by the Rev. John Pitzer, CMA Committee Co-Chair
Let Love Open the Door, was the theme this year for the Community Mission Appeal. CMA, is a grant program to assist specific ministries in the diocese who are in need of financial assistance. The funds are raised from
churches throughout the diocese, and ministries are encouraged to apply for a grant from the CMA. Once the applications have been submitted, the CMA committee gathers to determine what ministries will be awarded
financial help, and the amount to be given to each. This years committee consisted of Donna Hurley from St. Mark’s Harvey, Renne Cervantes from Christ Church Covington, Les Mut from St. Margaret’s Baton Rouge along with myself. As in past years, every ministry that made an application this year received a grant. The amount given this year totaled $20,000. The 2018 recipients of this year’s Community Mission Appeal are as follows.
Christ Church Cathedral, Jericho Road program. In addition to being a housing initiative which has built over 50 homes in the New Orleans post-Katrina era, they work to improve the quality of life for low-income neighborhood residents. Jericho Road was awarded $2,200.
Christ Church, Covington, Christ Episcopal Enrichment Program, also known as CEEP This is afour-weekk summer enrichment program serving children at risk, and living in poverty. CEEP was awarded $2,200.
St. Andrew’s, New Orleans, Camp Able. This is a week-long summer camp specifically for persons with diverse abilities. It is about forming a community that loves us just as we are. The goal is to establish, at least for
one week, a community of unconditional love, compassion and acceptance. Camp Able was awarded $2,200.
St. Anna’s, New Orleans, Anna’s Place. They provide various youth programs to promote healing and wholeness of body, mind and spirit, and serve the youth of the Treme’, 7th Ward and Greater New Orleans community. Anna’s Place was awarded $2,200.
St Augustine’s, Metairie, Start the Adventure in Reading, also known as STAIR. The volunteers that tutor and mentor public school students who are in danger of failing reading at no cost to their families. STAIR’s overall mission is to improve the reading skills and self-esteem of lower elementary school students. The Stair Program was awarded $3,000.
St. James, Baton Rouge, We Care Bags. These bags are handed out to the homeless community of downtown Baton Rouge Monday through Friday. The bags are put together by students from St. James Episcopal Day School. For many, it may be the most well-balanced meal of the day. 40-50 bags are handed out each day. We Care Bags
Feeding Ministry was awarded $3,000.
St. Mark’s, Harvey, Mother’s of Preschoolers, also known as MOPS. This program offers women a place of community, affirmation and mentor-supported learning from the time of their first pregnancy through their
youngest child graduating from kindergarten. MOPS was awarded $2,200.
St. Philip’s, New Orleans, Sanctuary Farms. Sanctuary Farm promotes community physical health by growing the best quality, healthy foods using sustainable growing techniques and making these foods available to
community members. They promote community mental and spiritual health by offering programs to educate community members on the value of urban growing as a reconnecting pathway back to God. Sanctuary Farms was
awarded $3,000.
We have some incredible ministries taking place in our diocese and we should all be very proud. The generosity that was shown, could only happen because of you and your parishioners.