Activate Generosity in Your Student Ministry

A Real-Life Example: NLKids Camp

This year, NLKids used HopeGives to connect their summer camp with a mission in Belize. Here’s how it played out:

The Mission

Partnering with Brooke Miller, a missionary in Belize, the goal was to send kids to summer camp and support a school feeding program.

The Strategy

• Four color-coded HopeGives campaigns, one for each camp team.

• A live ice bucket challenge that kids and volunteers could replicate and share online.

The Outcome

• $7,000+ raised in just one week.

• Viral posts brought in thousands of dollars from outside the church, including a $1,000 gift from a family member who saw a video online!

• Campers and volunteers weren’t just givers — they became storytellers and fundraisers.

How You Can Do the Same 

Start with a Mission That Matters

• Choose a clear, eternity-focused cause (missions, outreach, compassion).

• Connect it to real people: a missionary, a student, or a family in need.

• Make it simple and personal. Example: “Help kids in Belize attend camp and eat at school.”

When people understand who they’re helping, generosity flows more naturally.

Build Teams for Friendly Competition

People love rallying around their group. Teams turn giving into a movement.

• Create 2–4 giving teams (color-coded, by grade level, or by small group).

• Give each team its own collaborative HopeGives campaign tied to the main one.

• Track progress with a leaderboard to keep momentum high.

It’s not just about raising money — it’s about creating energy and participation.

Create a Central Hub

• Use a Linktree (or a simple page) that houses every giving link.

• Share one easy hub so families and friends can give in just one click.

The simpler it is to give, the more people will join in.

Add a Viral Moment

• Pick a shareable challenge: ice bucket, pie-in-the-face, silly string, dance dare.

• Demonstrate it in service or group time to cast vision.

• Encourage kids, students, and families to record their own version, post online, and always include the giving link.

Every share introduces the mission to a whole new audience.

Show the Impact

Don’t let the results speak for themselves — tell the story.

• Remind givers that their share matters as much as their gift.

• Celebrate both donations and viral participation.

• Share updates along the way so everyone sees how they’re making a difference.

When people know they’re part of something bigger, they stay engaged.