It's almost like the old chicken and the egg routine. What's unclear is if Lancaster County is so generous because there are so many great causes out there, or if there are so many great causes because Lancaster County residents are so altruistic.

"Lancaster County is a frugal county," said David Kieffer, pastor of Ephrata Reformed Presbyterian Church and president of Faithful Give. "Residents are generous, but they're not foolish with their donations. They want good return on their investments. They want to donate to causes that are aligned with their values. They want to steward their finances well, and Faithful Give exists to help with that."

Faithful Give is one of Lancaster County's most far-reaching and well-organized giving campaigns. The upcoming Faithful Give features a pair of interactive in-person October events, but 90 percent of the donations received by the facilitating agent comes through online gifts.

The received donations are distributed to nonprofits, missions and causes that are physically located in Lancaster County and benefit its citizens.

"Faithful Give is designed to connect generous donors to kingdom causes in Lancaster County," said Kieffer. "But Faithful Give is not just a financial giving event. It's a celebratory advocacy event. Every ministry knows their needs and opportunities better than we do. On our website, each of the participating ministries has a page that tells what the money will go toward.

"We really want to expand people's understanding of generosity," added Kieffer. "Generosity is not just about giving your money; it's about giving your heart and your talents. We just want to connect people and celebrate that. (Faithful Give) really emphasizes the versatility of the Christian community."

From midnight on Sunday, Oct. 18, to midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 20, interested individuals can direct financial donations to Faithful Give's general fund by going to http://www.faithfulgive.org/donate.

People can also donate funds in person at Faithful Give's prayer breakfast from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 19, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2151 Oregon Pike, Lancaster, or at Faithful Give's Celebration Expo from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at The Junction Center, 1875 Junction Road, Manheim.

"The breakfast is a wonderful opportunity to learn about all that God is doing in Lancaster County," said Kieffer. "Most of the kingdom causes are represented, and you can learn about their ministries, know those people and pray for them. One of the neat things we've seen is the networking that has come out of it. The Celebration Expo is a full, family event. Families get a chance to spend a night out. Last year, my favorite thing was seeing how many families came out to the expo and learned about the missions."

This year, more than 150 Lancaster County-associated ministries, nonprofits and social service organizations have registered to be a part of Faithful Give. The funds that they receive allow those organizations to provide broader, deeper and more impactful services and programs, as well as to reach more individuals in need.

"They are people from organizations who love God and love Lancaster County," said Kieffer, a resident of Manheim Township. "They're people who make Lancaster County a great place to live and raise a family. They're people who have inherited a great legacy and want to pass that legacy on to the next generation."

Following some exploratory research, the initial Faithful Give event was staged in 2023. Over the last three years, the fundraising and giving initiative has raised more than $4.4 million for the underresourced.

"Every year we've set a goal and God has surpassed it. This year, we'll see what God will do," said Kieffer. "When we started, I wasn't sure it was going to fly. Certainly, God has done more than we have asked, thought or imagined. It has served our community. It's provided connection, advocacy and celebration. It's just been a blessing."