SE Ideas Tree
What can you do??? Here are some tried and true experiences from your SIL Team…..
| Idea | Description | Cost |
| ‘Biggie Size’ Food Orders in Fast Food Drive-Thru Lanes | Set up near the drive-thru order station. As customers drive up, offer to pay the difference between their order and the “Biggie” size – which is usually $0.39. Your offer will get the entire restaurant talking. | inexpensive |
| Bait at Local Fishing Spots | This brings new meaning to the verse from Psalm 51, “I am a worm and not a man.” Those who fish with live bait need worms, grubs, goldfish, minnows, or whatever. Purchase these critters in large quantities from a bait shop, go to the lakes, and give them away. | inexpensive |
| Bark and Mulch for Yards | In the spring, this is a big hit. Load up a pickup truck, knock on doors, and offer it to people. You can even offer to help spread it. | moderate |
| Bike Fix-up | Many students ride bicycles to class. They often need a tune-up including tightening the brakes, aligning the gears, and greasing the ball bearings. Setting up shop can save students money and provide an opportunity to get to know them. | free |
| Bird Feeders and Refills to Convalescent Home Residents | Most outreaches to those in convalescent homes will touch their extended family as well. Provide an acrylic bird feeder – the kind with suction cups that stick right to the window. Return occasionally to refill the bird feed and check in on your adopted elderly friend. Perfect for the Fall. | inexpensive |
| Birthday Party Organizing | Advertise on an apartment or community center bulletin board for free party organizing. | free |
| Blood Pressure Screening | The entryway of your apartment building is an ideal place for this outreach. Such screenings are common these days, so your request won’t sound odd. While checking out their pressure, explain your reason for being there that day. | free |
| Bottled Water Giveaway | Many people prefer water to soft drinks. Ice down bottles of water in Igloo coolers for an alternative to Coke giveaways. Use the same drink connection cards. We don’t recommend combining this with a soda giveaway because it offers too many options and gets complicated. You can do this anywhere there are a lot of people gathered. | moderate |
| Boxes to Merchants with your Logo and Number Imprinted | Larger retail stores will not go for this one, but most stores in a mall / shopping center will be grateful. Boxes are affordable when purchased in large numbers. | moderate |
| Breakfast Pop Tarts/Granola Bars | Pop Tarts may not be all that healthy, but they are popular among most students. They are good hot or cold. Students will take them to eat later even if they’ve already had breakfast. | inexpensive |
| Bulb Replacement | There are only a few common bulb types used in domestic and foreign cars. Have an assortment of these available. Set up a station in the corner of a shopping center parking lot. Set up a sign, “Free Light bulb Exam and Replacement.” With just a few basic tools (screwdrivers) about anyone can pull this one off. Don’t use powered screwdrivers — they are more likely to break lens covers. | inexpensive |
| Business Blasts | Bring a small gift, such as a basket of candy, into small businesses for their employees. Bring in one package to be shared by store employees and leave a connect card. What to say? “We appreciate how you serve the community with your business, and we wanted to do a random act of kindness to share God’s love in a practical way.” Make sure you only give items to employees, so they don’t think you are “soliciting” customers. Ideas: Easter baskets in spring, Christmas stockings at Christmas. Leave a connection card that says, “Happy Holidays! This is a busy time of year for you. We want you to know how much we appreciate you and to show you God’s love in a practical way!” | inexpensive |
| Business Window Washing | This requires the purchase of good equipment in order to do a decent job. You will need several different sizes of brass squeegees, a special wide mouthed bucket, a lambs wool cleaning head, and cleaning solution. Once you get the hang of using a squeegee it’s not that difficult, it’s quick and actually fun. | moderate |
| Butterfly Cocoons | From the beginning of church history, the butterfly has been a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. Death, change, life are all found in the cocoon. We found a source for butterfly cocoons. It is possible to purchase cocoons that can be timed to hatch on a given day — within a day or so anyway. One Easter we distributed several thousand cocoons with a special connection card attached. We gave them out on Good Friday, and they emerged on Easter Sunday. This project is best designed for churches in mild climates. | moderate |
| Buy Down Gas to Bargain Price | Instead of paying the dollar plus price, buy down the price to a remarkable rate for a couple of hours and pay the difference to the station owner. When local prices were $1.29, we put up signs advertising a price of $.99. The total we spent for the two hours usually runs from $400-500 per station. When customers come in, we give them a connection card that briefly explains our project. Each time we’ve done this outreach, we’ve gotten fantastic response. Have enough people because a line may form. | high |
| Candy Giveaway | This is an excellent way to do a “giveaway.” Rather than ask “Would you like…?” say: ”Happy (Holiday)” and give them a candy and a connection card. You’ll get very few rejections. Purchase high quality chocolate for a greater effect. Make sure candy is prepackaged. Can be adapted for Valentine’s day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. | moderate |
| Cappuccino | Portable espresso machines can be purchased at a reasonable rate. This outreach has been very popular on campuses. While the coffee drink is being made (takes a minute or two), a great conversation can take place. | high |
| Car Drying at Self-Serve Car Washes | It takes just a few minutes for three people to dry a car. On a warm, sunny day water spots will appear if a car is not dried quickly after a wash. As cars come out, have your small group offer to dry them. | inexpensive |
| Car Wash | This is an effective, practical service. We offer a car wash every week in the summer. Have a professionally made banner or sign that says “Totally Free Car Wash!” or “Free – No Kidding – Car Wash!” Have a few people who are not shy, cheerfully yell at cars driving by – “Free Car Wash!” Former cheerleaders are great for this role! This outreach needs a good project manager to organize volunteers, car flow and ensure a quality job. Purchase high quality car wash soap and do a thorough job – scrub the tires and dry the car. Your hard work will speak volumes about God’s love! |
inexpensive |
| Carbon Monoxide Detectors | These have become very affordable recently. They can literally save lives during the winter. Attach your logo and phone number to the card that holds the CO detector button. | moderate |
