Diocesan Hunger Fund

Donate and help fight hunger

Nourish your congregation’s spirit by feeding the hungry. Your Diocesan Hunger Fund provides grants to agencies in the District of Columbia and the four adjoining Maryland counties that supply food to hungry, impoverished children and adults in the region.

Some of these agencies are church-based, some are not.  All are acting in God’s name, saying by their actions, “Come unto me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)    Funds provided are spent only on food and disposable serving items (paper napkins and plates, plastic forks, and spoons).   Not a penny goes to any administrative costs.

The need is great.  The more you help the Hunger Fund, the more the Hunger Fund can help our neighbors.  Your pledge of a gift recurring monthly, quarterly or annually is even more helpful.

DONATE NOW ONLINE

• What the Hunger Fund Does
• Source of Funds
• Applying for a Grant
• How Grants are Made
• Who is on the Diocesan Hunger Fund Committee?
• Why Should I Be Involved?
• How Can I Become Involved?
• Is My Help Really Needed?
• Where Does the Money Go?
• How is the Money Spent?
• Testimonials from Grantees [Word]
• Hunger Fund Committee

THE HUNGER FUND WALK

The 2011 Diocesan Hunger Walk is set for 1:30 p.m. Sunday, October 16 at

Lake Artemesia, College Park, Md., sponsored by Hunger Fund friends at Epiphany Church, Forestville
~ and ~
Indian Head Rail Trail, sponsored by Hunger Fund friends at Christ Church, Port Tobacco, and Christ Church, Old Durham.

 Come walk with us and put a meal in front of someone who needs it.

Here’s how the walk works to raise funds for the Diocesan Hunger Fund and enable the Fund to help to keep feeding hungry people in the District of Columbia and the four Maryland counties that the Episcopal Diocese of Washington encompasses:
• You and others from your church sign up to participate.
• Each of you gets friends, relatives, co-workers, and others to pledge to contribute a fixed amount for each kilometer you walk (or run).
• You join us on Sunday October 16 to walk or run.  Or stroll, or skip, or whatever you want.
• Then you turn in the money you’ve raised to your church, which forwards it to the Hunger Fund.

The walk at Lake Artemesia, alive with birds, circles a 38-acre body of water created during the construction of the Washington Metro system.  The walk on the Indian Head Rail Trail is built on an old elevated railroad right-of-way that runs through the valley of Mattawoman Creek.  Both walks are laid out so walkers traverse between five and 10 kilometers, a bit more than three miles to six-and-a-quarter miles.

Last year’s walks raised more than $4,000 for the Hunger Fund.  We hope to increase participation and raise even more this year.

Every penny contributed to the Hunger Fund goes directly to feed hungry people hot meals or provide them groceries.  The Hunger Fund Committee is composed of clergy and lay people representing the six regions of the diocese.  With some diocesan staff assistance, the committee makes grants to organizations, some church-related, some not, that feed the hungry throughout the diocese.

For more information on organizing a walking group from your church or if you are interested in walking individually visit http://www.edow.org/for-parishes/hunger-fund-walk-2011 for more information and material to download.

What the Hunger Fund Does

It provides grants to programs that feed those faced with hunger and malnutrition in the geographical area of the Diocese of Washington. These grants frequently spell success to programs experiencing shortfalls.

Source of Funds

The Hunger Fund Committee receives no funding from the diocesan budget. It is solely funded by donations from churches, many of which have continuing programs to bring donations while others have periodic special campaigns. Funds are transmitted to the diocesan Business Affairs Office as special offerings. This fund is a useful means for Christians to do their share toward alleviating hunger.



Applying for a Grant

All organizations must be located within the bounds of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington (Washington, D.C., and the Maryland counties Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles and St. Mary's) in order to apply.

Please note, these links launch a new browser window:

    * Complete the Application Online
    * Download the Application as a Word document
    * Download the Application in PDF format

Grant recipients are asked to track and report on the use of the funds they received.

Complete Online or download the Accounting Form [pdf] | Accounting Form [Word].

The Hunger Fund Committee meets the second Thursday of every other month to review applications and disburse grants. For questions about grants, contact Kim Sanders at (202) 537-6535.

How Grants are Made

The Hunger Fund Committee reviews grant requests and makes decisions. Its actions are monitored by the Diocesan Council.

Who is on the Diocesan Hunger Fund Committee?

Committee members represent every region in the Diocese. Click here for a list of committee members.

Why Should I Be Involved?

In 1988 and 1999 the Diocesan Convention reaffirmed the original 1978 Hunger Resolution which "urged parishes, congregations, and missions to contribute to hunger relief by encouraging each family unit to contribute one dollar ($1.00) a month for hunger relief, by providing a regular way for the offering to be received, and by designating a hunger contact person to be a communication link between the parish, congregation, or mission, and the Diocese on matters concerning hunger."  These monies are then forwarded to the Diocese for distribution. This does not preclude a parish's designating another recipient.

How Can I Become Involved?

