Church of the Brethren funds issue grants totaling $77,500.

The Church of the Brethren's Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) have issued a number of grants recently. The seven grants total $77,500.

An allocation of $22,500 from the EDF responds to a growing food crisis in Ethiopia. Ongoing drought conditions have left up to 15 million people experiencing food shortages and 4.6 million people needing immediate assistance. The Brethren grant will help Church World Service (CWS) provide emergency food rations targeted to the most vulnerable people.

The GFCF has made an allocation of $12,500 to support CWS partner work in Ethiopia. The grant will assist vulnerable people with food rations, seeds, edible oils, and corn soy blend. To the extent possible, the grant also will help with the provision of seed for future crops.

The EDF has allocated $15,000 in response to a CWS appeal for deteriorating conditions for nearly four million Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank. The funds will support medical care, agricultural training and development, and job creation.

An EDF grant of $8,000 responds to a CWS appeal to aid Iraqi refugees and internally displaced people. The money will support work of the International Orthodox Christian Communities and the Middle East Council of Churches in providing emergency food and family hygiene supplies.

A grant of $7,500 from the EDF responds to a CWS appeal following flooding and damage from Hurricane Dolly in Texas. The funds will help supply material aid, water purification, staff deployment for trainings, and financial support for longterm recovery groups.

An EDF grant of $7,000 responds to a CWS appeal following Tropical Storm Fay. The money will help supply material aid, staff deployment for trainings, financial support to longterm recovery groups, and project development supporting farm laborers.

An EDF grant of $5,000 goes to Children's Disaster Services for the response to Hurricane Gustav.

Source: 9/10/2008 Newsline