Support Acts 435 as a Donor Church
POSTED ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2021 AT 9:47AM
Acts 435 now has a network of over 600 local churches and charities whose aim is to connect with those in need and support them through Acts 435. However, we're aware that not every church has the capacity or resources to take on this partnership, but still has a heart for those in poverty or facing hardship.
At Acts 435 we love supporting churches, and therefore we're launching a new initiative to enable churches to partner with us in a different way and become a Donor Church. These churches will be encouraged to not only support our work both financially, and by spreading the word to their church community about the impact that Acts 435 has on individuals in need throughout the UK. The financial support given by a Donor Church will go towards needs given to individuals through our Larger Gifts Fund, which has recently become an important part of how we help those in need in recent years.
The Larger Gifts Fund began in 2019 when we noticed a need for gifts that were larger than the normal requests on our website such as; rent arrears, funeral costs or urgent childcare. It was initially funded by personal donations but during the Covid-19 Pandemic it grew as we were given a crisis grant to help relieve the effects of the pandemic on individuals; because of this the Larger Gifts Fund has become a significant part of what we do in recent months, and has given us, and our local Advocates, the opportunity to serve those in poverty more broadly.
We are hoping that alongside some of our regular donors, Donor Churches will enable us to continue this fund, which is having a great impact on those seeking help. One lady, helped through the fund, has severe gastroparesis which is a long-term illness making her unfit for work. She lives with her husband, who is unemployed through sustaining an injury at work, and their two children. She requires intravenous feeding both day and at night, and needed an adjustable bed for night-time feeding which they were unable to purchase themselves. Here's what she had to say on receiving £900 for the bed she so desperately needed:
“I am sincerely grateful for all your help and support regarding the donation from the charity Acts 435, and your ongoing help and support. We are blown away by the kindness of this charity that helped us with this bed that I needed for my condition. It has made my daily life more manageable, and thank you to Blandford Food Bank for your continuous support and thank you to the Acts 435 charity."
If you'd like to read more stories of those helped by the Larger Gifts Fund, take a look at our Impact and Praise Report from October 2021.
You can find more information about becoming a Donor Church, including details on the expected time and financial contributions, in our Invitation to Churches.
Take a look at the video below to hear more about Donor Churches from our Executive Director, Jenny Herrera.
If you would like to sign-up as a Donor Church, or would like any questions answered please email Katie Greene; kgreene@acts435.org.uk