The American Red Cross is finding some creative solutions to their budget challenges. Basically instead of cleaning out their garage, they’re cleaning out a warehouse. This leaves them with minimal storage space. But it also means they can close the warehouse and save $3-million a year.
So what happens to all the stuff currently in the warehouse? Some gets moved to their Washington DC office for display. Much of it goes to the National Archives based on an existing agreement. And the remainder is where the “garage sale” concept comes in.
The American Red Cross expects to raise an estimated $200,000 from the remaining 150 items they auction. And it sounds like there are some neat items to buy. They have a lot of artwork and illustrations – mostly from the first half of the 20th century – including work by some famous artists such as Norman Rockwell.
It’s a unique and practical fundraising solution that also helps trim the budget. Does this trigger any ideas for your organization?