| Care Package | Make up care packages for an entire dorm. Include such things as: packages of hot chocolate, microwave popcorn, cookies, mints, and gum. Total cost around 62¢. You’ll need to get permission from the dorm. These can be distributed through student mailboxes or a box in the lobby. | inexpensive |
| Carnations to Cemetery Visitors | Carnations are affordable, and everyone likes them. This project could be done anytime. | inexpensive |
| Cart Token for Shopping Carts | Some grocery stores in urban areas require a token in order to get a shopping cart. Provide the tokens to shoppers as they enter. | inexpensive |
| Check Oil and Fill | If you can find a sympathetic station owner, you can get permission to offer service like they did in the good old days. At the self-serve pump, ask if they would like to have their oil checked and topped off. About the only caution: If you top off their too low oil make sure you are using the same viscosity as they originally had. Be sure not to overfill – that can cause major engine problems. Make sure you explain that you are not from the station but are Christians showing God’s love in a practical way. Otherwise, customers will assume you work for the station. | inexpensive |
| Child Care during Christmas Shopping | There are some liability issues to take into consideration, but this can be a super helpful project during the holidays. Obviously you will need to get some help with professional child care workers to do this right and wisely. | free |
| Christmas Caroling and Candy Canes | Organize a caroling group and go “house to house” in neighborhoods. Take candy canes or a small gift to give as well. For another spin — go into low-income areas, especially inner-city urban, take hot chocolate and cookies and serve the residents. | free |
| Christmas Gift Wrapping | Wrap Christmas presents free for mall shoppers. Depending on your mall, you may have to rent the space, purchase the materials, and do it at the hours they ask. On the other hand, some malls give free space, provide the materials and are very accommodating regarding wrapping hours. We’ve experienced both situations. A common question is, “Isn’t this sort of outreach expensive?” Answer: It can be, but not necessarily. There are one-time equipment investments that must be made. Beyond those, the cost is about a quarter per package. A second common question is, “Isn’t something like this going to conflict with the other groups who are wrapping in the mall for their particular fund raiser?” Answer: We aren’t in competition with the fancy department stores. They do a classy job. Ours isn’t bad, but it doesn’t compare with the nice wrapping places. We can help someone who is in a hurry, has a small gift, or just can’t afford to spend the money to get it wrapped at the fancy place. | high |
| Christmas Scotch Tape Giveaway | Can one get anymore practical than giving away Scotch tape at Christmas? Everyone needs it. This giveaway is rarely rejected and much appreciated. | inexpensive |
| Christmas Tree Collection | Everyone needs to get rid of his or her tree. A few days after Christmas, offer to haul them away for the neighborhood. | free |
| Christmas Tree Giveaways | A few days before Christmas, lot owners are willing to give the trees away. With pickup trucks, deliver the trees to financially-stretched, single parent families. | free |
| Church Match Books | Christian matches? Why not? Our logo is on the front. Inside is a map to our location, our service times, and phone number. We have given away several hundred thousand of these over the past few years. We distribute these at restaurants, gas stations – even bars. Some have asked, “Aren’t you endorsing smoking by giving away match books?” No, we’re just showing them that God loves smokers! | moderate |
| Cleaning Up at Food Courts | If you can get your foot in the door at your local mall like we have in Cincinnati (it took a couple of years of courting – sorry for the pun) ask if you can clean up the mess that people leave behind after their meal. We also distribute handy-wipes with our logo imprinted on them, and a connection card. | free |
| Clowns | Bring a team of clowns to hand out candy or balloons. This adds fun and excitement to the atmosphere of sharing God’s love. | free |
| Coffee Packets for Time Change Weekend or Anytime! | Wake Up and Smell the Pura Vida Coffee! A church in Grand Rapids, Michigan had a great idea-give out pre-packaged coffee grounds to help people get through the time change weekend. They contacted Pura Vida Coffee for individual coffee packets that any church can order for give-away in your community. We love the heart of this coffee company/ministry: Pura Vida Coffee’s mission is radical- to combine the efforts of business and philanthropy to help the lives of at-risk children. 100% of their net profits benefit at-risk children in coffee-growing regions of the world. Many churches brew this great coffee for their weekend attendees. The bags come in quantities of 21 per box, and each bag makes 1 12-cup pot of coffee. If you want to add your own custom labels, Avery Diskette Labels are 2 3/4 square and should work well (Avery Product #08196) For coffee pricing and blend availability, contact Paul at paul@puravidacoffee.com, or visit the web site at www.puravidacoffee.com. | moderate |
| Coffee/Hot Chocolate Coupons | Purchase coffee coupons from a merchant in the mall and give them away to customers. The merchant is grateful for the sale and the steady stream of traffic. | moderate |
| Coffee/Hot Chocolate Giveaways | Use Igloo containers, air pump thermoses, or better yet, one of our coffee backpacks. We suggest having three options: regular, decaf and hot chocolate. On a cool day, you will have folks swarming for a cup of something hot. We have paper cups with our name and logo printed. You will need three or four people to help give away coffee for each big canister. With each drink we give out a connection card. You can also try this at bus or subway stops. One group in California does this weekly. They bring coffee and donuts to bus stops and offer it to passengers. Sometimes they actually get on the bus and, if they have a sympathetic driver, give their goods out to about everyone on board with a connection card. Or, visit dorms and study spaces during exams. Build a cart that can be wheeled around from dorms to libraries to study areas. This one will have to be manned by non-students. A little TLC goes a long way. | moderate |
| Coins Attached to Cards for Phone Calls or Parking Meters | For years, we “fed” parking meters in Cincinnati. We changed tactics last fall when Sylvia Stayton was arrested. Perhaps you read about the “meter feeding granny” in your local paper. We were not aware that feeding someone else’s meter was taboo. The law in Cincinnati is rather vague. Until it is clarified, we have chosen to attach a coin to a card that reads, “It’s time for some change!” We place the card between the driver’s window and the bottom rubber seal. The driver can use the coin to pay the meter or to make a phone call. This is a high volume project. Close to 200 of these can be placed in an hour in a crowded parking area. To attach the coin, use either rubber cement (smelly and slow) or a roll of adhesive. Several types of these are sold in the tape section of most office supply stores. Unless the weather is remarkably hot, even a quarter will stay attached. Thief alert: Often young kids or street people will follow and swipe the cards from cars. Ask them if they need money and how much. Usually they will ask for a buck or two. Make them a deal – allow these folks to get a quarter and give them the two dollars. | inexpensive |
