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TMF Gives Grants to Annual Conferences for Minstries of Care and Support During Hard Times
AUSTIN, TX – Recognizing that a number of the local congregations and community outreach organizations the Texas Methodist Foundation (TMF) works with are making valiant efforts to respond on all fronts during continued challenging economic times, the Foundation provided additional financial support to United Methodist ministries to meet increased demands for critical needs in late December 2009.
TMF gave $120,000 in special grant funds to the six annual conferences of Texas and New Mexico, or $20,000 to each conference. Each bishop was asked to identify an organization or organizations within their annual conference to receive all or part of the $20,000. The only criterion for these funds is that they be directed toward ministries addressing needs created by the ongoing economic crisis. This includes ministries offering food, shelter, emergency assistance, and ministries of care and support to those who have endured the devastating loss of a home or job.
“Our friends around the state will likely know some of these ministries and recognize the work they do to provide assistance to the underserved in their communities. We’re grateful that the Texas Methodist Foundation’s long-standing financial stability allowed us to offer the resources for these grants and appreciate such capable ministries reaching out to families in need within the annual conferences we serve,” said Candy Gross, Vice President of Funds, Investor Services and Grants for the Foundation.
As recommended by Bishop J. Michael Lowry of the Central Texas Annual Conference, funds were distributed to Crowley House of Hope in Crowley, United Community Centers in Fort Worth, Metropolitan Board of Missions in Fort Worth, and Aldersgate Enrichment Center in Brownwood.
In the North Texas Annual Conference, funds were dispersed to Wesley Rankin Community Center in Dallas and the Dallas Bethlehem Center under the direction of Bishop Earl Bledsoe.
Grant recipients identified by Bishop D. Max Whitfield of the Northwest Texas Annual Conference were Methodist Service Center in Abilene, Area Mission Outreach Services (A.M.O.S.) in Midland, Fiesta Domingo through the Hope Community of Shalom in Lubbock, and Wesley Community Center in Amarillo.
Grant recipients to be indentified by Bishop James Dorff of the Southwest Texas and Rio Grande Annual Conferences are forthcoming.
Funds distributed in the Texas Annual Conference went to Wesley Community Center in Houston, as identified by Bishop Janice Riggle Huie.