1. finance
2. personal finance
3. lending
4. credit cards

ORGANIZER
TOOLKIT
Welcome to THINKfast!
2
Planning Guide
3
Sample Schedules
6
Fasting Guide
8
Solidarity Celebration
9
Paperwork Guide for Organizers
10
Donation Submission Form
12
Pledge Forms
13
Participant Feedback Form
15
Regional Animator Contact Form
16
Please consider the environment before printing this document.
Welcome to THINKfast
Dear Organizers,
Thank you for participating in the THINKfast program. We hope that this becomes a go-to
resource for you in your work with youth and young adults to explore issues of injustice,
poverty and what we can all do to build a more just world.
As with any Development and Peace activity or program, we encourage you to reach out to
staff should you need any inspiration, guidance or support in the planning of your event.
While we may not be able to attend each event personally, we can often assist with:
•
•
•
•
finding guest speakers in your area
answering questions about our online fundraising platform
helping to adjust your THINKfast to suit your group size and age range
telling you more about Development and Peace and how to stay involved!
On the last page of this kit you will find a Regional Animator Contact List that will show
you the Animator (regional staff-person) for your region.
At any time, you can also contact us in the national office for assistance. Our goal is to
help you have a successful THINKfast!
We hope you have as much fun planning the THINKfast as your participants will have
during the event!
In solidarity,
The THINKfast Coordination Team
[email protected]
1-800-494-1401 ext. 230
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
2
PLANNING GUIDE
PLANNING CHECK-LIST
It’s your THINKfast and you can organize it any way you like! To lend a helping hand, we’ve set out
planning steps to support you in preparing for your THINKfast event.
SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS BEFORE THE FAST
…… Organize your THINKfast committee, and get the support of your
school or parish.
…… Set a date and the location.
…… Register your THINKfast online.
…… Set your fundraising goal.
*T-shirts and posters must be ordered (through the online registration)
4-6 weeks prior to the date of your fast to ensure on-time delivery
THREE TO FOUR WEEKS BEFORE THE FAST
…… Promote your THINKfast - try putting up posters!
…… Sign up participants and distribute pledge sheets.
…… Join us online: encourage participants to create their own
personal online fundraising pages at www.devp.org/thinkfast
…… Fundraise!
TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE FAST
…… Decide on the games and activities from our online database
you’ll use for your THINKfast.
…… Plan your Solidarity Meal to break the fast! Consider inviting other
members of the community to join you in the celebration.
ONE WEEK BEFORE THE FAST
…… Send out invites and media releases to the local radio stations,
TV stations or newspapers.
DURING THE FAST
…… Fast for 25 hours!
…… Learn about social justice with the games, activities and
reflections.
…… Break the fast with a Solidarity Meal!
WITHIN FOUR WEEKS OF YOUR FAST
…… Collect pledges and complete paperwork and submit to
Development and Peace.
…… Stay connected with Development and Peace.
…… Complete the e-survey, which you will receive by email
after your fast
…… Thank your participants and fellow organizers for a great event!
Remember,
we can
support you
when you
register
your
THINKfast
event with
us.
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
3
PLANNING GUIDE
GATHER A THINKFAST COMMITTEE
Some organizers tackle a THINKfast all by themselves, but it’s easier to have help! Plus, you provide a great
chance for other youth to get involved and share the responsibility and the fun of planning the event!
Here’s a sample team structure:
ROLE
NUMBER OF
VOLUNTEERS
RESPONSIBILITIES
1
The main contact person for the Committee and the liaison to
Development and Peace
Promotion Team
1-3
Responsible for inviting participants to join, reaching out to the
community, and promoting your event.
Fundraising and
Admin Team
1-2
Distributes pledge forms, shares fundraising ideas with participants and
then gathers all the funds at the end and assists the Lead Organizer in
preparing the report and submission to Development and Peace.
Event Volunteers
1-5
Depending on the size of your event, you may wish to have several
Event Volunteers to assist with activities, setup and cleanup and to help
the day run smoothly.
Lead Organizer
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
4
PLANNING GUIDE
SELECTING ACTIVITIES
There are plenty of activities to help you learn about social justice and have lots of fun together. You might
even forget you are fasting!
