ILLINOIS MENNONITE RELIEF SALE
The first Illinois Relief Sale was held in the Congerville Angus Barn on March 21, 1959 and realized a net income of $5,000. In 1966 the Illinois Sale was moved to Peoria’s Exposition Gardens, and from 1983 through 1997 the Sale was held in Peoria’s Civic Center. Starting in 1998 the location changed to the Interstate Center in Bloomington, Illinois. To God be the glory for His blessings during the past 51 relief sale years since from them total of $6,833,112.33 has been given. Each year 80% of the net proceeds from this family fare event are channeled through Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) an international relief and service agency located in Akron, PA. For the past 25 years, 20% of the net Illinois Relief Sale income has been used locally by grass root volunteers to provide food and relief assistance in Central Illinois. The total used locally these past years is $1,090,289.28. One part of raising money for MCC is the Relief Sale Program. Annually there are around 30 sales held in America and 14 in Canada. The annual income from these sales totals over $5,000,000.00. MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (MCC)Global Family Program Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches, shares God’s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and by working for peace and justice. MCC has workers and/or financial commitments in 65 countries around the world. In addition to relief work and job creation, MCC is involved in areas such as education, health, and agriculture. Ten Thousand Villages, MCC’s Fair Trade store, purchases crafts from developing world artisans and craftspeople and makes them available for sale in North America; this then provides jobs and income for those in need. Finally, MCC is rooted in faith in Jesus Christ and the witness of the global church, offering help and hope to all regardless of race, religion, or political orientation. It is estimated that the global number of undernourished people has now reached 1,000,000,000. MCC provides food assistance for thousands of families in situation of disasters, conflict, and chronic hunger. The motivation for MCC can be attributed to two things: the Bible and the Mennonite experience. The Bible calls Christians to serve people, who are hungry, thirsty, sick, and imprisoned. (Matthew 25:35-36) This command was also expressed by Menno Simons, a sixteenth century Mennonite church leader: “True evangelical faith cannot lie sleeping; it clothes the naked, it comforts the sorrowful, it feeds the hungry, it shelters the destitute, it cares for the sick, and it becomes all things to all people.” Because of its dedication to help others, MCC is highly rated by the American Institute of Philanthropy’s Charity Watch. MCC is registered as a nonprofit charitable organization in both United States and Canada; therefore, donations to MCC are tax deductible. Recently, the total value of material resources donated was $3,732, 920.00 while the value of food assistance was $11,550,000.00.
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