Outreach Committee Makes 17 Grants for 2012

Outreach Committee Chairman Alan Miller reports that one-half of the funding was directed to eight Baton Rouge agencies providing a variety of services. Twenty-four percent was allocated to four Episcopal ministries in the diocese, and 25% went to five ministries of St. James.

Alan said, "Over the last few years, the Outreach Committee has focused its efforts on making a significant difference in the ministries and charities we support. The members made great efforts to research the applicants in order to determine the best use of Outreach funds to help those in need. As a church, we are so blessed to be in a position to assist these important efforts to assist the less fortunate."

The grant budget was $60,000 plus $2,653, a share of the Easter offering.

Grants to local non-profits went to:

• O’Brien House,
• Cancer Services,
• Hospice of Baton Rouge,
• Cinderella Project,
• Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless, and
• The Interfaith Federation.

A special grant was made to Open Air Ministries to install a light on bicycles of the homeless, increasing their visibility and visibility to others while riding at night. St. Anna’s Episcopal Church, a mission parish in the Upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans received a grant toward purchase of a kitchen stove.

Our Angola ministry, Church of the Transfiguration, received a grant to support the bishop’s annual visit for baptism and confirmation, where a gumbo meal is served to a large number of residents who attend a monthly Eucharist service and DOC program.

All Soul’s Episcopal Church in the Lower Ninth Ward received monies for maintenance of the string instruments that were given by St. James several years ago. The other grant went to Episcopal Community Services of the Diocese of Louisiana; three of the 10 current Living With Purpose fellows are living and working in Baton Rouge.

Parish ministries receiving grants were: We Care, VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools), our Boy Scout Troup 5, the Christmas meal for the homeless, and the clergy's discretionary fund.