family team
guide
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Welcome to Walk to Cure Psoriasis! Start by persuading people to join your team
Don’t be afraid to share your story and tell them why you are involved.
Walk to Cure Psoriasis is the fastest-growing fundraising event in the Expressing why the walk matters to you will inspire people to support
history of the National Psoriasis Foundation. When you participate in Walk you. Let them know that the walk is making a difference in millions of
to Cure Psoriasis, you and your team join other front-line champions in the lives. They will also have FUN! Walkers who raise $100 or more will
growing movement to find a cure for this disease. receive a Walk T-shirt and, if you raise $250 or more, you will qualify for
an additional fundraising prize. Psoriasis Foundation walks are held at
Walkers raise funds by asking friends, relatives and co-workers to sponsor terrific locations such as parks, beaches, or even zoos and feature plenty of
them. By simply drafting and sending a “Dear Family and Friends” letter or food and entertainment. On Walk Day, you can expect to have a great time
e-mail explaining why you and your family are participating in Walk to Cure getting some exercise with family and friends, and meet others affected by
Psoriasis, you can reach your largest audience without leaving the comfort psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
of your home! In addition, campaigns can be enhanced by using the online
resources found at your Walk Center. People who use Walk Center raise
354 percent more in donations than people who don’t.
By following this easy step-by-step guide, you and your team will be well
on your way to helping the Psoriasis Foundation find a cure for psoriasis
and psoriatic arthritis.
Family Teams are at the heart of what makes Walk to Cure Psoriasis so
successful. Families, organizations, school groups and corporations build About the National Psoriasis Foundation
teams to honor and help those who have been touched by psoriasis. Having
Since its inception in 1968, the National Psoriasis Foundation has
a lot of people participate with you makes it fun and allows you to build a
grown to become the world’s largest nonprofit patient-advocacy
relationship with members of your local community.
organization dedicated to fighting psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. It
is also the leading charitable funder of psoriatic disease research.
Every member of a team should be encouraged to gather his or her own
The Psoriasis Foundation is recognized as a highly effective and
supporters and raise as much money as possible through their participation
efficient organization by top charity watchdogs, such as the Better
in the walk. There is no minimum or limit to the number of members a team
Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator.
may have, but we encourage you to set a goal of 10 members and to strive to
raise $100 per member.
The Foundation’s mission is to find a cure for psoriasis and
psoriatic arthritis and to eliminate their devastating effects
through research, advocacy and education. For more information,
please call the Psoriasis Foundation, headquartered in Portland,
Ore., at 800.723.9166, or visit www.psoriasis.org.
2 Walk to Cure Psoriasis | Family Guide National Psoriasis Foundation 3
step 1 2 3 4 5 6
Fundraising tips: Step 1: Develop your mailing list
• KicKoff event—Plan a meeting and invite plenty of attendees. Offer Before you and your teammates send your letter or e-mail, you need to
food and watch interest soar! establish a mailing list. Remember—the larger your distribution list is at
the start, the better the results!
• Matching gifts—Many employers have programs that match
charitable contributions made by their employees. To find out if your start by gathering names from your:
employer or one of your donor’s employers has a matching gift policy, visit • Address book/E-mail address book
the Walk Web page and look for “Matching Gifts.” • Rolodex
• Holiday card list
• e-Mail signature—Include a line in your e-mail signature (at work
and/or at home) letting your friends and family know about the Walk. think about the people you see every day:
Include a link to your personal Walk Center page. • People at your office
• School contacts
• on the job—Post a Walk flyer with your team name by the copier, • Business contacts
elevator, coffee machine or other high traffic area. Distribute your Walk • People at your place of worship
flyer at a staff meeting or send an e-mail to your co-workers with a link to • Parents of your children’s teammates
your personal Walk Center page. • Members of clubs and neighborhood organizations to which you belong
• Families of your children’s schoolmates
• leave a Message—Add a line to your voicemail at home or on your cell • Neighbors
phone letting callers know you are participating in the Walk and need their • Your children’s teachers, coaches and instructors
support!
What about the people from your past? send letters to:
• Former classmates, teammates and roommates
• Former neighbors and co-workers
For more team-building/fundraising tips and resources,
• Former teachers
visit walk.psoriasis.org
• Members of your fraternal and alumni organizations
consider mailing to the businesses you frequent, including your:
• Grocer
• Pharmacy
• Dry-cleaner
• Doctor/Health Care Provider
• Veterinarian
• Hair/Nail salon
Basically, send your letter to everyone you can think of—the number can be
limitless! Don’t be afraid to follow up by phone or in person.
