How a Mom2Mom Sale Can Fund Your Kids Ministry and Reach Your Community

I often hear KidMin leaders talk about tight budgets or brainstorm ways to raise money. The most common answers are bake sales, car washes, or hosting a lunch/dinner fundraiser. All of those are wonderful ideas and can be successful—but what if you could host something that not only serves your church body but also reaches your community? Let me introduce you to the world of the Mom2Mom Sale.

A Mom2Mom Sale is a community resale event where families buy and sell gently used children’s clothes, toys, and gear. Sellers rent tables to display their items, and shoppers find great bargains—all while the hosting group raises funds and builds connections. Growing up in the Midwest, I’ve seen how popular these sales are, often hosted by local schools to support their PTOs. Once I recognized the financial benefit, I began hosting them for our Kids Ministry—and I haven’t looked back since.

But here’s the best part: while the financial benefit is real, we wanted this event to have a Kingdom impact as well. From the start, we looked for ways to make it an outreach opportunity—to be the hands and feet of Jesus in simple yet powerful ways.

How to Host a Successful Mom2Mom Sale

1. Consider Your Space

Decide whether to host indoors or outside. Our church building is small, so we chose the parking lot. This gave sellers plenty of space for tables and racks while allowing us to maximize the number of spots available. If you go this route, don’t forget to reserve space for shopper parking!

2. Decide on Tables

Can your church provide tables, or will sellers bring their own? For us, with 65 spaces and only twelve tables, we had to get creative. A local business loaned us 35 tables, but that still left some spots table-free. That’s okay—just offer different pricing options.

3. Set Your Rental Cost

Using Planning Center, I set up three registration options:

• Space with table – $25
• Space without table – $20
• Vendor space – $25 (limited to child-related businesses like Usborne Books, headbands & bows, or customized shirts)

Because we hosted outdoors, I kept prices a little lower than average sales in the area.

4. Write a Seller Contract

Protect your event and keep things clear. Outline details such as setup times, parking, inclement weather plans, refund policies, and seller responsibilities. Examples are easy to find online—or you can draft one using tools like ChatGPT.

5. Promote, Promote, Promote

Facebook Mom Groups are gold. Moms love well-organized sales, especially when communication is clear. Post regularly, give sellers tips to succeed, and be upfront about admission costs. (Pro tip: Don’t charge kids’ admission—give moms a break!)

How We Made It an Outreach

1. Build Relationships from the Start

We had a fantastic team of teens and adults who helped unload sellers’ vehicles. That first point of contact is key—everyone should feel welcomed, whether seller or shopper. Our teens also ran concessions, raising money for mission trips.

2. Offer a Prayer Tent

Off to the side for privacy, our Prayer Team is available for anyone who wants prayer. This small touch has led to meaningful conversations.

3. Distribute Invite Bags

Every shopper received a donated grocery bag with an invite to church and, depending on the season, a flyer for VBS or Trunk or Treat. We consistently see a spike in VBS registrations after the sale!

4. Welcome Your Sellers

Each seller got a welcome bag with the same invite as shoppers, plus a voucher for a free drink at concessions. It’s a small gesture that makes a big impact.

5. Facilitate Donations

At the end of the day, sellers can donate leftover items to a local Christian Crisis Pregnancy Center. Watching truckloads of donations head out is always a powerful moment of blessing.

We’ve been hosting this sale for over five years now, sometimes twice a year. Our community has come to know and love this event, and every spring and late summer, we receive calls and emails asking when the next sale will be.

Hosting a Mom2Mom Sale has not only helped fund our Kids Ministry but has also opened doors for outreach, connection, and Kingdom growth. With a little planning and a lot of heart, your church can turn bargains into blessings, too.

Jodie Slongo is the Kids' Director at Stony Creek Church in Utica, Michigan, and has been involved in Kids Ministry since her teenage years. When she's not serving at church, she enjoys spending time with her family. One of their favorite activities is visiting the charming town of Frankenmuth, where they go about once a month. They especially love exploring Bronner's, the world's largest Christmas store, where Jodie is always on the lookout for unique or cool ornaments.