| Coke Giveaways | This is a simple one: When the traffic light turns red, ask drivers, “Would you like diet or regular?” Place a connection card under the opener on the top. A word of caution: It’s easy to get enthused with this project and forget to adequately scan traffic when the light changes. NOTE: Do not allow children under 10 to participate due to safety in traffic. | inexpensive |
| Community Dinner | Throw a dinner for the block. One family in a rough part of London has been doing grill outs for the past few years. The couple provides the grill and the hamburgers. Everyone else brings a part of the dinner. The result: Neighbors are talking to one another for the first time, they are watching out for each other and, naturally, the crime rate has gone down. | free |
| Cookies | Everyone likes a cookie. We purchase these in small packets of four. Although manufactured cookies aren’t as good as homemade, folks are reluctant to receive unpackaged food from strangers. We have had our greatest success with this in downtown business areas. Go for quality of product – not low cost – people will receive a name brand like “Oreo” more than a generic brand. All kinds of snacks are appreciated by students, especially around exam time. | inexpensive |
| De-Ice Walkways | Go door to door on particularly icy days. As the coordinator of outreach when our church was smaller, I made it a point to keep track of those who had flexible schedules so that when harsh or odd weather hit, we could spring into action. Here is a truth you can bury deep in your heart: The more inclement the weather, the deeper the impression we make on those we serve. For example, on a very icy morning, if you were to gather a team of 20 available souls to go out and serve for a couple of hours with lots of pre-purchased de-icing material (NOT ROCK SALT PLEASE) (it is important to think in advance for this sort of thing – whether you were in the scouts or not, begin now to BE PREPARED!) In that time frame you could blow away hundreds of homeowners with Jesus’ kindness by scattering de-icer on their sidewalks. I’m getting chills just thinking about this opportunity! NOTE: Spend the extra money on “ice melt” versus the less expensive rock salt. The image of the Church at large is already one of “those guys do everything half-cocked and the cheapest way possible…” Let’s do all of our serving of others in a top notch way. Our God is a God of supply and abundance. I have taken this policy from day one over the past 20 plus years in my serving ventures. As a result, to a degree, the churches where I have imparted this model, the watching eyes of the local community have gradually changed their perception of who we are and how we do things. (You don’t have to buy Perrier water when giving out drinks, but you get the idea here…) |
moderate |
| De-icing | After an ice storm, a few shovels of rock salt can make a big difference on a slippery sidewalk or driveway. | inexpensive |
| Doggie Dirt Cleanup | It’s an unsavory job, but someone has to do it. Jesus said, “If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, be the servant of all.” Does that include all breeds? Actually, it’s not that tough with the right equipment. (You can find scooper equipment at a local pet store.) Give a connection card to pet owners and park officials in the area. | free |
| Doggie Treats | People often love their pets like family members. Either make a great doggie treat from scratch, or buy them from a gourmet pet shop. Wrap several with a ribbon and a connection card and give them out at parks or dog runs. | inexpensive |
| Doggie Wash | Go through the park looking for dogs and their owners or organize a neighborhood “doggie wash.” Use the recommended dog shampoo sold in pet stores. This is best done around your neighborhood. The best workers and organizers of a dog wash are kids. Two ten year old boys recently touched their entire neighborhood by blanketing all the houses with a homemade flyer explaining their project. They later reported washing sixteen dogs and one reluctant cat. They also provided a flea collar to each clean pet. | inexpensive |
| Dollar Drop | At local malls where any sort of programmatic evangelism is not allowed, this is a way to get the attention of many quickly. We attach a connection card explaining our project to a dollar bill. We use Post-It note removable glue (available at local business supply stores). Then we go around the mall and nonchalantly drop dollar bills on the ground. For some free entertainment, stand a distance away and watch who picks up the dollar and how they respond to the message. | inexpensive |
| Donut Giveaway during Morning Traffic Times | A couple of grandmas at our church have had great success giving away pastries in the morning. Who could say no to a sweet grandma type? As with any giveaway, there are a couple of options. These gals set up on a traffic island at a light. When it’s red they step into traffic and ask, “Would you like chocolate, maple or glazed?” They then give them a connection card. | inexpensive |
| Dorm Room Cleaning | Go door to door with the offer, “We would like to clean your room for free to show you God’s love.” Confine your cleaning to what is quick and simple or you will be overwhelmed quickly. We usually offer to clean the windows and mirrors and vacuum the floor. | free |
| Drinks at Greek Events | Some are interested in being a Greek and sober — no kidding. Provide an alternative to the alcohol that is standard issue at these events. | inexpensive |
| Drinks at Intramural Athletic Events | Bottled water is recommended. If you want to get fancy, offer Gatorade. | inexpensive |
| Drinks for Cashiers | For several years now I have been practicing showing simple respect to retail workers – especially cashiers. In almost all retail locations, there are several opportunities to make “impulse purchases” such as packs of gum or softdrinks. In my case there is nothing impulsive about my purchase – it is well thought out! I always buy a drink for the cashier. I ask the cashier, “What’s your favorite softdrink?” Without hesitation they tell me – then I walk back to the machine and pick up a cold one for them. Of course they ask me why I am doing this. A brief conversation ensues. One thing I am always careful to tell those I serve is “I am not serving you so you will come to my church… I will serve you not only today but in the future each time I see you because I am a Christ follower – his life in me is a life of serving, generosity, respect and love. This has nothing to do with marketing. If this was about marketing I / we would do things much differently – much slicker.”
