Fairfax Friday: How You Can Help

Now that I've been here in Allendale, SC for over two months, a lot of our direction and needs have become more definitive, compared to the post What We'll Do, and What We'll Need.


My Role

image courtesy of Eastop via sxc.hu

My job is to make the Boys & Girls Club of Allendale County a success. I feel like we are off to a good start; whereas we began averaging 80+ kids per day (usually with only 2 adult and 2 teenage leaders), we are now having a more manageable 60-70 children per day (ages 6 - 13). We are all more settled into a routine.

My biggest project now involves developing and recruiting for a variety of roles that volunteers can serve in, no matter what their skills and time commitment. I have come up with about 25 different roles someone could choose from. It should be no surprise that the three main areas (Small Group, Programming, Hospitality) are similar to the areas that we had during my time in Children's Ministry (Small Group, Big Group, Welcome Team).


How You Can Help My Family
Here are some of the main ways:

1. Pray. We need strength, peace, and comfort, especially with the nature of our transition to Allendale.
2. Financial Support. Read more about our need for financial support (why and how much). We are happy with the response so far (about $900 per month), and are looking for another $900 per month.  If you plan on giving but haven't filled out this anonymous survey, please do so, to help us plan. Here is how you can be a part of helping us reach this total:
1. 19 people to give $20 per month = $380 per month
2. 8 people to give $40 per month = $320 per month
3. 2 people to give $100 per month = $200 per month (or 4 people to give $50 per month)
3. Buy Our House! OK, maybe not you, but you could know someone. We have an MLS # (1218107) and a listing. We could probably give a really good deal to someone, in the right situation.

How You Can Help the Boys & Girls Club
Even though you may not live in Allendale, there are a number of ways that you can support the mission of the Club. 

1. Pray. Most of these children are dealing with immense challenges, including poverty, one or both parents not in their lives, a struggling education system, poor nutrition, intense peer pressure, and a sense of hopelessness and oppression. There is little that I or anyone can do. God must rescue them.
2. Supplies. With a very limited budget, we depend heavily on donations. We've already had generous donations of snacks, coat hooks, jump ropes, balls, a new vacuum cleaner, craft supplies, and more. I have a couple of people who will be the administrators for regular and semi-regular needs. You could be on the email list, so that about every couple 6-8 weeks, you would get an email with the needs. Here are different categories of supplies:



Mark Galloway hung out for an afternoon.

1. Regular. Paper towels, pencils, paper, tape, snacks, etc.
2. Semi-regular. Batteries, coloring books, educational worksheets, craft supplies, craft kits, etc.
3. Single "big ticket" items. These are the more rare needs, like when we needed a vacuum cleaner or coat hooks. 
3. Volunteer. Consider what it might look like for you to come down for a day or two or three, in order to serve at the Club. (Note that we are currently only open during the week.) We have already had some people come down to help out for a single afternoon. They give a refreshment to the current leaders, and bring joy to the kids. We are also working on bringing folks down who can use their unique gifts (art, dance, science, etc) to enrich these kids' experiences. Let me know if you would like to take a trip down, and we can work out the details.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few."

Matthew 9:37

Related Link:

• Why I Want to Be in the Boys & Girls Club
• Mission: Allendale