It's easy. Here's a recommended plan typical of ones used by a number of churches. The 3rd Sunday of each month is designated "Hunger Sunday." Envelopes marked Hunger Fund are put into pew racks. Before the offertory, the rector or vicar calls attention to the envelopes. They are received in the alms basin and their contents are counted separately. A check for the total is drawn to the Diocese of Washington and mailed with an Accounts Receivable Remittance form, indicating what amount is for the Diocesan Hunger Fund and what amount, if any, is for another named agency.

Is My Help Really Needed?

YES. Activities that have been aided in the past by this fund report that they now must rely more heavily than before on the goodwill of the religious community. This is because governmental cutbacks have reduced fund availability while the numbers of hungry and needy people are dramatically increasing.

Now, while the need is increasing, low fund balances will severely limit the ability to help unless you participate.  The Diocesan Hunger Fund is depending on you for its support in helping to feed the hungry in the name of Christ, Our Lord.

Where Does the Money Go?

Where the money goes:

The Hunger Fund Committee provides grants to support organizations within the Diocese that work to alleviate hunger in our community.   Since January, 2009, eighteen organizations have received a total of $78,514 from the Hunger Fund in the form of grants ranging from $750 to $5,000.  Here’s a list of how the Fund has been put to work. 

Food Pantries, Food Banks, and Food Distribution programs

Run by member congregations

1. Christ Church Port Tobacco Parish Food Pantry, La Plata, Maryland - Provides food assistance in Charles County via their Food Pantry, and provides a hearty meal at the Hughesville Shelter every 5th Friday.
2. Joe’s Place of Christ Church, Old Durham Parish, Nanjemoy, Maryland - Provides three days worth of groceries to families in the economically struggling Nanjemoy area.
3. St. Philip the Evangelist, SE, Washington, DC, www.stphilipanacostia.org/  - Provides an emergency food distribution center that is open two days per week.

Run by other organizations

1. First National Baptist Church of Southeast, Washington, DC - Provides multiple services, including groceries, to the homeless and destitute primarily in Ward 7.
2. Mid-County United Ministries/Captain Joseph A. Mattingly Food Pantry, Wheaton, Maryland - Provides bags of groceries to low income individuals and families in the Wheaton area.
3. Reaching the World Community Development, Washington, DC - Provides food baskets for the homeless and hungry in Wards 7 and 8 and Prince George’s County.
4. Wayside Food Bank, Swan Point,  Maryland - Provides bags a three-day supply of food to hungry families in the Cobb Neck area.
5. We Are Family Senior Outreach Network, Washington, DC,  - www.wearefamilydc.org/ - Provides grocery bags to isolated low-income seniors in the Columbia Heights/Park View and North Capitol/Shaw neighborhoods.

Feeding Programs

Run by member congregations

1. Charlie’s Place at St. Margaret’s, Washington, DC, charliesplacedc.org - Provides a wide range of services, including a hot breakfast Tuesdays through Fridays
2. Kwanzaa Kitchen, Washington, DC, www.stgeorgesdc.org - Provides breakfast every other Saturday throughout the year to disadvantaged clients in the LeDroit Park area of northwest Washington
3. Loaves and Fishes at St. Stephen & the Incarnation, Washington, DC,  - www.loavesandfishesdc.org  - Provides a hot meal at noon on Saturday, Sundays and most federal holidays to the homeless and working poor in the area
4. St. Columba’s Water Ministry, Washington, DC, www.columba.org - Provides services , including meals, 4 days a week, September through May
5. St. Michael and All Angels Community Dinner, Adelphi, Maryland, www.stmichaeladelphi.org  - Provides a monthly meal and groceries to the needy in the Adelphi area
6. Welcome Table, Church of the Epiphany, Washington, DC, www.epiphanydc.org  - Provides a hot breakfast every Sunday morning to mostly homeless and disadvantaged people in downtown Washington

Run by other organizations

1. Miriam’s Kitchen, Washington, DC, miriamskitchen.org  - Provides an array of services, including meals, to the homeless in the area
2. Shepherd’s Table, Silver Spring, Maryland, www.shepherdstable.org  - Provides an array of services, including dinner every evening of the year
3. Thrive, DC, Washington, DC, thrivedc.org - Provides a hot meal at twice daily five days a week as well as groceries
4. Central Union Mission, Washington, DC, www.missiondc.org  - Provides a wide array of services to the homeless and working poor in Washington, DC, including meals

How is the Money Spent?

Grants are approved only when there is assurance that the funds will be used for the purpose of purchase of food. (Disposable plastic and paper products used directly in the serving of food also may be purchased.) A member of the Diocesan Hunger Fund Committee is assigned as a monitor for each grant.

Hunger Fund Committee

Meets the second Thursday of every odd-numbered month.

Committee Members
Region 1
   The Rev. Norma Blackwell
   Keith Powell
Region 2
   William R. MacKaye
   Joyce Walker
Region 3
   Susan Dolan
   The Rev. David S. Pollock
Region 4
   S. Lee Mericle (Committee Chair)
Region 5
   Wendy Dalmolin
   Cheryl Maxwell
Region 6
   The Rev. Eric Shoemaker