Recycling
It’s been said that Christians should be more concerned about the Earth and the environment than other groups, because we know the creator. Perhaps this is true. If you feel this way, then there is a great fundraiser that you can get your church behind that is an environmentally friendly way to get that money needed for missions! Let’s take a close look at recycling as a fundraiser for Christian missions.
Imagine a slogan like “Cans build Churches”. With just a little planning and perseverance, recycling is a great way to generate cash for that upcoming mission trip. Start off by developing your game plan, so you will have everything lined out. Find a local recycle location that will pay you for your recyclables. Some places will pay more than others, as some types of material will fetch more money that other types as well. Aluminum cans are a popular one, because of the high rate of return per pound on cans versus other types of recyclables. Once you’ve located your recycle plant and know how much they will pay, it’s time to get people involved.
Start at home, and develop a plan of action to save those cans, and to minimize the size involved, so they don’t overrun your home. Next, take the plan to all of the other volunteers and get them involved as well. Set some goals, so you can plan the results week by week. Take it to the next level by getting your local church involved. You will find that people will be willing to save you their trash, if they know it is going for a good cause. Let them know exactly what your goals are, and what it will take to make it happen. Present weekly progress reports so they will know where they are at. Once people see progress towards a goal, it is amazing how many people will jump on board.
Next, get your community involved. Not only can you help make your community more eco-friendly, you can raise the money for the mission field while doing it. Flyers and posters are a great (and free!) way to promote public participation in your Christian recycling fundraiser. Designate particular drop off times and locations, so everyone will know when to bring the goods to you. Once a week, gather up all of the donations and take them down to the recycling plant. After a few weeks and a positive report, put an ad in the paper, or ask them to do a public interest article. Local papers are always looking for local interest items, and they love to have positive stories in the news (I know that’s hard to believe). You will be surprised how fast the cash adds up for your fundraiser once you get people involved. Add word-of-mouth to the picture, and you’re well on your way to a successful Christian fundraiser for missions.