Year Round Ideas
Giving Chapters Ideas For Each Month Of The Year
It all begins with an idea. Colleges Against Cancer & High Schools Against Cancer Chapters are encouraged to create a year long activation plan around the four focus areas that the American Cancer Society represents. Below are example activities.
January
Fundraising – New Year’s Resolution: Stick to your New Year’s Resolutions! Have others compile a list of their New Year’s Resolutions and have them donate if they don’t stick to them within the month of January! Donate the earnings.
Patient Support – Hope Lodge Drive: Work with the closest Hope Lodge or cancer center near the chapter to see what items they may need for the facility. Then set up drop-off locations around campus for those items to be dropped off at. Also, check to see if they have an Amazon Wish List and utilize that for people to go online and send items. Find a list of all Hope Lodges here.
Research – HPV Cancer Free: Utilize resources found at cancer.org/hpv and set up an awareness activity day at your campus to spread the word for parents to know about the HPV Vaccine and how it can prevent up to six types of cancer.
Advocacy – State Priorities: Visit fightcancer.org and search your campus’s state to find out the advocacy priorities for that state. Then, get involved at your state’s level by making contact with those in your state’s ACS Cancer Action Network.
Cancer Awareness – Cervical Cancer
February
Fundraising – Stick A Fork In Cancer: Ask 5 different popular restaurants near campus to each sponsor a give-back night for a different night of the week. Then heavily promote it across campus. To increase revenue, see if the restaurant will allow an onsite activity such as a basket raffle or awareness table.
Patient Support – Love Notes Around The World: Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way, so send a love note! Love Notes Around The World is a platform where individuals and groups have opportunities to create, share and/or send messages of compassion to cancer patients in treatment, caretakers, care providers, and others in need. Find out more at https://www.acsresources.org/lovenotes/
Research – World Cancer Day: World Cancer Day is celebrated on February 4th. Get personal by asking everyone to record and post a short video on their social media channels stating why being a part of the American Cancer Society is important to them.
Advocacy – Petition Drive: Visit fightcancer.org and find the newest petition and use the month of March to get as many petitions signed as possible on campus. Remember that anyone can sign a petition regardless of age.
Cancer Awareness Months – Gallbladder/Bile Duct
March
Fundraising – Outdoors Fun Play: Host an outdoor game and activities event for all within the community to enjoy! Charge a small fee to participate and encourage signup for Relay For Life.
Patient Support – Mission Moment: Host a ‘Mission Moment’ during your meeting. Have someone volunteer to call someone over the age of 45 without telling them what they’re going to say. When they answer the phone, tell the volunteer to tell them to get screened for colon cancer. This spreads awareness of colon cancer awareness month with a fun activity!
Research – ResearcHERS: ResearcHERS empowers women to fundraise in support of women-led cancer research, but it’s more than just a fundraising campaign. A sisterhood of purpose determined to sustain women-led cancer research and recognize the trailblazers in the field who identify as women. While the American Cancer Society has funded 50 researchers who have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize, none of them has been a woman…yet. Join the ResearcHERS movement and help us fuel the future of women-led cancer research by finding a campaign here.
Advocacy – State Cancer Action Day: Chapter members can sign up to attend and help out at the state’s lobby day. Each state has a different date and a slightly different strategy, so visit the state’s page to learn more at fightcancer.org.
Cancer Awareness Months – Anal Cancer, Colon Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Multiple Myeloma
April
Fundraising – Spring into Action – The first day of a new season is a great opportunity to encourage volunteers to “Spring into Action” and register for your event to celebrate!
Patient Support – Interact: Go to a Hope Lodge or a nursing home nearby, take the residents for some outdoor activity, or host an indoor activity if necessary.
Research – Apply for an Internship with ACS!: Using jobs.cancer.org/search-jobs/intern, search for an internship! Applications might be due before the summer, but there are many opportunities across the country to help those with cancer.
Advocacy – Campus Advocacy: As the campus year-end events roll out, emphasize CAN with a petition, signs, and activities. Set up a table at your school or within the community to speak to others. Find resources here.
