Help SIFAT on GivingTuesday – Dec. 3!

Click here to download a PDF version of this page!

Dear SIFAT family,

I am humbled and thankful for your prayers and support during the last 45 years. When SIFAT was founded in 1979, we had a budget of $12,000 and a call to help the poor learn to stand on their own feet. We have come a long way in 45 years, but now have an urgent need for funding that only God, through you, can help.

GivingTuesday is December 3. We ask for your help to continue the work for which God has called us. Generous donors have committed to double donations up to the first $65,000 we raise. We cannot do it alone, but with your support, we can make a difference in the world for some of the least of these.

In October, I led a team to Ecuador to help SIFAT graduate Anita and her husband, Pastor Rafael, plant their eighth church, which includes an after-school program that offers support, spiritual and educational tutoring, meals and medical attention for 75+ street children. Through these churches and others we have served, thousands of children have received opportunities that most of us take for granted. Young adult leaders are now serving as tutors, pastors and musicians because their lives were changed because of these programs. God is allowing us to impact the future of Ecuador one child at a time.

The last few years have been difficult financially for our ministry. We need you to join SIFAT at this critical time, so that we can continue to make an impact for years to come. Information on how to donate is on the back of this letter. Thank you in advance for your gift to help us meet our goal to raise $200,000 on GivingTuesday.

With gratitude and appreciation,

Tom Corson
Executive Director

Since 1979, SIFAT has been training community leaders in appropriate technology and community development. We need your help on GivingTuesday, so that we can continue our ministry for years to come!

Three Ways to Participate

Share your SIFAT Experience. Everyone needs a smile and encouragement these days. Share one of your favorite SIFAT memories (funny or serious) on social media. Use the hashtag #MySIFATMoment, so we can share them.

Commit to Pray and/or Participate. Pray for SIFAT staff, projects and programs. Your daily prayers are heard and are such an encouragement. Choose a way to get personally involved in SIFAT. Begin to volunteer, choose a Learn & Serve retreat to bring a group to experience our campus or join an international mission team!

Donate to SIFAT. Generous donors created a $65,000 matching fund that doubles your donation! Our goal is $200,000. You can donate by check or online.

Designate your check GivingTuesday and mail by Dec. 3. Any designated donations received for GivingTuesday  count  toward our goals!

SIFAT believes building relationships is key to understanding the daily struggles others face and how we can help communities develop to their full potential. How will you support SIFAT on GivingTuesday?

Three Online Giving Options
www.sifat.org/donate

Give directly to SIFAT. You will be redirected to our PayPal page, where you can donate with your credit/ debit card. A transaction fee will be deducted from your donation, or you can choose to supplement this fee. Remember,  SIFAT’s legal name is Southern Institute for Appropriate Technology.

Give through the PayPal Giving Fund. You will be redirected to the PayPal Giving Fund, which covers the transaction fee. Donations given through this method can take up to 45 days for us to receive. To designate your gift for GivingTuesday, please e-mail accounting@sifat.org.

Give through The Advance (UMC Global Ministries). SIFAT receives 100% of each donation without any transaction fees being taken. Donors can choose to give credit to their local UMC congregation, as well. There is a delay for SIFAT to receive funds and donor information.

SIFAT’s projects and programs are for all ages! Get involved in missions today — in Alabama or internationally!

Maximize Your Gift to SIFAT

Matching Funds from Employers   Have you checked to see if your company matches donations made to nonprofits? Many companies will double or triple your donation! Check with your employer to see if they offer matches for donations to 501(c)(3) organizations. Let us know if you need any supporting paperwork from SIFAT—accounting@sifat.org.

Give Directly from IRA   If you are required to take a disbursement from your IRA, you can donate a percentage or all of it directly to SIFAT. By donating to a nonprofit without receiving the disbursement, you do not pay taxes on the disbursement. For higher income earners, the taxable gross income used to calculate Social Security payments is less and, depending on income level, can result in higher monthly Social Security payments. Consult your tax advisor to see if donating directly to SIFAT could benefit you.

Donate Stock to SIFAT      Did you know that you can donate stock to SIFAT? You generally take a tax deduction for the full fair market value. By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are actually giving 20% more than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation because of taxes. Consult your tax advisor about your options for giving stock to SIFAT.

Help SIFAT continue serving those in need throughout the world! Your support makes a difference!

