Mission Plate for June
The Mission Plate will be collected for:
Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD) is the global relief & development agency of The
Episcopal Church and a separate 501(c)(3)In 2024: ERD “collaborated with 82 local partners in 54 countries to address injustice, poverty, disaster and climate risks.” They received almost 60,000 gifts allowing them to devote over $28 million to advance lasting change. More than 50% comes from individual donors like us. They provided $7.4 million in support to those impacted by disasters around the world, a quarter of that within the USA, while investing over $20.8 million in international sustainable development programs.
Over 3 million people benefit from ERD aid each year. From an interactive map on the ERD website, (clicking locations on the map provides details about the unique program in each country): ERD relief aid goes to: USA, Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal. ERD development aid goes to: Sudan, Namibia, El Salvador, Liberia. Both relief and development aid goes to: Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Israel,
Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, DR of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, Ghana, Brazil, Columbia, Haiti, Cuba, Honduras, Guatemala, Philippines.
ERD works on the premise of “Working Together for Lasting Change”. In 2021 the Board of directors approved a 10-year strategic plan. Refining program areas to: Early Childhood Development, Women & Girls, Climate Resilience, Disaster Response. ERD works with Faith based Engagement, Asset Based Community Development, Partner Capacity Strengthening and Evaluation Results and Learning. ERD’s holistic approach harnesses decades of experience co-creating with churches and other partner organizations successful integrated programs designed to match the aim of local communities.
In just 4 more years, by 2030, ERD will equip 350,000 change agents to advance social cohesion and resilience for 4 million people around the world every year.
Since its beginning in 1940 as the Presiding Bishops Fund for World Relief (the PB Fund); when its mission was to assist refugees fleeing Europe during World War II; What we now know as ERD (name changed in 2000) this ministry of The Episcopal Church has always adapted to the needs of the time; accepting new realities, shifting from administering small grants to investing in long term programs with partners worldwide that achieve sustainable solutions; it has grown to become a credible and respected organization in the relief and development realm.
ERD “meets all 20 Better Business Bureau Standards for Charity Accountability, and earned a four-star rating (the highest rating) from Charity Navigator and a Gold Seal of Transparency from Candid. We are involved in co-operative efforts through the Anglican Alliance, InterAction and other agencies to improve practices throughout the relief and development community.”
Use the website www.episcopalrelief.org to find out more interesting details.
Tamsin Lucey for The Mission Committee
June Mission Plate