Hurricane Relief Fundraiser: RC Edwards Raised $28,410 for Youth Football

When Hurricane Helene swept across South Carolina in late September 2024, the damage didn’t stop at uprooted trees and flooded roads. It didn’t stop in South Carolina either, large swaths of the southeast were devastated by the hurricane, including over 30 inches of rain falling in parts of North Carolina.

For RC Edwards Middle School Football, located in Pickens County, hit hard by Hurricane Helene, the storm created a financial crisis that threatened to sideline their entire season.

Lives were lost, tens of thousands uprooted, of course sports are secondary. In the end though research shows, “Play and sports are emerging as key strategies for healing for children and young people”, especially during times of crisis. So RC Edwards and their families wanted to use sports to get kids (and parents) minds off the devastation just a few months prior.

“We lost 25% of our games and half our gate revenue overnight,” said Head Coach Jimmy Bardusk in a message to parents in the spring. “We knew right away that our usual youth football fundraiser wouldn’t cover everything we needed.”

Like many athletic programs, RC Edwards relies heavily on ticket sales to fund essentials: helmet reconditioning, new equipment, and field maintenance. When the hurricane canceled home games, the team had to figure out how to run a hurricane relief fundraiser that could also keep their season and even the program alive.

The solution? A football calendar fundraiser designed to bring in donations and keep the program going strong.

In less than a month, RC Edwards Middle School raised $28,410—nearly triple their goal—and gave their athletes a fresh start after the storm.

Want more examples? See how four other teams raised big with calendar fundraisers.

More Needs For Youth Football Fundraising Than Ever

Every coach understands the challenges of running a youth football fundraiser. It’s never as easy as it sounds.

In a normal season you have travel logistics, practices, games, school commitments, and often a full-time job outside of coaching to manage while also trying to run a football fundraiser. When Hurricane Helene rolled through, RC Edwards faced a new level of adversity.

While families focused on cleaning up flood damage and navigating insurance claims even months later, the coaching staff knew they needed a different approach to fundraising, something that wouldn’t place more stress on already overwhelmed parents.

“Every player had to create a Teamfi account and invite 20 people to donate—but there was no minimum dollar quota. Parents loved that effort, not wallet size, was the only requirement.”

Discovering the Football Calendar Fundraiser

Coach Bardusk and his assistant coaches turned to Teamfi in the face of adversity, and learned about the football calendar fundraiser, a model increasingly used by teams for youth football fundraisers around the country and the perfect answer to their hurricane relief effort.

The concept was simple:

• Each athlete has an online calendar with 31 spots, numbered $1 to $31.
  
• Donors pick a day, or multiple days, and pledge that amount.
  
• When all spots are filled, a single calendar brings in $496 with more opportunity by those filling blank spots. The best part? You don’t even need to fill a calendar to make a difference.
  

Unlike product sales, this hurricane relief fundraiser didn’t require inventory, door-to-door selling, or collecting cash. Being an online fundraiser, coaching staff were able to clearly state why this mattered during a time when there were a lot of fundraisers going on.

This was one of the most critical reasons RC Edwards was able to find success. Fundraising was at an all-time high in the months following Helene’s devastation and RC Edwards had to stand out. Sports help with community healing.

Three Key Strategies That Fueled Success

RC Edwards didn’t just launch jump headfirst into a fundraiser, over several months they built a plan that put people first and made participation feel good. A blueprint for a successful fundraiser. Make giving feel intrinsic rather than a financial stressor. Here’s exactly what they did to transform a difficult situation into an inspiring youth football fundraiser success.

1. Universal Participation—Without Financial Pressure

One of the biggest reasons many fundraisers struggle is that families feel guilt or anxiety about how much they can give. There’s only so much money families have, especially given that so many were affected by Hurricane Helene.

Rather than setting a quota, they just asked their players to invite at least 20 people to donate.

