wfn.org | Newsline: Matching grant program for hunger relief gets good start

[cobnews <cobnews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service -- Feb. 2, 2009
Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, News Director
800-323-8039 ext. 260 -- cobnews@brethren.org

MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR HUNGER RELIEF GETS OFF TO GOOD START

(Feb. 2, 2009) Elgin, IL -- Church of the Brethren staff report that a new  "Domestic Hunger Matching Grant" program encouraging Church of the Brethren  congregations to support local hunger programs has gotten off to a good st art.

As of the end of January, 42 congregations in 16 states have issued grants  to local hunger programs, reported Howard Royer, manager of the fund. "The  amount of matching funds from the denomination averages $437," he reported.  "Of the $50,000 committed to this effort by the Emergency Disaster Fund an d Global Food Crisis Fund, $19,000 has been expended."

The Church of the Brethren's Global Food Crisis Fund and Emergency Disaster  Fund, in partnership with the Stewardship department, announced the progra m at the end of 2008 to encourage congregations to make a special effort th is winter to respond to the needs of local food pantries and soup kitchens.  Congregations will be matched dollar for dollar--up to $500--for a gift to  one local food bank or soup kitchen.

The first congregational application came from Whitestone Church of the Bre thren in Tonasket, Wash. With the matching grant program, the congregation' s check for $600 written to the Tonasket Food Bank has become $1,100. White stone has a membership of 26, according to the "2008 Church of the Brethren  Yearbook."

To qualify, a congregation must raise new funds for the food crisis, fill o ut and return an application form by March 15, and enclose a copy of the ch eck it writes to the food bank or soup kitchen. Matching checks will be iss ued in the charity's name and mailed to the requesting congregation for for warding to the local organization. Grants will be issued until the $50,000  set aside for the program by the two funds is exhausted.

"In projecting responses, we thought 100 congregations might be a reasonabl e target. With another month to go, the participation is likely to exceed t hat number considerably," Royer said.

Go to www.brethren.org/site/DocServer/Domestic_Hunger_cong_ap_January_2009. pdf?docID=1001 for the application form for the matching grant program. F or more information contact Justin Barrett in the Global Mission Partnershi ps office at 800-323-8039 ext. 230.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continu ing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in  community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith t raditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated it s 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts more than 125,000 members across the  United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nig eria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cobnews@brethren.org