USING PUBLIC FEEDBACK TO INCREASE CONTRIBUTIONS TO A MULTIPURPOSE SENIOR CENTER

Abstract

Multipurpose senior centers are expanding their services to meet the demands of a growing population. Unfortunately, federal agencies have not matched this expansion with monetary support. Many senior centers hold fund-raisers to supplement their budgets, but the impact of these projects is rarely evaluated. This study assessed the effectiveness of a public posting strategy designed to increase donations to an ongoing fund-raiser for a multipurpose senior center. The fund-raiser, "Coupons for Caring," consisted of senior volunteers clipping grocery coupons from newspapers, sorting them, and attaching them to their respective products in local grocery stores. Grocery store customers were given the option of donating the coupons to the senior center or redeeming them when they purchased the products to which the coupons were attached. In the experimental condition, signs were posted that included visual and written instructions, feedback on the value of coupons donated by customers the previous week, and feedback on the overall amount of money donated to the senior center. The signs were posted near each cashier stand and at the front entrances of the grocery stores in a multiple baseline across grocery stores. The percentage of coupons donated to the senior center increased at each store after the signs were posted.