Co-host and/or helpers: Most people like to enlist the help of a co-host or several friends to help with the planning and/or hosting of their parties. This not only distributes the tasks that need to be done, but makes for an enjoyable and rewarding team effort for a great cause! In addition, because this is a fundraiser, we strongly recommend that you ask a trustworthy friend to be responsible just for the handling of contributions on the day of your event.

Venue: Your party can be in your home, a studio, a meeting site, etc.

Type of party: This will affect the type of refreshments you’ll want to have (e.g., desserts, cocktails, etc.). Make sure the food and beverages are ready for the day of your party. (Note that house party expenses are not reimbursable by the OCN Campaign.)

Date and time: Your party should be held about three weeks after the invitations have been sent. You should allow 2-3 hours for the party.

Fund raising goal: You should set your goal according to the number of guests you’re inviting and what you think your guests might contribute. Holding an auction or raffle will also affect the goal you set. We suggest an average goal of $750; however, we know that some events will raise less and others much more.

Speakers: You may decide to have one or two people speaking at your event to talk about the health care issue, SB 840, and the Campaign, and make the appeal for funds. Each person who speaks should be clear about the message they’re delivering. There is more information about this in our Fund Raising Appeal. If you need assistance in locating a speaker, contact houseparty@onecarenow.org.

OneCareNow DVD: The OneCareNow Campaign DVD, The Health Care Solution: California OneCare, makes it easy for people who are new to the issue to understand why this Campaign is so important. It should serve as a key element of your house party. It can be introduced by one of your speakers and shouldn’t take more than 25 minutes to view. The response to this DVD has been overwhelmingly positive, because it presents a clear, compelling account of why single payer health insurance is so critical to Californians. Be sure to order your copy of the DVD ahead of time and have the proper equipment to show the DVD available on the day of your party. Also, be sure to have DVD order forms available at your party so your guests can order their own copies.

Auctions & Raffles: This is entirely up to you. Should you decide to add a silent auction, a live auction, or a raffle to your fundraiser, you’ll have a little more work to do (e.g., asking for contributed items; setting up and running the auction or raffle; and sending acknowledgments to the contributors). Note that anything contributed for these activities is not tax-deductible for the donors. Make sure that you’re ready for anything you need for your auction or raffle on the day of your party (e.g., separate item sheets that include a description of the item, beginning bid amount, & donor information; raffle tickets; etc.).

Themes: Themes can spark the imagination and inspire people to attend (e.g., Night at the Movies; ethnic; 1920s, ‘40s, ‘60s; etc.). Remember that if you choose to include a theme, you’ll need to state that in your invitation and then carry it through on the day of the party.

Materials: You should plan to have the following materials at your party:

• A sign-in table;
• Literature (e.g. flyers, petitions, FAQs, What Can You Do to Help?, The OCN Fact Sheet, Sign-in Sheet, DVD Order forms, etc.);
• Contribution receipts (downloaded and copied);
• A sign outside the venue directing people where to go; and
• A computer, if possible, so that credit card donations can be entered at the time they are made.