First off, the new building is much larger than our old warehouse. More space will allow us to store a wider variety of items and increase the amount of stock we have on hand. This means more choice for our customers and faster turnaround times with everything from the initial delivery, to filling late orders and shipping internet orders.

We will also be installing a large walk in freezer inside the new building. Combining this with our North Denver frozen warehouse will give us a lot more flexibility than we’ve had in the past. Starting next fall, we will be adding cheese cake and cookie dough bites to our already stellar lineup of Johnson’s Corner Cinnamon Rolls, Pastry Puffins, and Savory cookie dough. In addition to adding new items, having more frozen food stock on hand will allow us to respond faster to internet orders and reorders.

And we will be able to fill small group orders nearly as fast as they come in—and since many small groups fundraise as needed throughout the year, having lighting fast turnaround times should make our cheerleaders, bands, and dance groups happy!

Finally, the new warehouse is located on Emporia Street,  just half a mile east of I-25 and Arapahoe Road (next door to the Shane Company, another longstanding Colorado institution.) This convenient location should cut about ten minutes off the time it takes our trucks to reach the highway and be on their way to schools. It should also make it easier for our customers to stop by, say hello, and see what ABC Fund Raising Inc is all about first hand. : )

Johnson’s Corner has been open since 1951—before I-25 was even built—and the truck stop has remained open for every minute of every day since then. Who knows how many people have passed through and bought a cinnamon roll over all those many years, and how many never forgot that treat they had while driving through Colorado? Judging by the national accolades over the years, I’d say the answer must be a lot.

In 1998 Johnson’s Corner was recognized as one of the ten “Best Breakfasts in the World” by Travel and Leisure Magazine.

In 1999 the US House of Representatives officially recognized Johnson’s Corner, saying that “they exemplify the industrious spirit and can-do attitude that have made America great.”

In 2004 the Food Network recognized Johnson’s Corner as “The Best Truck Stop Restaurant in the U.S.”

And in 2009 Johnson’s Corner was number four on the Colorado Visitor Guide’s 20 Reasons to Visit list.

And these are just a few of the recognitions, honors and awards Johnson’s Corner Cinnamon Rolls have earned since they first opened in the middle of nowhere way back in 1951. The country has changed a lot since then, but Johnson’s Corner Cinnamon Rolls have remained the same—and that’s just fine with us at ABC Fund Raising Inc., and with people across the country.

It turned out the band is using the money to go perform in Europe. I was very impressed by this and reminded of the impact fundraising can have on student’s lives. The money we help schools raise isn’t just tossed in a dark, budgetary hole–it’s used for specific things like new equipment, playgrounds, or trips to far off places–and some of these things will lead to memories and experiences that students will value for the rest of their lives.

Outdoor Lab is a great example of this type of thing. This is a program that gives students the opportunity to travel to and stay at an outdoor lab facility for a hands-on, experiential learning experience in a natural setting. For many students this is a highlight of their educational career. And while as great a program as this is, it is also something that schools and parents struggle to pay for.

That is where a company like ABC Fund Raising Inc has a role to play. In an ideal world, schools might have all the resources they need, but until that actually happens, companies like ABC Fund Raising Inc exist to help schools, bands, teams or other organizations overcome budgetary constraints and continue to provide the things they need to create a truly great education for their kids.

After the fall we slow down for the holidays, take care of business around the warehouses and get ourselves ready to begin again. Now spring is nearly here and we at ABC Fund Raising Inc have begun the new fundraising season. Soon the deliveries will start up– just in time for better weather.

It’s one of my favorite times of the year as I get to head out in the big truck making deliveries to schools across Colorado. It gives me as chance to take in the farms out east just as the spring shoots begin pushing themselves from the ground. To the west the winter snows begin to relinquish the earth back to the grasses and mountain flowers, and of course, here on the front-range tulips will be dotting the pathways with cheerful pastels.

Here at the warehouse we just received our new supply of bulbs and seed mats from the Netherlands, so our warehouse smells a little bit like a greenhouse (this has no doubt contributed to my bout of spring fever.) We’ve begun packing them into the orders that we’ll be delivering.

I wish you all a happy almost-spring and hope to see you in coming months!

This was the item on the back cover of the 2011 Kids Are First catalog and at the end of the fall fundraising season, the Yellow Ribbon Support Center donation was the most popular item sold in our catalog.

So I think it’s pretty cool that people supported the fundraiser to benefit their school in the first place, and I think it’s just plain awesome that so many chose to do so by purchasing something to help someone they don’t even know.  This story is a good reminder that in a time when it’s easy to see so many things wrong, a lot of people quietly and thanklessly continue doing things that are right.

He brings up a lot of good points in support of this idea, but in a nutshell he’s saying that the biggest difference is that fundraising companies and PTOs both want the same thing—more money being raised for the school.

This is different than say, buying a car. When you purchase a car, the more money you pay, the more the salesman is going to make–so what’s bad for you can be good for him and vice-versa. But in fundraising, the more a school raises, the more the fundraising company makes. Also, a fundraising company isn’t just looking for a one time sale, but for a relationship with a school that will last for years.

