Send an email invitation using your own email system or using an electronic invitation service such as evite.com. The advantage of your email system is that you can get RSVPs right in your inbox without checking an outside service; the advantage of a service like Evite is that all of the event RSVPs are tracked for you in one place, so they won’t clog your inbox or slip through the cracks if you happen to miss it. Consider using photos from your program, past events, or artwork by afterschool students. (NOTE: typically art files must be either a .JPG or .GIF format with a maximum size of 500 KB).
Keep your email short and sweet with one or two nice but simple color logos and partner graphics (too many graphics will make your email large, and some people may not receive it). Use our email header below. Try to make it brief enough that readers will see most of the information in their email preview screen.
Subject: Come Celebrate Lights On Afterschool Oct. [XX]
YOU’RE INVITED TO A CELEBRATION!
Join [organization/program name] and the Afterschool Alliance to celebrate the importance of afterschool programs on [date]!
Lights On Afterschool!
In communities today, 7.7 million children are on their own after school. Afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. Programs give young people opportunities to connect, explore, and realize their full potential. Join us, along with 8,000+ afterschool programs nationwide, in celebrating afterschool programs. We think every child who wants opportunities to learn and grow after school should have one.
- Who: [Lucky Kids Afterschool Program]
- What: [An open house event with food, fun, and entertainment]
- When: [Thursday, Oct. XX – 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.]
- Where: [Johnson Elementary School, 1234 Main Street]
- Why: [Come and experience firsthand what fantastic activities the Lucky Kids Afterschool program provides the youth of Johnson Elementary. The children will showcase their talents for art, dance and reading by providing participants with an art show of recent projects completed in the afterschool program, provide a talent show featuring African dance and ballroom dance, and read original stories entitled “What Lucky Kids Has Done for Me."]
- RSVP: [If you want people to RSVP for the event, be sure to tell them how and by what deadline]
[Lucky Kids] would like to thank the following for making this event a great success!
[Corner Pizza Store]
[ABC Party Supplies]