Working Together for a Bigger Impact

Festival of Sharing has long been an opportunity for people of various backgrounds to work collectively responding to hunger and poverty in Missouri and beyond. In 2023, 300 volunteers donated over 1,500 hours of time to the 7 Sharefest events across the state. This time was spent packing hygiene and dental kits, assembling paper product packs and food boxes, tying fleece blankets, packaging rice, unloading and loading vehicles, counting and sorting kits, praying over gifts, greeting volunteers, and learning about the work agencies do.

While the work occurring at the Sharefests is integral in making this cooperative ministry happen, equally important are the hours spent preparing and gathering resources throughout the year. Early on, churches and groups begin thinking about what kits they want to focus on and sites start discussing the logistics of the events.

It's important to recognize that while churches of all sizes participate in Festival of Sharing, a significant portion of the efforts are supported by churches in our more rural or smaller communities. This year alone, 65% of participating churches represented communities of 5,000 or less and their donations accounted for 3/4 of our non-cash gifts (packs and kits). That is amazing work and a testament to the impact of smaller or more rural congregations working in unity for something bigger.

It's truly a blessing to hear the excitement from churches as they describe to me the creative ways they engage their congregation to collect items all year. Some will set up a challenge between different age groups to see who can bring the most of something and others will hang sticky notes with items at different price points for people to go shopping with. No matter how the collections are done, Festival of Sharing is grateful for the combined gifts, talents, time, and prayers that provide hope and love to agencies and all those they serve.

Best,

Sidney Everhart, Coordinator