By Van Beall

Since the Gift Card Program’s inception 15 years ago over $5 million of cards have been purchased by Glen Mar families and ministries. The two motives were to include shopping as an opportunity to serve (“…serving God and your neighbors in all that you do”) and as a fundraiser. Shopping with gift cards is an opportunity to have some of the money you are going to spend anyway returned to Glen Mar ministries and ministry partners.

Sales of all those cards have generated an astounding $225,000 – for free! The most popular cards remain groceries, with Giant ($1.6 million) and Safeway ($450,000) leading the way, while another nine merchants have seen sales of $100,000 or more.

Whatever shopping you are going to do, it is likely there is a gift card for that, and with rebates averaging 5%, it is definitely worth the effort. While family accounts will be phased out by the end of the summer, over 380 families accumulated over $65,000, helping offset the costs for hundreds of mission trips. Not only that, but the gift card profits also paid for over 100 mission scholarships worth over $26,000!

The biggest single beneficiary of the gift card profits has been the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), which received an extra $36,000 for disaster and humanitarian relief – just by shopping with gift cards.  UMCOR is one of the 13 ministries to which the gift card profits from your purchases can be directed.

If you have questions about the program please contact fu*********@gl********.org. And keep shopping with gift cards – it is worth the effort!