Westcare Centre doesn’t just need beanies, blankets, food and funds, it needs fund raisers. The Centre, run by Baptist Care SA, helps people who are homeless or in tough situations. They offer meals, counselling, emergency food, and other support. However, they often don’t get enough money from the government and need extra help to keep running. To meet this gap, Baptist Care SA, churches, corporates, individuals raise additional resources and money. 

From our church, people provide food to Westcare (via the baskets at door). There are beanies, socks, blankets collected for the Winter Months. This month we are raising money for Winter Hot Breakfasts. Baptist Care value church communities partnering in these kinds of ways. 

But the Centre needs more than what the church can provide. This is why fund raisers are needed. Several people in our church creatively use their businesses to raise resources and funds. Hugh Ballantyne, Fundraising Manager for Baptist Care, shared recently how a few people in a church organised a quiz night and raised multiple thousands of dollars for a youth accommodation service. Everyone knows someone or a business that might want to help. I wonder how we can utilise these connections to partner with Westcare? 

My hope is all churches will encourage fund raisers. Churches have limited money, so it’s good to find ways to get help from outside the church too. Westcare is an opportunity that can be shared beyond the church. You don’t have to be a churchgoer to believe what Baptist Care is doing matters. 

In Him, 

Jason 

Photo: www.experienceadelaide.com.au