We have collected popular activities from the 25+ years of THINKfasts and put them online at
www.devp.org/thinkfast. New activities are added to the online database to coordinate with Development
and Peace’s campaigns. If your favourite activity or prayer isn’t there, let us know and we might add it to the
list!
Liturgies and Prayers
The THINKfast is one way we respond
to our call as Christians to be a light
to the world and to each other. The
suggested prayers and reflections can be
used throughout the THINKfast to give
participants time to absorb and reflect
on the experience and to situate their
response to what they are learning in
our faith context.
“Christ has no body on earth but ours,
no hands but ours, no feet but ours.
Ours are the feet with which He is to go
about doing good. Ours are the hands
with which He is to bless people now.” - Teresa of Avila
Mix & Match Games and
Activities
With the online database, you can
select activities that best suit the
selected theme, your group size, and
the personality of your group. Feel free
to add activities from other sources (or
think up and design your own). Most of
all, the focus should be on education
and action through HAVING FUN!
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www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
5
SAMPLE SCHEDULE 1
THINKfast
SCHEDULE
Use or modify the
following schedue
for your THINKfast
so that it best fits the
needs and interests
of your group.
You will find all
of these Activities
and Prayers and
Reflections online!
TIME
DAY 1
12:00pm
3:30pm
4:30pm
5:15pm
5:45pm
6:45pm
7:00pm
7:30pm
9:00pm
9:30pm
11:00pm
DAY 2
8:00am
8:30am
9:00am
10:15am
10:30am
11:20am
12:15pm
1:00pm
ACTIVIY
Fast BEGINS!!
Arrival and Welcome
Icebreaker // A Divided World
Reflection & Prayer // Opening Liturgy
Activity // The Orange Trading Game
Juice Break
Activity // Banana Split
Activity // Breaking the Cycle of Hunger
Reflection & Prayer //
Come Holy Spirit and Show us what is true
Movie
Journal time and lights out
Juice Break
Reflection & Prayer //
Apology to my brothers and sisters of the South
Activity // Food or Fuel
Juice Break
Activity // Jeopardy
Activity // Activism Dodgeball
Reflection & Prayer//
Closing Liturgy and Commissioning
Solidarity Meal
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
6
SAMPLE SCHEDULE 2
THINKfast
SCHEDULE
Use or modify the
following schedue
for your THINKfast
so that it best fits the
needs and interests
of your group.
You will find all
of these Activities
and Prayers and
Reflections online!
SCHOOL DAY
Before School
Reflection & Prayer // Opening Liturgy
Activity // A Divided World
Morning
Announcements
Reflection & Prayer//
Announce THINKfast and PRAYER
Lunch
Activity // The Orange Trading Game
After School
Activity // Breaking the Cycle of Hunger
Juice Break
Activity // Banana Split
Activity // Actvism Dodgeball
Reflection & Prayer // Closing Liturgy and
Commissioning
Solidarity meal
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
7
FASTING GUIDE
Share these guidelines with the whole group.
It’s best that they know what to expect.
Feeling tired?
Sit down and rest for a bit. This is a great time to
write in your journal, have some personal reflection time or pray. Drinking natural fruit juices will
bring your energy level back up again. Steer clear
of popsicles and other items that contain large
amounts of refined sugar; they’ll only make you
feel more tired later!
Feeling energetic?
A great time to play another game. Be sure to
drink lots of water!
Feeling hungry?
This is bound to happen, but drink some juice and
the feeling will pass. This is a great time to reflect
on how lucky we are not to feel this way for extended periods of time.
Feeling distracted?
Near the end of the fast it’s common to have difficulty focusing on the task at hand. Leaders take
note that it’s best to organize the activities that
require more mental energy near the beginning
of the fast when everyone is more alert. Drinking
lots of water will help.
Why a Fast?
It’s part of our faith tradition; it challenges
us, and teaches us to be thankful for all
that we have. Fasting is a spiritual practice
and is a way to choose to join in solidarity
with those who are hungry, poor, or
oppressed and to involve our whole
bodies in prayer. In our busyness and our
culture of abundance, it is good to fast
and remember to be grateful for all our
blessings.
