Last year, 92 congregations across Canada supported Alongside Hope’s World of Gifts campaign. Parishes baked butter tarts, organized concerts, mailed out appeal letters, and stood at the backs of churches shaking coin jars—our supporters stopped at nothing to encourage people to give. Then, they turned those funds into tangible support for our partners’ projects. Donations from parishes provided communities with donkeys to carry water, food security essentials such as seeds and tools, and training to improve income-earning skills.
This year, Alongside Hope has set a bold objective to increase the number of parishes participating to 150. And we’ve added more ways to support you, too.
The fun starts with a campaign launch webinar on Tuesday, September 22 at 7 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. NT). Participants will get a sneak peek at this year’s 41 gifts from 18 countries. There is truly something for everyone on your Christmas list. This year, all gifts are matched—either through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (as much as 4:1) or, thanks to a generous donor, 1:1 up to $100,000.
Returning to the guide this year are the ever-popular goats. For $42, you can provide a goat to a family in Zimbabwe, supporting their nutritional needs and helping them earn an income through the sale of meat or breeding. They are easy to care for and require only a small space. In Cuba, $700 will buy a solar panel that is installed at a community church, which will then become a power-generation hub. Or, for $3,000, you can help a community in Kenya build a shallow well with a solar-powered pump. To help promote the World of Gifts, we have created a special Parish Toolkit on our website at alongsidehope.org/gift-toolkit. Alongside Hope parish representatives, supporters, clergy, and lay leaders are encouraged to promote the World of Gifts using our flyer and sample announcements, as well as on social media. But there’s more! We’re inviting parishes to take up a group challenge and to tell us about their project. In return, we’ll send you two customizable large posters to advertise your campaign and two World of Gifts sticker sheets to encourage and thank donors. Submit your project info on the toolkit page. Looking for inspiration? The Parish Toolkit includes examples of how churches have supported World of Gifts in recent years. Last year, St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Dartmouth raised funds for solar panels in Cuba. With every donation, they added a light bulb to a Christmas display. The visual encouragement kept the project top of mind. St. George’s in Fort Langley, B.C., organized a “Kick-a$$” project to provide donkeys to families in Kenya. They launched their campaign with donkey-themed songs and other creative touches. They surpassed their goal and provided 19 donkeys! And here in Newfoundland, the 2023 confirmation class of the Parish of Grand Bay sold raffle tickets to win gift cards, raising $700.
The World of Gifts is delivered in the October, November, and December issues of Anglican Life. A digital version is also available online at: alongsidehope.org/worldofgifts, where you can make your gift on our secure website, 24/7.