almost used up, some donors require a valid, current copy of the IRS federal tax-exempt letter showing your organization's 501(c)3 status. If your organization doesn't submit the documents, they don't consider their donation to you as a charitable contribution. And 501(c)3 give you the option of saying their contribution is tax-deductible, if it follows IRS guidelines.

nicurn, THANK YOU for sharing those links and all your contacts!!! I've been spending way too much time exploring all the information!

Everyone I solicited donations from is pretty much on those lists, but here are a couple more that responded with donations:

Baseball Hall of Fame
Public Relations
25 Main Street PO Box 590
Cooperstown, NY 13326

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Public Relations
3830 Dorney Park Road
Allentown, PA 18104

L’Oreal USA
Marketing/Consumer Relations
575 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10017

Lands End
Corporate Giving
2 Lands End Lane
Dodgeville, WI 53595

Miami Dolphins
Community Relations Department
7500 SW 30th Street
Davie, FL 33314

New Jersey Devils
Communications Department
Continental Arena
PO Box 504
East Rutherford, NJ 07073

New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority
Public Relations
Meadowlands Sports Complex
50 State Route 120
East Rutherford, NJ 07073

New York Giants
Community Relations Department
Giants Stadium
East Rutherford, NJ 07073

New York Jets
Community Relations Donations
1000 Fulton Avenue
Hempstead, NY 11550

Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum
Public Relations
New York Avenue & TheBoardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08401

Also--ask your local Hotels and restaurants, state sports teams, and if you're lucky enough to live in places that have large corporations hit them up-many like Hasbro and the company that makes Peeps (it's in PA, I can't think of the name right now) donate ONLY to groups that are in their immediate area. If people aren't forthcoming with their lists don't take offense--cultivating a really good list is hard work, and it's scary thinking the well could potentially go dry with so many people asking. Don't bother with Kellogg's, Proctor and Gamble, Post, Mattell, Toys R Us etcterea--they wiggle out the donation scene by saying they give to Second Harvest, Red Cross etc., though I have yet to see any of the food pantries in my area benefit from this. Another good source is local warehouses--Pepsi, perfume outlets and the like--very often they're generous.

and of course, the famous "dottie's list"... this was the one that started it all (thanks again dottie) maggie

ps: you have to scroll down a little to get to dottie's actual list, but on the way are other addresses

www.ptotoday.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=15;t=000158

don't forget to look at the thread about posting positive replies, there are a lot of addresses/ideas there. maggie

www.ptotoday.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=15;t=000722

well that makes sense. [img]smile.gif[/img] let me add to your list.

qvc, inc
community affairs
mailcode 135
1200 wilson drive at studio park
west chester, pa 19380

scholastic books ( www.scholastic.com )

big apple circus
505 8th ave
19th floor
new york, ny 10018
fax: 212 268 3163

american girl/pleasant company
attn: charitable contributions
8400 fairway place
middletown wi 53563

big dog sportswear
attn: corportate donations
121 gray ave
santa barbara, ca 93101

ty inc
po box 5377
oak brook, Il 60522

oriental trading company
attn: donations coordinator
po box 2050
omaha Nebraska 68127
fax: 877 564 4440 (attn: donations coordinator

ski resorts, local malls, local attractions, etc

maggie

Maggie,
Our response to these vendors varies from year to year. That is why I am looking to expand it. We get our best responses from local vendors but there in lies the problem. ALL the schools are going after the SAME stuff, therefore all our auctions have the same inventory. I would like to shake it up a bit more variety.
Ridgetop Mom,
Yes, We have a standard letter that is mail merged with vendors names, addresses and contact names. We send those out in October. I am curious though, what does filing for 501 (c)3 status have to do with running an auction?