Hello,
I am part of a committee planning a benefit for a family with a 4 year old child with several lifelong medical conditions.
Do you have any ideas to share for venues where we could host an event that could fit up to 250 people serving food/drink.
Since this is a benefit for the little boy we are ideally looking for places that would be willing to cut us a break on the cost associated with the venue and/or food/drink.
Please share any ideas you might have, it's very much appreciated!!!
I don't have a venue for you but I sell Discovery Toys and would be happy to do a catalog show (or live depending on where in Chicago you live--I am 45 min into IN) and donate all of my commission to this family. You can contact me at www.discoverytoyslink.com/gsnyder.
Check bourbon street on the south side- was there for an event a couple of years ago and it was the perfect setting for a band, food tables, bar, silent and blind auction
check your local wedding guide magazine
Not sure what part of Chicago you are from, but two southside locations that do benefits all of the time are; 115 Bourbon Street on 115th & Kedzie, and Gaelic Park in Oak Forest on 143rd just east of Ridgeland. Both are great at working with charity benefits. Try to keep your entrance fee around $20-$25. If you go too high (people understand it's for a good cause but you need to get people in the door so you can sell raffle tickets) you won't get a good turnout. If you want to serve food that might dip in to your funds. You are better off starting the event @ 7pm & sticking to snacks and drinks. I have also been to a benefit where the ladies went around to different resturants and got them to donate food for the night. Then it was laid out in a buffet style/ where everyone helped themselves. Silent auctions, split the pot, and raffles are great ways to make money at the event. Get as many people or companies, as you can, to donate whatever they can, and raffle it off. Bigger items such as tickets to games or autograph memorabilia should be on the silent auction table. Items such as gc for resturants, wine baskets, or baskets made up by people should be on raffle tables. Sell raffle tickets for prizes & split the pot tickets at $1 each or 6 for $5. You will make good money off of these items. Good luck!
I am part of a group of ladies who organize a benefit every January for our friend's daughter with a life-threatening illness. We use Chandler's in Schaumburg. It's on a golf course and has a couple of banquet rooms. The food and service is always good, and they give a discount for charity dinners.
Try calling your local Elk's lodge or Knights of Colombus. They usually will donate the room and sometimes the drinks. Also Mcdonald's will give orange drink for the kids. If you are cooking food the local food markets are sometimes very generous. You have to work fast they need a little time to clear the donation with the bosses.
I am not from the area, so I can't help with specific venues, but I have general ideas - if no alcohol is involved, a school might work, or a church. I agree with the suggestion about the wedding guide. What about one of the local museums?
Other benefit ideas - I would consider an online auction. No venue needed.
I have done a few fundraisers for my son and we just did one last weekend it was an online poker tournament.. we raised over $4,000 we are alos putting a golf tournament together for next month and so far it looks like we will be making a minimum of $3,000..Good Luck!
I'm from a very small town and the Fire Dept lets us use the station for events like that.........
You might want to check different banquet facilities, VFW's, parks, etc. We contacted local businesses to donate supplies, food, giveaways items, etc and sold tickets. Businesses were very good about donating once they knew what the cause was for.. after all was said and done we raised over $6,000 for the family. It really helped us that local business were kind enough to donate items so I would definitely check that out.
My sister in law helped organize an event some years ago to help a family who's daughter had Angelman's syndrome ( I think). The event was at a school. Now that I think about it - I am not sure if it was a public school or a Catholic school. Also, check out local lodges and your local park district to see if they have a Field house for rent. Good luck!
Try a local Church, VFW, or Moose Lodge. A lot of the time they will waive the fee.
I would highly recommend Chandler's Banquets at the schaumburg Golf course on Roselle road in Schaumburg. They have great rooms and give charities a break - esp. in Jan - March.
Call Kim Panzarella at ###-###-####
M. H.
