Recruit Team Members and Solicit Donors

Maximize your results by using your personal participant page and the fundraising tools available on our website

  • Once you register to walk, use your online page to tell others your story! Make sure you take the time to customize your fundraising page with a photo, fundraising goal, and a message about why you are raising funds and awareness for Parkinson’s disease.
  • Don’t forget those who are not on your email or mail list. Post the link to your fundraising page on your online communities (e.g., facebook, twitter, crowdrise, etc.).
  • By registering to participate on our website www.unitywalk.org you can:

- Register your team and set a team goal, join an existing team; or register as an individual walker.
- Create your own Personal Donation Page.
- Send an email to family, friends & co-workers inviting them to view your personal participant page. 
- Set a fundraising goal and track your online donations. 
- View reports that track your individual and/or team's progress.

Ask for Donations

  • Don’t hesitate to ask others to donate to your fundraising efforts on behalf of the Parkinson’s Unity Walk. Let them know that 100% of donations go directly to Parkinson’s disease research and donations are tax deductible to the extent that the law allows.
  • While we encourage the use of your online fundraising page, others have had much success with letter writing via regular mail. Do what you are most comfortable with and keep in mind the inclination of your potential team members and donors.


Strength in Numbers

  • Form a team or join a team, and ask others to join your team.
  • Every nine minutes, someone is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Chances are great that someone you know will know someone who knows someone who has Parkinson’s. Chances are even greater that they are looking for a way to take action!

Matching Gifts Program

  • Remind your donors to ask if their employer has a matching gifts program; this can double your donations. Encourage them to talk to the Human Resources Department at their company or organization. The Unity Walk office will process the matching gift forms as they come in but donors need to first ask their employers how to get the process started.


Fundraising Ideas

One Step Closer Fundraising Guide

  • We are happy to offer you One Step Closer, the Unity Walk's comprehensive Fundraising Guide.  It is filled with great helpful hints to get started on some fun and easy ways to fundraise!  You may download a PDF of the guide by clicking on the links below. Print each section, print only the pages you need, or contact us and we would be happy to mail you a copy.


Part I - Helpful Hints to Get Started

Part II - Let the Fundraising Begin

Part III - Appendix - forms and letters

 

Create Your Own Fundraising Event

  • Look for fundraising opportunities within your local community, school or workplace.
  • A number of participants who live at a distance and are unable to attend the Unity Walk in New York, create a Walk in their own community and donate the proceeds to the Unity Walk.
  • Don’t overlook the idea of creating a bike ride, concert, bar crawl, raffle, car wash, bake sale or yard sale to raise funds and awareness of Parkinson’s disease.
  • Some teams ask their school or employer to host a “wear jeans to work” or “pajamas to school” day. Those who participate in the day’s program can do so for a donation to the Unity Walk.
  • Start off by securing a date, time and location. Ask about required permits, deposits and applications you need to secure the venue. Get the word out by reaching out to your local radio stations and newspapers. If acquiring community sponsors, consider creating sponsorship levels. Consider using program books, door prizes, silent auctions, entrance fees and volunteers. 

Show the Spirit of Your Team

  • Acquire a t-shirt sponsor for your team shirts and offer the t-shirts to all team members or those who make a minimum donation.

Brainstorm Fundraising Ideas

  • Join the PUW forum and the Walk’s online communities to communicate with other participants and teams.  We encourage you to use these tools; by sharing your fundraising ideas you will encourage other teams on their fundraising efforts.

Raise Money for PUW While You Shop and Search Online

Amazon

  • Shop on Amazon and the Unity Walk will receive a referral donation from your purchase.  The link is also available on PUW’s homepage.

Goodsearch and Goodshop

  • Download the GoodSearch – PUW toolbar.  Each time you search the web with GoodSearch's Yahoo-powered search engine, about a penny will go to the PUW.  Also, every time you shop online at 1,000 participating stores including Amazon, eBay, Target, Apple, Staples, Expedia, etc., a percentage of your purchase will be donated to the Walk! The site also has thousands of money-saving coupons!

eBay and Missionfish

  • eBay sellers are encouraged to give a percentage of their proceeds to the PUW they list an item for sale. Participating sellers are rewarded for their generosity with special eBay Giving Works features that help them get more bids and higher sale prices. The PUW will receive recognition in the listing and benefits from the seller’s success.  For more info, please visit Missionfish.

Who Can Help?

  • Participants from ages eight to eighty across the country coordinate fundraising events to benefit the annual Parkinson’s Unity Walk (PUW). You can be one of them!
  • As Team Captain, you will be able to encourage your team members to be creative and work hard to increase their personal fundraising goals. In addition, you have a whole team there for you, to support you as you work together to achieve your team’s fundraising goal.
  • As a donor and/or walker, there is also much that you can do! Enlist the support of your family and friends while you plan an event or activity that interests you.


Why Support the Parkinson's Unity Walk?

100% of all contributions you give to the walk go directly to Parkinson’s Research! Since the first Unity Walk, a full 100% of the contributions you give to the Walk go directly to the major Parkinson’s Foundations for research. We are proud and grateful that our generous sponsors make it possible for us to continue this tradition. Your contributions will support the following foundations:

In spite of all the major challenges in the world today, Parkinson’s does not take a day off. There are breakthroughs daily, and now more than ever, we need to continue working together to ensure that our private funding fuels the most promising Parkinson’s research to get us closer to the cure.

Remember, if you can't find what you need contact us. We are always happy to help!