In the heart of a small Ontario town, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a service club found itself faced with a challenge: how do you continue to support your community when gathering together is no longer possible?
The answer came in the form of a scarecrow.
What began as a lighthearted workaround to pandemic restrictions quickly grew into a beloved tradition. Residents, storefronts, and local organizations were invited to create whimsical, heartfelt scarecrow displays. For 11 crisp autumn days, families toured their community, map in hand, taking in the sights, snapping photos, and dropping off nonperishable food items to “feed” their favourite scarecrows. Maps were available by donation—either online or as printed copies from local retailers—and the funds raised were kept by the local club to support food banks or any community initiative they deemed meaningful.
Laughter echoed down sidewalks. Children ran from one display to the next. Neighbours connected again—safely, warmly, purposefully.
What started as a creative solution to fundraising during COVID restrictions became something more: a joyful lesson in how fun and community spirit can infuse new life into traditional fundraising.
From those roots grew Sharecrows: a web-based, ready-to-run fundraising platform designed for service clubs and small towns who want to do more with less, while still doing good. It weaves together the best of fall: creativity, community, and care.
“We thought it would be a one-time thing,” one organizer shared. “But people kept asking, ‘Will the scarecrows be back?’ That’s when we knew we had something special.”
Today, Sharecrows is spreading across North America. With food insecurity touching 1 in 5 Canadian households, the need has never been greater—and neither has the desire to help, together.
Learn more at Sharecrows.org and bring this joyful tradition to your own backyard.
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The community launched the Sharecrows program by placing scarecrow displays around town, where residents could donate food and participate in the event. The creativity was contagious, and soon the entire town was transformed into a fun and interactive food bank drive event. The program's success was evident, as more and more people registered to participate in this unique and engaging community initiative.
sharecrows.org
