Episcopal Press and News
Presiding Bishop's Fund Provides Aid Worldwide
Diocesan Press Service. January 27, 1969 [73-26]
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- A new year has begun and a new administration has taken office in Washington, yet for millions hunger, cold, disease and fear continue. It is to these people -- the hungry, the homeless and the poor -- that the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief ministers.
Working with other Churches, the Fund provides aid to refugees in Vietnam, the Middle East and Africa.
Vietnam Christian Service, whose staff of 65 includes several Episcopalians, aids those made homeless through war. Direct material aid is provided and assistance given to enable refugees to begin life anew. Through the Presiding Bishop's Fund, Episcopalians contributed $50,000 during 1968 to the total program of $750,000.
In the Middle East, assistance was begun on a massive scale following the Arab-Israeli war of June, 1967 under the overall direction of the World Council of Churches, Although refugees have been a constant factor in Middle East life for many years, and the Churches have assisted in meeting their needs, the June war meant that many more joined the ranks of the homeless and, often, that refugees themselves were forced out of their camps.
Shortly after the war, the World Council issued an appeal for $2,000, 000 to aid in the Middle East. In response to that appeal, CWS, by the end of 1968, contributed $492,788 and shipped 1, 819,646 pounds of food, clothing, blankets, bedding, tents and agricultural implements valued at $838, 320. During 1968 the Presiding Bishop's Fund contributed $40, 000 toward this work.
There are refugees, too, in the United States, particularly from Cuba. Churches in this country, working under the overall direction of CWS, have assisted many of these persons to begin a new life. During 1968, the Presiding Bishop's Fund arranged for the resettlement of 2,224 refugees in this country, 1,565 of whom were Cubans. The remaining persons included Romanians, Armenians, Chinese, Bulgarians, Egyptians, and, recently, Czechoslovakians. Toward the program established in Miami to assist Cuban refugees the Presiding Bishop's Fund contributed $47,000. An additional $14, 000 assisted Cubans in other parts of the United States, and $7,311 assisted refugees from other countries.
During 1968 Biafra became a household word. In response to a call from the World Council of Churches, which was strongly supported by the Lambeth Conference, the Presiding Bishop 's Fund pledged $200,000 toward the alleviation of suffering on both sides of the battle line. Episcopalians recognized the need and contributed more than $250,000 by the end of 1968.
This money, along with that sent by Churches around the world, enabled 740 flights to take off from the off-shore islands of Fernando Po and Sao Tome to Biafra by the middle of December. Aboard these flights were over 8,700 tons of food, particularly high protein food, medicines, hospital supplies, blankets and other necessities of life. American Churches, through CWS, have shipped 2,080,824 pounds of such supplies, valued at $1,530,430 to homeless and starving people on both sides. They have also contributed $375, 000 to keep the airbridge alive.
While the needs in Vietnam, the Middle East and Nigeria/Biafra are most acute, those in need are to be found everywhere. Along with other Churches, the Episcopal Church, through the Presiding Bishop's Fund, helps such persons with material aid, programs of self-development, and family planning clinics. Church World Service during 1968 shipped 165,995,641 pounds of supplies -- food, medicine, bedding, blankets, agricultural implements, etc. -- valued at $25,298,268 to Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. CWS also operated Planned Parenthood Programs in 48 countries at a cost of $358,475. Fifteen thousand dollars of this total came from the Presiding Bishop's Fund.
Disasters can strike in any country, and, through the Presiding Bishop's Fund, Episcopalians played a part in assisting those caught in such disasters. Victims of earthquakes in Sicily and Iran became the object of an appeal by the World Council of Churches. The Presiding Bishop's Fund sent $1,000 to assist victims in Sicily and $5,000 to assist victims in Iran.
Earthquakes struck the Philippines and Japan too. Through the Joint Council of the Philippine Independent Church and the Philippine Episcopal Church a request was sent to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for assistance in repairing damage to Philippine Independent Church buildings. Two thousand five hundred dollars was sent. Following earthquakes in Hokkaido, a grant of $3, 000 was sent to the Presiding Bishop of the Nippon Seikokai (Holy Catholic Church in Japan), again for assistance in repairing churches. Later, $1,000 of this was returned.
The Diocese of Chicago was given $5, 000 following riots in April. They later returned $1,500. Tornado victims in Jonesboro, Ark., were also assisted with a grant of $1,000.
Working in cooperation with the Heifer Project, the Presiding Bishop's Fund was able to help provide badly needed live stock to the Bugaga Dairy Farm operated by the Diocese of Western Tanganyika. By a special gift the Fund contributed $1,000 toward the cost of providing the Farm with 15 milking cows, four beef cattle and one high-breed bull. The total cost of the requested livestock was $5,525.
During 1968 the Presiding Bishop's Fund received contributions of more than $690, 000, over $250,000 of which was earmarked for Nigeria/Biafra. With an allocation of $211,050 from the General Church Program and Budget, the total income of the Fund was over $901, 000. Some $885,000 was expended, as compared with $651,000 in 1967.
The needs met by the Presiding Bishop's Fund will continue, and will increase. Because of this, the goal of the Fund for 1969 has been set at $1,200, 000. To help achieve this goal, parishes throughout the country will participate in a World Relief Octave March 9-16. Individual contributions can also be sent at any time to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017.