Hope for Humanity Reversion Posting and Usage
Sometime during the year, usually in January or February, some of you (not all of you) have received/will receive checks in the mail labeled as "Hope for Humanity Reversion."
Hope for Humanity used to be called "Ingathering." If that still doesn't ring a bell, that's ok. You just need to know that it is an offering that has been around for decades, that is collected for ACS (Adventist Community Services). It is collected specifically for Community Development, Disaster Relief, Urban Ministries such as Food Pantries, Domestic Violence Services, Homeless Shelters, Literacy Programs, etc.
If your church had $200 or more of Hope for Humanity offerings in a year, 25% of whatever was donated "reverts" back to your local church. Thus the term "Reversion".
Because they have been donated for Community Service, your church cannot use them for the budget, or for expenses like Evangelism or Mortgage. Take a copy of these guidelines to your board meeting, to aid in the discussion of how to use the money. The "Reversion" funds are to be used within 12 months, for a “Qualifying Project” that benefits your local community. If your church does not have something appropriate going on currently, a donation can be made to a local group or non-profit that does.
If your church board has not discussed what to do with these funds, you can create a temporary “Reversion Local Fund” and post the check to it. Then when the board has decided, based on the list below, what to do with the funds, (don’t let them forget to do this) you can make a transfer to the correct Local Fund, or you can post an expense or a donation directly to the “Reversion Local Fund.”
Do not mix this check with an offering. Deposit it separately, and enter it in Jewel using a General Journal Entry. The Memo should read "(current year) Hope for Humanity Reversion", and the Account should be a local Community Service-type account.
NOTE: Make sure you don't post this donation to the Conference Fund "Hope for Humanity" or it will go right back to the Conference with your next remittance check! Post it to a separate "Reversion - Hope for Humanity" account, or to a local relief fund that your board has authorized.
Ingathering – Hope for Humanity Campaign Reversion Funds Usage
General Guidelines
- The reversion (money refunded) is intended to develop/broaden a vision of Community Services.
- The project should be humanitarian in nature and keep faith with the people who gave the money.
- The project should be tangible and visible.
- The reversion should be used in the territory where the money was raised.
- The funds should be used within 12 months of receiving the check.
- A statement is requested showing how the money was used.
Partial List of Qualifying Projects
- Alcohol Prevention/Recovery
- Family Finance Seminar
- Baby Care Class
- Family Life Workshop
- Clothing/Bedding Program
- First Aid Class
- Cooking School
- Food Pantry
- Counseling Services (non‐member)
- Food Distribution
- Day Camp
- Grief Recovery
- Dental Clinic
- Handicap Services (non‐member)
- Disaster Response
- Health Appraisals
- Divorce Recovery Seminar
- Health Screening
- Domestic Violence Program
- Home Nursing Class
- Drug Abuse Detox
- Homeless Shelter
- Drug Abuse Prevention
- Immigration Assistance
- Drug Abuse Rehabilitation
- Job Training Program
- Families of Prisoners
- Literacy Program
- Marriage Seminar (non‐member)
- Refugee Resettlement
- Meals on Wheels
- Soup Kitchen
- Medical Clinic
- Stop‐Smoking Program
- Parenting Seminar (non‐member)
- Stress Seminar
- Parish Nurse
- Tutoring Program
- Preparing for Baby Class
- Vision Clinic
- Prison Dress‐out Program
- Weight Control Program
- Prison Ministry