IGNITE Fundraising Toolkit For Individuals and Host Gyms

Quick Guide

Forging Youth Resilience - Our organization's name

FYR - Our acronym, which is pronounced "fire" 🔥

IGNITE - Our workout fundraising campaign, running through May 2022, in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month. We have a goal of raising $50,000 for our organization.

Who We Serve: FYR serves youth who are facing one or more of the following challenges who would not otherwise have access to the services we provide:

• Youth coming from under-resourced families or neighborhoods
• Youth out-of-school, including youth out-of-school facing unemployment
• Youth in or aging out of foster care
• Youth experiencing homelessness
• Youth who may need an alternative pathway educational environment (at-risk to leave secondary school without a diploma)
• Youth who are involved in the justice system
• Youth experiencing environmental factors that put their health, safety, and well-being at risk
• Youth facing socio-emotional challenges exacerbated by being part of an under-resourced environment

Why We Exist: We believe in the next generation and their potential to change the world. Yet many youth do not have the same access to resources as others. Without access to resources, it’s often hard to see the bigger picture or the path forward. By providing a critical network of support and imperative skills, we help empower our athletes to tackle the challenges and continued barriers they face outside of our program. Through a foundation of functional fitness and strength training, we open their eyes to new perspectives by challenging their limits. We support them in setting goals and breaking them. Most importantly, we help them realize they are strong and capable while giving them the confidence to grow into adulthood.

3, 2, 1, Go!

1. Set up your own fundraising page. First, set your own fundraising goal–you can always change it if you surpass your goal! Second, when creating your page, it's important to communicate how our organization's mission has impacted your life and mental health in a meaningful way and why you have decided to fundraise for FYR. People are more likely to give if there is personal and emotional story attached. You can set up a personal page and share your campaign with your network or set up a page for your gym to fundraise together! Create your page here.
2. Give! To jumpstart your campaign, be the first one to donate! Showcasing that you're not only a supporter but also a donor will encourage your network to give.
3. Get the word out! Sharing your fundraising campaign via your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, in addition to your own personal email list and phone contacts is the key to reaching your fundraising goal. Work your network of friends, family, colleagues, gym owners, workout buddies, and followers!
4. Oh yeah, and workout! Pick any date in May 2022 to do the IGNITE workout. If you post your workout on social media, be sure to tag us @forgingyouthresilience and use the hashtag #ignitethefyr!

Fundraising Event Tips and Tricks

• Set aside a few minutes before warming up to introduce the event and share FYR's mission and why you are supporting our cause.
• We are hosting IGNITE in May, in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month. Consider asking your guests to reflect on the question:

How has your mental health improved since being part of a fitness community?

• Make a QR code that links to your team's fundraising page, print it, and post it at your event, or use ours below.
• After the workout, thank your participants and celebrate! Bring food to share and host a gym social.

Donation Flyer and QR Code

DOWNLOAD HERE or right click the images to download.

Social Links

Website: www.forgingyouthresilience.org

Instagram: @forgingyouthresilience

Facebook: @forgingyouthresilience

Twitter: @forgingyouth

Thank you for helping us IGNITE the FYR!