How To Create A Community Event To Support The Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation

With over 51% of family caregivers feeling overwhelmed, our mission is to raise awareness for caregivers in Canada and help make a difference in their lives. The truth is, we couldn’t do it without you. Support from people like you who champion our cause are a big reason why we’ve been able to provide nearly $8 million in funding since our inception in 2020. As important as donations are, they’re not the only way you can get involved.

Some of our most important work to date has been our community outreach, from various sports tournaments to other events in cities, such as the Strides for Caregivers National Walk Campaign. Our supporters can host their own event to raise money for the cause, and in this blog we provide ideas to get you inspired and help you get started.

Step 1: Visit www.caremakers.ca/support-us/

Getting involved is easy and anyone can participate! Whether you have a personal connection to the foundation, you’re a caregiver, or simply want to make a difference, we’re happy for you to get involved. Follow these three easy steps to get started on your Petro-Canada CareMakers event journey.

The first step to creating your fundraiser is to visit the CareMakers Support Us page, linked here. This page has all the information you need to get started, including options to donate, a handy CareMakers gift guide, and more information on creating your fundraiser event. Organizing your event can be a great way to have fun while bringing people together to support the cause. Some suggestions for what type of fundraiser you might host:

• Car wash
• Bake sale
• Company or Community BBQ
• Auction
• Car Show
• Garage Sale
• and more!

Step 2: Create Your Fundraiser

After making some choices about your fundraiser, click the button on the Canada Helps Fundraising website. Create your free account on the website and then progress to the “Create a fundraiser” page. Once there, a full rundown of what you can expect is available, including a guide to assist in the creation of your fundraiser, some ideas to help you get started, and success stories about successful fundraisers run by community members.

<insert image of fundraising page>

Select the Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation as your charity of choice and the rest is up to you! The event is fully customizable, including the type of fundraiser, the fundraising period, the goal amount you want to raise, and more. You are also encouraged to personalize your event with a story. Sharing why supporting family caregivers in Canada is important to you can make your event more meaningful if you’re comfortable doing so.

Step 3: Start Sharing!

Once your page is set up the way you’d like, it’s time to spread the word! Here are some options to help you start spreading the word:

Online

Social media will be one of the main ways you spread the word about your upcoming fundraiser. Create a page dedicated to the cause and share broadly, asking others to share for you. Keep people engaged in your social media campaign over time by updating fundraising progress, creating personal connections through your own story, and counting down to the end of the campaign date. In addition, try to include personal photos or videos to inspire people to get involved.

Email campaigns can be another way to reach out creatively. Send out “Save The Date” emails to ensure people have the details, get personal about your connection to the CareMakers Foundation, or even reference our research on the current state of Caregiving in Canada and why it matters to get others inspired about the cause.

In-Person

Whether it’s posting a flyer in the lunchroom at work or recruiting your friends, there’s value in connecting with your peers. Remember, family caregiving impacts over 25% of the population, so it’s very likely your colleagues have personal reasons to get involved. Get creative by tapping into your network for someone with a broad reach. Could they act as a champion for your event and encourage even more people to join for the cause?

Final Thoughts

Hundreds of family caregivers across Canada are benefitting thanks to the generous fundraising of so many individuals, teams, and corporations on behalf of Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation.

We’d love to help with the event however we can! If you’re planning an event, reach out to us at info@caremakers.ca.