Fundraising for schools can be a challenge. Learn how Connect Charter School and its parent committee and volunteers have raised $52K with healthy food fnndraisers and how your club, team, or school can achieve the same success.

About Connect Charter School

Connect Charter School is a charter school in Calgary, Alberta. A charter school is a fascinating place, as it is similar to a public school but provides greater autonomy over learning and unique programming beyond the classroom.

While they still follow the approved provincial curriculum, the school adopts additional, more independent educational programs and philosophies. Connect Charter School focuses on outdoor education and technology, spending more instruction time on math, science, and technology and employing a problem-based approach to learning.

Some things that make Connect Charter unique are its status as Alberta’s only Apple Distinguished School, recent projects with local poet laureate Wakefield Brewster, and being one of the first schools to participate in the Government of Alberta’s pilot Mental Health program for students.

Providing these incredible opportunities for students is a costly endeavour, and the school’s Parent-Teacher Association is committed to closing the financial gap. Since 2020, the school has partnered with TeamFund Fundraising to provide local food fundraisers to their families and community to help offset costs.

Ahead of the Trend: Healthy School Fundraising with the Fill Your Freezer

Fundraising is a critical aspect of supplementing school budgets to pay for learning tools, field trips, events, and other costs. This is especially important in a school like Connect Charter, who provide additional unique learning opportunities for their students.

Many schools have been considering selling more healthy food options in their fundraisers as a way to raise money. According to Alberta Health Services, healthy food fundraisers produce profits equal to or greater than profits from unhealthy food fundraisers. And Connect Charter is no different.

This Fall, Connect Charter School raised over $5,000 to support student learning. 

With TeamFund, the school signs up, shares their online fundraising links for parents to shop online, uses our easy online tools to promote and track their results, and shows up with a few volunteers for delivery day!

> How TeamFund Works

Connect Charter School is ahead of the trend, offering the Fill Your Freezer to their parents since 2020 and raising over $52,000 for their students and programming with restaurant-quality, healthy grocery staples like 100% fresh bacon, Alberta beef burgers and steaks, and many other tasty options for families. 

Over $52,000 Raised To Support Students with Tasty School Fundraising

Food fundraising in partnership with TeamFund and tasty local vendors has helped Connect Charter to refresh and upgrade their learning commons and keep providing epic learning opportunities for their students.

Here is what their most recent organizer had to say:

“All went well so… just keep doing the same things!”

Delivery day is always smooth and efficient with TeamFund’s easy-to-follow delivery day process. We love to show up at local deliveries whenever possible, so keep an eye out for Susan, your fundraising expert:

“We had a successful event. Delivery was on time and easy. Susan was awesome and stayed with us until we were well into distribution just to be sure things went well! Awesome!”

We are so happy to be part of Connect Charter’s fundraising strategy and look forward to following the school and its students’ accomplishments!

Ready to be our next success story?

Shop local meats and meals, feed your families, and alleviate financial barriers for your school, sports club, or group!

TeamFund fundraisers are repeatable. While administration changes year over year, “passing the torch” to a new fundraising coordinator is a seamless process and still provides stellar results for the club!

We are here for you every step of the way. Online fundraising means fewer hours inside spreadsheets and more time replaced enjoying soccer games, engaging with the community, and enjoying all the wonderful programming Airdrie & Soccer offers!

Download a fundraising package to share with your committee and start planning your tastiest fundraiser yet!

St. Marys Music Foundation raised $1900 to support their music program, with a seamless fundraising process from start to finish. Parents stock up on grocery staples and earn 20% back for their students – it’s a win-win!

About St. Marys Music Foundation 

St Marys is the oldest school in Calgary, founded in 1885. Today, the school serves just over 1000 students from grades 10-12. Their mission is to help students realize their full potential through living and learning through their catholic faith.

The school prides itself in creating a welcoming community. This sense of community means that everyone feels involved in the success in the school from teachers to parents to administrators and students. 

In addition to school learning, St. Mary’s offers many optional courses, including Career and Technology Studies like food, mechanics, and cosmetology, as well as arts opportunities in dance, drama, and music.