Cancer Awareness Month – Testicular Cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Head & Neck Cancer
May
Fundraising – Host a Gala Leading up to your Relay for Life Event: Chapters can host a fun event where members pay a fee to attend ($20 suggested) and dress up in black tie or cocktail attire (suggested). Encourage students and faculty to attend with the goal of fundraising for ACS. Ask around campus to get a location donated as well as food and decorations. Play music and offer photo ops for extra fun!
Patient Support – Road To Recovery: Every day thousands of cancer patients need a ride to treatment, but some may not have a way to get there. The American Cancer Society Road To Recovery program provides transportation to and from treatment for people with cancer who do not have a ride or are unable to drive themselves. Find about more about Road To Recovery and how to become a driver by clicking here.
Research – Rock Activity: Using cancer.org, choose cancer research and facts and figures and place those on decorated rocks and spread those around your campus to spread what the American Cancer Society is doing in research.
Advocacy – Promote Sunscreen: challenge club members to wear sunscreen every day for the month! Make them all sign a pledge or make friendship bracelets to wear every day as a reminder and show this skin cancer fact sheet and fun safety videos during meetings. Each year, the Friday before Memorial Day is National Don’t Fry Day.
Cancer Awareness Month – Melanoma & Skin Cancer, Brain Cancer, Bladder Cancer
June
Fundraising – National Selfie Day (June 21st) – Ask your friends & family to take a selfie, tag you in the photo, and commit to making a donation! Create a custom hashtag for your event and see all of your supporters’ faces in your feed!
Patient Support – National Cancer Survivor’s Day: Utilize chapter social media channels and spread words of encouragement and videos for cancer survivors.
Research – Attend a Research Fair At A Local College: College of Public Health’s or Colleges of Medicine’s host research fairs during the summer. Make contact with your local college and attend the research fair as a chapter to hear about their current efforts. Invite public health or medical professors to give a talk.
Advocacy – Cancer Action Network Pride Events: Celebrate Pride Month by joining the Cancer Action Network at pride events across the country. Visit fightcancer.org/pride to learn more and chapters can contact an American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Grassroots Manager to find events nearby.
Cancer Awareness Month – National Cancer Survivor Month
July
Fundraising – Summer Celebrations: set up a booth or table in your town’s 4th of July celebrations or other summer festivities. Utilize this opportunity to fundraise with a QR code or information on how to donate.
Patient Support-Give Your Time: Assist with yard work or landscaping at a local cancer center or Hope Lodge. Find a wheelbarrow and gardening gloves, and get to work!
Research – Fun Run/Walk: Adding physical activity is a great way to decrease cancer risk. Host a Fun Run/Walk and encourage everyone to participate by awarding prizes for certain accomplishments.
Advocacy – Lights Of Hope Kickoff: It is time to start fundraising for Lights of Hope! Consider purchasing a Lights of Hope bag in honor/memory/support of someone. We also encourage campuses to sell bags on their campus and have tons of resources to help at fightcancer.org/lights-hope.
Cancer Awareness Month – Sarcoma/Bone Cancer
August
Fundraising – Discovery Shop Support: Before the new school year begins, clean out closets and mail items to a Discovery Shop to be sold in support of the fight against cancer. Host a donation drive at your school for gently used clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry, and household items.
Find out more about Discovery Shop and how to get a shipping label here.
Patient Support – ACS Bookshop: The American Cancer Society publishes books to help people navigate the cancer experience. Since 2006, our books have won over 100 awards for content and design excellence. Visit the online bookstore.
Research – Healthy Eating: Research has proven that healthy living contributes to a healthier life. As a chapter, make a plan for what healthy snacks and drinks will be available at meetings and activities for the year. Work with schools to identify healthy changes that can be made to the menu. Find ideas here. Also be sure to look at the Schools vs Cancer initiative for additional resources and promotion of healthy eating and active living.
Advocacy – Back to School: As chapters head back to campus, build and galvanize students around advocacy. Find advocacy resources and activity ideas here.
