HARVEST TEAM MEMBER FUNDING
While serving on a Harvest Summer Team is a volunteer mission, team members have the option to raise support to further their education.
Funds raised through friends, family, and home churches can help cover the cost of your summer ministry service. At the end of the summer, Harvest sends a check directly to your school to help with education. This is similar to raising support to go on a short-term mission trip lasting a week or longer.
There isn’t a charge to be a part of Harvest and all meals, lodging and travel are covered while you’re with the team. The money raised isn’t payment, but a mission opportunity to allow others to invest your ministry experience, learning and further education.
In addition this optional raising support for team members, everyone is invited to build a prayer partner team during the ministry traveling season.
— Each team member will receive a link to share with others for online giving.
— Fundraising letters require much more work, but work much more effectively.
— The best way is to do a combination of personally asking, sending a letter, and using the online giving link to share with everyone.
When writing a fundraising letter, you need to:
1) Believe in the work you are being called to do.
2) Believe that it is an investment in kingdom ministry.
3) Enjoy being a part of a community of faith, family and friends who want to invest in you and your ministry – have fun asking and inviting people to give and support!
4) Help donors understand the importance of their partnership with you and what a blessing it is.
INCLUDE: Your name, your request, your reason for the request, your promise to them, an invitation to consider giving, and an easy way to do so. Be sure to include a self-addressed small envelope along with your letter. This envelope should be addressed to Harvest Ministry Teams, Account: [your name], 407
Edwardsville Road, Troy, IL 62294.
TAX CREDIT: In order for givers to receive tax credit, checks must be made out to Harvest Ministry
Teams, 407 Edwardsville Road, Troy, IL. They can put your name in the memo and it will be credited to you.
WHAT ABOUT THE AMOUNT: We invite team members to raise $1500- $4000, but it can be more. We will use 100% of this money for a scholarship in the fall.
STARTING POINTS: Here are some ideas to help craft your letter:
Dear Grandma (or church mission board or business owners you know or family or friends or whomever you can think of – send at least 20 letters with a self-addressed, stamped envelope included),
You may know that I am serving on the Harvest Summer Ministry Team for the summer. Harvest is a non-for-profit ministry based in Troy, IL serving in music and ministry leadership at children and youth camps around Illinois. Harvest has existed since 1996 with a mission to “help the church make disciples.” Though all my expenses while serving on the team are covered, serving with Harvest on mission is an experience for which a dollar amount is not paid to team members. Each young adult / college age team member on our team is invited to raise $500 (or whatever goal you would like to set, not more than $2000) to go toward a scholarship toward education expenses in the fall. Would you consider supporting my ministry and faith growth this summer by helping me raise funds for school?
Your generosity will allow me to invest time this summer serving in the name of Jesus. Thank you for considering a tax deductible gift toward my ministry with Harvest this summer! Please use the envelope to send your contribution or you may go online to harvestminsitryteams.com/giving. I’m excited to serve with Harvest Ministry this summer and know that God has great things in store.
Thanks for your partnership and support!
In Christ,