The St. Mary’s Music Foundation is a non-profit foundation that is dedicated to supporting the musical experiences of students at St. Marys School. The purpose of the foundation is to help provide financial support to students through fundraising initiatives.

With the help of St. Marys Music Foundation, many students have received scholarships, trip subsidies, and individual student support to help them achieve their musical dreams. Through opportunities provided in music, students are able to have a more well-rounded education with experiences outside of the classroom.

Funding Music Programs with Food Fundraising

St. Marys Music Foundation runs several fundraisers throughout the year, from music showcases to cookie dough and chocolates. In Fall 2023, St. Marys partnered with TeamFund to offer their community a Fill Your Freezer fundraiser.

The Fill Your Freezer fundraiser is a great opportunity for families to stock up their freezers with grocery staples: burgers, sausages, chicken, perogies, steaks, and more!

In return, St. Marys earns back an average of 20% for their programs.

In December 2023, St. Marys raised $1,911.25 to support their music students and programs!

With TeamFund, parents were able to purchase from their fundraiser online and easily share the link with friends to raise more for their cause.

TeamFund allows you to track profits per seller so that students who participate can directly benefit from their efforts in the fundraiser.

“Amazing process. So easy right from absolute start to finish. So happy!”

– Tammy, Fundraising Organizer 

Once the fundraiser was over, the parents met for pick up at the school. TeamFund delivers to one location to save you delivery fees, leaving you more profits.

As an organization primarily focused on funding, Tammy is no stranger to order pick ups:

“By far the easiest organization and hand-out of any fundraiser I have ever organized. We will definitely be back next year!”

– Tammy, Fundraising Organizer 

With a fundraising option like the Fill Your Freezer, the group can return to stock up their freezers again with practical groceries and raise money for their students at the same time!

It’s the perfect fundraiser for busy families and schools who are looking for a practical, tasty, and repeatable fundraiser for their organization. 

Is your music program looking for an easy fundraising option? Get ready for your tastiest fundraiser yet!

Friends of Banded Peak Society raised over $2800 this spring to help fund new cross country ski equipment for students!

About Friends of Banded Peak 

Banded Peak School is an elementary school in Bragg Creek, Alberta, serving students from kindergarten to grade 8. Its staff and teachers are dedicated to helping students become lifelong learners and responsible community members.

> Learn more about the school in their feature story! 

Friends of Banded Peak Society is an organization within the council that is responsible for raising the funds through Casinos (AGLC) as well as several other fundraising efforts throughout the year such as walk a thons, auctions, and school apparel.

Fundraising for Cross Country Ski Equipment

One fundraiser that Banded Peak Society returns to every year is the Fill Your Freezer Fundraiser.

This fundraiser allows parents and community members to stock up on groceries they would likely be purchasing anyway, such as bacon, steaks, burgers, and more!

They often return in the Spring to take advantage of the excitement around BBQ Season.In return, the school earns an average of 20% on each sale.

This year, their biggest goal is to raise funds for new cross-country ski equipment! 

This year, their biggest goal is to raise funds for new cross-country ski equipment!

Banded Peak Society raised $2,897.25 of their $3500 goal this year with high-quality and practical food for families and community members. 

This year, Rebecca organized the fundraiser for the first time, and appreciated our easy online fundraising platform:

Skip Paper Forms and Try Online Food Fundraising

The school loves the paperless process and ease of fundraising with TeamFund:

“Our school council found TeamFund to be very user-friendly and loved the fact that we didn’t have to handle any cash or worry about payments.  They are extremely supportive and walk you through every step of the process. The delivery went smoothly. It was the easiest fundraising we’ve ever done!  Will definitely be using them again”.

Solita, Past Chair, Friends of Banded Peak Society (2022/23)

TeamFund helps organizers avoid cash payments, easily share their fundraiser online, reduce fundraising fatigue, and access real-time reports to keep track of their progress.

