Thank you for participating in the 3rd Annual Autism CARE Walk at Heartspring to raise awareness about autism. You also have the opportunity to raise funds to provide programs and services to children with autism. With your help and support, we can make a real difference in the lives of children on the autism spectrum.

We encourage each walker to set a fundraising goal and ask friends, family and others to support your walk with pledges. The top 3 individual fundraisers will receive CARE Walk medals to celebrate their accomplishment and the top three fundraising teams will receive CARE Walk plaques engraved with the names of everyone on their team.

It can be very hard to ask people for money—even when it's for a great cause. Remember that when you raise funds for the CARE Program, you are directly helping children with special needs within your community. Here are five easy steps to get you started:

1. Set up your personalized My CARE Walk fundraising page

If you have registered as an Individual, Team or Virtual Walker, you can create your personalized My CARE Walk fundraising page. Use your page to let everyone you know that you are participating in The Autism CARE Walk and to ask for their support. You can customize your page with photos and tell your story. Your My CARE Walk page provides tools to track progress toward your fundraising goal, collect and monitor pledges, share with friends and more. As a registered walker, you will receive instructions by email. If you have registered for the CARE Walk but not received information on creating your personalized My CARE Walk fundraising page, contact us and we'll get you started.

2. Set Your Goal

Make your goal ambitious – but not impossible. Tell everyone what your goal is. They will want to help you reach it. Make the first pledge yourself. When your friends and family members see how committed you are, they will be more willing to support you.

3. Make a List

Make a list of EVERYONE you know. Include friends, family, co-workers, classmates, neighbors, your hairdresser, your doctor, your dentist, your local coffee shop, local businesses you frequent, clubs and civic organizations you belong to – don’t exclude anyone! Go through your list and decide on the best way to ask for support from each potential sponsor. Decide how much to ask each person to give (donors often give more when you ask for a specific amount).

4. Ask for support

   When you ask for support, be sure to share with your potential donor what you are doing (walking to raise funds and awareness for autism) and why it is important to you. Be optimistic and share your enthusiasm. Know your cause – learn as much as you can about Heartspring and the CARE Program. Here are a few ways to ask for support:

   • Sending emails through your My CARE Walk page is a great way to start. It’s a quick, easy way to share your passion for the cause and encourage an online donation toward your goal. You can create and send emails to your contacts through your My CARE Walk page that will provide a link to your page. Your supporters can then make secure online donations to sponsor your walk.

   • Send a personal letter. You can use this sample or write your own. It’s a good idea to include a stamped return envelope already addressed to you and a pledge form. Ask for a specific amount and include a deadline. Also make sure to include the website address – make it easy for your supporters to donate.

   • Make phone calls and visit face to face. This is often the best way if you know someone well or are asking for a substantial donation. After you share what you are doing and ask for their support, be quiet and wait for them to respond. Let them think about it and give you their answer.

5. Follow up and make sure to thank your supporters

Many of your potential sponsors may have intended to make a donation but simply got busy and forgot. They will appreciate a gentle reminder. When someone makes a donation to support you, make sure to let them know how much you appreciate it. Sending a thank you note, updates to let them know how things are going, and a note after the event to let them know how much you raised are great ways to keep them involved in your cause.