A community car wash event is a great way to raise funds for a local charity! Foster a spirit of community collaboration and corporate social responsibility among residents and employees with this “giving back” event.

Things You’ll Need

·         Buckets

·         Car washing soap

·         Sponges

·         Absorbent cloths/Towels

·         Water Hoses

·         Spray Bottles

·         Paper Towels/Newspaper

·         Microfiber towels

·         Glass cleaning spray/Newspaper

·         Other interior cleansers and sprays

·         Vacuums and attachments

·         Volunteers

Spread the Word

To get residents to volunteer, spread the word well in advance. This can be done through your community’s social media page, via email or newsletter, or via signs spread around the community in key gathering spots like mailboxes and laundry rooms.

Create a Station for Volunteer “Signup”

Set up a table in a high traffic area at least a week before the event. Invite residents to sign up for volunteer shifts on car wash day.

***TIP*** You may also assign some volunteers to help spread the word about the cause outside your community. This way, more people will bring their cars in to be washed on the appointed day.

Remember, you don’t have to only wash your residents’ cars. Signage placed outside the immediate community can bring in dirty cars (and potential new residents) from around your neighborhood as well!

Get the word out about the car wash for a cause in advance in the form of banners at your local gas station. You can also place signboards along other high traffic routes where people are likely to learn about the event in large numbers.

Where to Hold the Event

The event should be held in a community parking lot or a community ground that is easily accessible and visible to residents yet not in the way. Marking the area with cones, setting up the hoses, and preparing the space the evening before would be a good idea. It will also serve to remind residents that the fundraiser is being hosted to gather money for charity.

How-to’s of the Event

Image source:The Star

Pre-establish a minimum donation amount for your cause and create large signs. To ensure most residents can participate, it’s a good idea to keep the event running for several days.

However, this would also depend on how many volunteers you have as well as the number of hours they are willing to put in. If there are a lot of volunteers, you could assign each volunteer a one-hour or two hours shift over a whole weekend.

***TIP*** When planning for volunteers, make up teams of three to five volunteers who will work together at the same time.

Create an assembly line where cars are washed, rinsed, dried, and detailed from the inside (if needed, and for an additional donation). This way each volunteer will be more focused and efficient in completing the tasks at hand.

Post Pictures on Social Media

Post pictures of the event on your community’s social media pages as a gesture to thank the donors and volunteers, and also to help residents share the event.

If residents can’t attend the first year they may want to attend in the future! A lot of people may express that they want to participate next time, so be sure to collect their contact details in a spreadsheet for future events!