THE HISTORY OF SONFISH

In 1983, the world was only beginning to witness the devastating effects of hunger, particularly on the African continent. Among those who were moved to do something to help were two faithful followers of Jesus and long-term advocates for poor refugees, Jim and Virginia Willoughby.  

​The couple owned and managed a plastic production factory in Cincinnati, Ohio, and had been longtime supporters of IDES' ministry including Jim's term serving on the IDES Board of Directors. Seeing that the news and media stations were failing to truly give enough time to report the incredible need of those suffering from hunger, the Willoughby's decided to use the resources God had given them in order to raise money and awareness for the hungry. Thus, the now iconic blue plastic SonFish banks were created.

Over 40 years later, and hundreds of thousands of dollars are still being raised for hunger relief using SonFish banks. It costs only $0.25 to provide one meal for a hungry child. Hard to believe, right? Why not save up as many quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies as you can? Just like the boy who willingly gave his meager 5 loaves and 2 fish to Jesus and His disciples, and Jesus miraculously used the offering to feed thousands in one sitting, your offering of spare change can make a huge impact on the lives of those who do not know where their next meal may come from. 

With a SonFish Bank, there is no easier way to help the hungry and hurting. Merely save up your spare change inside the fish, and make a designated donation to IDES for the total amount once it's full. 100% of the funds you or your group raises with SonFish is distributed to IDES hunger relief projects around the world. The banks can also be used as a fantastic teaching tool for children in communicating the idea of missions and God's power.

sonfish bank assemblies: The Logistics

Order SonFish Banks assembled, ready to be filled or volunteer your time putting them together at our headquarters.

SonFish build at IDES:

IDES will supply all the materials

SONFISH FAQ

Q: What’s the max amount of SonFish I can receive?

A: As many as you’d like.

We send SonFish already assembled in groups of 50.

Q: What size group do you recommend for a SonFish Bank assembly?

A: In theory, SonFish Bank assemblies only require 1-2 people however we recommend at least one person per step - 5 people.

Q: When planning a SonFish assembly, how long should we expect for the event to last?

A: SonFish builds are fairly quick events. If you’re fully equipped with 5 volunteers, you could easily complete one box of SonFish in an hour.