What to Expect
As you fast, your body will go through
different stages. It is important to pay
attention to what your body is telling you
and to respond accordingly. For group
leaders, it’s especially important to pay
attention to your group’s energy levels
and to choose activities most appropriate
to your group’s current state (e.g. tired,
hyper or hungry). Always encourage the
group to drink fluids. As long as you make
sure to keep the group, and yourself,
hydrated and occupied, these feelings will
be a great learning experience.
FASTING GUIDELINES
Anyone older than 11 in good health can safely go without food for 25 hours. They must drink fluids to fast
properly. Anyone with a cold or flu, liver or kidney problems, or a serious illness should not take part in the
full fast. If in doubt, check with a doctor. Feel free to adapt and modify your fast as needed.
Make your THINKfast eco-friendly
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use tap water in jugs or coolers rather than bottled water
Use beeswax candles instead of oil-based candles
Use potted plants instead of fresh-cut flowers
Use reusable plates, cups, cutlery, etc
Purchase fair trade, organic and local snacks to break the fast
Reduce your power consumption by turning off the lights when not needed and even
having an hour away from your electronics
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
8
SOLIDARITY CELEBRATION
SOLIDARITY MEAL IDEAS!
100-MILE MEAL // This is a great time
to encourage healthy and local eating!
Why a 100-Mile Meal ?
So often, the food we eat comes from
the far reaches of our planet, passing
through many hands, travelling long
roads and waterways. Make connections to local food producers and farmers and/or find out about communityshared agricultural projects in your
area. Consuming locally grown foods
requires 17 times less oil and gas than
a typical diet. Let`s support our local
Canadian farmers and try to make a difference by enjoying a meal that did not
travel more than 100 miles (or 160 km)
from farm to table!
RECIPES FOR HUNGER // Have
community members prepare meal
items with foods called for in their favorite recipes, like a traditional pot-luck
where everyone gets to sample each
other’s favorite recipe!
COAST-TO-COAST // Have groups
or teams prepare/provide meals from
the traditional recipes of specific countries or cuisines of their choice. A great
way to learn about another country is
to learn how they eat!
VERY VEGGIE // Since growing vegtetables is easier on the land and our
environment than raising cattle and
other livestock, encourage plenty of
vegetarian dishes as main courses and
sides.
COUNTRY THEME // Create a meal
that represents a country where small
scale farmers are struggling or a country where Development and Peace has
partner organizations!
SOLIDARITY CELEBRATION
Break the fast with a solidarity meal!
Consider combining the Solidarity Celebration with the
Closing Liturgy.
A communal liturgy and meal is a great way to celebrate all
you have done over the 25 hours.
Invite family, friends, school, parish or community
representatives, people living/working in a alternative
housing shelters, people living homeless, Development and
Peace Youth Reps or Animators, and sponsors! Find out
how to invite your regional Development and Peace Animator
(listed on the inside back cover) by going to
www.devp.org/THINKFAST
A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:
•
•
•
•
Being mindful of the work that Development and
Peace has done in previous campaigns on water,
encourage all participants and guests to agree to a
Bottled Water Free Zone for their THINKfast and the
final celebration.
Have the meal prepared as much as possible
beforehand as participants won’t have the patience for
long cooking sessions.
Lead or invite a volunteer to lead grace before meals.
After abstaining from food for 25 hours, it’s best to
ease back into eating to give your system a chance
to adjust. Savour each bite and take the time to be
thankful for the food on the table.
MAKE YOUR SOLIDARITY MEAL ECO-FRIENDLY
* Tap into it! Use tap water in jugs or coolers rather than bottled water
* Use reusable plates, cups, cutlery, etc
* Purchase fair trade and organic and local snacks to break the fast
* Reduce power consumption, perhaps by eating your meal by candle-light!
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
9
PAPERWORK GUIDE FOR ORGANIZERS
1. REGISTER ONLINE AND DISTRIBUTE PLEDGE FORMS
Fundraising can be done online individually and in teams! Register your THINKfast online as
an Organizer and invite participants to join your team. Everyone can collect secure online
donations and you can watch your progress in real time! Go to www.devp.org/thinkfast
Fundraising online is convenient and environmentally friendly. With no cheques to keep track
of and less to ship, it’s a simple way to reach your goal. Encourage your group to fundraise
online!
