First, create a success story. Recruit two or three people to try out the strategy immediately, as soon as you get your materials. A test is not hard to carry out --ask for their report within ten days. The initial materials you receive will include everything needed to do a trial run. Success in your preliminary test is measured by (1) food collected and (2) the reaction of neighbors. If your trend-setters follow the proven guidelines, success will be quick, the potential will be obvious, and their reports will motivate many others.

Keep it simple. Although this is a multi-layered strategy with multiple objectives, there is nothing complicated about launching or doing Neighborhood Connections thru Canning Hunger. Keep the planning and the execution simple.

Timing. This plan can be launched at any time of year, although seasonal factors may impact effectiveness. Chief among these is the Thanksgiving to New Year’s period. People in America tend to get very active about collecting and donating food for the hungry between mid-November and late December. It might seem a natural time to start the Canning Hunger project, but in reality our society’s increased (if temporary) interest in food for the hungry during the holiday period can dilute the broader relationship goals you have for your initiative. Food ministry pantries tend to become well stocked during the holidays, neighbors are busy and distracted, and the community may barely notice your initiative among so many others.

Minimize lead time. Think of the first round of neighborhood visits as part of the preparation and motivation process. The first round is easy, always successful, and builds interest and motivation. Many churches report that people who volunteer to participate can start in their neighborhoods the next weekend. An extended build-up rarely improves outcome.

Overlapping the start. There is no substantive reason why participants must start on the same weekend. Some churches schedule a big group-launch on a pre-selected weekend, while others find that a rolling start works just as well. Either way, be sure to allow for people to keep joining as weeks and months continue, even though their neighborhoods will not be on the same schedule.

Two-month gap. The majority of neighborhood ministry and prayer opportunities will begin to emerge around the time of the third round of neighborhood visits (about four months after things start) and beyond. To arrive at this fruitful period, place a priority on getting started now. Because there is a built-in two-month window between each round, it is to your strategic advantage to launch Round One as soon as practical, then use the built-in time gaps for additional planning, training, or development of support structures.

Keys to success. The guidebook in the church start-up materials includes a list of keys to success. Begin with that list. The manual also includes helps on getting started, useful suggestions gleaned from other churches doing this strategy, a review of pitfalls to avoid, and an overview of what to expect long term and how to get there.

Outcomes

The process in a nutshell

Start-up costs