In 2024, Rebecca took over the role and found the experience just as seamless as a new organizer:

“This is our third year having a TeamFund fundraiser. TeamFund makes the process easy and it doesn’t take much time or energy to organize and execute. It’s an easy fundraiser that makes a good profit, so it’s a no-brainer for us to continue working with TeamFund.”

Rebecca, Chair (Friends of Banded Peak Society)

Thank you to Banded Peak for your continued support!

If your school is looking for a reliable fundraising partner, try TeamFund. Get ready for BBQ season with our tasty food fundraisers:

• 100% Fresh Bacon Fundraiser
• Fill Your Freezer Fundraiser
• BBQ Meat Fundraiser

Arbour Lake School raised over $1900 for their upcoming sailing trip with a tasty Spolumbo’s Sausage Fundraiser! Better yet, TeamFund’s easy online platform made organizing and tracking the fundraiser a breeze.

About Arbour Lake School 

Arbour Lake School is a middle school in Calgary, Alberta that serves students from grades 5-9. Their motto is “learning as unique as every student,” and they strive to personalize learning for their students for success in a culture of caring and respect. 

Students at the school are given opportunities to try many options outside of core classes including technology, fine arts, career options, and athletics. One of the many opportunities provided to students is a sailing trip! 

Arbour Lake organizes fundraisers annually to help offset the cost of this annual sailing trip. This year, they decided to partner with TeamFund to run a Spolumbo’s Sausage fundraiser.

Note: While groups can work with Spolumbo’s directly, TeamFund offers the additional ease of an online fundraising platform! Your supporters can make their orders directly on your own fundraising website from any device (no paper order forms needed). 

You can track your fundraiser in real time using our organizer dashboard and receive support from our fundraising experts throughout your campaign. 

Arbour Lake Raises Over $1800 for their Sailing Trip with an Online Spolumbo’s Fundraiser  

With a Spolumbo’s fundraiser, parents get to stock up on tasty local sausages earn 20% back for their group at the same time!

TeamFund sets up an online store, tracks payments, generates reports, and organizes delivery so that organizers and parents can focus on sharing their initiative and getting sales.

Arbour Lake was able to raise $1,991 for their trip, exceeding their $1800 goal!

It was easy to run and I felt supported the whole way

Jill, Fundraising Organizer

From breakfast to bratwurst, the fundraiser offers tons 13 different sausage flavours to suit any family’s favourite cuisines.

On delivery day, families showed up to help organize and pick up their delivery:

It was smooth and easy! The organization and labels make it a breeze!

Jill, Fundraising Organizer

TeamFund delivers to one location to save you on delivery costs, but our pick-up process is thought through from start to finish to make your life as easy as possible.

TeamFund Makes Organizing Your Fundraiser a Breeze

As busy parents and teachers, let TeamFund take the stress off fundraising. 

Instead of handing out order forms to be lost in backpacks, chasing payments, and handling complex spreadsheets, an online fundraiser lets you track your fundraiser in real time.

If your school is looking to raise funds for school trips, try a food fundraiser with TeamFund!

Bear Necessities of Pat Hardy Elementary School has raised over $2300 in their recent Fill Your Freezer Fundraiser towards their goal of a new therapy dog for the school! 

About Bear Necessities of Pat Hardy Elementary School

Bear Necessities is the Student Advisor Council (SAC) of Pat Hardy Elementary School, based in Whitecourt, Alberta. The school serves students from Junior Kindergarden to Grade 5. Guided by the motto “Always Learning. Learning All Ways,” the school is committed to fostering each child’s success in a safe and inclusive learning environment.

To keep pace with innovative teaching practices, the school looks to their SAC, Bear Necessities, to help fundraise for new learning tools each year.

We had a conversation with Clare, the current chair of Bear Necessities, about her experience with TeamFund Fundraising.

Fundraising initiatives have previously funded resources like books and sensory pads. This year, the big goal is to raise funds for a new therapy dog, which supports students’ social and emotional learning. With their current dog set to retire soon, the anticipation for a replacement is in the air!

