How to Plan a Box Social

How to Plan a Box Social. If your organization wants to raise money for a project, an old fashioned box social gives you a unique way to do so. The box social takes it history from the early days of our country and was a way to socialize and raise needed money, usually for the church. Read on to learn how to plan a box social.

Decide whether the donated boxed lunches also include a lunch date with the maker of the meal. A box social may include a picnic with the maker of the box, or just the purchase of the boxed meal. Clearly, if there are any committed couples coming, exclude the lunch date.

Set the date for the box social well in advance. This gives everyone time to spread the word and plan the spread.

Find a location for the box social. If the group is a church or organization with a building, use that. If there's no building, or if you want to eat outside, hold it at a public park.

Obtain boxes to put the lunches in. The best boxes to use are waxed cardboard boxes designed for carry-out. Bakery boxes also work, though may not be oil-proof. ReStockIt sells a variety of boxes online.

Decide on the basic menu. For example, you might encourage people to focus on sandwiches and salads, or create meals around seasonal produce. To avoid reheating problems, food needs to be served at room temperature. It also needs to be able to sit out at room temperature safely for at least two hours.

Assign each person in your organization the job of preparing a box lunch. To make it a little more fun, ask that they decorate the box that the lunch comes in. List additional tasks for each. For example, you'll need a decorator and people to run the auction.

Advertise or sell tickets. Decide whether you want outsiders at your box social. If so, publicize the event in the community. Determine whether participants can buy drinks, such as bottled water or soft drinks, and whether you'll charge admission.

Calculate a minimum bid for a boxed lunch. Each box lunch should have the same minimum opening bid. A $3 to $4 minimum increases the revenue of the group.

Arrive early to set up the box social. Make certain that you have a committee to help you. If you've planned the box social details in advance the day should go smoothly.