Make sure the day you pick will work for everyone in your group.
You might also want to have access to a bathroom or shade nearby (especially if it’s a hot day) for your volunteers and customers.
If you’re organizing the event for your church or highschool, try to be near your own neighborhood for the sake of convenience and safety.
Be friendly and understanding if they say no. Make sure that the date and time you’ve chosen is good for them, too.
You can also use an online signup sheet like VolunteerSpot or ScheduleOnce. Be clear about the timing on the sign-up sheet and dedicate a column for people to write down the times they’re available if you need to break the day into shifts.
Sign holders and greeters - Have a few volunteers stationed on street corners near the car wash with their signs. Instruct them to stand about half a block away from the car wash so they can direct people into the area, if necessary. They’ll need to be energetic and be able to speak about the cause to draw people in. Car washers - Dedicate at least 2 people to be washing cars. 4 or 5 washers is ideal so 2 people can be working on a single car at the same time. Washing multiple cars can be exhausting, so they’ll need to have some physical stamina. When it comes to this task, the more people, the better! Cash collectors - Designate 1 person as the official cash collector. They’ll be the ones doing cash and credit transactions either at car windows or at a table. They’ll need to be friendly and be able to talk about the cause. Concession vendors (optional) - If you choose to sell drinks and snacks at the carwash to collect more donations, you’ll need to have 1 person to be stationed at the table. They’ll also need to have a cash box or pouch.
If you like, leave space for volunteers to list their preferred tasks. Be clear about the timing of each shift so your volunteers know the exact times they’re signing up for. For example:Molly: Cash collector - shift 1 (12:00PM - 1:00PM), Car washer - shift 2 (1:00PM - 2:00PM)Jared: Sign holder / greeter - shift 1 (12:00PM - 1:00PM), Cash collector - shift 2 (1:00PM - 2:00PM).
Consider switching around the roles if some people are naturally better at other tasks. For instance, if a car washer is low in energy and needs some food, allow them to swap roles with the cash collector or someone at the concessions stand (if you have one). Use a timer on your smartphone to see how long it takes your volunteers to wash a single car. This is important to know if you want to advertise it as a quick wash or if drivers are in a hurry.
Keep in mind that you’ll also need to designate a volunteer to candle cash.
For instance, if you have a budget of $50, allocate $30 to $40 towards buckets, soap, polishing tools, and anything else you might need. Then, spend around $10 on posters, markers, and other items needed for advertising. Whatever’s left over can be spent on extra supplies or, if applicable, concessions. If you’re working with a strict budget, go to the store where you plan to purchase items first to tally up the prices.
Things like rags and buckets are pretty common household items, so it doesn’t hurt to ask if you’re working with little or no budget!
You can use a shoebox or other vessel to hold the cash, but just make sure to put it in a location that’s not too conspicuous or accessible by passersby. If you’re only designating 1 person to collect cash, only have 1 box or pouch. If you have 2 collectors (1 for the car wash, 1 for nearby concessions), get 2 different vessels.
Magnetic stripe card readers cost anywhere from $4 to $10, so incorporate that into your budget if you plan to get one. Not everyone carries cash these days, so you’ll probably bring it way more funds with a card swiper!
Feel free to make the signs and posters colorful, but make sure larger signs are readable so people driving by can read them from a distance. Be sure to check with the property owner if you’ll be using stakes or trees to hold up the signs.
Make sure to list the time and date correctly on the event page. Let people know the prices and any special services that will be available (like waxing or interior detailing).
It’s also a great way that faraway friends and family can support your cause.
You can even consider certain gimmicks that might draw people in. Try to make it relate to your cause, if possible (e. g. , all of your volunteers might wear animal onesies to raise money for wildlife protection).
Don’t put up posters in various places without asking first!
The more people you have showing up early, the easier the setup will be! If the venue has a restroom, you might want to show the volunteers where it is so they don’t have to disrupt others in order to ask or spend time wandering around.
If you’re not sure, ask the property owner for their suggestion.
Also, make sure it’s not downhill from the wash zone—people won’t like stepping in inches of dirty water!
Place the buckets in an accessible area right next to where cars will be parking. If you’re using buckets, it’s important to show your volunteers where they can refill them.
Keep extra supplies close enough to the washing zone so volunteers have quick and easy access.
If you’re stationed near an intersection, plant sign holders on each corner or on a large grassy median. Just be sure that the sidewalk or space is safe for your volunteer!
