Episcopal Press and News
Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief-- Year End Report 1974
Diocesan Press Service. April 25, 1975 [75153]
Although World Hunger had previously been on the agenda of many thinking people -- and on the official agenda of the Episcopal Church -- 1974 was the year in which it really surfaced as an urgent issue. This concern was reflected in dramatically increased giving to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief.
A total of $1,087,094.74 was received during the year, and $941,339.18 was disbursed.
In responding to the increasingly urgent claims of hungry people on all continents, the Fund made the following allocations:
BANGLADESH -- Responding to the increasing urgency of the hunger problem, $50,000 was contributed to the comprehensive $2.5 million program of the Economic and Social Welfare Committee of the National Christian Council of Bangladesh (coordinated by the World Council of Churches). This program included emergency feeding programs, medicines and drugs, clothing, housing, agricultural seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and equipment to help meet the emergency greatly exacerbated by devastating floods.
AFRICAN SAHEL -- A total of $35, 000 went for emergency assistance to church- related groups administering relief in the African countries affected by drought: Niger, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and the Sudan.
PAKISTAN -- for agricultural consultation, $1,000.
HAITI -- for material supplies, agricultural project, $2,500.
ETHIOPIA -- famine, $8,000.
SRI LANKA -- feeding and nutrition, $10,000.
INDOCHINA -- Provisional Revolutionary Government held areas, South Vietnam, Rototillers, $10,000.
AFRICAN REFUGEES -- All Africa Council of Churches work among refugees, $10,000.
MADAGASCAR -- public health outreach, $10,000.
KENYA -- rural development program, $10,000.
TANZANIA -- agricultural development program, $12,000.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD, $10,000.
NAVAJO EPISCOPAL COUNCIL, Ft. Defiance, Arizona, $8,500.
ST. NICHOLAS INDIAN CENTER, Tucson, Arizona, $500.
PAPAGO TRIBE COMMUNITY ACTION, Sells, Arizona, $1,000.
SUDAN -- The rehabilitation program of the Sudan Council of Churches Commission on Relief and Rehabilitation received $25, 000 for a water resources project -- for the establishment of a well rig machine shop and of initial sections of piping.
Other special programs included:
INDOCHINA – Vietnam Christian Service (VNCS), a joint agency of Church World Service and Lutheran World Relief, operated refugee, medical and social services in the Republic of South Vietnam. $15,000.
The Fund for Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Indochina (FRRI) of the World Council of Churches was engaged in reconstruction programs and projects in North and South Vietnam areas held by the Provisional Revolutionary Government in South Vietnam, in Cambodia and Laos. $10,000.
MIDDLE EAST EMERGENCY -- As we have done for the past several years, we again supported efforts of the churches in the Middle East to provide opportunities for education, vocational training and self-help for Palestinian refugees in Egypt, Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and West Bank. In addition, we sent emergency grants to the Anglican Church in Cyprus and to the Middle East Council of Churches for assistance to refugees on both sides in the Cyprus crisis.
NICARAGUA -- The ecumenical efforts of the Evangelical Committee for Aiding in Development (CEPAD) in the rehabilitation of the people of Managua continue. We contributed $25, 000 to this group through Church World Service, and another $25, 000 to the Missionary Diocese of Nicaragua for the medical and social work of rehabilitation which the diocese is doing within the Episcopal Church.
HONDURAS -- In September the devastation of Hurricane Fifi hit Honduras (and some other areas of Central America) with cruel force. Episcopalians responded and the church in Honduras geared up for immediate relief and long-term rehabilitation of people-- people who had lost everything -- homes, personal possessions, means of livelihood, community infrastructure -- but not hope and determination.
$6, 097 was sent directly to the Missionary Diocese of Honduras to assist the efforts of our church under the direction of missionary priests, and $4, 000 to the Diocese of El Salvador for emergency housing. The Fund also participated in the ecumenical response of Church World Service, as agent for the World Council of Churches, by sending $25,000 to CEDEN (an interchurch agency created after the disaster to meet the need) and $5, 000 to Technoserve, Inc., where one of their small business ventures was nearly wiped out.
PHILIPPINES -- A total of $52, 000 was sent to the church in the Philippines -- $20,000 to set up a revolving loan fund for agricultural development beginning with projects in the Northern Philippines; and $32, 000 to the Missionary Diocese of the Southern Philippines for emergency relief needed in the face of civil unrest in Mindanao -- for food, medical supplies, transportation, etc. In addition $1,000 was sent to the Diocese of Central Philippines for flood relief.
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT -- Emergency Welfare, $12,000; Program Costs, $14,000. In 1974 we resettled a total of 1,044 refugees. The emergency welfare item includes $10,000 in refugee loans, $2,480 of which has been repaid. Thus, the average cost to the church of each refugee is $7.20. There are no major changes anticipated in the program in 1975, although the world situation could suddenly change all that.
U. S. DISASTERS -- The Presiding Bishop's Fund has always responded to disasters in the United States, and 1974 was no exception. In April several tornadoes and floods struck in a random pattern and emergency assistance was sent to the following dioceses: Alabama, $5,000; Arkansas (El Dorado, Forrest City and Siloam Springs), $2,000; Atlanta (Dalton), $1,000; Indianapolis (Madison), $3,000; Kentucky (Louisville, etc.), $2,123.72; Northern Indiana, $3,000; Southern Ohio (Xenia), $5,000; and to Wilber- force University, $265.03.
