Tap & Give technology has been given the thumbs up by the Parish of South Yarra community, with an increasing number of parishioners opting to contribute via cashless donation points.
The Parish of South Yarra, comprising Saint Joseph Church and Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Church, was one of four Parishes that have been trialling the Tap & Give system, offering a convenient and secure alternative for the growing number of parishioners who may not always carry cash.
“Paying for things by card is what people do in other places, and it’s increasingly something they welcome at Church on the weekend or at a Church fundraiser,” explains Parish Priest Father Brian Buckley OSA. “We appear to be heading in the direction of a cashless society and we need to provide this option.”
The Tap & Give terminals work as a portable electronic payment system. The donation points are loaded with a set value, such as $5 or $10. Parishioners simply tap their card on the device to make an electronic donation.
The system has been embraced by the diverse Parish community, with the portable devices being used across Mass and other fundraisers and activities; including youth group events and even a recent Bunnings sausage sizzle.
Parish Business Manager, Aimee Helleren, is impressed by the portability of the device, as well as the flexibility to set a fee depending on the occasion – even if that’s $3 for a sausage! The device also offers greater security for the parish, with less cash being held on site.
Aimee is monitoring the weekly donations and has seen a rapid increase in people giving money via the Tap & Give device over the last six months.
“It’s early days. We’re not sure if Tap & Give is replacing cash or if it’s new donations we are receiving.” Aimee explains. “We did have some donations following a wedding recently, that we wouldn’t have had in the past.”
Tap & Give is affordable for organisations and convenient for their communities. Interested in giving Tap & Give device a go at your school or parish? Get in touch with your CDF Relationship Manager today to discuss our cash-free solutions.
Pictured right: Father Brian Buckley OSA and Aimee Helleren
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