Donating to and Procuring for the Auction
The Benefit Dinner and Auction proceeds go directly to the school’s financial aid fund, which ultimately enables us to partner with families who seek to provide their children with a Classical Christian education, regardless of their economic status or socioeconomic status. If you’d like to contribute to this fund, you can do so by directly donating money to the Auction or by procuring items to be sold at the Auction.
Donating Money Directly to the Auction
You can donate any amount of money directly to the Auction. Some employers will match your donation. Please check with your employer because a matching gift would double your donation!
Procuring Auction Items
The procurement process is simple:
- Plan to donate five items or more that are valued at $150 combined.
- Fill out an online procurement form for each item by the Procurement Form deadline.
- Label and turn in the procured items by the General Item deadline.
- Plan to attend the Auction, which you are now supporting!
Plan to Donate Five Items
Each Providence family is expected to procure five items valued at $150 (combined) or more by the Procurement Form deadline, which is announced in the weekly Highlander Herald. We ask that you get creative and do your best with procurement! Remember, it’s best to procure the things you would like to bid on at an auction—if you like something, chances are someone else will too.
If you’re still unsure about what to procure, you can:
- Ask yourself these questions to help you generate ideas.
- Read through this list of procurement ideas.
- Buy items off the Auction’s Amazon Wish List.
NOTE: If you buy from the Amazon Wish List, you must include a gift receipt with your purchase. Otherwise, the Auction Committee won’t know who donated the item.
You can also solicit local businesses for auction items. You should be ready to speak to business managers and to answer any general questions they may have about Providence. Any time that you spend reaching out to businesses for donations counts as Parent Partnership hours, so be sure to record your time.
Another useful resource is this donation request letter that provides businesses with a quick overview about the Auction, Providence’s non-profit tax ID number, and the benefits to their businesses for donating to this event.
If you have a known contact and would like a custom letter mailed or faxed directly to a business, send an email to fundraising@pccs.org. Be sure to indicate:
- Your name and phone number.
- Name of the business, contact person at this business.
- The business’s address, phone number, and fax number.
- Additional details that may be helpful if asking for a specific item.
Sometimes, businesses cannot donate at that time. Some businesses have yearly budgets that start over in January, so you could try asking again earlier in the new year.
Fill Out a Procurement Form for Each Item
After you procure an item, you must fill out an online procurement form for each item. The person or business contact who fills out the procurement form will receive an emailed receipt for their donation. All procurement forms are due by the Procurement Form deadline, which the Highlander Herald announces.
If you’re unsure about how to properly fill out an online procurement form, you can use this how-to guide.
If you need a hard copy procurement form, you can print this procurement form.pdf, or pick up one at the Front Desk.
Label and Turn In the Procured Items
After filling out all your procurement forms, you should gather the items you plan to donate. Place the procured items in a bag(s), and then label the bag(s) with your family’s last name, so the Auction Committee can easily identify you as the solicitor. Finally, you can drop off the procured items at the Fundraising Office or at the Front Desk any time during school hours. All procured items are due by the General Item deadline, which the Highlander Herald announces.