In addition, the following emergency grants were made to Episcopal Dioceses:
ALASKA -- disaster relief following tidal wave in Nome. $2,000.
CENTRAL NEW YORK -- emergency housing in tribal dispute in Onondaga Reservation, $1,500.
MINNESOTA -- contribution to the St. Paul Council of Churches program of subsistence relief for Indians who gravitated to St. Paul for the duration of the Wounded Knee trial (not necessarily supporters of the defendants but people vitally interested in forces affecting the life of Indian people and the outcome of the trial). $6, 000.
MISSISSIPPI -- Choctaw County, emergency food where food stamp program was cut off, $1,500. Navajo Episcopal Council, transportation of water for Navajo people isolated in land dispute, $3,000.
And the following emergency grants were made to overseas dioceses affected by disasters: Antigua, earthquake, $2,000; Colombia, landslide, Bogota, $1,000; Cyprus, Archbishopric in Jerusalem, $1,000; Burma, flood, $1,000; Ecuador, flood, $2,000; Panama, assistance to Chilean refugees, $1,000.
Other emergency grants were made in response to requests from Church World Service and the World Council of Churches: subsistence needs of political detainees in Korea and the Philippines, $1,500; Chilean refugees in Latin America, $3,000; assistance to Haitians detained in Florida, $1, 000; medical assistance in Cambodia and Laos, $2,000; development assistance in the Caribbean, $3,000; and flood relief in Syria, $2,500.
DEVELOPMENT -- In accordance with the guidelines of the Fund adopted by Executive Council in May of 1973, more emphasis is being placed on Development. In 1974 a small beginning was made on this in a number of the ongoing commitments such as Bangladesh and the Sudan. In addition, a revolving loan fund was established for the Philippines through a grant to be used initially for the work of rural cooperatives in Northern Philippines.
The Fund also became a member of CODEL, a consortium of Roman Catholic and Protestant mission agencies interested in Development. And the Fund made a grant of $7,000 to the Missionary Diocese of El Salvador for a comprehensive community development project at Cuilapa. The project is attracting the attention of several development agencies because of its innovative style and effective accomplishments in involving the people in their own determination of goals and methods.
In 1974 the Fund continued its active membership in Church World Service. Approximately 50 percent of the Fund's allocations were made through CWS and the World Council of Churches. The Presiding Bishop named the Very Rev. Dillard Robinson, dean of Trinity Cathedral, Newark, and member of the Executive Council, to be the second member of the CWS Department Committee in addition to Marion Bingley, the Executive Director. Dr. Lindley Franklin was named alternate to insure full representation at meetings. Through CWS it is possible to participate in the Food for Peace program of the U.S. government and in the ocean freight reimbursement provisions.
COOPERATING AGENCIES -- In addition to the major support and active membership in Church World Service and indirectly in the Service Commission of the World Council of Churches, the Fund has traditionally supported other agencies engaged in relief, refugee and rehabilitation activities. In 1974 approximately $25,000 was allocated as follows: World Student Christian Federation, refugee services, $1,500; World Alliance, YMCAs, refugee projects, $4, 000; World YWCA, overseas development, $4, 000; International Christian Youth Exchange, students from developing countries, $500; Heifer Project International, upgrading livestock in developing countries, membership $5, 000; Interchurch Medical Assistance, Inc., distribution of donated medicines and medical supplies to mission stations and relief and rehabilitation programs overseas, $4,061.50, and membership, $1,017.50, total $5,079; Travelers Aid/International Social Service, intercountry adoption, one of six accredited agencies for adoption from South Vietnam, $2,250; Technoserve, Inc., engaged in enabling small business ventures in developing countries, $3,000. (One of the countries is Honduras and a special emergency grant of $5, 000 was made for rehabilitation following Hurricane Fifi. )
WORLD HUNGER TASK FORCE -- Throughout the year staff were involved in the special concern for World Hunger and during the last quarter devoted considerable time to working with the Task Force appointed by the Presiding Bishop.
During the year the Board for the Fund was engaged in working on the criteria for the Fund. The Board developed a set of Working Principles which sets forth the theological framework, calls for ecumenical commitment insofar as feasible, responsible research in grant making, and the initiation of a program of education and consciousness-raising concerning the Fund and its purposes. The criteria call for grants in the following categories: (1) crisis response (natural or manmade disaster) within 90 days; (2) general response – short range rehabilitation programs up to two years; and long range -- beyond two years, rehabilitation and development programs, and (3) refugee services.
In 1974 the Board paid tribute to the contribution of Bishop John E. Hines and his leadership of the Fund during his ten years as Presiding Bishop and welcomed Bishop John M. Allin as chairman of the Board as he assumed his new duties as Presiding Bishop. The following persons served in 1974 on the Board of Directors: The Rt. Rev. John M. Burgess, Massachusetts; the Rev. A. Theodore Eastman, Washington; Mr. George T. Guernsey, m, Missouri; the Rt. Rev. Willis R. Henton, Northwest Texas; Mrs. Howard Hoover, Los Angeles; the Rev. Gerald N. McAllister, West Texas; Miss Jane Ordway, Rochester ; the Very Rev. Dillard Robinson, Newark; Mr. Curtis Roosevelt, New York; the Rev. Albert Sears, Massachusetts; the Rt. Rev. Furman C. Stough, Alabama; and Mrs. J. Wilmette Wilson, Georgia.