The Jimmy Fund seeks your 'big ideas' to support cancer research, care

Public competition launched today to create new fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund

March 04, 2013

Sung Park of Chestnut Hill, MA is the grand prize winner of the Jimmy Fund Big Ideas Contest. Park submitted the 'Coins to Cure Cancer' plan

The Jimmy Fund today announced its first-ever contest seeking the public’s ideas for a new fundraiser to benefit cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the country’s leading cancer institutions.

The Jimmy Fund Big Ideas Contest is open to anyone with creative fundraising ideas for the iconic New England charity and will run through midnight, April 21, 2013.

In addition to helping support the Jimmy Fund's mission of advancing adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber, the participants will compete to be one of five finalists who will be selected to present their idea at a Jimmy Fund Big Ideas judging event in June. A panel consisting of some of the country's most notable CEOs and business leaders will review the submissions and select a winner.

The winner will receive the contest's grand prize: a seven-night Caribbean vacation, Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots experience packages, and more. Four finalists will receive prizes including $2,000 in gift cards, Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots tickets, and more.

"We're excited to engage the public in creating the Jimmy Fund's next great fundraising initiative to help conquer cancer," said Susan S. Paresky, senior vice president for Development at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. "Participants should think big. Idea submissions can be for an event, an app, a product, a corporate promotion, something new on social media, really anything that is a viable fundraising idea."

The contest’s panel of judges includes: Joshua Bekenstein, Managing Director, Bain Capital Partners; Roger Berkowitz, President & CEO, Legal Sea Foods; Ken Canestrari, President, HomeGoods; Bill Fine, President & General Manager, WCVB-TV / Channel 5; Paul Fireman, Founder of Reebok; John Grady, President, Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub; Joseph Kelley, President, New England Division, The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company;Daniel Kraft, President, The Kraft Group - International; John Legere, President & CEO, T-Mobile; Larry Lucchino, President & CEO, Boston Red Sox; Stacy Madison, Founder, Stacy’s Pita Chip Company; Robert Reynolds, President & CEO, Putnam Investments; and Laura Sen, President & CEO, BJ’s Wholesale Club.

The competition seeks creative and sustainable fundraising ideas that would raise approximately $100,000 or more each year for the Jimmy Fund. Individuals or teams of up to four people are permitted to enter the contest. Dana-Farber and Jimmy Fund employees are allowed to enter the contest, but are not eligible for prizes.

The competition's rules, information on the entry process, and the submission form are available online at JimmyFundBigIdeas.org. Participants must be 21 years of age or older and be a resident of the United States in order to be eligible to win.