GivingTuesday is November 28, 2023!

10 years of GivingTuesday! WOW! In 2013, SIFAT introduced a new opportunity for our donors to give, a “holiday” called GivingTuesday. We were excited about the concept—a global day of giving dedicated to honoring nonprofits and joining together to support them. This annual event has grown more than we could have ever imagined. You  answered our needs every year. Because of your enthusiasm and overwhelming generosity, GivingTuesday is a highlight of our year.

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GivingTuesday is Nov. 29, 2022!

Why is GivingTuesday Important?

Since 2013, SIFAT has been part of the global GivingTuesday movement, which was created to get everyone to join together to give to charities — whether that is a donation of volunteer hours, needed items or financial resources. When we unite together, we can do great things. That first year, we raised $108.080, and we were astounded. We were not sure what to expect or how to explain this new holiday idea. Our momentum has grown each year, and this one day has become an integral part of our financial stability. Last year, we were overwhelmed with the outpouring of generosity from our SIFAT family when we raised a record breaking $251,000.

Yes, we raise vital funding for SIFAT on GivingTuesday, but this day is about more than just money! Many of you share the opportunity to double your donations with your circles of influence: extended family members, Bible study groups and coworkers. By doing this, you help spread the word about SIFAT, our ministry and our current projects. People who did not know about SIFAT now do!

When you give to SIFAT, you encourage our staff and international project leaders. Knowing we have the SIFAT family cheering us on and being part of what we are doing inspires us to keep going when we face obstacles or become discouraged. Your prayers and contributions give life to our programs and projects. Without your support, SIFAT would not be successful.

Finally, when you participate in GivingTuesday, you become part of something bigger than yourself. Our SIFAT family stretches throughout the United States and around the world. We come from different denominations, socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures. But when we come together on Nov. 29, your small part becomes something great!

Please make plans now on how you will be part of GivingTuesday 2022! A group of generous donors has created a $65,000 matching fund that will double donations designated GivingTuesday. You can donate online or by mailing a check to SIFAT. Check out all the ways you can give below.

Thank you for supporting SIFAT! Together, we can continue Sharing God’s Love in Practical Ways.

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Uganda: Agape Needs Our Help!

Agape Total Childcare Center, the orphanage and school SIFAT mission teams built in Uganda, has been hit hard in recent weeks by COVID-19. Although Uganda had been spared during much of last year, it has now been declared a Level 4 country by the U.S. State Department and CDC because the disease is spreading rapidly. The Ugandan government has declared a lockdown, and most students in boarding schools have been unable to return home to their families. At Agape, three of our original children (now young adults) are currently in the hospital, and several more have tested positive with COVID. In the close dormitory conditions in which they live, it is very hard to isolate and quarantine those with symptoms. Although WHO safety protocol is being adhered to as much as possible, the virus continues to spread. Funds are desperately needed for food, medicines, hospital care and to replenish sanitizers and masks.

Prior to this outbreak, Agape implemented COVID-19 protocols to keep everyone healthy. Here early in the pandemic, the students in the secondary school have the temperature taken by the school nurse (an Agape graduate) before entering the classrooms.

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Looking Back at 2020: A Year in Review

Each January, we mail contribution statements to all of our donors from the previous year. With this statement, we include a page of highlights from the year – successes that could not have happened without the support from churches and individuals that choose to partner with SIFAT in ministry. If you would like to download a copy to share with others, click here. Thank you for being part of  SIFAT in 2020 through your prayers and financial support!

What a year! We began 2020 excited and full of hope about the coming opportunities to keep Sharing God’s Love in Practical Ways. We never could have imagined how quickly our world would change or how the uncertainty and challenges could end up being positive for SIFAT. When we asked for prayers, help with new projects and continued financial support, you answered our pleas! Although 2020 was difficult and required constant adaptations, SIFAT persevered and succeeded, while other nonprofits and businesses struggled or were forced to close. Thank you for being part of our SIFAT family and getting us through one of the toughest years in our history. As we look forward to 2021, we are again full of hope. Although we may be doing things differently, we are still meeting basic human needs and shining the light of Jesus’ message of love into some of the hardest places in our world. 

Although our trainings were canceled, we were able to distribute seedlings to neighbors and friends who are now harvesting their own produce to feed their families.

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