4 Walk to Cure Psoriasis | Family Guide National Psoriasis Foundation 5
step 1 2 3 4 5 6 step 1 2 3 4 5 6
Sample Letter Step 2: Write your letter
Visit walk.psoriasis.org for more sample letters. The next step is to determine what information needs to go in the body
of your letter. Start by breaking the letter down into four areas:
1. include your personal motivation for participating.
• Talk about what you experienced when you or your loved one were first
Dear , diagnosed with psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis.
ans a lot to me.
lp with a cause that me
I am ask ing for you r he • Tell potential donors about the difference the Psoriasis Foundation
re Psoriasis in makes in the lives of millions of individuals and families affected by
ati ng in the Wa lk to Cu
On [DATE], I wi ll be particip to find a cu re for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
nt aims to raise money
[LOCA TION]. Th is one-day eve stating effects.
and eli mi nate their deva
psoriasis and psoriatic ar thr itis • Discuss what the Psoriasis Foundation will accomplish if a donation
as many as 7.5 mi llion
na l Institutes of Health,
According to the Natio ference in the lives of is received and who the donation will benefit.
sis. Help me ma ke a dif
Americans have psoria
those affected by this dis
ease. 2. Provide some facts about the Psoriasis foundation.
ski n disease that • Explain the mission of the Psoriasis Foundation and emphasize that
ch ron ic, noncontag ious
Psoriasis is a com mon, of the body. the funds raised will help make finding a cure possible.
can appear on any part
causes red, sca ly patches, wh ich the hands or
and bleed. Psoriasis on information about the Psoriasis foundation can be found on the back
It can cau se the ski n to itch, bu rn
ks such as wr iting or
from doing everyday tas of this guide or online at www.psoriasis.org.
feet can prevent people sis also develop psoriatic
nt of people with psoria
walki ng. Up to 30 perce and around the
sti ffness and swell ing in 3. Discuss efforts in your local community and what it’s doing for the
ar thr itis, wh ich causes pain,
cause.
joi nts.
improving the quality • Describe what you personally are doing at the local level.
ndation is dedicated to
The Nationa l Psoriasis Fou itis. The Psoriasis
sis and psoriatic ar thr • Make a note of your team’s fundraising goal and be proud of what you’re
of life of people who have psoria cu re for psoriatic
cia l research to find a doing to help.
Fou ndation promotes cru s.
their devastating effect
diseases and eli mi nate 4. conclude your letter by telling people how they can help the Psoriasis
lives of those affected
my efforts to improve the foundation.
I hope you wi ll support to the Fou ndation. I am
generous contribution • Join your Walk team and collect money.
by psoriasis through a nt wi ll be greatly
$25; however, any amou
ask ing for a contribution of Psoriasis events • Send a tax-deductible donation (all checks should be made payable
through Wa lk to Cu re
apprecia ted. The money we raise to the National Psoriasis Foundation).
ns of people.
wi ll be used to help mi llio
ndation and • Make a donation online at walk.psoriasis.org.
Nationa l Psoriasis Fou
Please ma ke you r check out to the
nate on line at
LINE]. You can also do • Thank the individual or company in advance for considering making
mail it to me by [DE AD a wa lker.
rch ing for my name as the contribution.
walk.psor iasis.org by sea
sit y.
ughtfulness and genero
Than k you for you r tho
For more sample letters and e-mails or to register, visit
Sincerely, walk.psoriasis.org
6 Walk to Cure Psoriasis | Family Guide National Psoriasis Foundation 7
step 1 2 3 4 5 6 step 1 2 3 4 5 6
Lacing Up and Logging On Step 3: Create your personal Web page
Fundraising has never been easier! By registering online you will receive Your Walk Center can be personalized and will enhance your fundraising
regular Walk updates from the Psoriasis Foundation, including fundraising efforts. It is easy and fun! Through the Walk Center homepage, you’ll have
and teambuilding tips, Walk highlights and personal stories from others access to a Participant Center, which will allow you to upload photos, add
who have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. People who use the Walk Center your personal story and update your fundraising goal and your personal
raise 354 percent more than those who don’t. Be sure to check out Walk and team Web pages. Once you’ve named your Web pages, you’ll be able to
Center at walk.psoriasis.org. post your link on marketing materials, social networking sites (Facebook,
MySpace, Twitter), e-mails, etc.
how to get started:
• Visit walk.psoriasis.org. After setting up your Web page, you can e-mail co-workers, friends and
• Choose your city from the list. family to invite them to donate or to join your team. You can track your
• Once on a city’s page, click “form a new team.” team’s progress with the click of a button! Check it out at walk.psoriasis.org.
