Coins for Kids Reaches Record Million-Dollar Mark

Kim Sharp, Girls Ministries national director, never dreamed that Coins for Kids annual giving would ever reach a million dollars — at least not for years to come. Having just had an outstanding and record-giving year in 2023 with roughly $420,000 given to Coins for Kids, it would likely be at least a few more years before even $500,000 was a realistic goal.

But then Liz Hoffman, the program director for the This Girl Project, met with Sharp to talk about an opportunity to reach more girls. If Sharp set a goal of $500,000, then the This Girl Project would match the amount for a total of $1 million!

After much prayer and encouragement from other leaders, Sharp agreed — she’s glad she did!

“The Coins for Kids missions project this year was to raise money for hygiene kits for girls in Kenya, East Africa,” Sharp says. “Each kit is filled with hygiene products, such as a washcloth, soap, underwear, months’ worth of personal hygiene items, and a little carry bag.”

Sharp explains that the recommendation was for each church’s girls ministries program to challenge themselves to see how many kits (at $25 apiece) they could raise money for.

The hygiene kits coupled with the This Girl Project potential matching funds, struck a chord with leaders and girls. The effort also received a “mid-season” boost with a Girls Only afterparty held during last year’s National Youth Convention. At the event, well over 500 girls from across the country participated in fun activities and learned more about getting involved in the This Girl Project.

“When we first shared the news of the record-breaking giving at the AG Leadership Conference in late January, our district leaders — who didn’t know we hit the goal — were elated,” Sharp says, the excitement of the accomplishment still in her voice. “Everyone broke out in cheers and applause. There was such a sense of unity as it took everyone to make this happen.”

Sharp explains that when she says “that it took everyone” to earn the matching money, she means everyone as they were “counting the pennies” to see if they would make it.

“We worked together for a Kingdom purpose that seemed unreachable when we set the goal last year,” Sharp says.

Yet as worthy and inspiring as the project was, Sharp believes that there was another reason that possibly played a significant role in the jump in giving.

“Two years ago, we started doing a workshop at the national Fine Arts Festival focusing on the mission of discipling girls — it was packed out,” Sharp says. “We did it again last year, and again, the room was packed, not just with leaders, but girls as well . . . girls want to be discipled and impacted and women want to disciple and impact girls for Christ!”

With a renewed focus on personal discipleship from leaders and with girls hungry to be discipled, Sharp says girls are beginning to engage at a higher level in the discipleship process, which naturally leads to buy-in on missions — the Great Commission.

“Helping girls become all that God has called them to be is exciting for leaders,” Sharp says. “In recent years, girls’ self-esteem has been under attack, but self-esteem isn’t going to get anyone where they need to go — Christ-esteem (living life in light of how Christ sees you) is what will help lead you to experience the fullness of God’s design for your life.”

Sharp notes that plans are already underway for another workshop at this year’s national Fine Arts Festival in August. In addition, a new four-week unit is being developed in cooperation with Convoy of Hope called “Heart of Compassion.”

“The new unit is designed to help cultivate and disciple hearts of compassion in girls,” Sharp explains. “As leaders and girls embrace compassion ministry, which includes compassionately sharing the gospel, I believe that together we change the world!”

For 2025, Coins for Kids giving will go toward helping Project Rescue, which rescues and restores lives of those affected by exploitation, to build a new school.