The Pledge Forms are used by participants to collect cash or cheque donations for their fast.
Photocopy them as a double-sided sheet so your participants have a single piece of paper to
use to collect donations. Form A is for cheque donations and Form B is for cash donations.
2. COLLECT PLEDGE FORMS AND DONATIONS
At your THINKfast, collect the Pledge Forms from your participants. Photocopy each form
separating Forms A from B. Keep the original pledge forms for your records.
FORM A - CHEQUES
Staple all the donor cheques to their corresponding pledge forms.
FORM B - CASH
Tally the total amount pledged and received in cash. Write a personal cheque or money order
for the total amount. Please do not send cash by mail! Staple the cheque or money order to
the stack of Pledge Form B’s.
Address your cheque or money order to Development and Peace and indicate that the funds
were raised through THINKfast.
Important: Full names, complete addresses and the amount of the donation are required in
order to provide tax receipts to those who donated more than $10.
Those who donate online will receive a tax receipt automatically.
.
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www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
10
PAPERWORK GUIDE FOR ORGANIZERS
3. SPECIAL NOTES AND TAX RECEIPTING INSTRUCTIONS
• Tax receipts from Development and Peace can only be issued if cheques and money orders from
individual donors are made out to Development and Peace. All donor information needs to be indicated clearly on Pledge Forms.
• If the funds that you raised will be sent to Development and Peace through your parish or diocese,
then your parish must issue tax receipts to the donors. Development
receipts for cheque donations made out to a parish or school.
and
Peace cannot issue tax
• Cheques cannot be deposited if they are stale-dated (i.e., dated more than six months earlier),
so please make sure that you send in your Pledge Forms and cheques to us as soon as possible
after the completion of your THINKfast.
Please note: reporting and receipting to be submitted within 4 weeks after your THINKfast
4. EVALUATIONS
After your THINKfast, we will send you an e-survey so you can tell us what made your THINKfast
special. You can use the enclosed Participant Evaluation Form to learn what worked and what you
can change for next year and keep them for your reference.
If you have pictures of your event that you would like to share, please send them to [email protected]
or tag @DevPeace in your tweet and we may re-tweet or feature your group in future materials or
online posts!
5. SEND OR SUBMIT ONLINE BY WITHIN 4 WEEKS OF YOUR THINKFAST
Include all Pledge Forms and cheques/money orders in one envelope and send to:
THINKfast
c/o Development and Peace
1425 René-Lévesque Blvd. West, 3rd Floor Montréal, Québec
H3G 1T7
6. THANK YOU’S
Don’t forget to send out a thank you to those who participated and helped plan the THINKfast.
STAY CONNECTED & CONTINUE YOUR ENGAGEMENT
Youth are better able to understand the work of Development and Peace after they have
completed the THINKfast. Encourage them to continue their involvement in the movement
even after the fast is completed. Contact your local animator for ideas on how to stay involved
as a group or as individuals (contact information on the last page of this guide).
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
11
DONATION SUBMISSION FORM
Please complete this form and include it with your submission of donations.
CONTACT PERSON:
YOUR EMAIL:
DATE OF YOUR THINKFAST EVENT :
SCHOOL/UNIVERSITY/PARISH NAME AND ADDRESS:
CITY/TOWN:PROVINCE:
POSTAL CODE:DIOCESE:
FORM A:
Total number of cheques: ______________
Total of all donor cheques: $ ______________
FORM B:
Organizer cheque or money order number: __________________
Total of all cash donations: $ ______________
TOTAL FUNDS RAISED: $ ______________
THANK YOU!
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
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PLEDGE FORM A
CHEQUE DONATIONS
Participant’s name
School/Parish
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $10 or more when
info is complete and legible.
PLEASE WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
THINKfast is a program of the
Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
$
$
$
$
$
$
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
Tel: 1-800-494-1401
Please make cheques payable to: DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE
CITY
CITY
CITY
CITY
CITY
CITY
TO DONATE USING A CREDIT CARD, PLEASE DONATE
ONLINE AT WWW.DEVP.ORG/THINKFAST
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
PLEASE WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
LAST NAME
CITY
CITY
CITY
CITY
CITY
CITY
CITY
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
PROVINCE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
POSTAL CODE
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
AMOUNT
DO NOT MAIL CASH
PLEDGE FORM B
CASH DONATIONS
FEEDBACK AND EVALUATION
PARTICIPANT’S FEEDBACK
My favourite part of THINKfast..
