Top ten reasons for Sharing Our Surplus at the Relief Sale

The Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale’s Sharing Our Surplus (SOS) Campaign was launched two years ago to solicit cash donations for Mennonite Central Committee in addition to money raised through auction, food and other sales. So far the effort has raised over $75,000, and has been designated specifically to meet the growing needs of refugees around the world.

SOS is not intended in any way to compete with any of the many other fund raising efforts at the sale, but to provide an additional opportunity for contributing, especially for the majority of attendees who do not take part in the annual auction.

Here are top ten reasons (from least to most important), for matching or exceeding liberal spending at the October 4-5 Relief Sale this year with generous financial contributions:

10. All gifts are tax deductible (when filing with itemized deductions.)

9. Giving can be by cash, credit card or by check (made out to Virginia Relief Sale, with SOS on the memo line).

8. Every penny contributed goes for refugee relief. Everence Financial provides volunteers to staff the giving table and any minor costs are absorbed by members of the SOS committee.

7. This giving adds no extra calories to our diets or creates any extra things to find room for at home—though we do encourage purchasing plenty of food and other items at this annual event!

6. SOS has helped the Virginia Relief Sale exceed record totals for MCC relief efforts.

5. SOS contributions can be made at any time (and for any amount) on the Virginia Mennonite Relief Relief Sale website, allowing people to participate even if they can’t attend.

4. SOS funds will be forwarded to Mennonite Central Committee right after the sale, since there are no expenses to first be accounted for.

3. Generous giving to people in need results in their being helped, as well as generous givers being blessed by having invested in truly lasting “treasure in heaven.”

2. Never has the need for helping displaced people been so urgent. One in nearly 100 people worldwide have been forced to leave their homes because of war, drought, persecution or other forms of violence. The average length of displacement and/or homelessness is ten years.

1. By being willing to sacrifice to help meet the urgent needs of men, women and children around the world we are truly following in the footsteps of Jesus, who “became poor for our sakes” and whose entire life was lived in the service of the God who “so loved the world”—with a gift of unimaginable generosity.