Episcopal Press and News
P.B. Fund Approves Project Grants
Episcopal News Service. October 18, 1979 [79298]
New York -- The board of the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief has announced the awarding of a number of grants, many of which were made at its meetings in Denver prior to and during the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in September. These grants are to be disbursed in October and November.
At its regularly scheduled meeting Sept. 5-7, the grants committee of the board reported that it had reviewed 16 applications for funding of which they recommended nine projects for grants, totaling $159,959,
The grants which were approved by the board are as follows:
- Diocese of Northern Argentina, $45,989: Iniciativa Cristiana, in Algarrobal and Carboncito, two carpentry units for the purpose of purchasing tools and for working capital and support of a master carpenter for one year.
- Diocese of Jamaica, $17,000: Institute of Cultural Affairs, a pilot project in rural development, started in consultation with local residents, and now serving as a practical demonstration lab for the International Training Institute.
- Rome, Italy, $10,000: St. Paul's Anglican Church, for its African Refugee Program, to enable an African priest -- a Ugandan refugee -- to minister in a Roman parish which is 40 percent African and Asian, and, in addition, to provide direct relief.
- Zambia, $20,000: To enable the Zambian Department of Community Development, through a nationwide radio education pilot project, to create, test and evaluate a nationwide health and nutrition component. This grant is made through AFRICARE.
- Province IX, $12,770 for the remainder of 1979 and $24,200 for 1980: To provide assistance to Province IX's Social Betterment Committee in its engineering ministry in evaluation, design and supervision of buildings, projects and programs.
- North Carolina Hunger Coalition, $10,000: Charlotte, N. C., to increase participation in rural areas in food programs and to eliminate administrative barriers in food stamp programs which hinder participation by the poor.
- Ecumenical Task Force, $5,000: Niagara Falls, N. Y., a program by 16 denominations to serve as an advocate for relief of physical, psychosocial and economic distress of persons living in an area which is chemically contaminated.
- Southeast Michigan Food Coalition, $5,000 on a matching fund basis: Initiated by the National Council of Churches to serve as an umbrella organization and catalyst for action on hunger issues in the Detroit area, and includes support for a study/action kit for a slide show, "Bringing It Home," on feeding poor families.
- Diocese of Haiti, $10,000: For a worker-priest training program in Montrouis to repair facilities needed for 150 layreaders who serve in liturgical, medical, agricultural and educational roles, thus helping to relieve a clergy shortage.
In addition to approving the nine grants for $159,959, the Fund board:
- Adopted a $2.3 million granting and operating budget for 1980, an increase of of $500,000 over 1979.
- Allocated $46,868.10 to cover additional costs for building materials for 500 homes in Guatemala which were damaged by an earthquake, the additional funding becoming necessary because of the unavoidable skyrocketing costs of materials during the emergency.
- Appropriated $5,000, in addition to a previous allocation of $15,000, for diocesan network expansion and training workshops conducted by the Presiding Bishop's Fund and related Episcopal Church Center staff, and authorized the beginning of a study of the feasibility of hiring an additional staff person specifically for diocesan network enhancement and training in the areas of stewardship, communication skills, education, and leadership training.
- Extended the services of the Rev. John Huston of Seattle, as national consultant on emergency refugee matters through 1979, with that position to be funded from designated refugee funds in the 1980 budget; and extended the temporary services of two additional support staff in the Fund's refugee resettlement office, assisting Mrs. Isis Brown to help cope with the greatly increased number of mail and telephone inquiries coming into the Church Center regarding sponsorship of refugee families.
- Commended the Rev. J. Fletcher Lowe, Diocese of Virginia, and chairman of the National Hunger Committee, and the Rev. Samir J. Habiby, director of the Presiding Bishop's Fund, for their respective visits to Uganda on behalf of the Fund and for their informative reports.
- Directed its communication/education committee, in cooperation with the Episcopal Church Center staff, to explore the costs and time frame for producing a Spanish language version of the Fund's new and highly acclaimed motion picture, "Yes, A Difference," with the expectation that the film might be used in the dioceses of Province IX and in Hispanic parishes in the U. S.
While still in Denver during the Convention, the board's executive committee:
- Requested Convention to develop a church wide response to the great reconstruction needs in Uganda by endorsing the Fund's new $1.25 million appeal, which is in addition to its initial appeal for $250,000 (of which $140,000 has been received by mid-October); and later learned that the General Convention had affirmed the appeal which will specifically support efforts in two areas: (1) spiritual renewal and moral rehabilitation and (2) reconstruction of the Church of Uganda's basic structures.
- Allocated up to $10,000 for the promotion of the Uganda appeal throughout the Episcopal Church.
- Allocated $5,000 for the Volunteers for Mission program, under the direction of the Rev. Page Bigelow, for the support of the Rev. Golan Root of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts, who left Oct. 1 for Uganda for three months where he will provide much needed communication staff work for the Church there, where he himself served as a missionary for three years.
- Allocated up to $60,000 to the Diocese of the Dominican Republic for relief and reconstruction after Hurricane David in September, with $25,000 disbursed immediately, in addition to $5,000 sent previously by the Fund directly to the diocese and $5,000 channelled ecumenically through Church World Service.
In mid-October emergency grants were made as follows:
- Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East $5,000: For St. Luke's Hospital, Nablus, on the West Bank, for an electrical generator.
- Anglican Church of Uganda, $5,000: For a medical/surgical unit, supplied and sent by Interchurch Medical Assistance.
- Diocese of Central Gulf Coast and Diocese of Mississippi, authorization up to $25,000: To provide relief for dioceses affected by Hurricane Frederick, with actual payments by mid-October, $10,000 to Central Gulf Coast, and $5,000 to Mississippi.