I really liked learning about…
Next time I would like to…
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
15
REGIONAL ANIMATORS
ALBERTA
ONTARIO
Calgary/Edmonton/GrouardMcLennan/Mackenzie-Fort Smith/
St. Paul
Sara Farid
8421-101st Avenue
Edmonton AB T6A 0L1
Phone : 587 224-9017
Fax : 780 465-3003
[email protected]
(CENTRAL) Kingston/
Peterborough/Toronto
Luke Stocking
400-80 Hayden Street
Toronto ON M4Y 3G2
Phone: 416-922-1592 ext 233
Fax: 416-922-0957
[email protected]
ATLANTIC
Antigonish/Charlottetown/Corner
Brook and Labrador/Grand Falls/
Halifax/Saint John/St. John’s/
Yarmouth
Danny Gillis
The Coady International Institute
PO Box 5000
Antigonish NS B2G 2W5
Phone : 902 867-4951
Fax: 902 867-3907
[email protected]
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND
YUKON
Kamloops/Nelson/Prince George/
Vancouver/Victoria/Whitehorse
John Gabor
101D 33140 Mill Lake Road
Abbotsford, BC, V2S 2A5
Phone : 604 864-6383
[email protected]
MANITOBA
St. Boniface /Winnipeg
Brenda Chaput-Saltel
622 Tache Avenue
St-Boniface, MB R2H 2B4
Phone : 204 231-2848
Fax : 204 237-7471
[email protected]
NEW BRUNSWICK (French)
Bathurst/Edmundston/Moncton
Tina Ruest
986, rue Pré-d’en-Haut
Memramcook NB E4K 1L1
Phone: 506 334-0717
[email protected]
(EAST) Alexandria-Cornwall/
Ottawa/ Pembroke
Genevieve Gallant
1247 Kilborn Place
Ottawa ON K1H 6K9
Phone: 613-738-9644
Fax: 613-738-0130
[email protected]
(SOUTH-WEST)Hamilton/London/
St.Catharines/Thunder Bay
Nana Kojo Damptey
698 King St West
Hamilton ON L8P 1C7
Phone: 905-528-0770
[email protected]
SASKATCHEWAN
Keewatin-Le Pas/Prince Albert/
Regina/Saskatoon
Armella Sonntag
Box 1838
Battleford SK S0M 0E0
Phone : 306 937-7675
[email protected]
(QUÉBEC REGIONS)
Baie-Comeau / Chicoutimi / Gaspé /
Nicolet / Québec / Rimouski /
Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière
Elisabeth Desgranges,
Pascal André Charlebois
1073 René-Lévesque Blvd West
Québec QC G1S 4R5
Tel: 418 683-9901
Fax: 418 683-9331
E-mail: [email protected],
[email protected]
Gatineau/Ottawa (French)
Gaël SanRyu
180, Mont-Bleu Blvd
Gatineau QC J8Z 3J5
Phone : 819 771-8391 ext 240
Fax : 819 778-8969
[email protected]
NATIONAL TERRITORY
Amos/Churchill/Gaspé/Hearst/
Joliette/Mont-Laurier/RouynNoranda/Sault Ste-Marie/Thunder
Bay/Timmins/Valleyfield/Whitehorse
Isabelle Kim
400-80 Hayden Street
Toronto ON M4Y 3G2
Phone: 416-922-1592 ext 238
Fax : 416-922-0957
[email protected]
QUEBEC
(MONTREAL REGIONS)
Montréal / Saint-Jean-Longueuil
Lore Bolliet
Sherbrooke / Saint-Hyacinthe / SaintJérôme / Trois-Rivières
Jean-Paul St-Germain
1425 René-Lévesque Blvd West,
3rd floor
Montréal QC H3G 1T7
Tel: 514 257-8711
Fax: 514 257-8497
E-mail: [email protected],
[email protected]
www.devp.org/thinkfast
[email protected]
16