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The owner of the building housing First Mennonite Church's MVS unit announced in late 2000 that he needed to sell. This was at the height of the "dot.com boom," and rents across the city were at their highest level ever. The church feared that any new owner would evict the unit, and being unable to find another affordable space, we would have to close the program. Because of FMCSF's commitment to the MVS program, several church members formed a partnership and bought the building, with the understanding that FMCSF would launch a capital campaign to purchase the building from them.
During 2002-2003, FMCSF underwent Phase I of the "Building the Future Together" capital campaign. During an eight-month period, the congregation was able to reach the goal of $120,000 to pay off two short-term loans which were part of the original financing. This also gave FMCSF a 26% share of the building.See the Phase I Kick-Off Celebration Pictures
From 2003-2006, FMCSF is engaged in Phase II of the capital campaign. The goal is to raise $400,000 to buy out the current owners and take 100% ownership of the building. This will secure the future of the MVS program in San Francisco and will give FMCSF a financial base -- opening possibilities that we can only imagine, including securing our own worship space. We invite you, current and former FMCSF members and MVSers, MVS supporters, our larger Mennonite family, and those who envision a world of social justice and peace, to contribute to this campaign. Together we can build this future.
You can donate (or PLEDGE through December 2006) through many different ways, including checks, stocks, bonds, property or other investment vehicles. Please print out and complete the Campaign Pledge Form.
You can donate via your credit card through PayPal by clicking the link below:
Below is a list of creative ways for giving to the San Francisco MVS capital campaign:
Ask your family members to contribute to the Campaign instead of giving you traditional Christmas, anniversary, Mother's/Father's Day and/or birthday gifts.
Ask your family members if it would be acceptable to them for you to make a contribution to the Campaign instead of giving them traditional Christmas, anniversary, Mother's/Father's Day and/or birthday gifts.
Consider designating a certain part of the year, such as Lent or Advent, to give up a certain routine expense (such as that cup of coffee on the way to work or dessert after dinner) and donate that money to the Campaign. Encourage your family members to join you in this "sacrificial" giving.
Keep a jar in your house and every week put in $1 (an amount you probably would never miss) to give to the Campaign. If you did this every week for one year you would be able to give $52. If 50 people did this, it would raise $2,600. If each of those 50 people got two others to join them, it would add $7,800 to the Campaign.
If you have young children or nieces and nephews, invite them to save coins (or dollars) to join the Campaign. Not only can this help them learn to give, it can also be a door for teaching them about the needs of poor people in big cities such as San Francisco and the work of service agencies like MVS.
"Over the past two and a half years, MVS has allowed me to participate in and learn from a variety of amazing communities. My work, church, and home settings have taught me much these are lessons and experiences that I will take with me forever." - Ann Speyer, MVS volunteer at Center for AIDS Services, 2000-2002 (currently working at the same agency as a case manager, and an active member of FMCSF)
"My work has pushed me in many ways to refine my concepts of 'right' and 'wrong' to more along the line of 'better' and 'worse.' I came into this assignment knowing that my concept of justice would probably be compromised at times." - Christa Eschleman, MVS volunteer at Volunteer Legal Services Program, 1997-1998