wfn.org | ELCA Awards Grants to Projects That Address Hunger

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 22, 2003

ELCA AWARDS GRANTS TO PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS HUNGER
03-087-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) awarded $826,750 in grants to projects that address hunger and
poverty in urban and rural communities across the United States.
     Through the church's Domestic Hunger Grants program, projects were
funded in three distinct areas: direct relief, projects and activities
that provide direct access to food, temporary shelter, clothing and
medical supplies; community development, activities and projects that
address the systematic causes of hunger and poverty; and community
organizing, broad-based multi-issue organizing in communities to
"empower the poor, bring voice to the voiceless and empower the
powerless."
     The domestic hunger grants committee received 396 applications
requesting more than $2.5 million, said Trudy Brubaker, acting director
for community development services, ELCA Division for Church in Society.
The committee disbursed about $826,750 to 295 sites.
     "Priority was given to applications that addressed people with the
least resources for meeting their basic needs, and women and children
who live in poverty," Brubaker said.
     "The average grant was $2,500.  There were more direct relief
applications this year, asking for more money to buy food for pantries
and soup kitchens.  We heard from many folks who said they are seeing
more people in their food pantries and soup kitchens than ever before.
One place reported that 89 percent of their clients are working, just
underemployed," she said.
     In the relief area, 153 of 204 applications received funds
totaling $355,250.  In the development area, 90 of 117 applications
received funds totaling $285,400 and, in the organizing area, 52 of 75
applications received funds totaling $186,100.
     The committee met here March 10-12 to review applications and make
decisions.  Criteria used to select grant recipients include activities
that relate to relief (immediate access to food, shelter, clothing,
medical supplies and care), sustainable development (adequate housing,
jobs, health care and disease prevention), community organizing,
education and advocacy.
     The program offers a "Domestic Hunger Grants Catalogue" to
describe how the grant program works.  "The catalogue lists all current
grant recipients and provides a brief description for each," said Aaron
M. Cooper, writer and editor of the catalogue, Division for Church in
Society.  He said the 2003 catalogue will be available in July at
http://www.elca.org/dcs/hunger.grant.html on the Internet.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html