wfn.org | [ENS] UTO discusses Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts during 2006 grant

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Daybook, from Episcopal News Service

September 26, 2005 - Monday Mission

UTO discusses Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts during 2006 grant meeting

by Daphne Mack

[Episcopal News Service] A brainstorming session about ways to help
those
devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita was at the top of the agenda
when
the 12 members of the United Thank Offering (UTO)Committee met at
Cathedral
College in Washington, DC, September 9-19, 2005, to discuss the 2006
grant
application process.

UTO is a spiritual and financial partner in the mission work of the
Episcopal Church which focuses on addressing compelling human needs and
expanding mission and ministry.

"We discussed how we can respond to the destruction of the hurricanes
[Katrina and Rita] in the Gulf Coast," said Joy Tway, UTO Committee
president.

Tway said that "UTO is not for emergency relief" but can be responsive
"through our regular channels."

"We decided we can remind bishops in affected areas that they can
request
funds for rebuilding, in their two invited grants, and we can remind the
affected provinces that they could submit a regional grant," Tway said.

According to JoAnne Chapman, UTO coordinator, grant applications,
instructions and letters of invitation are mailed every October to each
diocese in ECUSA and to Anglican Provinces overseas. This year, they are
being mailed September 27, 2005.

"We invite all the provinces in Africa, Jerusalem and the Middle East,
and
Asia and Latin America," she said. "It's our way of leaving the door
open
for partnership."

Completed applications must be returned by January 31, 2006. Grant award
notification will be made in June 2006.

"Rather than responding to big events we try to systematically and
consistently offer our invitation so that everybody gets a chance, and
can
plan from year to year. It's a balance with ERD, but we certainly do
have
our way of helping with rebuilding," Chapman said.

UTO received 200 grant applications in 2004. Diocesan ingatherings
resulted
in gifts totaling $2,710,247.22 being granted in 2005 to 130 full or
partial
project or program requests.

"We encourage people to send the money in all year long as they are
doing
their ingatherings because it accrues a significant amount of interest
which
we then grant out," Chapman said. "We always grant the previous year's
ingathering, so any ingathering that comes in and is postmarked by
December
31, 2005 will be granted out in 2006."

Chapman said UTO tries to be responsive by "letting dioceses and
provinces
identify their own needs."

UTO was established in 1889 as the United Offering by the Women's
Auxiliary
to the Board of Missions and was primarily used to support the work of
women
missionaries and expansion of the church. That emphasis has broadened to
include all areas of the church's work. The mission of UTO is to expand
the
circle of thankful people.

For more information on UTO visit http://www.episcopalchurch.org/uto/.
For a
grant application contact your diocesan office, or your provincial
office
overseas. For regional grant applications contact JoAnne Chapman at
800.334.7626 ext. 5130.

-- Daphne Mack is a staff writer for Episcopal News Service.

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