Moving fundraising online at Glebe Cooperative Nursery School
By Emilee Harvey
Fundraising at Glebe Cooperative Nursery School (GCNS) has traditionally been anchored by three big annual events –a Halloween dance, a holiday toy silent auction and the Spring Fling. These three events were open to the general public and allowed for connection between GCNS and the larger community in the Glebe. They also raised money to support the school’s annual operating budget.
The arrival of COVID-19 brought a swift end last March to all in-person events. Spring Fling 2020 was cancelled as was Frankendance and the pre-Christmas toy auction and shopping event. This year’s Spring Fling has also been cancelled. The ongoing pandemic has required GCNS to think creatively about fundraising and community engagement when large-scale, in-person events are not permitted.
One of the strongest partnerships for GCNS this school year has been with our local McKeen Metro Glebe grocery store. Metro has partnered with us to provide perishable snacks for both the toddler and preschool classes all year long. This is especially helpful for the school, as snacks were typically provided by parents during “duty days” which are no longer feasible under COVID-19 restrictions.
For the rest of this school year, the GCNS board has moved to two ongoing initiatives to support fundraising. The first is with Equator Coffee. GCNS places an order approximately every two months for fresh coffee from Equator. If you purchase coffee already, this is an easy way to support the school.
The other initiative is through FlipGive, an app that helps organizations raise money by earning a percentage return for online purchases. You can shop from brand name stores or purchase gift cards. With every purchase, depending on the store, a percentage goes back to the school. Visit the FlipGive website at flipgive.com/teams/249406-gcns to join the GCNS giving team.
Each of these initiatives is helping GCNS keep pace with previous in-person fundraising years and we plan to continue these activities even after the COVID-19 restrictions come to an end. GCNS hopes to return to some of the fun, in-person community events during the 2021-22 school year. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about how you can support us, email the GCNS fundraising team at fundraising@glebepreschool.com.
Registration for the next school year beginning in September is open from April 1 to April 30 for new families. Please visit our website at glebepreschool.com/index.php/registration/ for registration information and resources.
If you’re interested in learning more about or joining GCNS, consider attending our virtual open house on Wednesday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. Email vicepresident@glebepreschool.com to register for the event or info@glebepreschool.com with any questions.
Emilee Harvey is vice president of the Glebe Coop Nursery School board and a parent of a child in the preschool program.
