage sale. Here are some suggestions for organizing your own neighborhood garage sale for charity:

• Get together with some friends in the neighborhood and discuss the idea. Be sure to include some new neighbors in the group.
• Select a date(s) and time Identify the house(s) where the sale will be held
• Select a charity, which will have broad appeal in your neighborhood, to receive your proceeds. Be open to other suggestions as you go through the planning process.
• Prepare a flyer inviting all your neighbors to participate. Be sure to include the date(s), time and location as well as instructions about what types of donations you want, when they should bring them to the sale location(s) and if they should price their items before bringing them.
• Make a display to tell about the charity you are benefiting.
• Make plans for how you will dispose/distribute any items that are left over.
• Recruit volunteers to organize the merchandise and work the day of the sale.
• Make a plan to promote and advertise your sale. Place your ads make your signs/posters.
• Do you have enough tables to display your merchandise? If not, them identify where you can borrow them.
• Pick up some ready cash so you can make change.
• After your sale, total your receipts and deduct the cash you started with and any out of pocket expenses. What’s left will be your gift to the charity.
• Have everyone who participated sign a card and mail the gift to the charity.
• Have a casual gathering of the participants to celebrate your success and newly formed friendships.

Share your story with the 5th Bridge, so your success can be an inspiration to others.