Alternative Gift Fairs - Where They Are
Find an Alternative Gift Fair near you...
In 2004, New American Dream supported over 29 Alternative Gift Fairs in 17 states and Washington, D.C. with tips, tools, and resources…and the response was overwhelmingly positive! The final tallies have yet to come in, but it’s already certain that over $150,000 went to local, national, and international charities rather than to department stores and outlet malls. Plus, “shoppers” reported simply having so much fun.
Some feedback from Gift Fair organizers:
Denise, of Costa Mesa, California, stated that “People were thrilled to see us doing this…We were ‘laid back’—2 tables, 2 volunteers staffing (1 more [had helped] in the planning stages), cookies, and wassail for free. It felt like a huge success.”
Nancy, of Califon, New Jersey, helped organize a fair of 11 organizations and noted that it “was our second AGF and we definitely want to do it again! It was a wonderful day, alive with the spirit of GIVING!”
Click here for a free e-copy of our guide to organizing alternative gift fairs
This guide will:
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Give you a timeline and checklist used by the successful Takoma Park volunteers.
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Detail opportunities for getting support for your gift fair from the Center for a New American Dream.
- Share sample materials and promotional language used in previous fairs (no sense making you reinvent the wheel :).
In addition to the organizing guide, we also provide an array of templates and materials you can download, modify, and use for your own fair.
To find other events organized by members of the New Dream Community, go to the events page in My New Dream (you'll be asked to login) and enter your zip code or postal code to see events in your area.