K.I.D.S. Stamp Program Training Workshop Lutheran Church Extension Fund

65.5% of high school students in the state of Washington failed a quiz about basic financial principles. China is coming out of the current economic crisis the quickest. Why? They have a national savings rate of 38%. 1 in 8 LCMS rostered church workers has trouble paying their bills on time. Beyond the LCMS that number is 1 in 4. We must teach children how to save now so that when they are adults they are not a financial mess. Why Teach Savings?

An opportunity for our children to learn good stewardship and good savings habits early in life. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. -Proverbs 22:6 K.I.D.S. Stamp Program

Provides children hands-on practice for children to save before spending. While those children save, their investments help provide low-cost loans and services to LCMS churches, schools, and rostered church workers. K.I.D.S. Stamp Program

Nationally, K.I.D.S. savers have invested over $500,000 in the ministry of LCEF. In our district we have 24 churches and schools participating in the K.I.D.S. program. K.I.D.S. Stamp Program

“I am so excited about my son’s growth with money management since we started giving him an allowance and helping him divide it among share, save, and spend. This year he bought all his school supplies with money from his allowance! Approaching age 9, he’s become quite the comparison shopper. I hope more parents catch on to the wonderful growth that a little of their time invested can yield. Thanks for K.I.D.S. Stamps!” Diane Streich, September 2009 What Parents Have to Say

Students bring savings money to stamp table at church or school once a week. K.I.D.S. Coordinator staffs stamp table and sells quarter or dollar stamps to children. Stamp books are left with the coordinator until full ($25 investment). Full stamp books are sent home to parents to send to LCEF. LCEF investments are used to provide low-cost loans to LCMS ministries. How K.I.D.S. Works

Congregation/School selects K.I.D.S. coordinator. Coordinator orders stamps/materials from LCEF. LCEF will provide $100 in free stamps for new K.I.D.S. programs. Coordinator selects a launch date for program. Coordinator sends letters to parents and puts blurbs in bulletin announcing program launch. K.I.D.S. Kickoff/Launch held. To Start A New Program

Coordinator Responsibilities: Purchasing Stamps. Tracking the stamp inventory and money collected. Introducing the K.I.D.S. Stamp Program. K.I.D.S. Coordinator

Consistent time and location. Show participation with stickers. Celebrate a full stamp book with binoculars. Tips for Selling Stamps

Enlist youth to help sell stamps at the table. Order new supplies before current ones are depleted. Tips for Selling Stamps

Order K.I.D.S. Materials Online

Send letters home Announcing the beginning of the program each school year. Progress letters – let them know when they are getting close to filling a stamp book. Send stamps as recognition Birthdays Christmas Sunday school memory work Include articles in newsletter/bulletin announcements. Hand out special awards at chapel for K.I.D.S. participants Promoting K.I.D.S.

K.I.D.S. Stewardship Boxes Helps teach children to divide their money between offering, savings, and spending. Promoting K.I.D.S.

K.I.D.S. Kickoff Day At the beginning of each school/Sunday school year host a K.I.D.S. Kickoff. Have a special chapel message about K.I.D.S. First opportunity for children to purchase stamps in the school year. Use the K.I.D.S. banner to help draw attention on kickoff day. Promoting K.I.D.S.

Continually publicize K.I.D.S. in school newsletters. Talk to grandparents at Grandparents’ Day at school encouraging them to give money for birthdays, Christmas, etc. and designate it for K.I.D.S. Stamps. Put loan photos on the hallway wall for students, parents, and visitors to see how the savings of the children help build schools and churches to share the love of Jesus. K.I.D.S. at School

Parent/Teacher organizations Back to School night Send K.I.D.S. Stamp coin boxes home at the end of the school year for the children to use for saving during the summer to buy stamps in September. K.I.D.S. at School

Martin Luther bobble head trophy. One school in Wisconsin has a travelling trophy awarded to the class with the highest percentage of K.I.D.S. participants. The class gets their photo taken with the trophy and that is placed in the parent newsletter. K.I.D.S. at School

K.I.D.S. Count Curriculum K-8 curriculum. Can be used in a school or Sunday school setting. Focuses on stewardship basics – time, talents, treasures. Also has crafts, skits, and other activities that work with the lesson. Additional Resources