Ironically, when I tell people that, guess what their reaction is? They almost always say, “Now I am really intrigued about this church you go to. This is exactly what I have been looking for…” Notice Fellow Customers Again, assume at all times, “I am about to serve someone… therefore I will always carry with me at least a dozen connect cards…” |
inexpensive |
| Easter Baskets | These are great for both “business blasts” and “house to house.” Purchase inexpensive Easter baskets (around sixty cents) and fill with candy such as wrapped small eggs and other inexpensive Easter candy. You can make a nice basket for around $2.00 including the basket. | inexpensive |
| Exam Answer Sheets | Many exams require students bring their own Scantron or “bubble sheets”. These run a dime or less per sheet and are essential at mid-term and finals time. | inexpensive |
| Fireplace Ash Removal | Self-explanatory. Note: Never remove hot ashes. Even when they seem just a bit warm, they pose a serious fire threat in the trash can. We recommend you place the ashes in a double layer grocery bag. | free |
| Fireplace Kindling | Bundle it up and give it out in the Fall. On the binding attach your logo and phone number. | inexpensive |
| Flower Seeds | Give out flower seeds to celebrate spring or Easter. Some companies offer the option of having your church name printed on the outside of the packet. This giveaway works great downtown, in front of stores, placed on parked cards, or at Spring festivals. Staple connection card to seeds and give them away! You can also place flower seed packets (with stapled connect card) on cars on driver side window between rubber and glass. Don’t place on the windshield because sometimes the driver doesn’t notice it until they begin driving. Some parking garages don’t allow this — so curbside parking is the best place to begin. | inexpensive |
| Food Delivery to Shut-ins | Find legitimate shut-ins in your neighborhood. Start a system with interested neighbors for a weekly hot food delivery. Keep in mind, many pre-Christians are very interested in helping others even though they don’t yet know Christ. A project such as this could easily be an entry point to their hearts. | moderate |
| Freshen-up Packs (mints & moist towelettes) | At sporting events, festivals and public places it’s difficult to wash hands. A moist towelette is a practical, small gift. Package a few with some starlight mints and make a “freshen-up” pack. See cards for special connection card. Towelettes can be printed with your church name and logo and only cost about 1¢ per towelette. Mints are around 2¢ – total cost per packet 6¢. | inexpensive |
| Fruit give away | I was surprised at the popularity of this one. People really like fresh fruit and they will readily take it. I have tried this one across the US and it has gone over great guns. An orange, an apple and a banana are enough along with a connection card in a clear plastic bag. It works well door to door. Great way to invite neighbors to small group meetings! | inexpensive |
| Garage Cleaning | With a homeowner and half a dozen people, this unsavory task can be fun. | free |
| Garbage Can Return from Street | You could do this one for your entire street each week. Usually garbage pick up is done early in the morning. Be the first one out. Return them near their garage but do it quietly. | free |
| Gasoline for Your Neighbor | How many people do you see buying less than a tank of gas when you fill up? I see that happening all the time. They can’t afford a tank of gas at today’s prices. Add $5.00 to their total and blow their minds. Of course, add in a connection card. | moderate |
| Gatorade at Biking Trails | Some health conscious folks like runners, bikers and generally healthy people, don’t drink soda. Offer them Gatorade or bottled water instead. | moderate |
| General Interior Cleaning | Not everyone will let you come in at random and clean his or her house. It’s best to stop by a prospective house to schedule a day before the cleaning team comes. | free |
| General Yard Cleanup | After the winter weather is over, all sorts of debris become obvious. Go door to door with gloves, rakes, and trash bags. | free |
| Glow in the Dark Necklaces / Bracelets | These are a hit! They run about $1.00 each, so they’re a more expensive but effective touch! | inexpensive |
| Golf Ball Cleaning | Most golfers carry dozens of balls in their bag. Sure there are golf ball cleaning machines spread throughout the course, but most don’t take the time to clean them. With the permission of the course, set up a simple clean up station and clean golf balls before golfers begin their round. | inexpensive |
| Golf Balls | Imprinted balls are surprisingly affordable. The average golfer loses three or four balls per outing. If it’s lost on the course, another golfer will pick it up later with your logo and phone number on it. | inexpensive |
| Golf Tees | Imprinted tees cost just a couple of cents per tee. Golfers can never get enough of these. Some golf courses will give them away for you at their counter. | inexpensive |
| Grass Edging | If you don’t have time to mow an entire lawn, edge the driveway and sidewalks. Most homeowners don’t edge very often, so they are in need of it and are grateful. | free |
| Grocery Bag Loading Assistance | Moms with lots of kids hanging on them like koalas often need assistance getting their bags loaded into the car from the cart. The elderly need the same sort of help. On this one almost everyone will try to give a tip. As with all kindness projects, to receive money would taint what we are trying to communicate – “God’s love in a practical package with no strings attached.” This project may require permission from the store manager on the day of the event. The servers on this one need to be particularly safe-appearing folks. Smiling can help ease people’s fears. Name tags or T-shirts identifying connection to your organization is a plus for this outreach because it makes the loading assistants look more official. | free |
| Grocery Cart Returns | Approach shoppers as they finish unloading their carts with the offer, “Hi, can I take that back for you? We’re showing God’s love in a practical way to shoppers.” The shoppers will appreciate it, and the grocer will love you for it. | free |
| Grocery Store Bag Packing | Increasing numbers of grocery stores offer rock bottom prices. One of the ways they can afford this is by cutting out services such as bag packing. We have our own aprons with our logo on the front. The first time we volunteered to do this, the manager was skeptical; but that feeling quickly melted. I’ve gotten reports from all over the US that this project is very effective. To top it off, this is honest work. After all, it’s how David Letterman got his start. Name tags or T-shirts identifying connection to your organization is a plus for this outreach because it makes the baggers look more official. | free |
| Halloween Connect Cards | We provide free candy for our congregation for them to give out to trick-or-treaters. Included with this candy were special Halloween connection cards (example). | inexpensive |