Bear Necessities Raises Over $2300 Towards A New Therapy Dog With TeamFund

Bear Necessities has run Bacon Fundraisers with TeamFund since 2020. In their most recent fundraiser, they decided to switch it up for a Fill Your Freezer Fundraiser (New to Southern Alberta!)

Parents get to stock up on groceries knowing that up to 20% of their purchase directly contributes to the school’s success – it’s a win-win! 

TeamFund sets up an online store, tracks payments, generates reports, and organizes delivery. Clare loves that it is easy for parents to order online and pick up their food from the school after the fundraiser.

Beyond the simplicity of organizing the school fundraiser, TeamFund provides consistent, high-quality products:

Since 2020, Bear Necessities has raised over $26,000 towards learning initiatives with TeamFund. Read their full story below: 

Connect Charter School has raised $5,803 this Fall to help refresh and upgrade their library and learning commons!

Parents can stock up on healthy foods and earn 20% back for their school at the same time – it’s a win-win!

About Connect Charter School

Connect Charter School is a middle school serving grades four through nine in Calgary, Alberta. The school is committed to fostering the development of extraordinary citizens and prides themselves on their innovative learning practices, inclusiveness, and empowering atmosphere.

Engaging their students with their exemplary technology practices and outdoor education experiences, Connect Charter School provides many unique experiences for their students. Outdoor education programs help students to see what they have been taught in the classroom in a real context.

One way the school supports these initiatives is through finding effective school fundraising ideas. Since 2020, Connect Charter School has returned to TeamFund Fundraising every Spring and Fall to stock up their freezers with Spolumbo’s, Bow River Meats, and recently added on 100% Fresh Canadian Bacon.

School Fundraising Made Tasty 

The Parent-Teacher Association and volunteers are key to the success of Connect Charter School’s fundraising efforts. In partnership with local healthy food vendors and TeamFund, the school offers parents the opportunity to stock up on local sausages and meats while earning 20% of profits from all sales to support the school.

The best part? Our food fundraisers have online ordering, saving parents and organizers hours of time.

This Fall, Connect Charter School raised $5803 towards upgrading their library and learning commons! 

TeamFund tracks sales and provides real-time reporting so organizers can ensure the group is staying engaged throughout the campaign.

Organizers make sure the Connect Family gets their orders in before the deadline (without having to chase crumpled order forms in backpacks).

> How TeamFund Works 

TeamFund tracks sales and provides real-time reporting so organizers can ensure the group is staying engaged throughout the campaign. They make sure the Connect Family gets their orders in before the deadline (without having to chase crumpled order forms in backpacks). 

After the campaign ends, the food is delivered to the school for pick up! This saves on delivery fees, and parents can pick up their kids and groceries at the same time. 

Families who participate in the online food fundraiser have the opportunity to order delicious food to feed their families, all while supporting a school that buildis leadership skills and innovative mindsets for their students (aka the adults of the future!) 

Over the last four years, Connect Charter had consistently raised an additional $4000 – $8000 in funding for the school every year, totalling over $52,000 to support students (and hundreds of boxes of tasty food for parents to take home):

Ready to be our next success story?

Shop local meats and meals, feed your families, and alleviate financial barriers for your school, sports club, or group!

TeamFund fundraisers are repeatable. While parent-teacher associations can change year over year, “passing the torch” to a new fundraising coordinator is a seamless process and still provides stellar results for your school! 

We are here for you every step of the way. Online fundraising means fewer hours inside spreadsheets and more time enjoying learning in the great outdoors! 

Download a fundraising package to share with your committee and start planning your tastiest fundraiser yet!

West Springs School Development Association has raised over $16K to support learning initiatives at West Springs School in Southwest Calgary. These funds have helped the school acquire learning tools like books, robotics, classroom tools, and more.

West Springs School: Committed To a Caring Environment

Committed to a safe, welcoming, and caring environment, West Springs School addresses student needs with a School Learning Team (SLT) approach. This approach allows teachers to collaborate in observing student progress and adjusting their teaching practices to improve learning for every student.

Their motto is Care for Self, Others, and our Place. The school serves students from kindergarten to grade four, fostering the next generation of great citizens.

