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 year’s committee consisted of Donna Hurley from St. Mark’s Harvey, 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 $8,000. The 2019 recipients of this year’s Community Mission Appeal are as follows:
St. Augustine’s, Metairie (Crossing Borders to Strengthen Faith)
This is a mission partnership between St. Augustine’s, Metairie and the Holy Spirit Episcopal Church and Bilingual School in Tela, Honduras to provide scholarship assistance to two students from Honduras to attend 12th grade at St. Martin’s Episcopal School. Amount awarded: $500
St. Anna’s, New Orleans (Anna’s Place NOLA)
Anna’s Place NOLA provides holistic, arts-integrated after-school programs to at-risk youth in New Orleans, by offering academic enrichment, social-emotional programs and art experiences. Amount awarded: $500
St. Michael’s, Mandeville (Christian Formation in the 21st Century)
Funding will provide an upgrade to the technological infrastructure to increase the Christian Formation offered to the community. Amount awarded: $1,200
St. George’s, New Orleans (Dragon Cafe Feeding Ministry)
A program that serves 70 to 100 breakfast meals every Sunday. This includes our homeless brothers and sisters, the working poor, and persons suffering from mental illness and substance abuse. Amount awarded: $1,300
St. Luke’s, Baton Rouge (Blessing Bags for the Homeless)
In the Blessing Bags ministry, parishioners fill and distribute Ziploc bags containing life-sustaining essentials such as water, hygiene products, first aid supplies, and food to the street homeless population in and around Baton Rouge. Amount awarded: $1,500.
St. Matthew’s, Houma (Bread or Stones)
The goal of this ministry is to promote the growth and wellbeing of children attending the Legion Park Elementary School by providing nutritious meals during the summer months, who might otherwise be food insecure. Amount awarded: $1,500.
St. Mark’s, Harvey (Food Pantry)
St Mark’s parishioners assemble “care bags” to distribute to their homeless neighbors. The bags are made up of non-perishable food, water, toiletries, and socks. In addition, St. Mark’s is in the process of installing an outdoor food pantry to provide assistance to those who need it. Amount awarded: $1,500