The 2017 Grant recipients of the Community Mission Appeal have been announced. Thank you to everyone who gave to the Community Mission Appeal. The Community Mission Appeal exists in order to support the development and continuing strength of mission work at parishes throughout the Diocese. One hundred percent of your gift is helping our parishes to serve Jesus as he lives and breathes in Louisiana.  Every parish that requested funds this year was provided with some financial support.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Community Mission Appeal so that next year we can do even more to support our diocese’s mission work. Contribute online here or mail your check with “Community Mission Appeal” written in the memo line to:

Community Mission Appeal
Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana
1623 7th Street
New Orleans, LA 70115

The 2017 CMA Grant Recipients

Christ Church, Covington, for the Christ Episcopal Enrichment Program

Christ Episcopal Enrichment Program is a four-week summer program that addresses the academic, enrichment, and life skills needs of children at-risk and living in poverty in the Covington, Louisiana area.

Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans, for the Jericho Road Central Circle Gatherings

The Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative, operating out of Christ Church Cathedral, supports affordable housing and community development in Central City, New Orleans. This grant will contribute to their community engagement activities by supporting a Central Circle Gatherings in order to build community cohesiveness.

St. Augustine’s, Metairie, for the Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) Program

Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) is an individualized tutoring program for second-graders who have been determined to need help in reading. The St. Augustine’s STAIR site serves children from Bissonet Plaza Elementary School in Metairie on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons during the school year. The volunteer tutors are trained and follow the curriculum developed by STAIR New Orleans, a non-profit organization headquartered at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church in New Orleans since 1985.

St George’s, New Orleans, for the Dragon Cafe Feeding Program
St. George’s Dragon Café provide ministry provides breakfast to 90 people each Sunday morning, most of whom are low-income, mentally ill, or have substance abuse challenges.

St. Mark’s, Harvey, for the Mothers of Preschoolers Program

St. Mark’s Mothers of Preschoolers program will provide help for new mothers and their young children in Harvey. The intention is to influence new mothers and their young children at a critical stage, and have a lasting impact on their development.

St. Matthew’s, Houma, for the Bread or Stones, Outreach to Legion Park Elementary School

St. Matthew’s is a covenant partner with the statewide Bread or Stones initiative, launched by the Louisiana Interchurch Conference. The immediate goals of this project are to improve academic, social and technical growth of the students attending Legion Park Elementary School by providing nutritional snacks for a tutoring program at the school, provide playground equipment at the school, and provide technical equipment to enhance educational opportunities.

St. Paul’s Holy Trinity, New Roads, on behalf of Church of the Transfiguration, Angola

From March 27 – March 29, 2017, a National Prison Ministry Conference will be held in Baton Rouge. Local and national speakers will address attendees on a range of prison ministry issues -violence prevention, visitation, faith formation, racism, re-entry, and advocacy -under the theme of Proclaiming Hope in the Age of Mass Incarceration. The final session of the conference will be held at Angola Prison where attendees will be able to see the results of prison ministries and speak directly with incarcerated persons. The funds will help provide scholarships to seminary and college students to attend the conference.