Bourne Church’s Donation Gives Young Adult Program a Boost
When members of the Bourne United Methodist Church planned a fundraising campaign for renovations in 2019, they came up with estimates for repairs to the building’s electrical service, floor and air conditioning. Then they had an a-ha moment.
“We were working on our case statement, and we said, wait a minute, this isn’t all about us. We are also part of the community,” said Susan Goux, chair of the capital campaign group and the church council chair. “We’re taking care of God’s house through everything that we are doing, but how are we taking care of the rest of the people around us?”
With estimated renovation costs for the 1831 building totaling just under $100,000, church members decided to tithe to another charity, rounding up for a total gift of $10,000. After discussing a number of options and researching local organizations, they realized there was a way to support two of their priority causes: foster children and housing.
“We became aware of Housing Assistance’s Youth and Young Adults program, which helps foster children who are aging out of the system,” she said. “This felt like a project that would engage the congregation and be important to the Cape.”
In April, church members presented Anne B. Van Vleck, Housing Assistance’s chief development officer, with a check for $10,000.
“We are very grateful for this gift, which will make a big difference in our ability to help some young people who are among the most vulnerable people in our community,” said Van Vleck.
For Goux, the church’s four-year fundraising campaign was a chance to see how a community can come together to improve the church for future generations and support a non-profit that she says is doing critical work.
“We are not a huge church and we’re not a wealthy church,” Goux said. “To raise the money to do not only the work in the church, but to make sure we had the $10,000 [for Housing Assistance] was really very heartwarming.”