September
Fundraising – Gold Together Champions: Be a champion in the fight against childhood cancer. Sign up to be a champion and raise funds in a leaderboard competition campaign in September. Find a campaign here. Also be sure to sign up a team as a ‘Gold Together’ team for your Relay. All funds raised for their team goes straight to childhood cancer research!
Patient Support – Curefest: For individuals near Washington DC, participate in Curefest for Childhood Cancer with activities including an advocacy workshop and a rally to the capital. Details on Curefest can be found here.
Research – Get Educated: As of January 2023, the American Cancer Society is funding 44 multi – year research grants for a total of $26 million that are specific to childhood cancer. Take time as a club to include research moments at your September meeting around childhood cancer. You can use American Cancer Society sources Interview a pediatrician or someone local for more information; create an infographic to spread to your school.
Advocacy – Lights of Hope: After months of fundraising, it is time to show off the chapters Lights of Hope bags! Send bags to the main event in Washington DC, or hold or attend an event on campus.. If you do light up a display on campus, post on Social Media to show your support utilizing #LightsOfHope.
Cancer Awareness Month – Childhood Cancer, Leukemia, Lymphoma, Ovarian Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Thyroid Cancer, Uterine Cancer
October
Fundraising – Trunk or Treat: A fun campus activity involving the community where people bring cars or set up tables and decorate them for Halloween. Teams provide candy and families with kids (or even students!) make donations to be able to trunk or treat. Make it fun by creating awards for different categories for those who set up cars or tables!
Patient Support – Turn Campus Pink: In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, turn the campus pink with posters, ribbons, chalk and anything else creative. Utilize the awareness to also spread awareness for American Cancer Society programs and services for breast cancer patients and families such as Reach To Recovery.
Research – Mammogram Reminders: For Breast Cancer Awareness Month it is a great opportunity to remind the community about getting mammograms. At a club meeting, encourage everyone to send texts out to their loved ones reminding them to schedule and get a mammogram and also put up creative posters around campus to spread awareness. Remember, men get breast cancer too. For more information, click here.
Advocacy – Making Strides Petition: Attend your local Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event and get there early to set up a petition table with the ACS Cancer Action Network. Talk to fellow participants about new bills and legislation.
November
Fundraising – Sell Merchandise: Sell items such as Relay For Life shirts and bracelets. Order them through your Staff Partner or on the ACS website. You can also sell cancer ribbons of all colors!
Patient Support – Caregivers Month: Caregivers Awareness Month is recognized in November. Plan a special evening for caregivers on campus to give an opportunity to get together. Also remember that even if their loved one has passed, they are still recognized as a caregiver.
Research – Great American Smoke Out: Plan an awareness activity for the Great American Smoke Out on the third Thursday of November to talk about the importance of quitting smoking. Resources can be found here.
Advocacy – Introduce Yourself, Make the Connection: After the elections at the beginning of the month, you will have new lawmakers. Encourage them to join the fight. Utilize pre-written introductory messages and reach out by email or letter to your new lawmakers to welcome them to the ACS CAN family. Work through your local CAN email portal
Cancer Awareness Month – Lung Cancer, Neuroendocrine Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Stomach Cancer
December
Fundraising – Letters From Santa: Post on social media and send notes home with your local elementary schools and day care centers that for a donation to ACS, a letter will be sent home to your child from Santa! Make it personable for the child. Remember to plan ahead so the letters arrive before Christmas.
Patient Support – Holiday Greetings: Holidays can be a hard time. Find a way to make the holidays special such as making and sending ornaments to survivors and caregivers or simply sending a holiday card. Be sure to also post on social media a holiday message with a reminder about our hotline and live chat option for anyone that may need it this holiday season.
Research – ACS YouTube: The American Cancer Society offers informative videos and podcasts on the YouTube page. Encourage each club member to watch a video and report back. Videos can be found on the ACS YouTube channel!
Advocacy – Celebrate Accomplishments! Advocacy can be hard, but it is rewarding. Look back on the year (and check out CAN’s year in review on fightcancer.org) and share all the successes ACS CAN has had this year!