Giving cents makes sense through MCC’s My Coins Count

A young mother walks more than 1 mile through barren, dry land carrying several large plastic jugs with her. She arrives at a river, where she fills the five containers, then makes the return trip to her village toting nearly 40 pounds of water back to her hut. Once there, she boils the water so it becomes potable.

This is a daily routine for her. For many people, getting clean water is an afterthought. Simply turn on the faucet or go to the refrigerator and out comes the life-sustaining water.

Mennonite Central Committee is hoping to make the task of getting water for poor people in villages like this one all around the world a lot easier by building wells and filtration systems that will provide clean drinking water.

While people here may be a half a world away, there is a way to help provide water and hope.

For MCC My Coins Count program, it’s the little donations that add up to one big celebration.

“It’s an incredible blessing for those who receive water, but it’s also a blessing for those of us who donate to make it happen, and through My Coins Count, we can make a huge difference in people’s lives,” said Adam Heath, board member of the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale and chair of the relief sale’s My Coins Count project.

While it may seem like a few cents won’t change anyone’s world, eventually all of those coins grow into a huge sum of money, $260,000 during last year’s drive.

MCC then invests that into building clean, potable water wells in poor countries around the world where water is among the most precious commodities.

Heath said every cent gets MCC one step closer to creating safe drinking water for people in need, so every coin does indeed count.

People will have a chance to give to the project at this year’s relief sale July 12-13 in Mt. Hope, where there will be a coin vortex and coin-counting machine.

Heath said the hope is area churches will create drives that will help generate funds for the project, noting the time to dig deep and give is right now. He encourages area churches to create a time of giving over the next couple of weeks.

“It’s never too late to start organizing a group effort at church,” Heath said. “We already have many churches who have started collecting, but if churches who want to still get involved set up a table and some jars at church and ask people to bring in money, they can still make an impact.”

While the moniker denotes coins, Heath said the program is much more than that, with many people bringing in cash or even checks and dropping them in their respective containers.

“I think when churches get involved in the My Coins Count program, it creates a fun atmosphere for the church members to rally together for a good cause,” Heath said. “They can watch the jars fill, and they can give a little or give a lot. Whatever they can give always helps the cause.”

Many churches have matching donors who agree to match their church’s My Coins Count contributions up to a certain point. Others have a Giving Sunday while others simply put out containers and ask people to bring in what they can. Yet other churches get their Sunday school classes involved and let the kids take a starring role.

In addition to attending the Relief Sale July 12-13, one can visit the MCC website at www.mcc.org/get-involved/my-coins-count to make a contribution online.

“It’s really about giving from the heart and caring about people around the world who are in need of fresh drinking water,” Heath said. “We can make such a big impact on their lives by giving what we can. It’s amazing to reach out to hurting people in other countries and to witness the impact we can make by giving.”

Not only is this a way to give to those less fortunate, but also it serves as a way for parents to introduce their children to the art of giving.

Watching a youngster walk up to a large glass jar, reach into his or her pocket and plunk a handful of coins into the jar is music to any parents’ ears. Or perhaps they get the glee of watching their coins spin ‘round and ‘round in the coin vortex.

Regardless of how they give, Heath said it’s an opportunity for parents to introduce their children to the art of giving and talk to them about where their donation goes and the many children who will benefit.