List of ideas for a Meal/Dinner Fundraiser
Spaghetti Dinner
After years in circulation, this is still a popular choice. Make sure you have plenty of spaghetti, sauce, bread and salad. You will have a meal that costs very little to put together, and you can charge an amount that won't hurt most families' wallets.Read how it's working in Jacksonville, FL in the spaghetti dinner folder.
International Dinners
Pick a meal theme based on the country of your expedition. Sell tickets to friends, family, and friends of YL ($10-$20).
Potluck
Have everyone bring a dish. The more variety the better.
Souper Supper
It's like a potluck, but everyone brings a soup, stew or chowder. Homemade breads are a nice touch at these events.
Game Dinners
This is done at many fish and game clubs. If you have hunters in your committee, maybe you could get them to make up some venison stew, homemade chowder or a roast duck. This can make for an interesting evening.
A Dinner of Many Countries
Set up several tables with a flag or name of a different country on each table. As people come in, have them sit at the table of their choice. Now comes the trick. The people attending this dinner will expect to be served the cuisine of the country's table they are sitting at. Instead, they will be served based on the economic state of the country they represent. At the table of a poor country like India, a group may be served a small helping of rice, plain bread and water. At the table of a rich country like the USA, the group will be served anything and everything they want in seconds and thirds, including dessert. At first everyone at the poor tables will complain, but often an interesting thing happens at this point. The tables with a lot to eat tend to offer their food to the tables with very little. A good time of sharing can happen here. It also can help us see the need around the world and show us how we can help those in need — a great segue into using our resources to help kids in need of hearing the Gospel!
Progressive Supper
This is a great time! Instead of eating in a large hall, have several locations (committee members' homes would be best) in which to eat. Arrange a different course of the meal to be served at each location. If you time everything right, you can have several groups moving from house to house at the same time.
Brunch
Have a themed brunch. It could be a fashion show, a guest speaker, mother/daughter, father/son, etc. Make it something attractive that will get people out on a Saturday morning/afternoon.
Awards Dinner
At this dinner give out awards to community folks who the Young Life kids feel are important to them. You can make certificates on your computer. Be creative in your awards. It could be something like best smile, best hugger, most friendly, best listener, favorite vocalist/musician, lifetime achievement, most generous ... the list goes on.
Spud Supper
Buy big baked potatoes with chili or broccoli and cheese or toppings like sour cream, taco meat and tomatoes. Serve with dessert and a drink.
Dessert and Coffee
Similar to the banquet idea, but much more informal and relaxed. You might even do this several times over a semester or year. Gather in a committee member's home, have kids and committee members speak and invite parents, staff and volunteers. Show the camp video as well. This is a great recruitment tool as well as fund-raiser.
Pancake Breakfast
Cook a Saturday morning pancake breakfast. Sell tickets to family and friends.
Dinner/Dance
At Christmas or Valentine's Day, sponsor a Winter Wonderland dinner and dance or Cupids dinner and dance and include a silent auction. Young Life kids can act as the servers for the evening.