It all started with an unmet need. In 2014, Thrivent clients made it clear: They had a heart for service, but funding and organizational barriers were getting in the way of leading volunteer efforts. Enter Thrivent Action Teams—a program that provided them the tools and resources needed to launch, and lead, their own projects.
Nine years later, Thrivent clients continue to meet unmet needs in their communities. 2023 celebrates the completion of the 1 millionth Thrivent Action Team project—a testament to the incredible heart and generosity of our clients. With more than 100,000 projects (and counting) planned for this year alone, we look to the future with joy, admiration and excitement for the next million. Cheers to you and doing good—together.
What is a Thrivent Action Team?
A Thrivent Action Team is a group of community members led by a Thrivent client to complete a fundraiser, educational event or service activity. You submit your project idea through an
- A Community Impact Card with up to $250 in seed money.
- A personalized webpage and other digital tools to promote your activity.
- "Live Generously" T-shirts.
- Thank you cards, name tags, stickers and more.
Thrivent Action Teams is a great resource for us to be able to do simple projects with our youth group. We are a small congregation, so our budget is very tight, but this program allows us to do community service activities we wouldn't be able to do otherwise.
Thrivent Action Team ideas and examples
A successful Thrivent Action Team starts with your passion. Do you love serving your church? Teaching a skill? Feeding the hungry? Once you pinpoint a cause you care about, you can rally around it with friends, family and people in your community to make a greater impact. Here are few ideas to get your wheels turning.
Contact a senior living facility, hospital or other support organization that might be in need of volunteers to prepare meals. You and your Thrivent Action Team members can shop for ingredients, cook the food together, then serve the meal. Seed money can be used for groceries, as well as decorations, placemats or a sweet treat to help make the meal even more special.
A birthday should be a special day for everyone. But that's not always the reality for kids experiencing poverty, homelessness, illness or crisis. Birthday bags help brighten up the recipient's day with a cheerful surprise. Contact a food bank, shelter or social service agency that might benefit from birthday bags. Then, work with your Thrivent Action Team members to shop for items, decorate the bags and fill them up. Some meaningful items could include cake mix and candles, puzzles and toys, and handwritten birthday cards.
Call your community food bank to find out the items they need most. Decide on a drop-off location for donations. Then leave grocery bags along with lists of high-need items on your neighbors' and friends' doorsteps, or distribute the bags at an event or worship service. Pick a day for you and your Thrivent Action Team members to help pick up, sort and drop off the food donations. Seed money can help purchase the bags or any additional groceries not covered by donations alone.
Want to explore more project ideas and stories? Check out our
Thrivent Action Team requirements
As a Thrivent client with membership, you're eligible to lead a Thrivent Action Team so long as:
- You are 16 or older at time of applying.
- You form a multi-person team (which can include friends, family or others in your community).
- Only one Thrivent Action Kit is used per project.
- The seed money on your Community Impact Card is solely used for your project and is not directly gifted to an individual or organization.
- You have not exceeded the allotted number of Thrivent Action Teams you can lead in a calendar year (two for benefit members, one for associate members).
We encourage you to take a more in-depth look at our
Looking to report on a Thrivent Action Team?
It's good to be 1 in a million
Planting the seeds of growth
I've encountered Thrivent people in many places due to these T-shirts. We often talk about our Thrivent Action Team projects. It's such a meaningful connection.
