Community Bake Sale Guide

This guide provides a procedural framework for organizing a community bake sale fundraiser, covering aspects like food safety compliance, price setting, and the management of volunteers.

Step 1: Planning

Establish the objectives, budget, date, and venue for the bake sale. Form a planning committee and determine roles and responsibilities.

Step 2: Recruitment

Recruit volunteers to help with various tasks such as baking, setting up, selling, and cleaning up. Ensure you have enough help for all stages of the event.

Step 3: Inventory

Create a list of baked goods to be sold. Ask volunteers to commit to baking specific items to ensure a variety of offerings and avoid duplicates.

Step 4: Food Safety

Educate volunteers on food safety guidelines to be followed during baking and handling. This includes proper temperatures, hygiene, and allergen labeling.

Step 5: Pricing

Decide on pricing strategies for the baked goods. Consider cost of ingredients, time, and desired profit margin. Keep prices fair and competitive.

Step 6: Promotion

Advertise the bake sale using social media, community bulletin boards, local newspapers, and word of mouth to attract a large crowd.

Step 7: Setup

On the day of the sale, set up tables, displays, and signage. Arrange baked goods attractively and clearly label prices.

Step 8: Operations

Conduct the bake sale, ensuring volunteers understand their duties. Keep track of sales and inventory, and maintain food safety practices throughout the event.

Step 9: Clean-up

After the sale, organize volunteers for clean-up. Clear tables, dispose of any waste properly, and store unsold goods if they can be kept for later use or donation.

General Notes

Permit

In some areas, a permit may be required to sell food. Check local regulations and obtain any necessary permissions before the event.

Donations

Consider partnering with local businesses for donations of ingredients or baking supplies to reduce costs and increase profits.

Leftovers

Plan for the possibility of unsold goods. Decide in advance whether they will be sold at a discount towards the end of the sale, donated, or kept for another purpose.