Lead by Example: How St. John Parish Is Building Community With RaiseRight

With RaiseRight champions at the helm, St. John is making education more affordable while strengthening its mission of helping others.

St. John Parish, located in Little Chute, Wisconsin, has been a pillar of the community since 1836.

In addition to their church and pre-K through grade 8 school, they extend their outreach through a Faith Development (FD) program, which offers religious education to hundreds of public school students. 

"We have about 1,900 families in our parish, 260 students in our school, and 300 students in our Faith Development program," says Jessica H., St. John's accountant and the current program coordinator. "Our families mainly use RaiseRight for tuition, but if your children are no longer in school, you can choose to support or sponsor another family." 

Two decades of fundraising success

St. John Parish has been using RaiseRight since 2003, so they're no stranger to the power of gift card fundraising. But in 2023, the leaders ramped up new strategies that changed the game for participation and earnings. 

A 107% increase in orders

In just one year, St. John more than doubled its RaiseRight gift card orders from 2022. Jessica credits that growth to passionate participants like Miranda, a top earner who brings in around $900 annually. 

"I started using RaiseRight when my kids began school here. I was blown away when I saw how much I was earning!" Miranda recalls. "Now, I love helping others sign up, and I enjoy teaching them how easy and rewarding it is."

Another key growth driver was a shift toward promoting the RaiseRight mobile app. While physical gift cards have long been the norm, the parish encourages families to embrace digital options like eGift and reloadable cards.

"The digital gift card Wallet is one of my favorite things," says Sarah, Marketing Manager at St. John. "It's fast, convenient, and helps motivate more families to stick with RaiseRight." 

Hitting $21,000 in earnings (and counting)

St. John's success didn't stop there. In 2024, families raised a total of $21,000, a 10% increase from 2023. 

"We focused on getting the word out during school registration and open house," Jessica reflects. "We're a close-knit community, so the program's benefits have traveled fast through word of mouth. Younger families especially get excited when I walk them through how it works." 

Jessica and Sarah are intentional about when and how they promote RaiseRight, using multiple opportunities to onboard new families. 

"We bring it up at baptisms, Bible studies, and in weekly school communications," says Sarah. "And we love using the flyers and videos from the Coordinator Resource Center. They’re super engaging—especially the videos."

Why RaiseRight works for St. John Parish 

St. John still holds traditional fundraisers like their annual raffle calendar, and they’ve previously tried concession stands. However, RaiseRight continues to be their most successful program, and about 40% of families actively participate. 

"Even our grandparents and elderly members love RaiseRight," Sarah notes. "It's simple to use, easy to convey the value, and much easier than running a concession stand." 

For Sarah, the impact is also personal.

"My mother-in-law covered my nephew's first year of preschool using RaiseRight, so now I'm doing the same for my kid," she comments. "Tuition ranges from $1,200 to $3,500—we're not the most affluent area, and few scholarship opportunities are available, so having a program like RaiseRight is like getting a big discount on tuition. It's helped us with enrollment, too." 

Families in the Faith Development program also benefit immensely.

"The FD program costs $150 per child per year," Jessica explains. "So with RaiseRight, parents can fully cover that cost in a few months or less!"

Tips and takeaways from the St. John team

With leaders like Jessica, Sarah, and Miranda setting the tone, RaiseRight has become a natural part of life at St. John, supported by strong habits and even stronger community ties. 

High earners like Miranda make RaiseRight a part of their everyday routine. "Anytime I go somewhere, I check to see if the brand is on RaiseRight first," she says. "Also, I work at a salon, so I talk to all my clients and coworkers about RaiseRight. I help them with their holiday shopping." 

Sarah and Jessica love keeping up with what's new on RaiseRight, such as the latest bonuses or features. 

"I recommend keeping an eye on RaiseRight's marketing emails," says Sarah. 

Jessica adds, "We love the local dining earnings—so many of our favorite restaurants are on there!" 

And when newcomers need help, Jessica is always there to walk them through the process. 

"Having a supportive environment makes all the difference," Sarah comments. "We keep some physical cards around in our office, and invite people to stop by any time."

For St. John, RaiseRight isn’t just a fundraiser—it’s a reflection of their mission, and they plan to keep it going for years to come. 

"Money is emotional," says Jessica. "Yes, RaiseRight fulfills our fundraising needs, but it also supports our mission of connecting with the community, helping others, and spreading the word about our purpose. We'll continue prioritizing it because it's such a successful program with long-term benefits."