A Simple Way to Help!

Wondering how you can help our school during this time of deep budget cuts?  A simple way would be to advocate for one of the extraordinary programs our 650 Highland Oaks students enjoy; the performing arts program.

What you will be supporting by sending the letter is the continuance of in-class vocal and instrumental instruction, cultural field trips, Shakespeare studies, in-class performing arts instruction and participation in three musical productions including the popular "On Broadway" production for our K-5th graders.

Advocating for our school's performing arts program can easily be done by submitting the attached donor request letter on behalf of Designing Dads ( a qualified 501 (c) (3) charitable organization) to one or two places you patronize frequently like a favorite restaurant or classes you take your children to.  The activities your children participate in whether music, sports, summer camp or attending a learning enrichment center, etc. are all wonderful candidates for donation items. These type of businesses (Red Dragon, Champion, Mission Renaissance, Kid's Art, Tom Sawyer Camps and Kumon, for ex.) often provide our school with a one month class that are highly sought after at auction.

Or feel free to think outside the box; if you regularly attend the theatre or sports events you could make a request of the theatre or stadium.  Or you may have a time share or regularly work with a travel agent either of which may donate a weekend getaway.  Having a diversity of donated items should result in a compelling auction come April 23rd and ideally raise more than ever to keep our kids singing and dancing.

If the idea of asking for a donation for our school seems a little uncomfortable, please know that it is mutually advantageous.  Businesses allocate funds for charities because it is good publicity and they want to support the community of their patrons.  So if by chance 6 Highland Oak parents who are customers of  ____ corporation requests a donation; then the owner/manager can easily see who his or her demographic consists of.  The other benefit of asking a corporation is that they can turn out to be a repeat giver like the corporations previously mentioned.

If you are comfortable with the idea please download a donation request letter and replace my name and phone # on the letter with your own so that the owner and/or manager of the corporation you have contacted will recognize that he or she received a request from a frequent customer.  My contact information (Laura Davidson -donations) along with Nana Shen (corporate sponsorships) and Carole Randles (golf) is on the subsequent page so the owners/managers will probably contact us if they have any possible questions. If you are asked any questions you cannot answer please direct their questions to us and we will be happy to answer them.

Additionally if you choose to mail and not hand deliver your request please do not list your own address on the envelope list the school's address, i.e.:

Your name
Designing Dads
Highland Oaks Elementary
10 Virginia Dr.
Arcadia, CA 91006

On behalf of the Designing Dads committee, thanks for considering obtaining new donations to raise much-needed revenue for this program. If you have any questions, please contact me at (626) 510-9125 or by e-mail lauradavidson2000@yahoo.com.