2018 Mission Society Grant Summaries
Each year, the St. Elizabeth Mission Society provides grants for programs and projects that are in line with the mission, vision and direction of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. A Franciscan Sister of Allegany (FSA) Member or Associate must be directly affiliated and actively engaged in the program or project. The maximum grant award will be $5,000 (USD).
Funded grants are projects that provide service to those who are poor and promote self-sufficiency and systemic change, including food, clothing, shelter needs, medical assistance, educational programs and supplies as well as capital improvements and equipment. An accountability report is due at the conclusion of the grant cycle.
Printable 2018 Grant Summaries – PDF
The Alma Glenn Hall Improvement Project – Alvernia Prep School – Kingston, Jamaica
$5,000.00 Sr. Teresita M. DeSouza
The Alma Glenn Hall, named after former principal Sr. Alma Robert Glenn, is the area on the Alvernia Prep School compound where special functions such as school Mass, Christmas concerts, graduation, etc. are held. Grant funding was used to improve the multipurpose space by installing new windows and two (2) air conditioning units with a long-term goal of generating income by renting out the space.
Food for Healthy Living – Canticle Farm, Inc. – Allegany, NY
$5,000.00 Sr. Melissa Scholl, OSF
Canticle Farm is a non-profit, Certified Naturally Grown (CNG), Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm and is a sponsored ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. The Sponsored Share Program provides at least 20% of its CSA shares to individuals and families in need by. This local, healthy, naturally grown food is distributed through local food pantries, hot meal programs, shelters and recovery sites. Recipients are educated on how to utilize the fresh vegetables into their daily diet. The Mission Society grant provides 6.5 shares of produce. One share provides sufficient vegetables for a family of five people for 17 weeks.
Upgrades at The Dwelling Place – The Dwelling Place of N.Y. – New York, NY
$5,000.00 Sr. Nancy Chiarello, OSF
The Dwelling Place provides shelter, food and social services to homeless women. The 14 homeless women, age 30 and older, coming from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, who reside at The Dwelling Place will benefit from the new air conditioning units for comfort during the heat of summer. Grant funding from the Mission Society help offset the cost of purchasing several new air conditioning units and installing them into the dorm windows.
Leadership & Religious Formation in Miracema – TO Diocese – Franciscan Sisters of Allegany – Region – Brazil – Miracema, Tocantins Diocese – Anápolis, GO
$5,000.00 Sr. Maria da Paz de Jesus, OSF
This project has the purpose of serving the rural and urban communities of the parish of Miracema-TO, in the formation of leadership and organization of communities in the religious and social area. The area consists of seven (7) communities and over 40 people including adults, young people and children of rural and urban origin. The ultimate goal is to recover the missionary vigor of the Church Leadership and, consequently, their families, motivating them to assume their role, involving the process of missionary formation of the Church throughout the Diocese. Grant funding provided craft supplies, office equipment and snacks to conduct workshop trainings on leadership.
Sandwiches for the Homeless Ministry – Holy Cross Parish – Springfield, MA
$5,000.00 Sr. Cindy Matthews, OSF
Sandwiches for the Homeless provides food (sandwiches/drinks), socks and underwear to 200 homeless individuals in Springfield, Mass. every Sunday. The ministry, which includes parishioners and interested groups, has been making 400 ham and turkey sandwiches every week since 2006 and began providing basic clothing in 2011. The Mission Society grant made it possible to purchase the necessary ingredients for sandwiches distributed weekly to our homeless brothers and sisters in Springfield.
Sick Bay Renovation – Immaculate Conception High School – Kingston, Jamaica
$5,000.00 Sr. Trinita Solneck, OSF
Immaculate Conception High School serves 1,800+ students (ages 11-19), teachers, staff and workers, who all have access to the Sick Bay, which logs 65 visits per week. The original Sick Bay has been used since 1990 and and was housed in a small block on campus with no privacy or isolation. Renovation of another space on campus is underway for a new Sick Bay and Mission Society funding was granted to purchase basic items required by the Ministries of Education and Health, e.g. ironing board and iron, furniture, fixtures, appliances and linens with which to equip the Sick Bay facility.
Educational Supplies & Uniforms for Low-income Students – St. Francis of Assisi Educational Center – Palmas-TO, Brazil
$5,000.00 Sr. Maria Hena dos Santos, OSF
The purpose of St. Francis of Assisi Education Center is to ensure that poor students remain in school and have a quality education. Through grant funding from the Mission Society, 12 students will benefit, ages 3-15 years old. These children and adolescents come from families who have low incomes to survive and generally live in poor neighborhoods of the city as well as their homes are poor. The project focuses on an educational program of social involvement in order to raise awareness of solidarity and commitment to the school, highlighting Franciscan values and citizenship. Specifically, Mission Society grant funding provided educational programs and supplies, food and school uniforms for 12 low-income students.
New Oven Guarantees Output of 450 Meals Daily for the Hungry – Trinity Cafe – Tampa, FL
$5,000.00 Sr. Avril Chin Fatt, OSF
Trinity Café’s 365-days-a-year program provides chef-prepared meals to the poverty-stricken children, women and men in Tampa, Florida from two locations. At least 450 meals are prepared and served daily. Meals are served unconditionally to all who are hungry. An efficient and reliable oven is paramount to preparing these meals every day. The old dual-stack convection oven was in dire condition and replacement parts were no longer available. A grant from the Mission Society provided funds for the café to purchase a new oven to accommodate 12 racks of full-size sheet pans, enabling the ministry to continue to serve meals with dignity to the hungry in Tampa, Florida.
One-to-One Laptop – So. Tier Catholic School & Archbishop Walsh Academy – Olean, NY
$5,000.00 Sr. Rosemary Higgins, OSF
Archbishop Walsh Academy / Southern Tier Catholic School serves children from ages 3 to 18 in Montessori through grade 12. Technology is an undeniable part of our economy and students’ future. Studies show that providing a one-to-one laptop environment has a positive impact on educational outcomes. The school had 100 laptops and was in need of 25 additional machines. Through a grant from the Mission Society, they were able to purchase the additional laptops and bring the school closer to their goal of providing every student with a laptop for learning.
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