HELP MAINTAIN OUR PROGRAMS

The grocery card program is very simple. Because the Church can buy large quantity of cards, it gets a discount from the grocery chains. This discount generates revenue by the resale of the cards at their face value. In other words, if you buy a $100 gift card, it costs you $100 and it will buy $100 worth of groceries. The Church, on the other hand, by buying in bulk, can get that card for anywhere from $90 to $96, depending on the store. That difference generates the revenue for the Church. In essence, it is like the Church getting donations from the grocery store chains. Gift cards are available for COOP, Superstore and Safeway in $50, $100 and $200 denominations.

We prefer to have cards pre-ordered by month to enable us to not over or under purchase cards, but we do sell cards directly on the first Sunday of each month. An order form for the current phase of the program is available here. Fill it in and return it to Bret on a Sunday or leave it with Essie at the Church office. Purchases can be paid for with monthly post-dated cheques or by debit card. For those people who collect airmiles, you can get your airmiles card number added to your debit card. See your bank for details.

To date, the program has raised over $18,000.

Currently, we have a small portion of the congregation regularly participating in the program, followed by some members buying cards in single purchases. If we can expand the number of families participating, the revenue generated will increase substantially. Consider becoming part of the program. It costs you nothing and can greatly benefit Symons Valley United Church in maintaining its programming.