Virtual Book Club: Whether you’re checking out new releases or re-visiting the classics, start a virtual book club and ask members to make a donation every time you meet. You could even choose books with a mental health focus and include a mental health discussion as part of your club meetings.

No-Gala Gala: Sometimes people just don’t want to get all dressed up and go to a gala event with a chicken dinner even if they could! So host a no-gala gala! Ask guests to contribute what they would have spent on such a night, and get together virtually instead!

Talent Show/Live Concert: Whether your talent is music, comedy, dancing, poetry, or something else entirely, think about how you can gather together to raise funds for CAMH. It could be totally virtual, it could be a show on a front porch with physically distanced guests, or one day an actual show at an event venue!

Movie night: Gather your friends online and watch your all-time favourite, most quotable, movie together in sync. If you have the space, you could even set up a projector and create a “drive-in” in your own backyard! Take the money you would have spent on tickets and popcorn and make a donation instead.

Virtual Paint/Craft night: Gather your artistic and crafty friends for a virtual gathering with everyone making a donation to CAMH. You could all work on creating the same item (e.g. decide on one painting that you’ll all recreate, or agree on a knitting pattern) or just decide on a theme (e.g. it’s Scrapbooking Saturday!).

Cooking class: Do you have a secret family recipe that people are always clamouring over? You could host an online cooking class and share the recipe for a great cause. Demonstrate how to make it, and help your students along by answering their questions. ‘Charge’ your students a donation to CAMH.

Virtual Trivia Challenge: Go head-to-head with your friends or colleagues in a trivia challenge, with contestants making a donation as their entry fee. Finally a chance to put all that random knowledge to good use!

Dress Different Day: The old ‘casual days’ or ‘dress down’ days, were when a workplace selected one day, or a series of days (e.g. casual Fridays), where employees could skip the jacket and tie and be more casual and comfy. We all know that many people are working from home now and that casual is what reigns! So think about doing things a little differently and whatever would be unusual for your group. This may include a formal day (think tuxedos and formal gowns) or a sports team day (wearing your favourite team’s merchandise). Picture that on your WebEx and Zoom calls! Or when we do get back to work, a flip-flop-Friday! Employees are then asked to make a donation to CAMH.

Online Gaming Fundraising Tournament: Are you a gamer? Do you and your friends play together on line? Even this can be turned into a fundraiser!