If you’re looking for a fun indoor activity, why not break out the paper craft supplies to make and donate handmade cards to charity? Making cards is a great way to be creative and giveback.
Not to mention, Cardz for Kidz! is having a really fun event this March where you can donate cards AND contribute to your alma mater’s bragging rights.
Even if you aren’t an avid sports fan, it’s likely that you’ve heard of March Madness. So Cardz for Kidz! is joining in basketball bracket fever with their own take. Get ready for #MarchGladness!
What Is Cardz for Kidz! #MarchGladness?
Here is the general scoop on #MarchGladness:
– What to make: Handmade cards of any shape or size with fun designs and sayings. Please note: The cards should never say “Get Well Soon” or anything else referring to a child’s condition(s).
– Time frame: March 1 – April 30, 2020 – all cards must be received by April 30th.
– Open to: Anyone who wants to represent their university by donating handmade cards to Cardz for Kidz! during the above time frame.
– Awards: School with the highest combination of quality and quantity gets crowned the NATIONAL CHAMPION and gets to select the city (or at least state) that Cardz for Kidz! should expand to next.
#MarchGladness Guidelines:
* Students and faculty can work together to get university groups to host events or make cards independently throughout the month of March.
– Cards must be signed with the staff, alumni, and/or student’s first name and SCHOOL.
– Cards may not say ‘Get Well Soon’ or anything else referring to the children’s condition(s). (Yes, I explained this twice because it’s that important.)
– If there’s a tie, Cardz for Kidz! will set up a poll where all of their fans can pick to see which school has the BEST Top 10 cards.
– School that has the highest combination of quality and quantity gets crowned the NATIONAL CHAMPION!
#MarchGladness Rewards:
– Bragging Rights – Regardless of whether the competition is on the court or off, taking the top spot is always the key prize for a fierce competitor. So since this event is open to all universities, the national #MarchGladness Champion will have year-long bragging rights. Just remember to keep the trash talk PG since this is an event geared to children (wink, wink).
– Lasting Impact – The university that becomes the NATIONAL CHAMPION gets to select the city (or at least state) that Cardz for Kidz! should expand to next.
Who Were The Previous National Champions?
Cardz for Kidz! has done this four years running now. Here are the past winners and their selections:
2016: University of Michigan picked Philadelphia, PA – St Christopher Hospital
2017: DePaul University picked Flint, MI – Hurley Medical Center
2018: MSU, Mankato picked St Louis, MO – Shriners Hospitals For Children-St. Louis
2019: MSU, Mankato picked Omaha, NE – Ronald McDonald House Omaha
Let’s Make #MarchGladness A Success
If you are wondering how to approach supporting the Cardz for Kidz! #MarchGladness and helping your alma mater crush the competition, there are a variety of ways to approach this:
- Get a group of family and friends together to make a big batch of cards.
- Recruit teammates from a sports team to make sports-themed cards.
- Coordinate an alumni event to let people show how your community likes to give back.
- Crank out a card or two on your own each day of the competition to add to that final tally.
Rally Your Alumni With A Shout Out On Social Media
Another way to support Cardz for Kidz! #MarchGladness is to take pictures of your efforts (the get together, card making process, or completed cards) and post them to social media.
Please be sure to use the hashtags #MarchGladness, #upliftingspirits, and #everycardcounts.
Also, if you’re posting to Instagram, please follow @goodsgivingback then tag your posts with #createtodonate and #goodsgivingback, so that I can repost them and give you a shout out.
Regardless of whether or not your school takes top prize, when you donate handmade cards to charity, everyone who receives a card wins!