Finally, he encourages parent volunteers to view fundraising reps as resources. After all, they’re professionals in the business, and assuming they’ve been at it for awhile, they’ve accumulated a lot of knowledge and experience about how successful fundraisers are run, and since they really do want their schools to raise the most amount of money with the least amount of headaches, why wouldn’t a parent group use them as a resource?

Sullivan has a lot of insightful points about fundraising, so if you have a minute, I really recommend giving his article a read.

Statistics show that 17% of children are victims of bullying and that, “it is most likely to occur where there is no adult supervision, inadequate adult supervision, poor supervision, a lack of structure, and few or no anti-bullying rules; it is also more likely to occur where teachers and students accept bullying or are indifferent to it.” The internet has also created a new forum for bullies to operate. In the past victims could at least escape the bullying when they left school, but now a student may be victimized 24/7 and in a broadly public forum.

There is no doubt that this has become a serious problem that needs addressing. Fortunately, Colorado recently passed HB 1254. This law updates the definition of bullying to include cyber-bulling, creates an anti-bullying task force, and provides funding for schools to implement bullying prevention programs.

ABC Fundraising Inc is also joining in the effort to stop bullying. We’re partnering with Block Out Bullying, an anti-bullying program created by nationally renowned speaker and author Richard Paul. By joining this with regular fund-raising efforts we will be able to offer schools the opportunity to add bullying prevention to their regular curriculum without increasing their financial burden.

With all the pressure and danger our kids face in the broader world, we should always be working to ensure that schools are places kids can safely and confidently thrive. Implementing anti-bullying programs now will go a long way toward making this goal a reality.

But we have to be honest with ourselves, creating positive change is difficult, and it takes big, bright, positive energy to power you through all the inevitable little things that are going to slow you down and make you want to quit. The same is true with pulling off a big fund raiser. The kick off is crucial, it sets the goal, the strategy, and builds up that positive energy. But from there it’s up to us as fund raisers to work hard keeping the good energy flowing. Having a positive and supportive attitude helps us personally overcome challenges and become a source of strength and confidence for others when they get caught up in the difficulties. In this respect it is important remember that happiness and the things leading to happiness don’t just happen; they’re earned by people taking it upon themselves to make it happen.

Many parent volunteers know that successful catalog and frozen food fund raisers can bring in big money but also big headaches. The good news is that with a little foresight a fund raiser can be smooth, successful and pain free.

One common thing that gets parent volunteers reaching for the aspirin is fund raising companies that deliver items in bulk. The parent group then has to sort through, pack and distribute everything to the students on their own. This might work ok if your school has a team of volunteers in place, ready to dedicate hours or even days completing a tedious and often frustrating job.

Or you can avoid the entire experience by choosing a fundraising company like ABC Fund Raising Inc. that pre-packs and delivers orders directly to the classrooms. In this case the delivery is over in a couple of hours and can be easily overseen by only one or two volunteers.

Another frequent headache with cookie dough and frozen food fund raisers is what to do with orders that get left behind when students are absent or otherwise unable to take the items home. The last thing anybody wants is boxes of rapidly thawing food sitting in the school after everyone has left for the day. The school might have a kitchen but it is usually packed with food for lunch and breakfast. Parents can ferry the items to their home freezers (if they have room) and then back to the school later, but this is hardly a satisfactory solution.

Fortunately, this conundrum is easily solved by choosing a company like ABC Fund Raising Inc. that provides the school a freezer on the day of delivery and then picks it up a few days later. This way items won’t be ruined, and staff and parents don’t need to have their regular routines disrupted by the fundraiser.

These are just a couple of examples of how solving little problems before they become big problems can easily lead to a happy, successful and aspirin free fund raising experience.

Hello and welcome to the new ABC Fund Raising Inc. blog! ABC Fundraising has been your local, Colorado fund raising company for over twenty years. My name is Brian Hughes and I have been working with ABC Fund Raising for five years now.

In this time I’ve worked, and gotten a work-out on many levels of the fund raising business. I’ve gotten weight-training by moving boxes around in our south Denver dry goods warehouse, I’ve worked extremely fast in the 20-below temperatures of our north Denver frozen food warehouse, and I’ve kept up on cardio rushing custom orders directly to classrooms all across the Rocky Mountain region.

In this time I’ve been very fortunate to meet and work with hundreds of wonderful parent volunteers and together we’ve jumped through the hoops, cleared the hurdles and successfully delivered more fund raisers then I care to count.

Throughout this process I’ve been learning the ways schools complete successful, profitable and stress free fund raisers. This blog is aimed at sharing this knowledge and experience with you so that your school can raise the funds it needs to ensure every student receives the best education possible.

It is simply a matter of fact that we live in an era of shrinking school budgets and resources, but by using our successful fund raising strategies, parents can ensure their school remains at the top of its game in good times and bad, and as your local fundraising company, you can leave the heavy lifting to us!