To provide a great learning environment, the West Springs School looks to their parent society, the West Springs School Development Association (WSSDA), for financial support throughout the year.

West Springs School Development Association: A Group of Dedicated Parent Volunteers 

We had the opportunity to speak to Amy, Vice President of the WSSDA, about the school and her experience with TeamFund. WSSDA is an enthusiastic group of parent volunteers who work to support fundraising opportunities for West Springs School.

Amy has two kids in school and participating in the parent society, WSSDA, is one way that parents can make a meaningful difference and support the school and students. Amy loves being able to meet other families and connect with others’ she may not have otherwise.

Each year, at the end of September, the WSSDA and West Springs School meet to put together a “wish list” of items they would like to have to be able to provide enriching opportunities for students throughout the year. This might look like new books, robotics, classroom technology or other learning enhancement tools. It can also cover things like field trips and outdoor learning opportunities.

From there, the WSSDA and its dedicated volunteers work throughout the year to keep their bank account healthy and support costs.

One way they do this is with TeamFund’s Fill Your Freezer Fundraiser. 

Their most recent Fill Your Freezer Fundraiser featured Bow River Meats and Simple Simon Pies, and WSSDA raised nearly $2000 for the school. 

They always aim high and Amy says that for this school food fundraiser:

Anything over $1500 is a win in our books!

The Fill Your Freezer is practical because it offers the ability to purchase delicious food in bulk, perfect for families, that they might otherwise purchase at the grocery store. 

TeamFund is Streamlined & Stress-Free 

Amy loves that the Fill Your Freezer is online, so she just has to share the link with supporters to purchase. That means no cash handling and no building order forms.   

“TeamFund takes the stress off of fundraising.” 

The school still runs traditional fundraisers like poinsettias and wreaths in the winter and flowers and gardening supplies in the spring. TeamFund provides a refreshing break by offering practical food options that families want and need. 

Some other fun fundraisers Amy mentioned were their upcoming Halloween Howler (We wish we could see all the costumes!) , as well as their Mom’s Night Out where they raffle items and give mothers a well-deserved night to enjoy themselves and support the school.  

By teaming up with TeamFund twice a year, the school has earned over $4,000 per year for learning initiatives since 2021. 

ALL TIME: $16,608

Congratulations to WSSDA on your fundraising success! 

What could your school do with an extra thousand dollars in funding (or more!) – try a Fill Your Freezer and sell products families love, while supporting the school at the same time. 

West Springs School Development Association raised almost $2,000 in their most recent Fill Your Freezer campaign. Your school can raise funds with food too! 

West Springs School Development Association: Parent Volunteers Dedicated to School Fundraising

Committed to a safe, welcoming, and caring environment, West Springs School, the teachers here address student needs collaboratively.

Their motto is Care for Self, Others, and our Place. The school serves students from kindergarten to grade four in Calgary, Alberta.

To provide a great learning environment, the West Springs School looks to their parent society, the West Springs School Development Association (WSSDA), for financial support throughout the year.

We had the opportunity to speak to Amy, Vice President of the WSSDA, about the school and her experience with TeamFund.

WSSDA is an enthusiastic group of parent volunteers who work to support fundraising opportunities for West Springs School. One way the school fundraiser is with TeamFund’s Fill Your Freezer Fundraiser.

Their most recent Fill Your Freezer Fundraiser featured Bow River Meats and Simple Simon Pies, and WSSDA raised nearly $2000 for the school. 

They always aim high and Amy says that for this school food fundraiser:

Anything over $1500 is a win in our books!

The Fill Your Freezer is practical because it offers the ability to purchase delicious food in bulk (perfect for families!) that they might otherwise purchase at the grocery store.

TeamFund is Streamlined & Stress-Free

Amy loves that the Fill Your Freezer is online, so she just has to share the link with supporters to purchase. That means no cash handling and no building order forms.

“TeamFund takes the stress off of fundraising.”

The school has been working with TeamFund for four years, raising over $16,000 to support the school’s learning initiatives. Read their full story below: