I have a confession: I hate asking people for money … or at least I used to!
Let me explain:
I think it’s fair to say that most people hate asking for money, but my dislike for it has grown out of a desire to change the reputation of the church (the community of faith). I have heard so many times from so many people, “All the church wants is your money!” While I know this isn’t true (at least for most churches) the fact that we carry this reputation is deeply troubling to me. As one who passionately desires to connect people to God, I want to remove all possible barriers to seeing that happen.
For this reason, it took a lot of conversation, a lot of re-thinking, and truthfully, a lot of prayer for me to take on a role that includes fundraising (asking people for money) for the Youth Centre!
But here’s what I’ve learned:
1. I am asking for your money … but it’s so much more than that! God’s provision often comes through the community of faith and we are invited into this! It would be dishonest to say that it’s not about asking people to give. It is that! But it is also an invitation to partner with us and participate in God’s bigger plan and better future! It is an invitation to take what we have been blessed with and to bless others with it. It is an invitation to realize a world of need that is much bigger than ourselves and to make a difference. It is an invitation to make a significant and tangible impact on the lives of youth!
2. It’s not about me … it’s about this generation and our future! I am unashamed about the fact that I am a huge advocate for young people and those in the life-stage of adolescence! Apart from the first two years of life, adolescence is the most developmental stage of life, period! And during this time they are processing so many wonderful things, like identity (who am I, what do I believe, what are my values, etc.) autonomy (how am I unique, what is my purpose, do I matter, what is my unique contribution to this world) and affinity (how am I the same as others, where do I belong, and to whom). I firmly believe that if we truly want to make a difference, both today and for the future, investing in our youth is the best place to do it!
3. We truly have a unique opportunity … and we need to act now! RE:SOUL Youth Centre is currently Milton’s only dedicated youth drop-in centre. This is incredible given that Milton has grown from some 25,000 to a population of around 120,000 today. I think we have an amazing opportunity, as a faith-based organization, to lead the way of youth services in Milton, and maybe even beyond. But we are truly dependent on those who share our passion and financially partner with us. When we say, “we couldn’t do what we do without you” this is a genuine statement. Since we do not receive government funding and don’t qualify for most grants and foundation giving (because we are faith based) your partnership is absolutely essential.
There are still times when I revert back to my discomfort of asking for money, but I now quickly move past that, as I’ve come to realize that it’s really about inviting people to partner with us, inviting people to advocate with us, and inviting people to be leaders with us in the area of youth services! I will never be uncomfortable with that!
https://yfcmilton.com/one-hundred/resoul-spring-fundraiser-2/