There was no requirement to fill the entire calendar. No one was shamed if their donations were smaller.

2. Framing the Fundraiser as Hurricane Relief and Program Support

Some fundraisers fail because donors aren’t sure exactly why you’re asking for help. If you’re just asking for money and not providing valid reasoning, your donations will suffer. RC Edwards avoided that trap by explaining the bigger picture from day one.

At the first parent meeting after the storm, Coach Bardusk stood up with a simple playbook:

Why This Fundraiser Matters

• Reconditioning helmets after storm exposure
  
• Replacing outdated and damaged equipment
  
• Repairing the main field
  

Framing the ask as a program-wide need turned skeptics into champions. They made the fundraiser clear and compelling.

3. Motivating with a Meaningful Incentive

While there were no quotas, there was a powerful reward: any player who filled all 31 spots on their calendar earned first pick of a new SpeedFlex or F7 helmet. This didn’t cost the program anything. It just merely let kids take the first swing at getting a cool helmet that they were already getting.

That incentive inspired friendly competition, everyone had an equal chance to earn it.

In the end, 34 players completed their calendars, an extraordinary participation rate for any youth football fundraiser, let alone one launched right after a natural disaster. Doing the math, $28,410 raised. Just under $17,000 came from those who completely filled their calendars. Over $11,000 came from kids who could only fill their fundraisers partially.

We’ve shown the calendar is effective. Looking for other ways to fundraise? Check out 20 youth football fundraiser ideas.

The Results: A Hurricane Relief Fundraiser That Changed Everything

By the end of the 28-day campaign, RC Edwards Middle School Football had:

• More than 800 donors contributing online
  
• 34 athletes completing their calendars
  
• A total of $28,410 raised
  

They ended up raising over $300 per player, enough to replace storm-damaged gear, recondition every helmet, and begin field repairs.

RC Edwards utilized our digital calendar fundraiser. We also offer a free to download calendar template. See which works best for your program.

Why Calendar Fundraisers Work So Well for Youth Football

If you’re considering a youth football fundraiser, especially after an emergency like a hurricane, there are clear reasons to choose a football calendar fundraiser:

1. ‍No Product Sales: You don’t have to stock candles, chocolates, or discount cards. When you’re recovering from a natural disaster, putting in money to make money isn’t really on the cards.‍
2. Fast Setup: Teams can launch in under a week. ‍
3. Broad Reach: Because donations are collected online, extended family, displaced individuals, and out-of-state supporters can participate. For legitimate fundraising causes in the face of natural disasters, there is a virality factor for sure.‍
4. Simple Tracking: Coaches don’t have to manage checks, spreadsheets, or cash envelopes. The same goes for our liftathon product.‍
5. Built-In Motivation: Visual calendars keep kids engaged, and incentives encourage participation without punishing those with fewer resources. Want to learn more? Here’s how to do it.

Ready to Launch Your Own Football Calendar Fundraiser? Steal RC Edwards’ Playbook.

The right tools make a huge difference.

A digital platform like Teamfi made it easy to collect donations and track progress without extra administrative headaches. Other coaches agree!

If you’re facing unexpected expenses, whether from a hurricane or simply the high costs of running a football program, a football calendar fundraiser can make the difference between merely surviving year to year and thriving.

Here’s what you can expect:

• $300+ per athlete raised on average. Our data from this year’s calendar fundraisers back this. You keep over 96% of what you raise, and everything we do is fully transparent.
• Quick launch in 5-7 days
• Automated reminders and enhanced tracking thanks to our Teamfi software

RC Edwards’ experience proves that a well-executed youth football fundraiser doesn’t just cover costs. It builds community and strengthens your program for years to come.

Want to check it out? Start your your own 31-day football calendar fundraiser today.

Want to help your program? Forward this article. Two clicks could help another football team recover from a natural disaster, or simply run their most successful youth football fundraiser ever. If you have any questions, we’re here to help.