Mission Statement
The Outreach Committee of St. Christopher’s Church is committed to improving the quality of life of the poor and disadvantaged in local, national, and international jurisdictions. Support is given to organizations that seek to empower the less fortunate to reach their full potential.
We are receptive to capital and operating needs of proven organizations that seek funds for special projects that coincide with our goals.
Guidelines
- To identify pressing needs for our outreach efforts, such as hunger, poverty, children and youth, the elderly, the sick and homeless, and victims of disasters.
- To support those programs that are most effectively responding to the needs identified, including smaller and start-up organizations that do not have access to large donors.
- To make an appropriate allocation of funds for our local community, for the Philadelphia urban community, and for the nation and the world.
- In general, to make grants to programs that are part of, or sponsored by the Episcopal Church, but, in appropriate cases, to have the flexibility to support other programs that are effectively responding to the needs identified by the Outreach Committee.
- To support programs, in appropriate cases and in appropriate amounts, in which members of St. Christopher’s Church are participating in order to encourage and enhance our members’ personal involvement in such activities.
- To consider efficiency in evaluating the effectiveness of a program, that is, what portion of the funds available to the program is actually being used to carry out its purposes as distinguished from administration and fund raising.
- To make grants of sufficient size to have an impact on the program receiving the grant, rather than be a mere token contribution.
- To continue to support a program, once the Outreach Committee has made a commitment, for three years, if appropriate, or as long as the need continues and the program remains effective. At the same time, the Outreach Committee must continue to assess needs and programs and have the flexibility to respond as new needs and new programs emerge.
Outreach Committee Operating Procedures
- The committee will meet at least four times annually to review and act on grant applications, twice in the fall and twice in the spring. Additional meetings may be scheduled. Each meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. with a prayer and end no later than 8:30 pm.
- A financial report will be distributed at each Outreach Committee meeting.
- Minutes will be distributed of each meeting. The minutes-taker will rotate among the committee members.
- To apply for a grant, applicants must submit their request on an application form which is available clicking on the link below or by calling the Church Office at (610) 642-8920.
Grant Application Form
Outreach Evaluation Report - Applications must be received by May 1 to be eligible for funding in the first six months of a year and by October 1 to be eligible for funding in the second half of a year.
* Charities that received a grant from St. Christopher’s in the previous year will also complete an evaluation form detailing how the grant was spent.
* Committee members and parishioners may remind charities of application deadlines, but they should warn charities that submission of an application is no guarantee of funding.
6. Each application will be reviewed by a committee member. The review should include a phone call to the applicant, a review of relevant documents, and a site visit when feasible. The member’s report will follow a form which will be posted on the church’s website.
7. Decisions about funding will be made at a full committee meeting. A quorum consists of at least half plus one members of the Committee. Applications that have been reviewed may be provisionally approved pending the submission of any additional information or documentation. Final approval may be obtained from all members after the meeting by telephone, in-person, or email. Applications that have not been reviewed in a full committee meeting will not be approved via email or other informal communications with the exception of #8, below.
8. In emergency situations, and if funds permit, a grant may be made without an application and or full committee review. These grants can be made on the recommendation of The Reverend Mary Laney or The Reverend Bill Wood or any committee member. An example would be a grant to a mission church in the diocese that experienced a sudden breakdown in essential equipment. The committee will be consulted as feasible by telephone, email, or in person. The decision and grant amounts will be shared as soon as possible with the committee via email. A full report of the grant will be shared at the next committee meeting.
9. Committee members will make every effort to attend meetings. They will review at least one application a year. They will participate in at least one of the Church’s activities that benefit outreach, such as Azalea Day, Soup Group, or Outreach Sunday, or in a diocesan outreach ministry. They will assist with efforts to publicize the Outreach program within the St. Christopher’s parish.
2009 Outreach Grantees
• Africa Prison Health Project – mission to prison inmates in East Africa
• All Soul’s Church for the Deaf – mission work
• Church of the Advocate – soup kitchen ministry
• Church of St. Andrew/St. Monica – support for heating costs
• Community Outreach Partnership – services to the homeless and elderly
• Contact Greater Philadelphia – volunteer telephone contact to the elderly
• Cradles to Crayons – essential new items for needy children
• Dolphins of Greater Philadelphia – volunteer visiting the elderly
• ElderNet – volunteer services to the elderly
• Episcopal Church Club – scholarship fund for seminary training
• Episcopal Community Services- the Urban Bridges and St. Barnabas
daycare and food programs
• Family Support Services – school nourishment for children with development disabilities
• Free Church of St. John – heating costs for their parish house
• Lutheran/Episcopal Campus Ministry, Temple University – ministry to college students
• St. Peter’s Food Cupboard – support for their program to provide food to the needy
• Scout House – ’08 and ’09 capital campaign commitment
• Seamen’s Church Institute – mission to the maritime community
• Smith Memorial Playground – play program for inner city children
• The Other Carpenter – renovations to homes in the East Parkside area of Philadelphia