Support Center for Child Advocates

The Challenge

Each April, Child Advocates hosts it’s largest fundraising event of the year, the Annual Benefit Reception and Auction at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia. The event raises over $500,000 with the auction raising over $120,000 in proceeds. While Child Advocates has a development department of five, the auction has historically been managed by an outside consultation because their team does not have the capacity to take on the event as well as continue their day to day operations.

Strategic Solution

Dunleavy & Associates has helped Child Advocates leverage an online auction platform to grow the size of the auction 5% annually. Since this partnership began in 2013, Dunleavy has made recommendations on how to improve process and procedure related to auction management and event production. Dunleavy serves as Child Advocates day of production team managing volunteers, vendor logistics and the set up and break down of 500 auction items. Recognizing that consistency was key to this client and an event of this size, Dunleavy made it a priority to assign returning team members to this engagement each year who serve as liaisons to Support Center staff, volunteers, and vendors.

The Results

Support Center for Child Advocates proudly celebrated their 40th Anniversary in 2017 at their Anniversary Benefit Reception & Auction. They received over 500 auction items and raised over $600,000. With over 900 event attendees, this was by far their largest event thus far. The organization will be continuing its annual event with Dunleavy as their partner in Spring 2018 with the hopes of this being the most successful event in the organizations history. Support Center for Child Advocates continues to work with Dunleavy each year as their trusted ally.

About Support Center for Child Advocates

The Support Center for Child Advocates provides legal assistance and social service advocacy for abused and neglected children in Philadelphia County. Child Advocates is one of the most successful volunteer models serving children in the country. Since its founding in 1977, Child Advocates has trained more than 10,000 attorneys who contribute pro bono services valued at more than $5 million annually.