Making the Most of Mother's Day

May 08, 2008

Making the Most of Mother's Day

With many charities now soliciting their donors with Mother’s Day appeals, some nonprofit groups hope to raise additional money by combining the special holiday for moms with Father’s Day.

In Newton, N.C., for example, the United Church Homes and Services Foundation, which raises money for nonprofit retirement homes, is holding its first Butterfly Release the weekend after Mother’s Day. Donors who wish to honor their parents (or grandparents) at the event pay $20 per butterfly and the creatures will be released in a brief ceremony, followed by refreshments.

The idea for the event came from a resident in one of the retirement facilities, and it has been popular, the charity’s officials say. So far, they have purchased more than 32 dozen butterflies.

Another facility for the elderly, the Bethany Home, in Ripon, Calif., has created two versions of a direct-mail brochure that it will use in May and June. In honor of Mother’s Day, the first version features women, and asks for a contribution.

It has been mailed to 2,100 households, and another 2,000 copies were distributed to the congregations of eight local churches that founded the home. A similar version of the brochure, featuring multiple generations of men, will be given to the same congregations next month for Father’s Day.

Recipients of the Bethany Home mailings are not being asked to give in anyone’s honor.

“We want to get people to embrace the idea that we have an obligation to seniors,” says Julie Aranjo, director of development.

— Holly Hall

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