| Halloween Reverse Trick-or-Treat | Although many churches do not endorse this holiday, it’s the second largest holiday in the United States in terms of money spent. It’s a part of the culture of America and by using this event we can connect with pre-Christians in ways they can understand. The Saturday before Halloween, during the day, throw a costume party. (Positive costumes, nothing scary.) Team everyone in teams of 4-6. Go house to house and give away candy. Say: “No tricks, just a treat to show God’s love.” Don’t let them accept any candy from residents… only give away bags of candy. Leave a connection card or have a special one designed for this (example). Give out high quality candy. We tried this, and it was very effective. People were caught off guard at being given something! | inexpensive |
| Hand Cleaning Towelettes | On a Friday afternoon, when the heat is on, who doesn’t need a little refreshment on the drive home. Instead of giving away a soft drink, offer them a towelette. Pretty much everything in downtown shopping areas is a bit dirty. Problem is there’s no place to wash up. Give away towelettes. Pumping your own gas can get messy. Therefore, we distribute towelettes with our name and phone number printed on them. When purchased in quantity, these are as little as 1.5 cents per packet, including two color printing. | inexpensive |
| Helium Balloons for Kids | Balloons are festive. Kids are attracted to them from hundreds of yards away. We give them to the children while we talk to the parents and offer them an explanation with a connection card. | inexpensive |
| Holiday Giveaways | Plan 3-4 times during the year to go house to house with a holiday giveaway. Examples: small poinsettias at Christmas, Easter baskets at Easter, picnic on Independence day (include hot dogs, chips, beans, buns, and a watermelon), mum plants in the Fall. | inexpensive |
| Hot Dog Grilling | Like ‘em or not, grilled hot dogs bring everyone nearby together. Even with providing the dogs, buns and condiments, this is an affordable outreach. We put up a banner that reads, “It’s Party Time!” Provide music and you’ve got a party that will draw strangers like a magnet. | moderate |
| House Number Painting on Curbs | With stencils, spray paint house numbers on curbs. Find decent looking stencils. Leave a connection card when you explain how you are showing God’s love in a practical way. | inexpensive |
| House to House giveaways | You can go house to house on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother’s day and any other holiday. Go door to door with a free picnic. Give away hot dogs, chips, buns, beans, and cookies, maybe even a watermelon. Mum plants: A wonderful house-to-house gift. Turkey dinner: Great for needy areas! Holiday potpourri: Great alternative to food product or plant. Poinsettias: take small poinsettia plants as “house to house” gifts. Fruit: People really like fresh fruit and they will readily take it. Place one orange, apple, and banana inside a clear plastic bag, and tie it with a connection card attached. See Fruit Giveaway. Carnation Giveaway: Carnations are affordable, and everyone likes them. This project could be done anytime, but Mother’s Day is a particularly good excuse. See flower giveaway. |
inexpensive |
| Ice Cream Coupons | Approach a local ice cream store and explain your desire to give away thousands of ice cream coupons. Chances are the owner/manager will be willing to give you a good deal on ice cream coupons. Attach a connection card to the coupon and you’ll have a project that just about everyone in town or on campus will respond to. | moderate |
| Independence Day (Fourth of July) | Most communities have festivals to celebrate this holiday. Get a group of people together and plan a Kindness Outreach! Blow-pops and gum balls are a big hit. Small American flags are also popular. After it is dark, glow-in-the-dark necklaces are effective. These necklaces run about $1.00 each. Parks are a popular place on the 4th of July. Bring a team of clowns and give away helium balloons and small candy items. | inexpensive |
| Interior Vacuuming | Locate at gas stations or shopping center parking lots. Set up signs that explain what you’re doing. Give a connection card to those you help. I recommend you establish a designated communicator to connect with drivers and explain why this is all taking place. | free |
| Interior Window Cleaning | Which is dirtier, the inside or outside of your car windows? Often the inside is worse. Set up a cleaning station similar to the one above. Use paper towels to do the cleaning. If you want to get fancy, have scented cards printed with your church logo and phone number to hang in the car. | free |
| Kitchen Cleanup | Some who have been sick or depressed might need a good kitchen cleaning. Don’t try this one by yourself. Two or three can clean up a super dirty kitchen on a Saturday morning. | free |
| Lamb’s Lunch | Throw a sit-down lunch party for residents at a low-income housing development. (See the appendix to Steve Sjogren’s out-of-print book, Servant Warfare, for more information on this outreach.) | moderate |
| Lawn Mower Tune-up | With a few spark plugs, some WD 40, and elbow grease, you can do minor tune-ups on mowers. | inexpensive |
| Lawn Mowing | Several mowers make mowing the lawn short work. Look for long grass, knock on the door, and go for it. | inexpensive |
| Leaf Raking | “We came, we saw, we raked!” Several people in small group can rake an entire neighborhood on a single Saturday morning. Maybe you don’t like raking your own yard; but when you’re with a group of friends serving in the name of Christ, a chore becomes a joy. Many yards take only fifteen to twenty minutes to polish off. Note: If possible go to neighborhoods where the city vacuums leaves left on the curb (some do). If you bag them, leave the bags by the curb for later pick up. | free |
| Light Bulb Replacement | Sounds simple, but for some reaching up to a nine foot ceiling is a difficult chore. We offer a 60-watt light bulb with a connection card, and if they’d like we replace burned out ones. | inexpensive |
| Lollipops / Blow pops | These are great giveaway items for parks, festivals, and college campuses. Purchase at Sam’s for around 6¢ a piece — it is an inexpensive but effective way to show God’s love. | inexpensive |
| Matthew’s Party | Out of his joy in finding Jesus, Matthew threw a party for his friends after his conversion. This is similar to a Lamb’s Lunch but with games and activities added. This is a great outreach for those who are still unsure of their gifts, or unsure how to go about using them. (See the appendix to Steve Sjogren’s book Servant Warfare for more information on this outreach.) | high |
| Memorial Service for the Unchurched | We have begun to do gratis memorial services for the families of unchurched who come to us. As you reach out to the community, you will increasingly find that those you serve will consider you their church even though they are hardly connected with you. | moderate |
| Microwave Popcorn | During colder months popcorn goes with DVD watching. When you purchase decent brands of popcorn (see above regarding quality versus cheap) in bulk at stores such as Sam’s or Costco, the price per pack is less than a quarter – not bad! Some groups photocopy a sticker with their information and place that on the pack of popcorn. I don’t recommend fancy packaging. Think about it. The person opening it will simply throw away that information on the package. If you give them a super duper, well thought through, great looking card as I often encourage readers of Serve to have done… that they will keep… for a long long time. |
inexpensive |
