In the News
Rapid Response Grants
In early November of last year, the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church awarded 33 Beloved Community “Rapid-Response” grants totaling $187,800 to support parishes and dioceses that are mobilizing to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their neighbors and communities.
Online classrooms effectively locked thousands of children out of school because their homes do not have access to the high-speed internet that online education demands. Parishes like St. Elizabeth’s in Elizabeth, New Jersey, received a grant to extend the coverage of their Wi-Fi to the parking lot, allowing neighbors to log on for homework access or job searches and provide additional computer access in their parish center. St. Barnabas in Montgomery, Ohio, will use their grant to provide a safe and warm space for children to do homework and access the internet. Barth Safe House in Shelby County, Tennessee, is using their grant to address the needs of economically disadvantaged college students for whom online learning is a barrier to completing their degrees.
Many grants addressed food insecurity, including Vecinos Seguros @ Trinity Lime Rock in Lakeville, Connecticut, which is using their grant to address increased food insecurity in their area by expanding their current outreach project which provides grocery gift cards to families and individuals in need.
Each grant represents The Episcopal Church supporting the urgent need of local parishes and dioceses to build the Beloved Community each day, work that is increasingly challenging.
Parishes and Pews
Parish Photographers – Do you have a great image of your Church community? Would you please share it with us? The Office of Development is always looking for high-resolution photographs that share the dynamism and diversity of The Episcopal Church. Thank you! Contact Julia Alling.
CARES Act – Charitable deductions for donations up to $300 on 2020 taxes
Your generosity last year may be rewarded this year. The passage of the CARES Act in 2020 included an important, if temporary, change to allowable charitable deductions. For 2020, filers can deduct up to $300 for charitable gifts made in cash (checks and credit cards are also allowed). Please confirm this deduction with your tax preparer or tax software to determine your eligibility.
Do You Participate in a Donor Advised Fund?
A donor-advised fund is like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations you care about, such as The Episcopal Church. When you contribute cash, securities or other assets to a donor-advised fund directed to a public charity, you are generally eligible to take an immediate tax deduction. Those funds can then be invested for tax-free growth, and you are able to recommend grants to virtually any IRS-qualified public charity. Contact your financial advisor for more information.Are you already enrolled in a DAF? Have you considered making The Episcopal Church a beneficiary of your philanthropy? If you’ve given through your DAF, thank you. Would you please inform us of your gift so we can thank you for your generosity? For information on giving through your DAF or other estate and planned giving options that will sustain the Church’s work for years to come, contact Associate Director of Development T.J. Houlihan at T.J. Houlihan or (800) 334-7626 ext. 6271.
