Having Fun while Raising Funds – #MoreFunin21

Since the pandemic, we have streamlined and improved our process for receiving donations. We only accept the items that can be currently used.

If you are not having fun in ‘21 yet, you will not want to miss our next fundraiser! We have planned some fun, COVID-safe activities that are sure to raise awareness and funds that will directly support individuals and families that have been impacted by the pandemic!

If you knew us back in the pre-COVID days, then you understand how much we love to connect with our client families, donors, case managers, churches, and other community partners. Our Pop-Up Promo team would “pop up” at local businesses on a weekly basis to share the mission and spread a little joy. We live in a different world now, which means we just need to be a little more creative to share information and spread the LOVE!!

Our past Mercy Mall United fundraisers resembled a casual-style dining atmosphere with a theme like “Black and White” or a Circus theme after “The Greatest Showman” craze. We would serve food usually from El Patron (a continuous supporter of the ministry), and host amazing silent and live auctions with our very own board member, Tom Carroll, displaying his self-taught auctioneering skills. Our community partners would sponsor the event and fill tables with their beloved employees. It was an evening enjoyed by all!

We had been planning our next event since October of 2019 and it was going to be a Cinco de Mayo theme in May of 2020. I had just bought the perfect dress and I know Misi (our Director of Operations) had hers. You know the next part of the story. The country shuts down mid-March and we now have to pivot our entire operation AND our main fundraising efforts!! God provided and that is NO surprise to us…He always does…we just didn’t know how! Long story short, this 11th hour pivot will go down in Mercy Mall history as one of our biggest wins of all times!!

You see, we serve the most vulnerable population in the Richmond Metro area, many of which are not dealing with just one obstacle. They are usually dealing with a myriad of struggles that can include homelessness, joblessness, mental illness, AND no transportation. So when the pandemic hit, we were committed to do whatever it took to continue serving our clients with excellence….and being a reliable source for families to receive clothing, housewares, baby items and emergency food and toiletries. Our donors and the community saw the value in what we do and stepped up in a big way to continue supporting the mission!!

Fast forward to today and we are excited that we get to try new things! Too many people get comfortable with what they know and are afraid to fail. At Mercy Mall, one of our mottos is, “Mercy Mall – the place where nothing stays the same”. We want to do our part in trying new things and know the results are up to God. So, in keeping with a mostly virtual event, we are hosting our first big fundraiser of 2021 from April 16th to May 14th. So far, it will include an online silent auction, a virtual fashion show with some special guests, food for purchase on the front lawn, and a special treat during the last week – it’s a surprise!! Of course we hope you will stay connected to all that is going on, so please follow us on our social media platforms for up-to-date information!

Facebook Main Page
Friends of Mercy Mall Facebook (non-client)
Facebook Fundraising Page
Mercy Mall Instagram

And introducing our new one – Tik Tok

In addition, we will be inviting our current and some new Community Partners to engage in some fun in their office or virtually as they raise funds that will directly support the families we serve! Are you ready to have some fun in ‘21? We hope so!!

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We hope to see you engaging with us! If you have any questions, please email stacey@mercymallva.org.

Story

Our clients amaze us with their faith, tenacity and ability to see the positive in the midst of adverse situations. This story is about one client; a domestic violence survivor – she left her abuser, in a pandemic, on faith that God would sustain her and keep her and her daughter safe. They lived in a hotel for months, and just recently got into new housing. When she came to pick up her clothing and household items from Mercy Mall, she was beside herself
~ praising God and worshiping Him right there in our parking lot.

In the midst of her hard times, she was a light to us, serving at the boutique, seeing God’s presence and love shining out of her.  Whether they know about His love and light or not, our clients need to know that God’s people love them – and that’s what YOUR donations do
~ help us share that love and light with those who may be in darkness. You help us be the hands and feet of Jesus to individuals and families in crisis, in a time when they may be hearing “no” or “not right now” from other organizations.

This family had been praying for a miracle and we were able to be a part of her receiving it. Yes, that means we get “all the good feelings” here at the boutique- but we hope you know that as all of you are donating, sponsoring, sharing our message with others- you are a part of this family’s miracle as well. God is using your virtual volunteering to bless local families in crisis.