| Minor House Repairs | We usually focus this outreach on single parents and the elderly. It is important that you clarify what you are able to do in terms of repairs. There will always be more need than you can realistically meet. We do projects that can be done with our existing tools and supplies, and that can be finished in two hours. | inexpensive |
| Mother’s Day Carnation Giveaways | Carnations are affordable, and everyone likes them. This project could be done anytime, but Mother’s Day is a particularly good excuse. Give these flowers to all women to honor them, instead of asking if a woman is a mother. This day can be powerful for some who wish to be mothers – but are not. Also works for Secretary’s Day. | inexpensive |
| Move in Welcoming Party | Great new neighbors to your neighborhood with some cookies or a home cooked meal and a smile. | free |
| Newspapers | Some convenience stores allow the entire stack of newspapers to be purchased. We place a sign on the top of the stack that reads, “Free Newspapers – Courtesy of Vineyard Community Church.” Each paper has a card attached with removable adhesive. | moderate |
| Package Check-In | Shoppers are terribly burdened at Christmas. Build a booth at the mall and set up a package checking system. You will be able to talk with them when they drop off their packages and when they return. | free |
| Pay Laundromat Washer and Dryer | Bring a roll or two of quarters and dimes. As patrons enter ask them if they’d like hot or cold wash. You can also provide detergent. Note: This project works best for women. It’s a bit odd for men to reach out to women in this setting. | inexpensive |
| Pay Library Fines | Leave $20.00 for next person who has fines. Leave card in envelope for person to see why fine was paid. | inexpensive |
| Peanuts | With most food giveaways, people are generally not comfortable with unsealed items. Check around for sources on this one. You should be able to find small bags that cost less than a quarter. | inexpensive |
| Pen and Pencil Giveaways | For a very small investment, you can place your church name and phone numbers on the pencils and pens. | inexpensive |
| Pet Festivals | This one takes a fair bit of organizing, but you will gather hundreds of people. Find a local park. Seek out pet food sponsors and local vets to do advertising along with your free event. Advertise through press releases, TV connections, radio announcements and you will have a large audience. Give out LOTS of connections cards. Consider taking photos of people with their pets if you want to go first class. | moderate |
| Phone Cards for Long Distance Calls | These cards make great giveaways. Contact long distance companies to find a good deal. Some companies offer a program that allows you to insert a custom message that plays before people access their free minutes. The company we use says, “We like to provide these basically at cost to churches. This is our way of giving back to the church.” If you are interested in finding out about this company, you can call Bill Tucker at (317) 776-7654 Ext. 111, or Michelle at (317) 776-7654 Ext. 122 or e-mail her at mbarnett@telecare.net. | moderate |
| Photocopying | Purchase photocopying coupons at a reduced rate at Kinko’s or other copying place near the college campus. The price shouldn’t be more than about five cents per copy. Give these punch cards out on campus. Place church logo and phone number on the card. | inexpensive |
| Picnic | Similar to the hot dog outreach but with more frills. Throw a picnic with all the trimmings for anyone in the park that happens along. Instead of a traditional church picnic where only church attendees are invited, we bring food for outsiders. | moderate |
| Pictionary in the Park | This was a popular game in the late 1980’s – similar to Charades but allows for the use of a white board to draw hints. We play this in parks, and complete strangers join us. When they correctly guess the answer, we allow them to take the next round. After 15-20 minutes, we take a break, serve soft drinks and talk to the crowd one-to-one. | free |
| Pizza on Move-In/ Move-Out Day at the Dorms/ Apartments | If you want to get the attention of an entire dorm, give away pizza. You will hardly need signs — the aroma will do all the marketing you need. Negotiate a discount with the pizza restaurant for large volumes, or the vendor may be willing to give you the pizza in return for an endorsement. | moderate |
| Polaroid Family Photos at Carriage Rides or Special events | A couple will hold on to a decent photo of themselves for years. If you want to get fancy, have a photo frame that is tailor made for the instant photo-sized picture. Attach a sticker of your church’s logo and phone number. | inexpensive |
| Popcorn | You can either make bags of popcorn before you get there, or rent/purchase your own “carnival style” popper and do it on the spot. You will draw more of a crowd with the machine on hand. | high |
| Popsicles | (Requires dry ice, and takes several days to freeze solidly) Works well in county parks on hot summer days. The “Mr. Freeze” push up kind are the easiest to distribute and the least messy. Drivers in some areas of town probably won’t go for popsicles. Blue-collar areas and college campus areas are more likely to take one. We purchased our own ice cream truck complete with the cheesy music. | inexpensive |
| Post Cards and Stamps | College students actually do write home on occasion. Provide postcards complete with postage with a sticker that reads, “It’s good to write your mom!” Include your connection card. | inexpensive |
| Potted Plant Giveaways | Marigolds and Impatiens can be purchased affordably in numbers. Mums are great in the fall. Small poinsettias are a great touch at Christmas. | moderate |
| Pump-up Spray Water Bottles | On a hot day at an amusement or theme park, there’s nothing as refreshing as a quick blast of cool mist. Use with caution, some people don’t enjoy being sprayed! The person who came up with this idea tried it at Walt Disney World in 103°F weather with his family and had great feedback. | inexpensive |
| Purchasing Meals at the Food Court | One small group meets regularly at the mall for their group. Occasionally, they take a spontaneous offering among themselves. They then approach one of the managers of a fast food restaurant and offer, “We’d like to pay the bill for as many customers as this amount of money will pay for.” On one recent outreach, this group paid for $125 worth of food — that was about one hour’s worth of sales. The manager became so excited he was explaining the gospel himself to the customers even though he was a burned out church attendee. Go figure! | high |
| Quarter Drop | Are you one of those people who can’t walk past a pay phone without checking the coin return? For all those folks out there, here’s an outreach just for them. We place a sticker on one side of the quarter and place these loaded quarters in coin returns of vending machines of various sorts. This one also works by just placing the coin on the ground or on a bench. A note on the sticker: Make sure the sticker is larger than the quarter. Some folks will leave the sticker on the quarter and try to insert it into the phone or vending machine – then you’ll get a call from the repairman. | inexpensive |
| Radon Detectors | Radon gas is a problem is many parts of the world. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US. Detectors are steadily coming down in price. Presently they run about five dollars, or you can purchase a machine for over $1,000. This could be a decent investment for a small group that wants to systematically reach out to the area surrounding their neighborhood. | high |
