How to plan a Habitat ReStore fundraiser at your church

A Habitat ReStore fundraiser gives a church a practical way to support safer, more affordable housing. Volunteers can run a small resale market, collect cash and goods donations, recruit tradespeople, and raise awareness of home construction, repairs and accessibility needs.

This guide is written for Australian congregations, whether they meet in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide or a regional centre such as Bendigo. If your church wants to support Habitat for Humanity Freeborn/Mower in Minnesota, confirm the beneficiary and payment method before promoting the event; a local ReStore partnership and a cross-border gift are not automatically the same arrangement.

Australian church fundraisers often take familiar forms: a sausage sizzle, bake sale, trivia night, craft market or pop-up op shop. The strongest format matches your congregation’s skills, your neighbourhood and the time volunteers can genuinely give.

Allow six to eight weeks for a small event, or longer if stock, council permission and insurance must be arranged. The northern and southern hemispheres have opposite seasons, so launch dates need local weather planning rather than copying a Minnesota calendar.

Set a clear purpose and beneficiary

Begin by deciding whether the congregation is raising money, goods, volunteer time or a combination of these. A useful fundraiser has one primary message: for example, funding home repairs, supplying accessible housing projects or helping a ReStore place useful building materials into the hands of families who need them.

Freeborn/Mower’s ReStore operations in Albert Lea and Austin are Minnesota-based businesses. Ask the affiliate which outlet or housing project should receive support, how donations must be recorded and whether volunteers can participate from outside Minnesota. Avoid implying that overseas volunteers can fill local construction roles unless the organisation confirms that arrangements are possible.

Habitat Freeborn/Mower’s explanation of why accessibility modifications matter can help church volunteers understand the purpose behind ramps, grab rails and safer thresholds. These features let older people and people with disabilities remain in familiar homes, making them central to the affordable-housing message rather than optional extras.

Turn the plan into two practical checklists

A written checklist prevents the committee from overlooking details that affect volunteers, visitors and the eventual donation amount. Begin with the arrangements that must be completed before promotion begins:

Use a second checklist to organise the event itself. Give each volunteer a copy of the relevant responsibilities rather than expecting everyone to remember them on the day:

Review both checklists at a short planning meeting and again one week before the fundraiser. Assign every task to a named person, including the unglamorous jobs of counting stock, checking toilets and collecting payment equipment.

Choose a format that fits Australian churches

A resale-style pop-up can feature donated furniture, kitchenware, tools, books and craft items. If the congregation is supporting Minnesota remotely, financial gifts and vouchers for building materials may be more useful than bulky furniture, which can be expensive to transport and difficult to store.

A sausage sizzle, bake sale, trivia night or op-shop day may attract more volunteers than a warehouse-style sale. Keep the ReStore connection visible through signage explaining where proceeds will go, a short speaker’s announcement and examples of the housing changes the donation supports. Community participation matters as much as the amount raised.

Price items in Australian dollars and mark them clearly before the event. Use the payment methods familiar to your congregation, including cash, card terminals and QR-code payments where available. Your treasurer should confirm whether the arrangement creates GST obligations and whether a receipt represents a deductible donation, a purchase or payment for goods. Do not promise tax deductibility without confirming the receiving organisation’s status.

Organise the venue, permits and insurance

Contact the local council before setting up a street stall, food van or temporary sign. Charity stalls, markets and food sales can trigger different permit, sanitation and food-handling conditions. Follow the relevant state food safety rules, and keep temporary event paperwork with the event coordinator.

Check that the church’s public liability insurance covers the fundraiser, including volunteers and activities outside the church building. Working With Children or equivalent state screening may be required when children participate without a qualified adult present. Ensure that at least one volunteer holds a current first-aid qualification and that the event plan identifies emergency contacts and evacuation procedures.

When seeking extra helpers, church leaders can also review community volunteer resources for potential partnerships. Confirm that any listed organisation is current and suitable before sharing its details publicly. Partnerships with schools, community centres, scout groups and neighbourhood associations can widen the donor base and provide useful skills such as delivery, bookkeeping and furniture assessment.

Collect useful donations without creating waste

Ask what is actually needed before collecting goods. For an in-person sale, volunteers need clean, safe, sale-ready items that can be priced and displayed within the available space. For Freeborn/Mower, ask whether it needs particular building materials, professional services or financial help with a specific housing project rather than accepting a large shipment of unrelated items.

Household electrical appliances require particular caution because Australian electrical safety requirements are strict. Do not accept fridges, heaters or other appliances unless the receiving charity confirms its testing and safety requirements. For bulky goods, consider vouchers that recipients can use to purchase suitable supplies instead. Record the estimated value and any associated costs so supporters can see how their contributions translate into practical assistance.

Coordinate volunteers, access and event safety

Create a roster with arrival times, breaks and specific roles. Some volunteers can greet visitors while others manage stock, payments or accessible delivery. Avoid assigning the same person every task, especially during busy periods. Keep contact details confidential and use a sign-in system that collects only the information needed for safe participation.

Accessible arrangements should be planned before the day. Check the route from parking or public transport, doorway widths, aisle spacing, seating and toilet access. Provide large-print signs where necessary and ask volunteers not to lift furniture beyond their capacity. The organisers’ own capacity for safe lifting matters as much as the customer experience.

Weather planning is equally important. Provide water and shade during warmer periods, secure lightweight displays against wind and have a plan for rain or extreme heat. Check local school holidays, long weekends and public holidays when staffing the event, since these affect both volunteer availability and attendance.

Report the results and prepare the next event

Promote the fundraiser through the church bulletin, social media, local council newsletters and neighbourhood noticeboards. Use photographs and stories only with consent, particularly when children or people receiving assistance are involved. Explain the donation destination accurately and distinguish money raised through sales from gifts intended for housing projects.

After the event, reconcile income, expenses, vouchers and donated goods, then publish a short thank-you update. Report gross takings, direct donations, the value of goods and the net amount sent to the beneficiary. Give volunteers and participating organisations a clear breakdown of what happened and where the money went.

Your next step is to place both checklists beside the church coordinator’s contact details and schedule a 20-minute meeting to confirm the beneficiary, date and venue.