• Fill in registration information, choose a username and password.
You will receive an e-mail with login information.
use your Walk center to: Step 4: Mail/E-mail your letters
• Personalize your personal Web page. once you’ve developed your mailing list and written your letter, it’s time to
• Personalize your team Web page. come up with a mailing plan.
• Upload e-mail contacts. • Note the date of your Walk and try to mail or e-mail your letters six to
• Send e-mails (templates provided). eight weeks before that. Although successful results have been achieved
• Track donations. in less time, you want to give people ample time to mail in a donation.
• Check personal and team fundraising progress.
• Write encouragement messages to your team members. • E-mail your friends and family a link to your fundraising page where they
• Thank donors. can make a secure online credit card donation.
• Mention that you will be turning the money in on Walk Day.
Raise as much as • By sending your letters out early, you’ll give those who receive them time
to tell their friends, family and co-workers about the Psoriasis Foundation
354% more by using and Walk to Cure Psoriasis! Be sure to ask your recipients to forward your
e-mail to their entire address book and watch those donations increase
your online Walk Center exponentially!
• Be persistent! Send your e-mail several times to remind your friends and
family of your efforts in this important cause.
• Although it’s nice to have all money collected prior to the walk, your
fundraising campaign doesn’t have to stop then. Your Walk Center will
remain open several months after the walk to collect addtional donations.
8 Walk to Cure Psoriasis | Family Guide National Psoriasis Foundation 9
step 1 2 3 4 5 6
Step 5: Have fun!
On Walk Day, show off your team spirit by wearing a team T-shirt you
designed and/or carrying a banner. Take a team photo and enjoy the day
with your team celebrating the difference you are making for those affected
by psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
Join thousands of people across the country and help the 7.5 million
Americans living with these diseases.
Step 6: Thank your team members and donors
Recognizing the team members and donors who helped you reach your
fundraising goal will ensure their support for future Psoriasis Foundation
events. Here are a few ways to thank your team members and donors for
their support:
• Send a thank-you e-mail from your online Walk Center Web site to
everyone who made a donation.
• Host a thank-you party for your team or send e-mail or handwritten
thank-you notes to team members.
• Send a press release with photos from the event to your local newspaper.
Applaud your team for their efforts!
A Tribute to Family Teams
The Family Teams of Distinction program is designed especially
• Send photos of your team and the event to friends and family and invite for family walk teams. The program recognizes the outstanding
them again next year. A thank you today goes a long way for next year! fundraising achievements Family Teams make in support of the
National Psoriasis Foundation. These high-performing teams will
be acknowledged for their outstanding fundraising and recruiting
efforts and will receive collectible lapel pins, recognition in
Psoriasis Advance magazine and Foundation e-newsletters, and
an invitation to attend the Family Teams of Distinction reception at
Questions? Call 1.877.825.WALK (9255) or e-mail the Biennial Volunteer Leadership Conference.
walk@psoriasis.org
For more information about the Family Teams Award Program,
visit www.psoriasis.org/walk/familyteams.
10 Walk to Cure Psoriasis | Family Guide
About Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
• Psoriasis is a noncontagious, chronic disease of the immune system that
affects an estimated 125 million people worldwide.
• Psoriasis generally appears as patches of raised, red skin covered by flaky,
white buildup of dead skin cells. These patches, or plaques, most often
appear on the scalp, knees, elbows and torso. They are often itchy and
painful, and they can crack and bleed.
• The cause of psoriasis is unknown. It affects both genders equally and can
strike at any age, although it commonly appears between the ages of 15
and 25.
• People with psoriasis have an increased risk of developing other serious
diseases, such as psoriatic arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and
depression.
• Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory disease that causes pain, stiffness and
swelling in and around the joints. It can also cause fatigue.
• Psoriatic arthritis usually develops between the ages of 30 and 50, but can
affect anyone at any age, including children.
• Psoriatic arthritis most often appears in the fingers and toes, but other parts
of the body can be affected, including the wrists, neck, lower back, knees
and ankles.
• Left untreated, psoriatic arthritis can be disabling and cause irreversible
joint damage.
• While no cure for these diseases has yet been identified, research is
ongoing.
6600 SW 92nd Ave., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97223-7195
800.723.9166 • www.psoriasis.org • getinfo@psoriasis.org