| Rain Gutter Cleaning | You will need some ladders, trash bags and gloves. Messy work but very appreciated by homeowners especially in the fall. | free |
| Restroom & Toilet Cleaning at Public Places | This is Steve Sjogren’s favorite project. There’s nothing like walking into a gas station, restaurant or retail store and offering, “We’d like to clean your toilet for free!” Put a little cleaning kit together. The essentials: brush, air freshener, window cleaner, paper towels, toilet bowl cleaner, rubber gloves, doorstop. There’s nothing magical about the technique here. Steve has cleaned commodes all over the world and says they are all pretty much the same as the ones in your home. This is probably one of the most frequently rejected projects we do – probably because the offer to clean a toilet is a bit overwhelming. No matter. Give them your connection card, smile, and say, “OK! We’ll come back some other time and clean when you need it. We’re just trying to show you God’s love in a practical way.” | free |
| Restroom Deodorizer | What restroom couldn’t stand to smell a bit nicer? Either hang or attach one to the wall. On the front place your church logo and a slogan along the lines of, “This restroom has been Vineyardized! Give us a call if we can be of more help.” | inexpensive |
| Retrieving Cars Stuck in Snow | On heavy snow days, send out teams with four-wheel drive trucks. With chains, pull the cars out. Carry pots of coffee and hot chocolate to warm up those you help. A cell phone is helpful if you need to call for reinforcements. | free |
| Roses | Hand out roses or carnations in busy downtown areas or in front of busy stores. Even men find this appealing because they can give them away! Hand a flower and a connection card. Perfect for Valentine’s Day. | moderate |
| School Supplies | Take school supplies house to house especially in needy neighborhoods whose residents include many children. Perfect for Labor Day. | moderate |
| Screen Cleaning | Screens will have to be removed. Apply a bit of soapy water and use a soft brush. Hose them off and reinstall. Most homeowners never do this, though it is an easy way to improve the view. | free |
| Seal Blacktop Driveways | Homeowners with this type of driveway must reseal every year or two to keep it from cracking. This is a messy and slow job but one that will touch not only the homeowner but the neighbors as well. | inexpensive |
| Shoe Shines | Small investment + some elbow grease = big return. Set this up in front of a grocery store on a Saturday or in front of a barbershop. This is a great project for talking to folks. You have a captive audience while you serve them! | inexpensive |
| Shopping Assistance for Shut-ins | This would come by referrals. Work with shut-ins to get a list of needs, shop and deliver. | inexpensive |
| Sidewalk Sweeping | In urban areas this is a huge hit. In some communities in Europe, residents are required by law to sweep the area in front of their apartment. Why not sweep your area as well as your neighbors’? | free |
| Single Moms’ Oil Change | This is a great stand-alone project for a Saturday morning in the church parking lot. We provide this service strictly to single moms, though not necessarily just those in our church. This will require a team of folks with knowledge of the basics. About the only variable here is oil filter size. There are hundreds of sizes, so getting a sign up before the event is vital. This will not work at a filling station. The liability to the owner is unreasonable. | inexpensive |
| Smoke Detector Batteries | All older and some newer detectors use 9-volt batteries. These should be replaced yearly. We do massive battery replacement outreaches on the October time change weekend. Attach a sticker with your logo and phone number to the detector face if it’s possible. | inexpensive |
| Snow Shoveling | Men’s groups take on their neighborhood with snow shovels and snow blowers. We go door to door explaining our project. The snow blowers aren’t necessary but very helpful. Most drives and sidewalks can be finished in a matter of minutes. Be sure to bring coffee and hot chocolate for the workers. | free |
| Soft Drink Giveaways | Fill coolers with ice and drinks. We always offer at least two options. We set up at grocery store entrances and say, “Hi, would you like regular or diet?” (It’s easier to say yes when there are only two options!) Small home-use coolers usually are too small for this. We have purchased the mega Igloos that hold over 100 cans with ice. We buy Coke brand drinks instead of the cheaper stuff. (Over the years we’ve received hundreds of comments of appreciation that we thought enough of those in our community to invest in decent beverages.) Our connection cards on this one are coated to be water and wilt resistant. The card goes under the opener – we now affectionately call these “card holders.” | moderate |
| Stamps in Front of the Post Office | One church holds a major stamp outreach on April 15th for late tax filers. Not only do they give out stamps, but they also offer coffee and donuts – stress recovery food. They just stand by the mail drop-off boxes with a card table filled with food and stamps. | moderate |
| Steaks and Salmon for Firefighters | Since 9/11, the public has been aware of the tremendous job that firefighters do for us. Show a little kindness by providing some steaks or salmon to grill. Let them know in advance that you are coming so they can have the grill fired up. Firefighters are a great group to serve – they talk in the community. | moderate |
| Summer Survival Kit | Similar to the winter kit, but with lip balm, small disposable pack of suntan lotion, and a package of moist towelettes. | inexpensive |
| Sunday Morning Paper and Coffee Giveaways | Purchase a number of Sunday papers, brew excellent coffee and visit your neighbors. Look for the houses that don’t have a paper in the driveway but be sure you don’t knock on the door too early. | moderate |
| Sunglasses (cheap ones!) | Have you ever left home for a sporting event only to forget your sunglasses? Many sporting events attendees experience this every weekend. We have purchased large quantities of sunglasses for as little as a quarter a pair. | moderate |
| Suntan Lotion | Suntan lotion representatives talk to a thousand people a day using their product. We can do better. We bring along large bottles of cream and spray on lotions of various SPF ratings and offer to give people some. | inexpensive |
| Surf Wax | Who says non-surfers can’t relate to beach people? Buy the current popular brand of wax and hit the beach, dude! It’s a definite door, or rather, board opener. | inexpensive |
| Tattoos or Face Painting | Set up a little station and offer free temporary tattoos or face painting. Children love to have pictures painted on their cheeks or foreheads. Even an amateur artist can make a child’s day by painting a face. Purchase paints designed for face painting – tempera paints can leave a rash. Don’t use tempera or poster paints! This is popular with kids and teens alike. An advantage to this project is the time you can spend with the person as you paint their face or apply their tattoo. As you paint or tattoo them, pray that God will touch them with His Spirit. Perfect for Fourth of July or parks. Note: We recommend you don’t paint the child unless the parent is nearby and gives permission. | inexpensive |
| Test Essay Booklets | Many professors require that exams be done in those little blue books. They aren’t expensive, but they are necessary. Purchase them in large numbers at a discount. Attach a connection card to it. | inexpensive |
| Time Change Reminder Flyer | Simply distributing a nicely done flyer the first weekend of October and April will be impressive to your neighbors. | inexpensive |
| Tire Pressure Check | A tire pressure gauge is a small investment. Checking this is easy for anyone. | inexpensive |
| Toilet Seat Covers | At public events where there are only portable toilets, women especially appreciate a toilet seat cover. Buy in bulk and fold up into smaller sizes for distribution with a connection card. | inexpensive |
| Trash Pick-up for Students near Campuses | A small group at a church, H2O, in Orlando, FL, has been offering to take people’s trash out near the University of Central Florida. They are a new church designed for the “next generation” younger crowd, and were looking for ideas on how to spread God’s love and news about the church to the college kids who normally wouldn’t be open to such a thing. They started going door-to-door to a local apartment complex about every two or three weeks, asking people if they could take their garbage out. The response the first time was less than enthusiastic, but since then, people have been recognizing them and have become more receptive. Their last visit generated an awesome response! Typically, they try Sunday afternoon around two so they can catch everybody just waking up from Saturday night partying. This has proven to be an effective time, as many are hung over and not motivated to remove the large piles of trash accumulated from the night before. | free |
| Trash Pick-Up with | With a small investment and a little courage, you can make your mark on your city. You will need debris pickup sticks (with a nail built into the end), five gallon plastic buckets to hold your roadside trash, and some signs that read, “Kindness in Progress.” We place these signs every fifty feet in a busy street or retail area. A team of 4-6 can clean the side of a road in less than an hour. Before cleaning in front of a store, I usually talk with the owner-manager to explain our project. I give him a connection card and say, “We are picking up roadside debris along ____ Road. We’re doing this to show the merchants here the love of Christ in a practical way.” To date no one has been less than enthusiastic about our serving. There is a lot of trash to pick up at festivals and sporting events. Buy garbage bags, wear matching T-shirts, and pick up trash. People will notice this act of servanthood. Equipment: plastic gloves, sign — “Kindness in Progress” and T-shirts. | free |
| Tree Limb Trimming | Purchase an extending trimmer with a saw and pulley clipper. Beware of electric lines. Before trimming any limbs, get approval from the home owner. | inexpensive |
| Tulip Bulbs | A handful of bulbs is affordable. It’s also a great reminder of your generosity for years to come. | inexpensive |
| Tutoring | Upper classmen can serve younger students by helping with course work. At the end of the session, pray for success in the coming project or exam. When the student does well in the test, they naturally connect that favor with God. This relationship will quickly grow into a mentoring one that will facilitate the younger student either growing toward or deepening their relationship with Christ. | free |
| Umbrella Escorts | Moms and the elderly find it tough to make it from stores to their cars in the rain. We use huge golf umbrellas to help them to their car with as little wetness as possible. | free |
| Urinal Screens with Your Church’s Name on It | Girls may not know what a urinal screen is. Ask any guy for the scoop on this piece of janitorial genius. Janitorial supply businesses can print almost anything on these. We have our logo and phone number on them and are known all over the city for these. Occasionally, some people will become irritated at this one. We believe it’s pretty close to the first century equivalent of washing feet. | moderate |
| Vinyl gloves | Pumping gas is both troublesome and smelly. Disposable gloves are an inexpensive way of saying to strangers, “God loves you — and has a wonderful, lead-free plan for your life.” We attach a sticker or card to these $.06 gloves (gloves available at Sam’s). Self-serve stations have been very willing to allow us to place an acrylic dispenser by their cash registers. | inexpensive |
| Warm up and Fill up | Pick a day where the weather is particularly unpleasant. Talk to the station manager, and offer to pump patron’s gas for them while they wait in their cars. When finished, hand them a connection card. | free |
| Washer Fluid Fill | Most tend to use their windshield washers more in the winter, but a refill project will work about any time of the year. This works well at self-serve stations. The liquid is affordable – as little as 79 cents a gallon. A caution here: Make sure you are refilling the washer fluid tank (blue liquid) and not the radiator overflow tank (green fluid). We’ve made that mistake — $200 to repair. | inexpensive |
| Weed Spraying | Spray for weeds in cracks in the sidewalk and areas where weeds thrive. Wear rubber gloves. | inexpensive |
| Window Washing | Picture windows aren’t that difficult to clean once you get the hang of using a wide squeegee. (See “Windshield Washing” for more details.) | inexpensive |
| Windshield Ice Scrapers | Have scrapers with your name imprinted on them, or a sticker with your name on it. Scrapers last a year or less, so early in the season most drivers need another one. | moderate |
| Windshield Ice Scraping (at Apartment Complexes) | Scrape first, ask questions later. Place a connection card on the clean windshield when done. | free |
| Windshield Washing | This was one of our first projects when we first started serving years ago. It’s a perennial favorite, and we still do it just about every weekend. The materials list is short and inexpensive: a good squeegee, a wiping rag, a connection card and windshield cleaner. (We recommend you not use Windex style cleaner – ask your car parts store what they recommend). If it’s too hot (above 85°F) or too cold (below freezing), you might end up making a dirty windshield even worse. If you are doing this at random in a parking lot, don’t wash high-end cars. Their owners are unlikely to see your service as helpful. Car alarms? If you accidentally set one off, finish cleaning, and move on. We’ve set off plenty. They will reset themselves shortly. Try it at a self-serve gas station – just like the good old days. Use a quality squeegee and work quickly. Give each customer a connection card to remember your service. Secure permission from gas station manager. | inexpensive |
| Winter Car Washes / Desalting | In the eastern part of the US, roads are de-iced with salt and sand. Salt corrodes the underside of cars. This is similar to summer car washes, except the emphasis is on desalting the underside of the car more than the top. Soap is not necessary. Note: If the weather is too cold (under 20°) you could do more damage than good. We’ve frozen a few doors shut. | inexpensive |
| Winter Survival Kit | In a zip lock bag, put everything someone could need to get through a day of adverse winter weather: tissues, cough drops, lip balm, coins to make a pay phone call, and a connection card. | moderate |
